The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-10-18 00:00:00

MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.

THE THEATRE ROY. AI during the past week has afforded
a rare, as well as a high treat to the lovers of dramatic
music, its boards having been occupied by a distinguished.
English Operatic Company, who have performed in suc-
cession BaYe's opera of the —liohennan gm,---aseymys
"Somnambula," Wallace's "Maritana," Rossini:,4 "Bar_
her of Seville," and Auber's " Fra Diavalo :' a ides
a new opera by Mr. Fitzwilliam, the libretto being from
the pen of Mr. Backstone. The vocal corps consisted of
Miss Louisa Pyne, Miss Pyne, and Messrs. Boranni, H.
Horncastle, and W. Harrison; the orchestra having, for
the time being, been placed under the leadership of Mr.
E. F. Fitzwilliana. - As an operatic performance, even by
good principals, without the aid of an efficient orchestra,
and a good chorus, would necessarily be a very imperfect
production, we are glad to record that both of those ele-
ments of successful performance were in a highly credit-
able state of efficiency. In the overtures, -generally
speaking, the orchestral effects were well managed,
some of them, indeed, deserving high praise. , The reed
and pipe instruments exhibited great sweetness, and
the brass instruments taking their cues with readi-
ness, filled up" and ably supported the violins. As
a leader, or rather conductor, Mr. Fitzwilliam displayed
considerable tact, and but for his over-partiality to the
inapposite notes of " the woodpecker tapping," which, .
with his switchy baton, he performed with remorseless
pertinacity,—his
(tit i floof his _flourishes with htiiosi,_
lieftllvioatanda
have cut a very respectable figure. Of the operas named,
tnhaec igteyn,—eraillis grotesquenessunecessall r
probably the first mentioned was that most suited to the
powers of the company, and it was admirably gone
through. Indeed, with the exception of " Pm, Diavolo,"
which was obviously beyond the resources of the company,
all the operas were well performed, and beautifully put
upon the stage. Of Miss Louisa Pyne, as a vocalist, it is
to' speak. Her fame is extensive, and
earnedit. To an organ of great beauty, and no
ilsinbacerdlonbyri necessary
inconsiderable compass, as well as power, she adds a
pleasing expressiveness ; and in the "Bohemian girl" her
style of singing and acting was appropriate and winning,
many of her solos being sung with charming simplicity,
and in good taste. In the beautiful air "I dreamt that
I dwelt in marble halls," the clear, silvery, bell-like tones
of her voice imparted exquisite expression to the sentiment, -
and gave full effect to the floating and falling melody
which streamed in melting cadence from her lips; but
in no instance were her natural and acquired talents
shown to greater advantage, than in her portion of the
trio and chorus, " Happy and light of heart be thou." The
whole of this charming piece was delightfully given, while
the soprano part was a complete gem of art and a triumph
of expression. She was also very happy in Rossini's spark-
ling aria, "An old man would be wooing." Her render-
ing of Auber's delightful melody, " 'Tis to-morrow," was
in every respect admirable. The full gush and abandon
of delighted anticipation were given with a purity and
beauty which it is difficult to rind words to characterise.
As an acting vocalist, Mr. Harrison stands deservedly in
good repute ; to a portly and commanding figure he adds
expressive features, and no small grace of action. His
voice, though not of the first order, has many excellent
qualities ; his training has manifestly been careful, and in
general, his taste may be allowed excellent ; when bring-
ing himself up for an effort he displays capital execution,
and renders the music at once expressive and captivating.
In Balfe's stirring song, " When the fair land of Poland,"
his singing was exceedingly effective ; throwing his whole
energies into the music anti the words,he rendered bothwith
thrilling effect, completely captivating the audience. In this
piece he was rapturoualY encored—a matter calculated to
excite no wonder, considering the -great beauty of the song
and the dazzling style in which it was sung. His sing-
ing of " You'll remember me," in the same opera, wag
likewisa admirably correct. The Count Arnhelin of Mr.
Borrani, in the "Bohemian Girl," was stiff as a histrionic
performance ; but his singing rendered that defect less
important, as well as less obvious. Several of his solos
were given with much delicacy and expression, in parti-
cular his singing of the pathetic air, The heart bowed
down," calls for high commendation, and richly deserved
the hearty applause it drew from the audience. His Figaro
was a better piece of acting; it was lively, and he sung the
spirited airs of Rossini con more, and-in good taste. As
a comic actor and .ainger, Mr. H. Horncastle is entitled to
great praise, as the former he is easy, spirited, and pleas-
ing ; as the latter, he is effective, and displays good cul-
ture, added to natural qualifications of a high order. As
Devils-hoof, in the "Bohemian Girl," both his acting and
singing were excellent, and his efforts added greatly to
the successful character of the performance. Of Miss Pyne
we saw but little, and that little was pleasing. We cannot
in justice close these very imperfect and hasty remarks
upon the operatic treat we have received, without a word
of commendation on those who, though their names make
no figure in the bills of announcement, nevertheless con-
tribute in a light degree to the success of the performances ;
we mean the ladies and gentlemen who formed the chorus,
and the gentlemen of the orchestra. The former ac-
quitted themselves with judgment and in good taste ; the
latter in an artistic and highly pleasing manner, while
individually some of them deserved much praise. In
particular we were much delighted with the violin solo, '
introductory to the third act of the " Bohemian Girl ,-"
and in the same opera we were also greatly pleased with c
the clarionet obligeto to Borrani's song, ' The heart bowed
down ;" it was performed with tenderness and beautiful
expression. As a whole, the operas were eminently sue_
cessful ; the audiences, though not so large as could have
been wished or might have been expected, were, never-
theless, good • and in their delighted countenances was to
creditablei n
vBo ukr i t, e,
be read the best commentary on the style of the perform-
anc,es. On Wednesday this theatre will re-open, when .
Mr. B. Baker, a highly deserving actor, takes his benefit.
On that occasion Charles Matthews, the prince of come-
cdhiaarn,Ltae•rsill,—maakcoemhpiisimet appearancehighiy
description or require
and an event which is sure to draw a crowded audience.aer-
AT THE ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE Madame Celeste
Llve*°°Thie troesaidstnileists of
earnestness and fidelity of •
Mr. Webster have been performing to good audience
The lady's performances and capabilities are toe i
have been commented on and bowed the community, and it is suffi i
, lc fire. Of
Mrs 8,.
to say she •
fiheaastiloonstsnaorneelo.afrhieteir hainsdtrihoiiis'
classesli commendation.k
eneown actingoi nf
is but fair to say he is an actor of true to by all
. -Webster it
manner good During the
week several novelties have been amongprodu-stcaemd;p.llis others
an out of the way drama named "lielphegor, the roun rs-
bank," a sadly dull affair, which the humour of Y ge,te
the really good acting of Mr. Webster, and the talent and
exertions of Madame Celeste united, were unable to re-
deem from the charge of murderous dulness. Its tedious
insipidity throughout the two first acts was nearly insup-
portable, and although it did mend a little towards the '
conclusion, nothing could redeem it from the leaden weight
of Lethe's waters, with which its every scene was saturated.
1 Mr. MITCHELL, who has appeared on several occasions
as an amateur in aid of our local charities is (as will be
seen
inte advertisement),
about to make his last appearance
on character of Rob Roy, supported
number of gentlemen amateurs. It may be recollected
that Mr. Mitchell, who was the originator of the amateur
thbeys tv,
h
k;rformanee, in March, 1845, in aid of the
Licensed
duaijers' Institution, appeared as Sir William Wallace in the tragedy of that name. We understand the surplus'
is to be applied in presenting him with a testimonial .
of .
respect.

