left arm is covered with one part of this habit, and the right is used for keeping down the angle of the other. The whole is extremely neat; but it requires a peculiar grace in walking to shew it off to advantage. In this respect the Maltese ladies are not deficient, and here I beg to differ from Signor D'Avalos, who writes, "elles n'ont ni les grâces des femmes Françaises, ni le maintien noble et simple des Anglaises; ' "* unless he had written it concerning some of those who have adopted the English costume, to which they have not yet become much accustomed.

The dress of the country women does not essentially differ in shape, but the material is generally striped or barred native cotton, of a very substantial quality. The head dress is called a tsholkána instead of an onnella. The doublett is in shape the same with the half onnella, but on particular occasions, such as a marriage or a christening, they put on the gezwira, which is a kind of petticoat of blue cotton striped with white, drawn up in very thick creases round the waist, and open on the right side, where it is tied at different distances with bows of ribbon. The undermost habit differs somewhat from that worn by the ladies of the city, and is called a deil.

* Tableau Historique de Malte, vol. I. p. 77.

This reaches no farther down than the loins, upon which another garment is tied round the waist, answering something to an under petticoat.

It is not very customary for the poor females in the country to wear shoes, though, if able, they in general endeavour to possess a pair. These, however, are reserved for very particular occasions, such as a visit to the city, the village feast, a wedding, or the day of confirmation, and then they make use of them as little as possible. It is quite common to meet with several in the morning upon their arrival at the gate of Porta Reale, performing their toilet beneath the arches, by putting on their best doublett and their shoes. A Maltese informed me the other day, that not long ago he heard a country woman asking a companion, while engaged in preparing to enter the city, how long she had had her shoes; the answer was, "Since the time of the plague." (1813) "Oh!" replied the other, “mine are much older than yours, for I have had them since the blockade of the French." I cannot vouch for the truth of this anecdote, but it certainly goes to shew the economy of the Maltese country women in the article of shoe leather.

I have little doubt that the origin of the onnella must be sought for in the oriental veil. Laying aside the great probability that the latter was

used in this island during the domination of the Arabs, I have been very much struck with the similarity which there exists between both, when the onnella is made of some thin cloth, and suffered to hang down carelessly behind the back. Modern civilization and fashion, has, in my opinion, made this once barbarous appendage, one of the neatest head-dresses among the costumes of Europe.

The accompanying sketches will serve to illustrate the above description.

AMUSEMENTS.

Processions: Good Friday- Easter Sunday - Festival of St. Gregory — Curious article in marriage contracts-Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul― Races – Carnival-Parata-Origin of - Giostra or Slippery pole- · Boat race.

The principal recreations of the Maltese have, in general, some connection with their religious ceremonies. The numerous processions, which however of late have been very much diminished, afford opportunities to the stranger of seeing every rank and class of the people, in their best attire, congregated together in crowds to witness the scene. The two chief occasions when these walk are of opposite natures; one being that of