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bon Sänger Fest. To this festival all such Lieder | mond casements suggesting to you that it is much Kranze are invited, so that the number of sing- as when Milton inhabited it. Here he no doubt ers expected is not less than 1000. From Munich, lived, principally; and to all probability, here was Landshut, Straubing, Nuremburg, Augsburg, Paradise Regained" dictated to his amanuensis, Wurtzburg, &c., &c., many are coming to lend most likely at this time his wife, Elizabeth Mintheir aid, and participate in the pleasure of such a shull. The worthy tailor and his apprentice were meeting. On the 25th of July all the different so- now mounted on a table in it, busily pursuing their cieties will go in procession to the grand hall, labor. - William Howitt's Homes and Haunts of erected in the open air, where the festival is to be British Poets. held; each one preceded by its own banner. Arrived there, the songs, in which all join, immediately commence. The first is a psalm; afterwards, as might be expected, will also be sung "Was ist das deutsche Vaterland ?" The other songs which we have heard named are all admirable specimens of German melody. The selection has been made with care, and will, we doubt not, be satisfactory to every one who may have the good fortune to be present at the performance.

LAMARTINE'S NEW WORK.-The intelligent correspondent of the Literary Gazette thus characterizes the long expected work of Lamartine: "L'Histoire des Girondins" has obtained a success due to curiosity. The work is written in the taste of the day. "Tis the roman-feuilleton, written at times with excessive negligence, and at other times with a rare good fortune in scenic effects, in graphic details, in anecdotes more or less authentic, but all amusing. This will explain to you how it was that 6000 copies were sold in five days, and how it was that an enterprising publisher was found next day who offered 300,000 francs (12,000l.) to M. de Lamartine if he would, after the "Histoire des Girondins," write "L'Histoire des Montagnards." The offer was forthwith accepted. The "Histoire des Montagnards" will extend to eight volumes, and will thus complete the History of the French Revolution, which M. de Lamartine will have written in two portions. However, if the noble poet does achieve a mob triumph, he achieves it at the expense of his popularity in the higher circles, where people are revolted at the sécheresse de caur with which he speaks of Louis XVI., and especially of Marie Antoinette. The unfortunate queen, indeed, is inexorably sacrificed to the imprescriptible rights of the sovereign people; and M. de Lamartine, clothing in burlesque this noble figure of a young woman, a stranger, devoted without defence to the revolutionary hydra, has dragged to light against her all the miserable calumnies accumulated in the pamphlets of Jacobinism. These views, so contrary to the antecedent political and diplomatic opinions of M. de Lamartine, have painfully affected most of his readers.

MILTON'S HOUSE AT CHALFONT.-It says much for the proprietors of the cottage at Chalfont, and for the feeling of the country in general, that this simple dwelling has been sacredly preserved till this time. You see that all the others near are much more modern. This is of the old framed timber kind, and is known, not only by the whole village, but the whole country round, as Milton's house. Mr. Dunster, in the additions of his edition of "Paradise Regained," says that the cottage of Chalfont "is not pleasantly situated; that the adjacent country is extremely pleasant; but the immediate spot is as little picturesque or pleasing as can well be imagined!" He might have recollected, that it could signify very little to Milton whether the spot was picturesque or not, if it were quiet, and had a good air; for Milton was, and had been long, quite blind. But, in fact, the situation, though not remarkably striking, is by no means unpleasing. It is the first cottage on the right hand as you descend the road from Beaconsfield to Chalfont St. Giles. Standing a little above the cottage, the view before you is very interesting. The quiet old agricultural village of Chalfont lies in the valley, amid woody uplands, which are seen all round. The cottage stands facing you, with its gable turned at the road, and fronting into its little garden and field. A row of ordinary cottages is built at its back, and faces the road below. To the right, ascends the grass field mentioned; but this, with extensive old orchards above the house, is pleasing to the eye, presenting an idea of quiet, rural repose, and of meditative walks in the shade of the orchard trees, or up the field, to the breezy height above. Opposite to the house, on the other side of the way, is a wheelwright's dwelling, with his timber reared amongst old trees, and above it a chalk-pit, grown about with bushes. This is as rural as you can desire. The old house is covered in front with a vine: bears all the marks of antiquity; and is said by its inhabitant, a tailor, to have been but little altered. There was, he says, an old porch at the door, which stood till it fell with age. Here we may well imagine Milton sitting, in the sunny weather, as at Bunhill Fields, and enjoying the warmth, and the calm sweet air. Could he have seen the view which here presented itself, it would a storm-the rising and setting of the sun on the have been agreeable; for though in this direction the ascending ground shuts out distant prospect, its green woody upland would be itself a pleasant object of contemplation; shutting out all else, and favorable to thought. The house below consists of two rooms, the one on the left, next to the road, a spacious one, though low, and with its small dia