• SIR G. H. WARD is about to resign the Governorship
of the lonian Islands, and Mr. Wyse, the British Minister
at Athens, will be his successor.
SOIREE AT THE TOWN-HALL.—The Mayor intends to
give another grand soiree' at the Town-hall, early in No-
vember.
He has already entertained upwards of 1,300 of
his fellow-townsmen since his accession to office.
GRISI AND MARIO ONCE MORE.—We are to have one
more opportunity of hearing these great artistes in Liver-
I pool, Mrs. Scarishrick (the late Miss Whitnall) having suc-
ceeded in engaging them to appear at her annual concert,
which will take place on the 31st instant.
Sunday last a little girl,
DEATH BY SCALDING.—On
two years of age, named Winifred Egan, whoseparents
boiling water, and was so seriously scalded t
reside at No. 10, Henry Edward-street, fell
hintoat ashpeodit
col
yesterday morning.
pupils
s Hamptonofr_
delivered a most interesting lecture
educational establishment. The subject was "To • s
SOHOLASTIC.—Yesterday morning
Fisher's
red, B:c.—and to show that all is in perfect harmony with
tothetßehevp.
black, olive,
says that Eve was the mother of all
Scripture, where
forwthheer
ev aar.i:dties.of mankind—white,
living."
THE CHOLERA.—HEALTII OP LivEnroox..----We re-
cord with much pleasure that the general healt licthe
town is satisfactory, and that, so far as appearan
rant us in believing, the attack of cholera, by , , ,
were threatened, rather than visited, has v we
abated. Last week, the deaths recorded from eeatly
were fifteen—a considerable reduction on thisrecieai se
week's mortality. On Friday, Saturday, a*d ng
there were three deaths: yesterday, one. 0 ••••
German, labouring under cholera, was admit e
,
house in Denison-street. Yesterday, an Irish s
John Shane, suffering from the disease, was lanhAirt
the hospital from a house Carlton-street, • Va. iq YJIS
Or! USTA.I2

