"As Music, which I apprehend had the precedence of poetry as a human invention, was regulated by certain principles of art, when words came to be adapted, these latter would of course be likewise regulated by similar principles. The measured cadences, therefore, of musical expression may be presumed to have first suggested the idea of metrical harmony, and to have evolved the elements out of which every order of verse subsequently derived its existence. But Poetry, as it improved and ripened towards maturity, rose above the trammels in which Music bad originally shackled it, and becoming disassociated from its parent art, sprang up and ramified into an almost endless variety of production, leaving all other mental processes at an immeasurable distance behind it, and becoming a universal agent of the purest mental enjoyment."

This extract is from a work lately published, entitled, "The Poetry of the Pentateuch, by the Rev. Hobart Caunter, B.D.," which treats of the beauty and sublimity of the poetry of the five books of Moses: it well deserves a place in the library of all who have yet to learn where to search for the highest class of poetical inspiration. The observations upon primeval music, interspersed among the first two or three chapters, evince the reverend author's appreciation of, and power over the subject, and will very greatly interest the educated musician, who observes his art, in the only way it ought ever to be viewed-with a poetical eye.

Reminiscences of Handel; The Duke of Chandos, Powell, and the Harmonious Blacksmith. By Richard Clark, fol. London, 1836.—“ Milton, Michael Angelo, and Handel belong to the same order of minds; the same imaginative powers, the same sensibility, are only operating with different materials."—This brief tribute to the gigantic composer by a well known writer (D'Israeli), sums up in few words the causes that occasioned such extraordinary effects in the musical productions of this child of genius. Every particular, however apparently trivial in the life of Handel, must continue to interest musicians, and we therefore have to thank Mr. Clark for his acceptable contribution; which, with his usual enthusiasm in such matters, he has printed at his own expense for private circulation among his friends. Respecting the origin of the air in Handel's lessons, known by the name of "The Harmonious Blacksmith," when the composer was at Cannons (the seat of the Duke of Chandos) near Edgeware, he was one day overtaken by a heavy shower of rain, from which he took shelter in a blacksmith's shop by the road side.* The industrious occupant was beating iron on the anvil, and singing at his work. The varying sounds of the hammer falling on the metal, mingling with the rude tones of the man's voice, suggested to Handel the feeling and character of this melody, a simple speaking air, replete

With image, music, sentiment, and thought,
Never to die.

There is a clever lithographic engraving of Whitchurch (Cannons) where Handel presided at the organ, and a copy of the composer's will. While on this subject, we may remark that there is no well-written and popular

* This shed has been for some years past the abattoir of a butcher! "To what base uses may we not return, Horatio!"

life of the immortal composer to be had. The memoirs of Smith, his amanuensis, 8vo. 1760, are rather scarce; but from these, Hawkins, Burney, Archdeacon Coxe, Life of Handel, and one or two other sources easily attainable, a cheap and condensed memoir might be made, including the opinions of various writers upon his works, that would form a pleasing volume for the younger students. The following anecdote may perhaps not be so generally known.

While Marylebone Gardens were flourishing about the year 1738, the enchanting music of Handel, and probably of Arne, was often heard from the orchestra there. One evening, as my grandfather and Handel were walking together, a new piece was struck up by the band. "Gome, Mr. Vontaine!" said Handel," let us zit down and listen to this biece; I want to know your opinion of it." Down they sat, and after some time the old parson, turning to his companion, said, "It is not worth listening to its very poor stuff." "You are righd, Mr. Vontaine: it is very boor stuff-I thoughd zo myzelf when I vinished it." The old gentleman being taken by surprise, was beginning to apologise; but Handel assured him there was no necessity that the music was really bad, having been composed hastily, and his time for the production limited; and that the opinion was as correct as it was honest.-See " Letter from Norrison Scatcherd, p. 502, in Hone's Year Book."

Belshazzar's Feast, an oratorio, by J. H. Griesbach.-This subject has been set by Handel, but as a whole it was never so successful as some of his other works. Mr. Griesbach is a sound and tried musician, and has shown his zeal in the good cause, by venturing to print, at such a time as this, a musical work of the highest class. The story is treated in a dramatic and elaborate manner by Mr. W. Ball (the author of the words), and in some pieces, such as the tenor song, "Raise the Song of Festal Pleasure," and the quartett, "Fateful Hour," he has displayed a capacity of adapting words to music, not usual in the general style of poetical adaptations. There are forty-five pieces in this oratorio; in performance some of the recitations would require curtailing. The solos and chorusses are very effective and well wrought, and the finale is splendid. Altogether, we have no hesitation in saying that this oratorio, when well performed, would place Mr. Griesbach's name among the first of our native composers.

