Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1865-12-27
BOOK NOTICES.


| fac smile; In two volumes. New York: pub.
fshed by Hurd & Houghton; Philadelphia: Fred
| erick Leypoldt, 1868.
We are indebted to Hurd & Houghton for advane,
sheets of these nimitable letters of the great COM
poser. In the best style of the Riverside press, OF
white. clear paper, and large. distinct type, these
volumes confer real luxury upon the lover of books
| Hitherto the world has cleaned its knowledge OF
the great maestro chiefly from Nissen and Jahn but
valuable their contributions appear they are too
ragmentary and incomplete to satisfy the apprccia-
| tive reader. The present work is an ungarbled
edition of some of the most agreeable letters extan
rejecting the true character of the man. and traced
in that easy familiar and confidential style which
constitutes the charm of this species of literature
| Mozart from his infancy, was a prodigy The
evidences Of his genius. as exhibited almost IN the
| cradle, could hardly be credited were they not so
well authenticated by indisputable testimony AT
three DID, says his biographer he gave tokens
of degree of genius far surprising all experience
| and really bordering on the marvellous In his
fourth year. he could play all of little pieces on
| the piano. He only required half an hour to learn
| minuet and one hour for longer movement, and in
his fifth year actually composed some pretty short
pieces, several of which still extant" Nor was
this ftful temporary light of genius. His pro-
greSs continued to strike his admirers with fresh
| tonishment. He was indeed in advance of the age
| in which he lived. H endeavored to render music
a sublime art, rejecting and interpreting the inner
most thoughts and emotions of the human soul. The
multitude. to a great degree stupid and insensate
at last educated by this great artist to kindred
appreciation of the divine theme. No man ever
labored more diligently to elevate the musical repu-
tation of the day in which he lived. The widest
popular applause attended his operatic efforts, but
he encountered the fate of genius in eonending with
jealous and unworthy rivalry, while the res angus
toe doi, which marked his later years, prove that
adequate pecunary returns compensated for inces-
SAINT labors devoted to the entertainment and profit
of others.
zHis character cannot fail of universal admiration.
haart a mere sensitive
nature vihra ith every
comes within the circle of huihan 0bssf His
letters to his father and sister repfete with the
| most genuine emotion, and the most tender, home
affection. They models of epistolary composition
which all may read with profit.
The shadow Of death seemed to attend poor Mozart
some time before his last illness. The presenment
of the coming event could be shaken or dis
sipaed. Death at last brought surprise, alarm.
Itwas the fitting close Of well spent life, and his
pure spirit passed. with no cloud over it, to the land
where the weary rest.
On stormy day he was buried at the church yard
of st. Marx, with friend present to drop tear
over the falling cod-in spot of many graves, the
best that the straltened circumstances of the great
place bore not a rude stake to mark where it
was and to this day its exact location cannot be
tanned. We have only room for a few extracts, to
give the reader idea of the letters, which we
hope will only serve to stimulate the desire to peruse
| the forthcoming Volumes
TO Gottfried Joaquin.
| PRAGUE, Nov. 4, 1857.
| My DEAREST AND BEST FRIEND
hope you received my letter. My opera, Don
Giovanni" given here on the 18th of October,
thn, hr1l1 Nngtn lnNr
performed for the fourth time, (for my beneft) l
think of leaving this on the 18th or 18th. When
return, you shall have the aria to sing. n. 3. Entire
nous, do wish that some of my good friends partcu-
larly Brdi* and YOU could be here even for
ing to. share my pleasure: Perhaps Il may yet be
been made here to persuade me to remain for couple
of months. and to write another opera, but however
| hatterIng the proposal may be, cannot accept it
| Now tell me. my dear friend, how you are. l hope
you are all as well as we are. on cannot fail
TO be happy for you possess everything that you can
wish for at your age and in your poston,-especally
you seem to have entirely given up your for
mer excited mode of life Do you not every day be-
more convinced of the truth of the little lee
lures used to inflict on you? Are not tho pleasures
of transient caprlclous passion widely different
from the happiness produced by rational ana true
| me for my admontions. l shall feel quite proud II
| you do. But, testing apart, you do really owe me
| some little gratitude if you are become worthy OF
Fraulein ". for certainly played no inSignif-
cant part in your Improvement or reform;
| My great grandfather used TO say to his Wlfe, my
| great-grandmother, who in turn told her daughter,
NV mother, who repeated it to her daughter my own
sister, that it was very great art to talk eloquenty
and we'll but equally great one to know the right
moment to stop l. therefore, shall follow the advice
of my sister, thanks to our mother grandmother,
| moral ebullition. but my letter.