;,FAIR ONE, WHEN I WANDERED

WITH THEE."

Fair one 1 when I wandered with thee,
O'er the mountains stern and cold,
Pleasure then was present with me—
Moments seemed like drops of gold.

Where the fern and heather told us
Freedom there had fixed her throne—
Where no eye could then behold us,
Sped we on our way alone.

England's castles, old and hoary,
Records of departed pride—
Records of chivalric glory—
Of her brave who fought and died.

These we wandered through, while pleasure
O'er us spread her transient smile;
Heaven it seemed like, in a measure,
Resting on this earth awhile.

Through her ancient forests roaming,
On her battle fields of yore,
Where the white sea waves were foaming,
Listening to the ocean's roar.
Did'st thou speak, thy voice of beauty
Bade my spirit upwards rise;
Whilst affection, love, and duty.
Gathered strength from those sweet eyes.

Loved one! when above and round us
Spread the sapphire starlight sky,
Links of love and pleasure bound us—
Love that cannot, will not die.

Fair one I when I wandered with thee,
Love to thee was all my thought ;
Loved one! could'st thou now be with me,
First love would engross my heart.
Liverpool, October. 1853

W. T. W,

homage and veneration. How unfortunate, then,
to see them falling out and tearing each other to
pieces in this way ! Their own charrcter as gen-
tlemen, the interests of the university of which
they are both distinguished members, and their
respectability as members of society, call aloud for
a cessation of hostilities such as-these ; and without
pretending to know much about the nature of the
controversy in which they have been engaged, with
an earnestness more remarkable than the good
temper which has accompanied it, we venture to
hope they will see the necessity of carrying it no
farther, frankly make the admission—" Brother,
brother, we were both in the wrong," shake hands
and become friends, uniting their energies in up-
holding the established character of their alma
mater to scientific distinction, and setting the
world an example of urbanity and good-feeling on
the part of its Professors.

