if ever a ball might be termed a fancy-ball, this was that ball. Of Swiss
peasants, Scotch peasants, and all manner of peasants, there were a goodly
assortment; as also of Turks, Highlanders, and men in plain clothes. But
being public, it was not, of course, select, and amongst many well-dressed
people, there were hundreds who, assuming no particular character, had
exerted their imagination to appear merely fanciful, and had succeeded.
One, for example, would have a scarlet satin petticoat, and over it a pink
satin robe, with scarlet ribbons to match. Another, a short blue satin
dress, beneath which appeared a handsome purple satin petticoat; the whole
trimmed with yellow bows. They looked like the signs of the zodiac. All had
diamonds and pearls; old and young, and middle-aged; including little
children, of whom there were many.

The lady patronesses were very elegant. The Senora de Guer---a, wore a
head-dress in the form of a net, entirely composed of large pearls and
diamonds; in itself a fortune. The Senora de C---a, as Madame de la
Valliere, in black velvet and diamonds, looking pretty as usual, but the
cold of the house obliged her to muffle up in furs and boas, and so to hide
her dress. The Senora de G---a, as Mary, Queen of Scots, in black velvet
and pearls, with a splendid diamond necklace, was extremely handsome; she
wore a cap, introduced by the Albini, in the character of the Scottish
Queen, but which, though pretty in itself, is a complete deviation from the
beautiful simplicity of the real Queen-Mary cap. She certainly looked as if
she had arrived at her prime without knowing Fotheringay.

Various ladies were introduced to me who are only waiting to receive our
cards of _faire part_ before they call. Amongst the girls, the best dresses
that I observed were the Senoritas de F---d, the one handsome, with the
figure and face of a Spanish peasant; the other much more graceful and
intelligent-looking, though with less actual beauty. However, so many of