sure 70 me to receive your letter OF the "a II the
for you. you have no further cause TO doubt It, Tor
tcthom the song you convinced of my true friend
| ship. and in this hope remain ever your sincere
| friend, w. a. MOZART
ITO Able Bullinger.
| tPyiUate.l PARIS, July 8, 1778.
| Mourn with me! This has been the most meian-
choly day of my life; am writing at two o'clock
| in the morning. must tell you that my mother my
darling mother. is no more. God has called her to
her from u.s. and must learn to submit to the will OF
| God. The Lord giyeth. and the Lord taketh away
| Only think Of ell the distress anxiety and care
have endured for the last fourteen days. She died
quite unconscious, and her life went out like light.
She confessed three days before took the sacrament,
and received extreme junction. The last three days,
however she constantly delirlOus, and to-day at
twenty minutes past five oclock. her features became
distorted and she lost all feeling and perception.
pressed her hand; spoke to her, but she did not
| me- she did not hear me- and all feeling was gone
She lay thus till the moment of her death, five hours
after, at twenty minutes past ten at night. There
| was no one present but myself Herr Heiner, kind
friend whom my father knows and the nurse. 1t is
quite impossible for to describe the whole
| of the illness to-day. | am firmly convinced that
she must have died, and that God had ordained it,
All would ask of you at present to act the part OF
h sad ey h hiessS 5S h hiE
post but only that she is seriously IN and now shall
| wait for your answer and be guided by it.. May
God give him strength and courage My dear friend
| | am consoled not only now, but have been so for
| some time past. By the mercy Of God have borne
| it all with frmness and composure When the dan
| ger became imminent, prayed to God for only two
things-a happy death for my mother, and strength
and courage for myself; and gracious God heard
| my prayer and conferred these two boons fully on
| me. ! entreat y0u therefore my best brend, tc
watch over my father for me- try to inspire him with
courage that the blow may not be too hard and heavy
on him when he learns the worst also from my heart
mplore you to comfort sister. Pray go straight tC
them but do not tell them she is actually dead-only
prepare them for the truth. Do what you think best
| say what you please; only act that my mind may
be relieved and that may not have to dread another
| misfortune. Support and comfort my dear father
| and my dear sister. Answer me at once, entreat
| Adieul Your faithful W. A. NJ.
GA young Novoredo banker, who was very init
mate with Mozart and in March, 1856. appeared in
| private performance of "Idomeneo" with Mozart
monument to Mozart with this inscription, Master
| the soul by the power OF melody.D
| Sun RAYS FROM FAIR AND CLOUDY SKIES; by Cousin
Carrie author of Keep Good Heart" \ ew York
| D. Appleton Co., 4l3 and AS Broadway, 1866
| pp. 259.
This is one of those uneXceptionabe books for tbs
| young which cannot be too warmly commended
Deeply attractive a narrative, it overflows with
the healthest Christian morality. Every home
circle where little eyes to read or little hearts tC
| be warmed, strengthened and purified, should pos
sess this volume. 1t may be had at the store of
| Waters, No. S N. Charles street.
| The EARL's SECRET Love Story; by Miss Pardoe
&c, &c. Philadelphia: I. Z. Peterson IL Brothers
| :06 Chestnut street. PIP. i5l.
A well written story by well known English au
thoress. For sale by Henry Taylor u Co.
| ERRING, YET NOBLE: A tale Of and for Woman, New
ork: John Bradburn publisher tlate NJ. Doolady
| No. - Walker street, 1865.
This is an execrable production which we hope n,
respectable mar or woman will purchase or read
as story it has neither plot nor literary merit t.
commend it, but it of those vile insdious ad
vances of corrupt age which, under the gGige o
morality and virtue, presents vice in its allurns
and shameless forms. 1t is a directory to ruin anC
should be Stunned deadly viper in the path.
| FROM JAMAICA,
The Late S0-Called InsurrectiOn-TerribIt
ENoesses in the Way of Vengeance.