The Pantropheon ; or, History of Food. By A.
Soyer. London : Simpkin, Marshall, and Co.
The title of the above-named work, together
with the celebrity of its author, were sufficient to
excite public curiosity in no ordinary degree, as to
the nature of the volume, on its first announce-
ment, and that curiosity must have been rather
whetted than impaired by a glance at the exterior
which the book presents. On examining the
volume, it becomes at once apparent that M. Soyer
has applied himself to the study of his art with the
enthusiasm of an artist and the industry of a
devotee. He ranges the field of edible productive-
ness with the gusto of a connoisseur, and culls from
its stores a collection of rare treasures, historical
and gastronomic. He is learned in the ancient
history of his art, descants with equal energy and
persuasiveness upon the elegancies of modern
cuissinaire, and waxes positively eloquent in his
disquisitions upon the cooks and cookery of ancient
times. Having a sharp eye to the practical portion
of his trade (we beg pardon, his profession), M.
Soyer bestows considerable attention on the bibative
enjoyments of the true epicure, and is learned on
the varied qualities of liqueurs. Hear him on the
relative virtues of

REVIEWS OF BOOKS.

rue "Works of Samuel Warren, D.C.L., _F.R.S.
Part I. Edinburgh : Blackwood and Sons.

:This, the first monthly part of a people's edition
of Warren's works, contains a considerable portion
of those admirable sketches by which, many years
ago, under the title of "Passages from the Diary of a
late Physician," the author at once emiched the pages
csf Blackwood's Magazine and laid the foundation
of his literary fame. That fame, which, exalted
tine' extended by subsequent publications, has so
Tooted and expanded itself, that the name of.
Samuel Warren now occupies a conspicuous place
on the roll emblazoned by the cognizances of the
-versatile, yet chivalrous, Scott ; the dramatic and
impassioned Johanna Bailie ; the noble, delicate,
and fascinating Wilson ; the nervous and brilliant,
though caustic, Lockhart ; the truthful and poetic
Crabbe ; the soaring Coleridge ; the discriminat-
ing Bulwer ; the sweet, gentle, and tender Moir,
and a host of others, the illustrissimi nomini of
the past and present generation. As is truthfully
stated in the prospectus to this edition of Warren's
-works, "no one will deny that the author's uni-
form aim has been to uphold the cause of loyalty,
morality, and religion ;" and the power of intel-
lectual resource he has brought to the aid of that
sause can only be fully understood by those who
are familiar with his works. It cannot be appre-
ciated at its full worth by any one who has not
felt their influence, as that is brought out in na-
tural and pleasing force by the lessons taught in
his admirably delineated scenes and incidents.
Who can become familiar with the melting pathos
embodied in " The Broken Heart ;" or be a wit-
mess to the severance of those touching ties and
incidents of social endearment which are ruthlessly
trampled, crushed, and destroyed in the tale of
Duelling," without having his sympathies en-
larged and refined—his sentiments elevated, and
liis-nature softened and improved ? Powerful as
'Warren's enchantments are when applied

" To ope the source of sympathetic tears,"

the magic of his wand is not confined to that
sphere alone ; he waves it widely, and the spell is
potent in all the realms of fancy. His humour is
rich, abundant, and racy, as may be readily wit-
nessed in many of the blundering mishaps of
Tittlebat Titmouse," and other of his parvenu
heroes ; but, probably, in no instance is grotesque
and comic humour displayed with greater vivacity
or more sustained power than in the sketch of
'The Turned Head," with the commencement of
which tale the present part terminates. To bring
such hitherto expensive works within the reach of all
classes of readers, is indeed conferring a boon upon
society, such as is but little dreamed of by the ge-
nerality of even intelligent publishers of cheap
'literature. To wish success to a work so pub-
lished, and of such character, cannot be necessary ;
its success is as certain as the undertaking is de-
serving of commendation.

