LONDON AMUSEMENTS.

Evening Star, Issue 3287, 2 September 1873, Page 3

LONDON AMUSEMENTS.

I believe (says a lady correspondent of the Southern Cross) London is now the most musical capitd in Europe. The great perfection to which the art is being brought in public is telling upon private society. One hardly ever hears young ladies p!«y and sing nowadays. They learn music, indeed, ami from the most expensive masters, but their friends profit by their acuirements on only the most informal occasions. Professional musicians form a portion of all private enter tainmentsof a certain style and importance, and concerts have taken the place of the “ dances,” as distinguished from balls, of a few seasons ago. It is the custom now, at the “ afternoons ” of certain great ladies to “ give music ’’—that is, a professional singer of groat repute, attired in splendid afternoon dress, comes in, sings a song or two, and retires, to do the same in some other drawingroom. This coats money, and is only one of the innovations which aie fast turning “|afternoon tea” into an institution involving great expense and excessive luxury. The toilettes worn on these occasions are very magnificent, and the flower decorations of the rooms arcsuperb. All the fireplaces in the reception rooms are to be turned mto jardinieres this season, and already at one or two great houses the new fashion of suspending wreaths across the entrance on festive occasions has been adopted. .Natural flowers only are worn in the hair at balls, and huge bouquets are carried in the hand, to the general inconvenience, Young girls wear large bunches of violets or primroses, tied in with the bows of the long and wide sashes which adorn their gowns, while the elder ladies wear sprays of lilac, purple, and white. The flower shows are to be more than ever wonderful this year; there are rumors of marvellous results in rose variation, and perfect prodigies in dwarf flowers.