bly failing. We return to our original posi-| tion: Monsieur Jullien is a great man and a talented his quadrilles are only surpassed by his camellias.

But as yet there had only been a revelation of the Polka to Easter-holiday makers. On the ensuing Thursday its name appeared in large letters on the affiches of the Italian Opera, for the benefit of those living on the entre sol of society. We say the "entresol," because those above them knew it already, from their intercourse with the best Parisian circles; but the intermediate people wished to learn it, -those parvenu gentilities who go to the Opera, not to be amused, but because they imagine being constantly seen there gives them position. The "Polka" was to be danced by Perrot and Carlotta; and the announcement, no doubt, drew together a good many who had seen the others,-people of inferior station, who boldly paid their eight-and-sixpence, or crept in under favor of a newspaper admission. "Now," they thought, "we shall see what the Polka ought to be; for the others have been mere divertissemens."

ballet about it. But creating a sensation about any thing always benefits somebody; and in this instance, whether the dancing-masters, the opera-dancers, the theatres, or the music-publishers have benefited the most by its introduction, the end has been fully answered.

LOVER'S EVENINGS !

From the Literary Gazette.

Time

It is but putting the apostrophe at another point, and making it Lovers' Evenings, to indicate how pleasant such evenings are. immemorial they have been so; blessed with the hopes of Youth, dear to the memories of Age.

But though of a like enjoyable kind, the Lover's Evening of which we have now to discourse is of an unlike description. It was the first public appearance of the gentleman Well, the curtain rose, and discovered "an of that name, so well known and so highly interior." It might be "a palace," "a hall of popular as novelist, composer, artist, dramatist, audience," " an apartment in the castle," "a and lyrist, as the expositor of Irish character, splendid saloon," or whatever sort of scene the and an illustrator of Irish music. Lover's exigencies of the piece demanded. Then Tales are among the raciest of his country's entered a grand procession of ladies and gentle-productions in that line; and his songs are men, more or less Bohemian, in costumes that sung from the court to the cabin,-touching in had done the stage much service. These natural pathos, or rich in national humor. marched about, paired off, and promenaded together again, until the audience wondered what would come afterwards. Next followed a "pas de deux," in which the scantiness of drapery excited virtuous indignation; and then Carlotta and Perrot bounded in, amidst the cheers of the spectators, and the Polka commenced.

What it was cannot very well be defined: to us it appeared a species of double Cracovienne run mad. Carlotta pointed her toes upwards, and clicked her brass heels together, and Perrot did the same; then they waltzed in unequal time, and leant backwards, and forwards, and sideways, and against one another, and turned each other round, until they finally spun off amidst universal applause, and the intense bewilderment of the spectators, now greater than ever, as to what the Polka was supposed to be. For surely nobody would ever attempt all those evolutions in a ball-room!

The truth is this. The Polka is in itself as simple as the waltz; it is, in fact, a species of waltz in Cracovienne time, if we may be allowed to say so. Two people can dance it as well as two dozen, beginning or leaving off whenever they please; but, as the first half minute shows completely what it is, a different arrangement was necessary for the stage, and various figures were introduced, at the option, and according to the taste of the ballet-master or mistress. That it will ever become as popular in London as on the Continent we much doubt. There is, at the best, too much of the

A

patriotic ambition has, happily for those who can hear them, induced him to deliver lectures on the music of Ireland, and embellish them with examples from ancient times, from his admirable contemporary Moore, and (chiefly) from his own compositions, either already chanted throughout the three kingdoms, or novelties which, from their beauty both in language and melody, must speedily partake of the same enviable notoriety. On Wednesday, the handsome concert-room of the Prince's theatre was crowded, centre, reserved seats, and orchestra, with as fashionable a looking throng as we have ever seen on a similar occasion. At eight o'clock the lecture began; and, except the interruptions of numerous bursts of applause or laughter, the silent attention paid to the whole till nearly eleven o'clock was the best tribute that could reward the successful efforts of Mr. Lover.

*Too late, however, and we are of opinion that no treat of the kind should exceed two hours, and conduct us into midnight. Encores, it is true, interfere with and destroy previous calculations of time; but in London, with its distances, many people desire to leave public places so as to get home at convenient seasons; and others in the upper ranks of life have often to visit private parties. Care should be taken to meet these requisites; for it is very annoying to quit what is so agreeable to us in the middle of our pleasure, and hardly less so to notice persons obliged to depart in order to avoid too late hours.