A NEW SYMPHONY BY DAVID.-Félicien David was not fortunate when, after the great success of the Désert, he ventured upon a second attempt of the same kind. Moise was very coldly listened to, and we might have for a moment believed in the total eclipse of this new star, which had suddenly risen with such splendor. But a third trial decidedly ranks Félicien David among the first composers whom we now possess; and the symphony of Christophe Colomb will ever, we believe, remain a remarkable work. The subject is well chosen, and, when a symphony is in question, the subject is an important point. The declaimed stanzas are sufficiently full of imagery to maintain the mind soaring at the poetic height required by an auditory, when listening to music of a severe and scientific character. We witness the preparations for departure; the embarkation, accompanied by the prayers of the people; all the incidents of a long navigation-a dead calm—a halt under the tropics

waters-a réverie during the watch a revolt amongst the sailors; and lastly the arrival, and the act of taking possession of a new world in the midst of wild Indian songs and dances.

Amongst the portions most applauded in the new symphony, we must notice the magnificent crescendo, the description of a fine night, the storm; and

amongst the songs, the first barcarolle of Christopher the students then brought a large drinking-cup, Columbus, the farewell duet, the prayer on the which they offered to their honored teacher as a shore, the chorus of the spirits of the ocean, the bal- birth-day gift to him, "the man of freedom, of love, lad of the sailor, the chorus of the Indians, and and of faith; to the man who first introduced them especially the sweet melody entitled "La mère In- all to a right understanding of the revelation of didienne." The choruses of men's voices, almost all vine truth and divine beauty, and in whose hand they accompanied in unison by stringed and wind in- freely and joyfully deposited the vow which they struments, are written after the model of Handel's had made to remain true to the recognised truth." oratorios, and are rather too monotonously similar Allusion was also made at this interesting festival to the Gregorian chant. But, upon the whole, to a work which has lately appeared at Potsdam; a Christophe Colomb is a fine work, and we hold for translation, namely, of "the memoirs of the great certain that, from this day forward, all the lyrical Englishman," Thomas Arnold; which, in comtheatres of Paris and the whole world are open to M. Félicien David.

PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF GILFILLAN. An American traveller describes the gifted and popular author of "the Gallery of Literary Portraits," in the following graphic way:

pliance with Neander's wish, one of his scholars undertook to translate. The motto affixed to the work by Neander is as follows: "We have here rich memoirs of the life of one of the noblest and most enlightened men of his age;" an opinion to which all who knew Arnold will heartily subscribe.

"While in Dundee, a few days since, I saw DEATH OF MDLLE. MARS.-Mdlle. Mars died the George Gilfillan, author of 'Gallery of Literary day before yesterday, after a few weeks' illness. A Portraits,' one of the most remarkable books of the daughter of the actor Morivel and of Madame age. He is a thoroughly evangelical clergyman, Mars, she entered quite a child the Théâtre Montheoretically and ostensibly. He is a devoted ad- tansier (now the Theatre of the Palais Royal). mirer of Carlyle, Channing, Emerson, Shelley, She left the French stage only five or six years ago. Lamb, Wordsworth, and his portraits of them are In consequence, during nearly fifty years (she lived most striking. Gilfillan is a tall, vigorous looking to the age of 69), she maintained her dramatic man of thirty-three; strong though not stout, with career, in which success, generally so ephemeral, a large six storied auburn-thatched head; an eye constantly and faithfully kept her company. I resmall but bright as an eagle's, darting its rays fierce- member, when she was sixty years of age, the crely through the glasses which he wears for protec- ation by her of the part of a young girl of eighteen, tion against the sun-light; a florid, fiery countenance; (in the play of M. A. Dumas, "Mdlle. de Belexcitable temperament, not abated any by his use leisle,") and the personification met with the unaniof tea and snuff; large ruddy shaped mouth forti- mous applause of a wonder-struck audience. Tofied by an army of strong teeth, which, however, day all these palms are blighted, the arch look is one could hardly call 'regulars;' prominent and deadened, the sweet voice is dumb; and in a few well built olfactory establishment; and take him years this magical name will only live as a tradiall in all' one of the strangest, strongest looking tion in the memory of a few old men. Previous to geniuses (for he is a genius) I have met with. I her death, Mdlle. Mars received all the succor rewent to hear him preach. He labored like a ligion could afford; and her reconciliation with the mountain to bring forth an exposition of the para- church will leave no pretence for those scandalous ble of the good Samaritan; but the pulpit is not his discussions which arise sometimes from the Papal sphere. He figures there like a giant in small excommunication which still weighs over comeclothes: like Pegasus in a yoke: like a lion in a dians.-Cor. Lit. Gazelle. net. He said some telling things; and now and then would bring his fist down like a blacksmith's A OLD TEMPERANCE ADDRESS.-A late number sledge, when sparks would fly out in all directions of the Chinese Repository contains a curious docuso as to make one look out for his eyes. Privately ment on wine-drinking. It is found in one of the and socially, he is a plain dressed, free-and-easy, standard books of China, and is nearly three thouunaffected man; his rugged storm-crested nature sand years old. About 1150 B. C. the Chinese being easily subdued, at which time he is as peaceful and playful as a child. His conversation is full of images, like his friend Carlyle's, some of which he is a wee bit inclined to worship. But they are images representative of great spiritual thoughts, and such as would grace the gallery of any mind."