Norneepathy Fairly Represented. By William
Henderson, M.D. Edinburgh : Thomas Con-
stable & Co.
From a period long antecedent to the days of
Cervantes, the professional disputes of physicians,
lawyers, and others, enjoying what the public be-
lieve to be an established right to verify their
opinions at the general expense, have formed a fer-
tile and gratifying theme for public amusement.
hether this may arise from the satisfaction of
observing professional dexterity and enthusiasm
employed in a zealous war, for the establishment
ef one theory or the downfall of another, and for
conducting which warfare the public purse shall
mot be called on to produce the supplies, or from
whatever motive, matters little ; it is sufficient to
know that when such strife is once begun, it is
carried on with bitterness and animation to
which its general bloodlessness adds considerable
zest ; no one feeling disposed to act otherwise than
to enjoy the fun, and allow the harmless, though
stinging controversy, to expend itself in the ex-
haustion of the belligerents. In the pages of
Inackwood's -Magazine, we lately had a spirited
cabinet picture of the dispute between the allopathic
and homcepathic tinkers of the human constitution,
from the telling pencil of Bulwer. -In that care-
fully manipulated study, the salient points of the
controversy were touched on and displayed with
the delicacy and tact of an accomplished artist
and the generalisation of a polished amateur. In
the work before us, we have the genuine roar
of battle bruited and paraded with all the hearty
acrimony which a deeply interested combatant
alone can infuse into his narrative. The author is
a learned professor of an eminent branch of Escu-
lapian science in the celebrated University of
Edinburgh, the antagonist whom he seeks to dis-
able and expose is a brother professor in the same
medical school—not, indeed, a teacher of the same
branch of the art as his opponent, but a distin-
guished practitioner of the obsteteric art ; and both
of them are well reputed as gentlemen and men of
science. The real value of the subject in dispute
between these learned controversialists it is scarcely
within the power or the province of a newspaper
to estimate ; the mode of discussion adopted be-
tween the disputants is more easily judged of, and
in his preface Professor Henderson furnishes us
with samples of how that has been managed on
both sides. From those specimens we feel con-
strained to believe that both gentlemen are more
accomplished in the arts of vituperation than
skilled in the science of logic. A clever example
of the Professor's invective may not here be out of
place, introduced by the simple remark that his
opponent, Dr. Simpson, is a gentleman whose
juvenile rotundity of person and countenance bore
some affinity to the supposeddimensions and aspect of
MynheerTwentybroken,renownedinlegendarystory.
PROFESSOR HENDERSON'S METHOD OF TREATMENT.
Dr. Simpson's tactics strongly remind me of the inge-
nious conduct of the Dutch in Charles the Second's time,
who kindled bonfires and set their bells a-ringing when-
ever they had been thrashed at sea, in order to evade the
acknowledgment or appearance of disaster. For I believe
it was generally admitted, and even by not a few of his
own party, that in the last engagement he was very hand-
somely beaten ; his personal authority as to facts and
doctrines show him to be quite infinitesimal ; his informa-
tion to be singularly defective, not only in homcepathic
matters, but in the truths that are common to all medical
science ; his logic to have its point turned destructively
towards himself and his friends, and his theological zeal
to be entirely out of place. Yet with the face (the italic
is Professor Henderson's, not ours) of an old Hollander,
here he is again with as much of the former tattered
material as he can get to hang together, and as much new
canvas of the same originallybad quality as his crippled spars
will carry, trying to look as if he was unconscious of defeat.
It has long been a subject of complaint against
the English soldiers, that they did not know when
they were beaten ; and here one learned Professor
gravely accuses another of the same discreditable
kind of ignorance. A perverse public has, how-
ever, continued to abet the army in believing that
in this instance at least " ignorance is bliss," and
that it " would be folly to be wise ;" it is not
unlikely that a large section of the same public
so sympathise with Dr. Simpson. Jesting,
alert,it cannot but " make the judicious grieve
tq see the heads of our distinguished seats of learn-
-111:1414 far forgetting themselves as even in the
of
controversy to bandy such discreditable
vv.so esi naiti,
to thei, e
chave Their effect upon youth committed
Both thmust be disastrous in the extreme.
are men T,utlemen implicated in this silly dispute
pot!ition in the scientific world, are
jrzir Jud'erted and
onutati really honourable men, while
t 4 and rep axe such as to claim

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, AND GENERAL COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER

TOILET OF ELEGANCE FOR GENTLEMEN.—For preserv-
ing the complexion—temperance; to preserve the breath
sweet—abstinence from tobacco ; for whitening the hands
—honesty ; for moustache—the razor; to remove stains--
repentance ; easy shaving soap—ready money ; for improv-
ing the sight—observation ; beautiful ring—the family
circle ; for improving the voice - civility ; the best com-
panion at the toilet—a wife ;to keep away moths—good
society ; to promote sleep—dispense with the latch-kg.
CHINESE MODE OF LEADING THEIR PIGS.—In
England we must humour and amuse our pig, or he will
not budge an inch, but a Chinaman has neither time nor
inclination for such an occupation, so when he takes his
pig to market he merely passes a thin cord through either
ear of the animal, in the form of a loop, to which a piece
of rope is attached, which the Chinaman holds in his
hand ; in the other he carries a thin cane, but it is rarely
needed, as the pig proceeds along the road as quietly and
decorously as if he were going to a funeral. We have
seen scores of pigs taken to market in this way, and never
saw or heard of an instance of misbehaviour on the part
of any one of them.—Rambles in Java and the Straits.
THE SOUTHERN MIGRATIONS OF THE HUMAN RACE.
—lt will surprise no one who has read history that the
Russians should yearn for the possession of Constantinople.
" Whilst we do not possess the Dardanelles we are without
the key of our house," said the Emperor Alexander. This
is the argument—the political reason—the State necessity
for the long-pursued policy of the Muscovite Caesars. But
there is something under this, and older than the Roman-
offs themselves,—the instinctive turning of the human
race towards the South,—the pressure of the population
at all times from the icy regions of the North, from snow-
field, sandy waste and dismal swamp, towards sunlit hills,
rich plains, the vineyard, the orange-grove, blue air and
glancing waters. The form of the emigration changes,—
the desire of change remains. In one age, a nomadic
tribe, carrying its household gods, driving its cattle on
before, comes down from the great Steppes. Ages later,
it is a Ukraine horde,, mounted and armed, that rolls down
the corn lands of the Crimea, and dashes itself like a tide
against the rocky barriers of the Caucasus, falling back in
broken powerless wavelets. Still further down, the tribe,
the horde is organised, and officered after European modes.
Its march is announced by diplomatic agents, and its
advance celebrated by religious rites. But it is neverthe-
less the old eruption—forced by the old causes. The frost-
bitten citizen of St. Petersburgh dreams of the gorgeous
climate of Constantinople, as the Goth in his forest
dreamed of the Italian vine gardens ; the luxuries of
Pera, the sunlit shores of the Bosphorus, have the same
power on the imagination of a Russian woman as the
reports of the surpassing pomp and glitter of imperial life
had on the fancy of Vandal savages striving with arid
nature for a scanty subsistence.—Athenceum.
VETTURINO TRAVELLING.—A word upon this vetturino
system ere I leave it—l hope for ever. It is a perfect
nuisance from beginning to end. From the moment you
set off with one of these rascals, till the hour you arrive
at your journey's end, it is plague, squabble, insolence, and
torment. They start at what hour of the morning they
please ; they halt where they like, and for as long as they
like, invariably too at the worst wayside inns—away from
a town and from all chance of accommodation—since rye-
bread and sour wine, with a mess of stewed garlic, will
always satisfy them, They rarely drive at full five miles
the hour, and walk every inch with an ascent of a foot in
a hundred yards. If expostulated. with by the wretched
traveller, they halt in some public place, and appeal to the
bystanders in some dialect unknown to you. The result
of which is that a ferocious mob surrounds you, and with
invectives, insults, and provocative gestures, assail and
outrage you, till it please your tormentor to drive on ;
which you do at length amidst hooting and uproar that
even convicted felons would feel ashamed of. On reaching
your inn at night, they either give such a representation
of you as gets you denied admittance at all, or obtain for
you the enviable privilege of paying for everything " en
Milos." Between being a swindler or an idiot, the cance