MISCELLANEOUS LITERARY NOTICES.

FRANCE.

PARIS.-The most comprehensive History of Portugal in the French language has recently been published. It is entitled Essai sur l'Histoire du Portugal depuis la fondation de la monarchie jusqu'à la mort de D. Pèdre IV.; 1080 to 1834. The authors are M. Chaumeil de Stella and M. Sauteul. The work is embellished with portraits of Don Pedro and Donna Maria the Second. A new magazine for the ladies has also appeared, entitled "Les Voilettes." A new work on the history of Poland has been published by the Librairie Polonaise; Skarbiec Historii Polskiej przez KAROLA SIENKIEWICZA. The first part contains a review of Contareni's Travels through Poland, 1474; Memoirs of the Abbé Kitowicz, 1754 to 1785, and the diplomatic relations between France and Poland during the thirty years' war; Memoirs of Count Pozzo di Borgo, 1814; and remarks respecting the Polish historian, Adam Naruscewicz.

Charles Forster, who has written much respecting Poland, has translated Falkenstein's well-known work upon Kosciuszko, under the title Kosciuszko dans sa Vie politique et intime; it is accompanied with notes, and a portrait of Kosciuszko.

Dr. Larrey has communicated to the Academy of Sciences at Paris a successful mode, adopted by the Egyptians, of preventing any disfigurement from scars by the small-pox. The patient, from the first outbreak of the fever until the height has passed, has the face covered morning and evening with gold leaf, which is applied with a little gum water, and remains perfectly fast and smooth even during the period the pock is confluirend and the face swollen, except in one or two small places, where the pillow may accidentally rub the gold off; and it has also the additional quality of allaying the irritation which usually accompanies this distressing malady.

GERMANY.

HANOVER. We hear that the Fifth Volume of Pertz's Monumenta Germaniae Historica will shortly leave the press. The Fourth Volume was published in the autumn of 1837. The Third Volume of Ruperti's Tacitus is at last announced as ready, and will complete this excellent work. The First Volume of a new edition of Döring's Horace has been published by the brothers Hahn, of this city. It is re-edited by Gustavus Regel,—a name new in classical literature; he is, we think, a professor at Göttingen. The same publishers have just brought out the Third Volume of Schubert and Walz.

BERLIN.-M. Leipmann (of Berlin) has invented a machine for copying paintings in oil with perfect exactness. The invention is stated to be the result of ten years' incessant study, during which time the ingenious artist suffered the severest privations, and supported himself by making sealing-wax at night, the day being wholly devoted to prosecuting the above discovery. M. Leipmann is said to have been a regular attendant of the museum at Berlin, and to have selected a portrait by Rembrandt as the object of his experiment. Fixing single features and parts of this picture in his memory by hours of daily and incessant observation, he contrived to reproduce them at home, with perfect

fidelity, and by the aid of a machine,-in what manner is not known. The discovery, however, is so complete, that he lately produced, in presence of the directors of the Museum, 110 copies of the painting in question. These copies are said to be perfect, and to retain the most delicate shades of the original picture, confessedly one of the most difficult in existence to imitate in the usual way. The price of the copies is but a louis d'or each.

We trust that this admirable discovery will not meet the fate of a perhaps somewhat similar invention, by a Flemish artist, about fifty years since, and whose imitations, then exhibited at the Adelphi, in London, were such perfect facsimiles as to defy the most skilful connoisseurs to distinguish from the original paintings. It was considered, however, at the time, that the merit of the imitations destroyed the value of the originals themselves. The invention was discouraged, and the artist, quitting the country, died abroad in great distress.

BRANDENBURG.-Great preparations are making for the celebration of the third centenary of the Reformation for the 1st of November.

DRESDEN. The celebration of the third centenary of the Protestant Reformation, which commenced in Dresden on 5th July, 1539, was held on a scale of splendour never before witnessed in this town. The morning of the 5th of July was ushered with the ringing of bells and firing of cannon. A procession walked from the town hall to the Kreutz Church, which was decorated with flowers and orange trees, and were favoured with a sermon appropriateto the occasion. On the following day they attended at Neuestädler Church, when Haydn's Creation was given with all the talent and celebrated singers of this and the neighbouring towns, including Mdl. Schroeder Devrient. In the evening the city was brilliantly illuminaied, and innumerable transparencies and inscriptions, relating to Luther's worth and honour, were to be seen in every part of the city. But the most imposing spectacle was the Frauen Church, which was illuminated with large lanthorns to the highest point of the tower. The Roman Catholics took a friendly part at this celebration, and expressed the utmost goodwill; even the most bigotted refrained on this happy occasion from any expression of illiberality.