empire was cursed by the tyranny of Chu-sin, the last of the Shang dynasty. His successor, Wanwang, deeply impressed with the evils which the excesses of Chu-sin had introduced, is represented as making a "wine announcement" to the Governor of Mei, of which the following extract is a part: "Your venerable predecessor, Wan-wang, founded a kingdom in the Western land, and warned and cautioned all the states, all the officers, together with the assistants and managers, morning and evening, in sacrifices to use this wine. Heaven only sent down the decree at first for our people (to use the wine) on account of the great sacrifices. Heaven's sending down inflictions on our people, and causing formidable rebellions, and the destruction of virtue, is invariably on account of wine: only that does it. And the cause of the ruin of small and large states is also invariably on account of wine. That is the sole fault. Wan-wang instruct

BIRTH-DAY OF NEANDER.-On the 16th of January, the venerable Neander celebrated his birth-day at Berlin, and according to custom, the greater part of his more intimate acquaintances met at dinner at his house, besides the principal theological and historical professors of the university, his younger friends and scholars, and the deputies sent by the students. Many affectionate allusions were made to the debt of gratitude which most of those present owed to the celebrated professor: Ehrenberg spoke of the importance of Neander's great work on Church History, and another mentioned the high estimation in which he was held abroad. Ited the youth, the office holders, and men of business is him that Edgar Quinet names "une des âmes les plus élevées de l'Allemagne." In the evening the students appeared in great numbers before his house, with torches, and song, and music; a deputation of

thus-Don't be constantly guzzling wine. And let the occasion of national drinking be when sacrifices are offered; and then use it moderately, so as not to become intoxicated.' ”

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1. A Treatise on the Inhalation of the Vapor of Ether, &c. By J. ROBINSON, Surgeon-Dentist, &c. London, 1847.

2. Notes on the Inhalation of Sulphuric Ether, in the Practice of Midwifery. By J. Y. SIMPSON, Professor of Midwifery in the University of Edinburgh. Edinburgh,

1847.

3. The Medical Periodicals, passim.

[The following article has an interest as deep and wide as to find a fellow-being placid, and calm, and human suffering, as a clear and entertaining description of one motionless, under an operation which used of the most remarkable discoveries of the age. The author's to cause much torture, as evinced too plaingreat familiarity with the subject, as well as his evidently by writhings, and shoutings, and groans. learning and experience as a surgeon, give his statements great authority; while the enthusiasm and humor which his graphic delineations evince, not only take away all professional abstruseness, but give the article extraordinary literary

attraction.-ED.]

Ar first sight, this subject may seem to lie beyond the strict range of our Journal, and to belong rather to those periodicals which treat exclusively of physic and surgery. But a moment's reflection makes it very plain how this is a matter which touches all members of the human family alike; or, if there be any difference, patients are more interested than practitioners-the laity more than the profession-the mass more than the medical section of mankind. No doubt, it is a boon to the surgeon to know that he can achieve what he knows to be essential for his patient's welfare, without, at the same time, inflicting on him an instant's pain. He will be very thankful VOL. XI. No. III.

19

His hand is all the steadier; his head all the more cool and collected; his feelings are comparatively untouched; and his heart, all thankful, is incomparably at ease. But surely the boon is greater far to the victim-to the suffering portion of humanity. Injury and disease often require operations of dread severity; fearful in themselves, and still more fearful in anticipation. In war, the bravest hearts, who cared not for the foeman's steel, and scarce felt the wound it made, have yet shrunk back from the friendly knife which in kindness had to follow. In disease, the sternest minds, and the most possessed, have looked death steadily in the face, day by day, week by week, and month by month; they have reasoned calmly of that which they believed to be surely carrying them onward to their grave; and yet they have turned, trembling and appalled, from the thought of an operation which a turn of

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