alone lies for you. Then they refuse to unstrap your lug-
gage ; or if they do so, tie it on again so insecurely that it
is sure to drop off next day. I speak not of a running fire
of petty annoyances: such as fumigating you with pestilent
tobacco, nor the blessed enjoyment of that infernal Spitz
dog which stands all day on the roof, and barks every mile
of the road from Berne to Naples. As to any redress
against their insolence, misconduct, or extortion, it is
utterly hopeless—and for this reason : they are sure to
have a hundred petty occasions of rendering small services
to the smaller authorities of every village they frequent.
They carry the judge's mother for nothing to a watering-
place; or they fetch his aunt to the market-town; or they
smuggle for him—or thieve for him—something that is
only to be had over the frontier. Very probably, too, on
the very morning of your appeal, you have kicked the
same judge's brother, he being the waiter of your inn, and
having given you bad money in change—at all events, you
are not likely ever to be met with again; the vetturino is
certain to come back within the year ; and, finally, you are
sure to have money, and be able to pay—so that, as the
Irish foreman said, as the reason for awarding heavy
damages against an Englishman, "It is a fine thing to
bring so much money into the country."—The Dodd
Family Abroad.
PARIS AND Lormosr.—The French metropolis is un-
doubtedly the finest monumental city in the world, with
this additional advantage, that it can always be seen from
an elevated point, while London is usually enveloped in
smoke and mist, and presents a gigantic outline, dim and
undefined. Ascend the column in the "Place VendOme,"
the towers of Notre Dame, the heights of Montmartre, or
•Belleville, or the artificial mound in the "Jardin des
Plantes." On every side you have a bright, stereotyped
view. Look down on London from the dome of St. Paul's,
the Monument, the keep of the Tower, or Primrose-Hill,
and you can seldom distinguish anything beyond the
circuit inscribed within a radius of half a mile. Nay, even
on a summer's day, you may post yourself on Waterloo-
bridge, and Westminster or Blackfriars are scarcely dis-
tinguishable. This is less the effect of climate than of the
dense, tangible vapour, engendered by an unlimited con-
sumption of coal. Our public buildings of Portland-stone,
turn dingy and black before the scaffoldings are removed.
The new colonnade of the British Museum is already
grievous to behold. In Paris, the white gypseous freestone
defies time and weather, and looks as brilliant and as clear
to-day as it did two hundred years ago. The original
Louvre is scarcely more discoloured than the recent addi-
tions, and the gates of St. Denis and St. Martin are as
fresh as when they were erected. Let us do justice to the
beauties of the French capital. We can show nothing to
compete with the palaces of the Louvre and the Tuileries,
the Place de la Concorde, the line of the Rue de Rivoli,
the quays, the statues, the fountains, and the extended
semicircle of the Boulevards, even in the absence of the
trees. But we can produce good specimens of architecture
in our bridges, in Westminster Abbey and St.; Paul's, in
Somerset House, in many churches, and in the new Houses
of Parliament, supposing they are finished before they
begin to decay. And, above all, we can point to the forest
of masts, extending from London Bridge to Blackwall,
Greenwich, and Deptford, which the Seine cannot boast in
all its windings, from the Pont de Jena to Rouen and
Havre inclusive. These indicate the presence of the world's
commerce, and the influence of the merchant princes, who
uphold tottering monarchies by timely loans, and wield
the power which controls everything. The lords of the
circulating medium are the true sovereigns of Europe—
" Who hold the balance of the world? Who reign
O'er Congress, whether Royalist or Liberal?
Who keep the world, both old and new, in pain
Or pleasure? Who make politics run glibber all?
The shade of Buonaparte's noble daring?
Jew Rothschild, and his fellow-Christian, Baring."
Paris reigns pre-eminent in many points, but must yield
to London in extent, in population, and in riches ; to St.
Petersburgh in regularity ; to Constantinople, Lisbon,
Naples, Genoa, and Edinburgh in beauty of situation ; and
