EDITOR'S EDITORIAL CHIT- CHAT . "PETERSON" FOR 1870 - We call attention to our Prospectus, for next year, to be found on the last page of the cover. It is now admitted, everywhere, that " Peterson" is cheaper and better than any periodical of its kind. Our enormous edition, surpassing that of any monthly in the world, enables us to distance all competitors. Our fashion department, particularly, excels that of any cotemporary. Most of the other monthlies give only colored wood-cuts, or lithographs, for their principal plate ; we, on the contrary, give elegant and costly steel engravings. Our styles, moreover, are the very latest, and are received in advance from Paris. Our correspondents abroad have access to all the freshest novelties, so that our fair subscribers are never misled by false intelligence. The mammoth colored fashion-plates in " Peterson," in short, are not only the most tasteful and beautiful issued in the United States, but also the most reliable. Our original stories, tales and novelets, have been acknow. ledged, for years, to excel those of any cotemporary. In 1870 the literary department will be more brilliant than ever, as a glance at the Prospectus will show. We never had such a series of novelets before : and the shorter stories will be equally attractive. The best of our contributors, moreover, write exclusively for us : no other magazine has Mrs. Ann Stephens, or Frank Lee Benedict, or the author of " The Second Life," or several others. Every new writer ofability is engaged, so as to keep "Peterson" always fresh, and always ahead of its rivals. Now is the time to canvass for clubs ! Anybody, with a Ettle exertion, can get up a club, and so become entitled to the premiums. Be the first in the field! A specimen will be sent, gratis, if written for. Do not lose a moment! THE TITLE-PAGE, in this number, is engraved from an original design, by E. L. Henry, one of the most famous of our younger American artists. He painted the celebrated picture, "Westover, on the James River," now in the possession of the Century Club of New York ; " The DrawingRoom at Levens," " The Monastery at Lugano, Lake Maggiore," " A Rainy Day at Piacenza," and other first-class pictures . As a delineator of architectural effects, Mr. Henry is without a rival in the United States. Of his genius as a landscape painter our subscribers can judge for themselves from the picture we have had engraved. Few artists infuse so much feeling-may we add true poety ?—into their productions.
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AMERICAN WOMEN ARE NOT EXTRAVAGANT, according to Bryant, the poet. In his newspaper, " The New York Evening Post," he says that the value of silk and the manufactures of silk imported into the United States for the year ending June 30th, 1869, was $22,334,654. He adds :-" Now, in this State of New York, in 1865, there were 1,467,636 women and girls over ten years of age. The sum of $22,334,654, the total value of imported silks, divided among these women and girls, of our State alone, would give only fifteen dollars and twenty-two cents worth of all the silk goods imported into the United States to each. This is the value of two gallons of fine brandy ' imported from France,' but, in fact, oftenest made at home." The truth is that American women, as a class, are not only not extravagant, but are the best of economists. In each of our great cities there are a few " fine ladies," we admit, who spend money beyond their means. But ninetynine hundredths of the sex will make more devoted sacrifices for their husbands and children than any other women in the world. "They bow," says Mr. Bryant, " with dignity and grace to the loss of property, and bear up with resolution and fortitude under adverse circumstances. There never has been exhibited in the world's history more and nobler heroism or greater self-sacrifice, than by the women of the United States. Go up and down Broadway, through all the streets, visit our other cities and large towns, and where up restauran for women togrog-shops, trade and saloons buy in,you youfind findplace willone ten fitted , ts, or segar-stores, where men pay large sums, in the aggregate, for things which profit neither body, mind, nor estate,' but weaken the one, enervate the other, and waste the last." To all of which we cordially subscribe! THE NEW STYLe of Wearing tHE HAIR, of which we have already given several engravings, is in plaits down the back of the head and far on the neck. But we do not think it as becoming as the style it is supplanting. The quantity of hair required is enormous, and as few ladies have enough, false hair must be largely used. Moreover, the style ofputting it on is bad : it looks as ifplastered on to the top of the head; the whole fashion is false and in bad taste. It is our duty to state, honestly, what the fashions are ; but it is also our duty to frankly discuss them. We do not like the fashion, and do not believe it will " take ;" it looks well only on ladies with very long necks.
THE CHAIR-SEAT, OTTOMAN-SEAT, ETC., which we give, printed in colors, in the front of the number, needs no " THE PRISONER OF THE BASTILE," is the title of Mrs. Ann detailed description. Get a piece of canvas, and fill it in, the colors of the pattern. The design is in the S. Stephens' novelet for next year, and it is even more following powerfully written than "Marie Antoinette's Talisman.” best style of Louis the Fifteenth. Some of the characters, which figure in the latter, will reSAYS THE Uhricksville (0.) Chronicle, " Peterson's Magaappear in the former, and our subscribers for 1869, we are zine is justly entitled to the name which it has obtained, sure, will be only too glad to renew their subscriptions, in 'the best and cheapest ofthe lady's books.' It is replete with order to follow the fortunes of these personages, in whom the very choicest of reading matter, fashion-plates," etc., etc. they are already so much interested.
REMIT EARLY, for the January number will be ready by A LADY SHOULD always take the right arm of a gentle- the first of December, and those who send soonest will get man, when walking with him. In this way she will avoid the earliest and bost impressions of its superb engravings. being pushed, or annoyed by persons passing. Always go SUBSCRIBERS in the same club will be sent to different to the right of a person you meet. post-offices, if desired. Additions to clubs may be made at MORE FOR THE MONEY," says the Louisville (Ill . ) Ledger, the price paid by the rest ofthe club. "and of a better quality of its kind, is given in ' Peterson's NEVER SAY AN ANGRY WORD, for you will be sure to Magazine,' than in any one published. In its peculiar field repent it, sooner or later. it defies competition." 472
