The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-04 00:00:00

THE MIRROR.

In the " Adventures of a French Republican' we
have a spirit- stirring description of the first day's
fight at the barricade of St. Mery, in 1832. This
promises to be one of the most interesting works that
hag yet proceeded from the prolific pen of Mr. Percy
St. John. Great praise is due to the author of the
" Biographical Sketches of the Kings of England"
for the impartial manner in which he has described
the character of Charles I.; he bath extenuated
nothing, neither bath he set aught down in malice ;
and while he reprobates the crimes of the King, be
does full justice to the virtues of the man. The
" History of Music" is „ continued, and from the
commencement of the 15th chapter we extract the
following excellent plea for vocalists :
" That the vocalist is of the highest importance to
the musical art cannot be doubted ; he is the interpreter
of an unknown tongue, and even when singing in a
foreign language renders its meaning to uninstructed
ears, and fills the soul with emotions and ideas both new
and delightful. his power is to song what elocution is
to prose, it developes the beauties of composition to
others, without imposing upon them the lengthened and
painful studies by which the singer has himself attained
his art. Moreover, singing is a natural gift, and not an ac-
quisition; hence the professor is a rarity, and one
selected by bountiful nature expressly to charm and im-
prove the human race. At an expenditure of time and
money any person of moderate comprehension can learn
to play a timple tune; but without voice he must iv
main unbenefitted by the divine powers of song, unless
an interpreter steps to his assistance. Such an interpre-
ter is the vocalist: his brain has been imbued with the
requisite knowledge, and his lips warble forth to hearers
what in the volume of the book had been written." lie
thus keeps alive the art of composition, which must
speedily expire without interpretation; he adds fame to
the poet, gives reputation to the composer, and supports
the musician. Meanwhile he developes the bounty of
the Creator in his gifts, and assists in rendering the cares
of life supportable. Let not, then, the vulgar rail at the
high remuneration of vocal talents; they stand second
in value to the intellectual powers of genius, and without
them the world would be a workshop, in which the
strains that give us a foretaste of a hereafter would re-
main voiceless and unheard."

MISCELLANEOUS.
Shares London Magazine, illustrated with a view
of Powerscourt Waterfall, contains, among many
articles of sterling merit, an interesting resume of the
recent events in Rome, and a continuation of the
"Story of a Family," of "Lewis Arundel," and of Mary
Cowden Clarke's excellent ",Considerations on Shak-
spere's Individuality in his Characters."—The Journal
of Design is conspicuous for the taste displayed in
its numerous and well-executed illustrations.—
Chambers' Edinburgh Journal is too well and widely
known to ask for the smallest comment. In the
Quarterly Journal of Agriculture will be found a
variety of useful information, and we recommend a
perusal of its valuable contents to all those interested
in agricultural affairs.—The same remark applies to
the monthly part of the Family Herald as to
Chambers's Journal. Of all the cheap publications,
this is our especial favourite. Nothing but a circu-
lation of enormous extent can repay the proprietors
for the mass of entertaining and instructive matter
which uninterruptedly occupies the pages of this
admirable periodical. We cannot, indeed, conceive a
domestic table in the empire unsupplied with the
current number of the Family Herald.—The Farmers'
Magazine, an old established favourite, is graced
with two excellent portraits, one of the invincible
champion of gglintoo, the " Flyiug Putehulau ;"