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THE STRAND MAGAZINE.

as much delight the Rational Dress Society as it would pain the æsthetic sensibilities of a Parisian mother. There are the little Pulteneys, daughters of Lady Pulteney, who is herself exquisitely attired by the Princess in white silk, strewn with tiny flowers of pink ribbon (97)—wearing sensible, full, loose frocks of checked silk (98 and 99); another little child, the daughter of a Countess, is in a flowing frock of yellow silk with a sash (61); whilst in curious contrast to these young persons are two quaint little children (3 and 4), designated in the book as the children of the Earl and Countess of Dudley. They wear the elaborate costume that babies wore the early in eighteenth century, with long white satin. skirts reaching below their feet, and short pointed bodices, one of blue the other of pink satin, with long coats to match, and tight, close-fitting little caps.


Viscountess Stuart (93).


Countess of Rothesay, and children (66).


Miss Poole (46). Duchess of Worcester (88).

This does not nearly exhaust the galaxy of fair Court ladies, but I hope I have given sufficiently exact details to give my readers some notion of the ingenuity and taste and thought and artistic skill that have been expended upon their costumes, no two of which are precisely similar, there being always some slight distinction in the colour or mode of trimming, or the fashioning of a sleeve or apron (aprons, it must be remembered, played an important part in fashionable lady's toilette in those days), which gives individuality into the wearer. A moment's glance at the style of decoration employed in Lady Agathina Arnold's skirt (100), and that of Lady Nina Morton