Prince John, Duke of Saxony, has just published, under the assumed name of Philalethes, the first part of an improved and enlarged quarto edition of "Dante, Alighieri's, göttliche comödie," in metre, with critical and historical notes. The title plate is by Moritz Retzsch. It has also a map and two plans of Hell.

BONN.-Professor Redepennig has left this town for Göttingen, to supply the place of Ewald, Weber and Ruperti, as professor and chaplain to the University. The last new oriental work published here is Parisini's Grammatical Aphorisms, with the Sanskrit notes. It is, however, still very difficult to read, and the appearance of Dr. Böhtlingk's Commentary, which will form the Second Volume, will be hailed with pleasure by the Sanskrit student. Delius is writing a book on the Sanskrit Radices; and Westrogard, who is at present in Paris, has a work on the Pracrit Radices.

STUTTGART.-Cotta has republished Kotzebue's "Geschichte für meine Söhne," which will in some way supply the great want of proper reading books for the male youth of a more advanced age. The edition of Voss's Odyssea, lately published at Leipsic, has induced the same publisher to bring out a cheap pocket edition of the Iliad and Odyssey; but this is a second translation of Voss's, and not considered to be so good as the first.

Ludwig Schoner, the editor of the Kunst-Blatt, has published the Second Volume of his translation of Vasari's Lives of the Painters, Sculptors and Architects, from Cimabue to the year 1567. It is embellished with many plates, and has a great quantity of original matter not found in the Italian.

The last number of the German Quarterly Journal contains several interesting articles. One on the Machinery in modern Manufactories; a paper on National Education, by Bülan, the present editor of the Jahrbücher für Politek; another on the Connexion of the Manners and Customs of the East with their Religion; also a long article on the popular Belief in Ghosts, &c. in Germany.

The annual meeting of the Association of German Naturalists and Physicians was held this year at Pyrmont, in September. The following were the sections:-1, Physic and Astronomy; 2, Chemistry and Pharmacy; 3, Mineralogy and Geology; 4, Botany; 5, Zoology, with Anatomy and Physiology; 6, Medicine and Surgery.-Excursions were made to the celebrated mineral springs in the neighbourhood. Foreigners are admitted members, and the dinner, which was provided in the great hall, was contracted at half a dollar for each member daily.

The Apothecaries' Association for Northern Germany will also hold their annual meeting at Pyrmont very shortly.

One of the peculiarities of the middle ages was the marrying their princesses at a very early age. It was customary to give them in marriage on their attaining the age of twelve; for we find Otto, the second duke of Meran, married Blanca, a countess of Champagne, in 1225, at the age of twelve: he had just completed his fourteenth year. Hedwig, daughter of the Duke of Maran, was married, in her twelfth year, to Henry, Duke of Breslau, in 1186. Godila, countess of Saxony, had a son, Werinhar, when she was but thirteen years of age.

Railroads. The line from Leipzig to Dresden is now completed, and has been opened the whole distance. The line between Mayence and Wiesbaden is proceeding rapidly; more than two-thirds of the distance is finished. The same may be remarked respecting the line between Frankfort and Hattersheim, but from Hattersheim to Cassel they are proceeding but slowly. The line from Frankfort is now opened as far as Höchst; but the continuation from thence to Cassel will not be completed before the next spring. The railroad from Berlin to Potsdam has also been recently completed, and has created unusual bustle in the latter town: the journey now occupies three quarters of an hour, whereas by the old road system it required nearly a day to pass from Berlin to the royal palace and gardens at Potsdam. The Berliner now takes his coffee in Potsdam, after completing his business in the capital, and is enabled to return there again before dark.

The number of Passengers by the great Belgium railroad during the month of August amounted to 206,435, and the receipts were during the same period 521,287 francs, or £20,850.

GREECE.

There are several newspapers published at Athens, but their only peculiarity is the violent expression of their political feelings. The Athene has the largest circulation, amounting to 700 copies, to subscribers. It is the organ of the constitutionalists or English party. The Eon is in the pay of Russia, and circulates 500 copies; it is unfavourable to the existing government, The Tachydrom is the French organ, and also that of the government. The Sokrates is constitutional, and has 600 subscribers. There is also a medical gazette published at Athens, called the Asklepios, and a periodieal similar to the Revue Universelle Pittoresque.

In Athens there are but four booksellers, three of whom are German.

ITALY.

ROME.-The King of Bavaria has purchased several Egyptian bronze vases and gold ornaments, from the celebrated collection of Ferlini.