Volunteers had sprung up as if by magic, and it was felt that it would do good, if they received some direct recognition from royalty, and were reviewed by the King. Accordingly, the time was fixed for the 4th of June, and the place, Hyde Park. I know I shall be pardoned if I give a list of the corps who were then reviewed, as so many of the modern Volunteers must be ignorant that their progenitors were present on this occasion.

In all, there were 8193 effective men, and the Review was very successful, the only exception that was taken to it being, that some of the newly-embodied Corps did not fire with perfect regularity. Every Londoner is familiar with the statue in Pall Mall, of George III. on horseback, doffing his cocked hat. Well, that was how he appeared at this Review, which happened on his birthday. On the 21st, he, and all the young Princes, inspected some 12,200 men, in a very curious fashion. The Corps were not brigaded, as in Hyde Park, but were inspected in their different districts. The Royal party started at a quarter before 9 A.M., returned to Buckingham House at 6 P.M., and then set off for Windsor, a good day's work! especially as it all, with the exception of the journey to Windsor, had to be done on horseback. The King, and party, were to have gone to Leman Street, Whitechapel, to inspect the Shoreditch, Whitechapel, and Mile End Volunteers, but he could not get so far, so turned up Houndsditch, to Finsbury. The only refreshment, and rest, the Royal party seem to have had, was breakfast with the Lord Chancellor, at his house in Upper Guildford Street, where they remained an hour and a-half.

The history of the remainder of the year is centred in Napoleon Buonaparte. On 23rd of August, he suddenly left Egypt, affairs in France requiring his presence there, if he would look after his own interests. Had he not done so, it is probable that the world would never have heard so much of him; as it was, he was elected the First Consul of the three,—Cambacérès, and Le Brun, being his coadjutors.

On the 25th December of this year, Napoleon committed a solecism in diplomatic etiquette, by writing an autograph letter direct to George III., pointing out how each nation was wasting its strength and resources, and suggesting the possibility, and desirability, of peace. Lord Grenville replied to this letter, through Talleyrand, much to Napoleon's disgust, and expressed his regret that the English Government did not yet see its way to enter into negotiations for a peace, which would not, in all probability, be a lasting one.

This year will close with a report of the number of French prisoners in England, taken December 31, when they were delivered over to our Transport Board, the Consular Government refusing to provide for them any longer.

At Plymouth7,477
" Portsmouth10,128
" Liverpool2,298
" Stapleton693
" Chatham1,754
" Yarmouth50
" Edinburgh208
" Norman Cross3,038
———
Total25,646

MEN'S DRESS.

The latter part of the last century was noticeable for the great, and grave, mutations which took place in masculine attire, and, most particularly, during the times here treated of. Previously, the wig, and dress (quaker cut) coat, had long had a successful run, but people visited the Continent more, especially France, and brought back French fashions, which at this time were particularly fantastic. The Prince of Wales, too, delighted in fine dress, and was "arbiter elegantiarum" of his sex. At every levée, and public appearance, his dress was always expatiated on, and the "gilded youth" of the period, dressed up to him, and copied his manner, even to his bow.

We, in our days, cannot afford to jeer at the accompanying illustration, when we see, in the advertisement sheets of some of our periodicals, men's stays advertised, and even vividly depicted; and, therefore, we must not throw the first stone of laughter at the fashions of 1788.