"There's no such Girl as mine.
"Oh, there's no such girl as mine,

In all the wide world around;
With her hair of golden twine,

And her voice of silver sound.
Her eyes are as black as the sloes,
And quick is her ear so fine,
And her breath is as sweet as the rose,
There's no such girl as mine!
Her spirit so sweetly flows,

Unconscious winner of hearts,
There's a smile wherever she goes,
There's a sigh wherever she parts;
A blessing she wins from the poor,
To court her the rich all incline,
She's welcome at every door-

His own voice is of limited power; but Of a livelier character is what is wanted in physique is abundantly made up in genuine expression. The bard is the true interpreter of his own ideas; and to us an emphasis is worth more than the highest note ever reached by vocal organ. We love meaning far better than flourish, a vibration of our heart's strings beyond the purest shake ever executed, and a simple feeling of emotion above any pitch of tone that would astonish the world. When rarely united (as in one of the applauding audience who sat not far from jus, Mrs. Alfred Shaw), the finished powers of music and just expression are indeed irresistible. But to return to our theme. After some pertinent and interesting introductory remarks, Mr. L. sang a new song, called Whisper Low, of which it is enough to say that it deserves a place beside his Angels' Whisper -"A baby was sleeping." He then proceeded to speak of the ancient harp and harpers, of the remarkable names given to the strings of the instrument, and other matters of curious lore, interspersed with many amusing anecdotes, and old as well as modern traits of Irish character. Every division was followed by a song, duet, or trio, aptly brought in, and charmingly sung by Miss Cubitt, a Miss Rollo Dickson, and the author. Among these, the At the end, the room rose and loudly cheerglowing benevolence of the Four-leaved Sham-ed this most entertaining and characteristic berock, sung by Mr. L.; Carolan, sung by Miss ginning of a long course of "Irish Evenings," Cubitt; Molly Bawn, sung by Miss Dickson; which, like Wilson's Scotch, will delight the and, in conclusion, Coo Coo (a new song), public, no matter to which of the three kingalso sung by this young lady; and Widow doms they belong. Machree, by Mr. Lover; were lauded to the echo. The story of the "Curse of Kishogue" was told with inimitable drollery. And of new songs, destined for equal popularity with their predecessors, we may quote the following:

"Whisper Low.

"In days of old, when first I told

A tale so bold, my love, to thee,
In falt ring voice I sought thy choice,
And did rejoice thy blush to see;
With downcast eyes I heard thy sighs,
And hope reveal'd her dawn to me,
As soft and slow, with passion's glow,
I whisper'd low, my love, to thee.

The cannon loud, in deadly breach,
May thunder on the shrinking foe;
'Tis anger is but loud of speech,

The voice of love is soft and low.
The tempest's shout, the battle's rout,
Make havoc wild we weep to see;
But summer wind and friends when kind
All whisper low as I to thee.

Now, gallants gay, in pride of youth,

Say, would you win the fair one's ear?
Your votive prayer be short and sooth,
And whisper low, and she will hear.
The matin-bell may loudly toll

The bridal morn when all may hear;
But at the time of vesper-chime
Oh whisper low in beauty's ear."

O there's no such girl as mine!
She's light to the banquet-hall,
She's balm to the couch of care;
In sorrow, in mirth, in all,

She takes her own sweet share
Enchanting the many abroad,

At home doth she brightest shine;
"Twere endless her worth to laud-
There's no such girl as mine!"

EXPEDITION INTO THE INTERIOR OF SOUTH AMERICA. Our neighbors are honorable competitors in the field of geographical enterprise and scientific exploration. Accounts have been received of the Comte de Castelnau's expedition into the interior of South America, dated from Sabara, one hundred and fifty leagues north of Rio Janeiro, and some of the fruits of its labors, a collection of objects of natural history, have already reached Paris. The Comte Ange de Saint Priest, who lately published a collection of drawings of Mexican antiquities, (Athen. No. 814,) has submitted to the king a project for a scientific exploration of the provinces of Yucatan, Chiapas, and Central America; and a commission, composed of eminent members of the Institute, has been formed to organize the expedition, direct its labors, and trace its route. The king has created the bishop of Iceland a chevalier of the legion of honor, in acknowledgment of the services rendered by him to the Iceland Exploring Scientific Commission; and the Geographical Society has awarded its gold m dals, for the most remarkable contributions to geographical literature, to M. H. de Hell, for his journey to the shores of the Caspian Sea, and to M. d'Arnaud for his travels to the sources of the White Nile.-Athenæum.