to Rome in historical associations—before which every
other city must bow down in reverential acknowledgment.
There is no place in Europe, in the world, to be preferred
to Paris for an occasional visit, none where a month can
be passed so pleasantly; but for many reasons it is the
very last a reflecting person would select either to live or
die in.—Dublin University Magazine for October.
MELTING MOMENTS.--One winter evening a country
storekeeper in the Mountain State was about closing his
doors for the night, and while standing in the snow out-
side, putting up his window-shutters, he saw through
the glass a lounging worthless fellow within take a pound
of butter from the shelf, and hastily conceal it in his hat.
" Stay, Seth," said the storekeeper, coming in and closing
the door after him, clapping his hands over his shoulders,
and stamping the snow off his shoes. Seth had his hand
upon the door, and his hat upon his head, and the roll of
new butter in his hat, anxious to make his exit as soon as
possible. " I say, Seth, sit down; I reckon now, on such
a night, a little of something warm wouldn't hurt a
fellow. Come, sit down." Seth felt very uncertain ; he
had the butter, and was exceedingly anxious to be off, but
the temptation of "something warm" sadly interfered
with his resolution to go. This hesitation, however, was
soon settled by the rightful owner of the butter taking
Seth by the shoulders and planting him upon a seat close
to the stove, where he was so entirely cornered in by
barrels and boxes that, while the country grocer sat be-
fore him, there was no possibility of his getting out ; and
right in this place sure enough was the storekeeper sat
down. " Seth, we'll have a little warm Santa Cruz," said
the mountain grocer, as he opened the stove door, and
stuffed in as many sticks as the space would admit :
" without it you'd freeze going home such a night as
this." Seth already felt the butter setting closer to his
hair, and jumped up, declaring he must go. "Not till
you have something warm. Come, I've got a story to tell
yon; sit down now ;" and Seth was again put into his
seat by his cunning tormentor. " Oh, it's confounded hot
here," said the thief, again attempting to rise. " Sit
down ; don't be in such a plaguy hurry," retorted the
grocer, pushing him back into the chair. " But I have
got the cows to fodder, and some wood to split, and I
must be a going," continued the persecuted chap. "But
you mustn't tear yourself away in this manner. Sit
down ; let the cows take care of themselves, and keep
yourself cool ;—you appear to be fidgetty," said the roguish
grocer, with a wicked leer. The next thing was the pro-
duction of two smoking glasses of hot rum-toddy, the very
sight of which, in Seth's present situation, would have
made the hair stand erect on his head, had it not been
well oiled and kept down by the butter. " Seth, I'll give
you a toast now, and you can butter it yourself," said the
grocer, yet with an air of such consummate simplicity
that poor Seth still be himself unsuspected. Seth,
here's a Christmas goose (it was about Christmas time)—
here's a Christmas goose well roasted and basted, eh ? I
tell you, Seth, it's the greatest eating in creation. And
don't you never use common cooking butter to baste it
with. Fresh pound butter, just the same as you see upon
that shelf yonder, is the only proper thing in nature to
baste a goose with. Come, take your butter; I mean,
Seth, take your toddy." Poor Seth now began to smoke
as well as to melt, and his mouth was as hermetically
sealed up as though he had been born dumb. Streak
after streak of the butter came pouring from under his
hat, and his handkerchief was already soaked with the
overflow. " Dreadful cold night this !' said the grocer.
" Why, Seth, you seem warm. Why don't you take your
hat off ? Here, let me put your hat away." "No," ex-
claimed poor Seth at last, with a spasmodic effort to get
the tongue loose, and clapping his hands upon his hat—
"No, I must go, let me out, I ain't well; let me go." A
cataract was now pouring down the fellow's face, soaking
his clothes, and sliding down his body into his very boots,
so that he was literally in a perfect bath of oil. ` Well,
,ifasyogrethwillgotgoincsalde
rothaed,h,u,inNoeroigush.
'fun I have had out of you is worth 9d.,
you for that pound of butter."—New
bosVglnrs,haolnignreente,htrktchar;2ltreh
Orleans Pickayune.