a

not likely to aspire to martyrdom; their zeal alty, with the gay Brussels of the East for a capimight cool in the enjoyment of a prosperous corn- tal, make the Wallachian plains rival in produc trade; but such feelings as they have, are for the tiveness those which we have all admired? Belchurch, and these feelings have become deeper gium has been a barrier in Europe; placed at an during the present war. All the Christians have important point, between two great military monfallen back on their religion which they think in archies, its neutrality makes war almost impossidanger. They have little political conversation with ble. Why may not the kingdom to be formed on strangers, most of whom they suspect; they nour- the Danube enforce by moral means the same reish each other's prejudices, strengthen each oth-spect from the other two continental giants? Beler's fanaticism; and, as they never hear an argu- gium is strong in fortresses and the matrimonial ment against their own views, think them unan- ramifications of its dynasty; the new King of the swerable. The war, which we look upon as neces- Roumanians would, of course, marry and throw sary and just, is to them a portentous and unin-up earthworks. But, if we have had a Leopold, telligible impiety. We are fighting against Christ- we have had an Otho. It is quite possible that, in ianity and liberty-against the honor of God ten years after his accession, the sovereign of our and the rights of man. These opinions will pre- choice would be in the hands of the Greek priests. vail until the Allies effect great changes in the We should hear of his views on Servian annexaland they are defending, and in the Danubian tion, his sympathy with Bulgarian grievances, his provinces a beginning may be made. A field is strong diplomatic notes in the case of a bastina* open in which we may prove that we are sincere. doed cattle-stealer from Montenegro. He might Should we, in the place of these feeble and cor- be a Catholic, like Otho, or a good Lutheran; rupt Governments which now press down the di- but ambition might turn his head, and, after all, vided provinces, establish an exemplary rule in a he must consult the interests of his children, who compact state, we will not say with popular or are being educated in Eastern orthodoxy. He will even representative institutions, but at any rate be an independent sovereign, and no one may with capable and incorrupt officials, should we control his conduct. He will be close to Russia, open the Danube and keep it open, should we and it will be difficult to reach his capital with. treat the new community with respect, even with frigates and gunboats. On the whole, it is a dan more than it deserves, we shall have shown the gerous experiment. falsity of those calumnies which are now Russia's best instruments for attracting to herself the sympathies which, rightly, should be ours.

We believe that the union of the two provinces under a ruler appointed with the sanction of the protecting Powers, would suffice to make the popIt is plain that the Hospodariate cannot last. ulation contented and Europe secure. Whether If ever there was a Government destroyed by the called President or Hospodar, the governor should malaria of its own corruption, it is this. Hospo- still yield homage to the Sultan as his suzerain. dars were appointed at about middle age- -some We have engaged to support the integrity of the died at their posts; the career of some was cut Ottoman Empire, and must keep our word. It is short by an execution or recall; but all grew rich. well also not to break the link, however weak, The present rulers were appointed for seven years, which binds these outlying territories to Constanin pursuance of the treaty of Balta Liman, and tinople. A day may come when they may all be their term of office has nearly expired. The inter-restored, without limitation, to such a Governval may be employed in resolving what kind of government shall succeed the misrule of ages. We believe that a monarchy has been thought of a scheme which is generally tried, and which has succeeded once. Leopold may be said to have done much to make the Belgians what they are; and why should not a scion of German roy

ment as may exist there. In such a case, we should not like to find that we had created a dynasty with its obstructive rights. But the whole question deserves consideration in detail; and, happily, there is time enough for its discussion. What is done should not be done hastily, when it is remembered that it is done forever.

Bells of cast-iron have been made at Dandyvan Iron Works, near Glasgow, of a very large size. The iron is mixed with a very small proportion of tin (I believe) as an alloy, and the result is a very sonorous metal; but so extremely brittle that a very large one cast, at Dundyvan, for the Hyde Park Exhibition was cracked, accidentally, by a workman, who gave it a knock with a small hammer. The sound was said to be equal to that of most bells of its size.-Notes and Queries.

BELLS OF CAST STEEL.- There is a caststeel bell suspended in the works of Messrs. Nay. lor, Vickers, and Company, at Sheffield; which was made at the manufactory of Mayre and Kuhne, at Bochum in Westphalia, in 1853, and was sent over too late for the Dublin Exhibition. Its weight rather exceeds a ton, and its height is about four feet six inches. I have heard it rung, and it gives out a powerful and good tone, but seems to have less vibration of sound than bellmetal. Messrs. Naylor and Co. are now casting some steel bells, not of a large size. I understand that the price of them is full one third less "ALMIGHTY DOLLAR."-This phrase origina than if made of ordinary bell-metal. I should ted with Washington Irving, who first made use be glad if any of your correspondents have of it in his charming little sketch of "A Creole information or observations to offer on this | Village, which appeared in 1837. W. W. subject. Malta. [Notes and Queries.

From The Spectator. A GERMAN NOBLEMAN'S RECOL

not to forbid its use, but to render it useless for purposes of profit or advancement.

LECTIONS OF RUSSIA.* The keystone of the Dorpat University was INTERNAL evidence carries these thirty-removed,-namely, the right of choosing its own three years' Recollections of Russia as far professors. The Russian Government underback as the French invasion of 1812; so that took this good office, a piacere. In order to the actual experience of the reminiscent would build the new edifice on the right foundation, seem to have terminated some ten years ago. one valid in German countries. No German the Russian language was recognized as the only "The translator has in confidence been inform-student can be matriculated in his own fathered of the name of the author; who vouches land without perfect acquaintance with the Rusfor the authenticity of the information it [the sian language. None can become professors in work] contains." The capacity in which the their own German home who cannot give their German Nobleman visited Russia, and his ob- lectures in the Russian language. The testimoject in remaining there for so long a time, do ny of the ignorant professor of Russian has more not appear. From passing indications, and weight than that of all the others. If he refuse the feeling with which he denounces the man- his "testamur," no genius, no talent is available, ner in which tutors and other foreigners even if it spoke with the tongues of angels. tempted into the country are frequently cheated by their Russian employers, it may be inferred that he himself filled some situation scarcely compatible with English notions of a

nobleman.

*

*

*

*

*

The University has become a Zwing-Uri. The student, like a private, must bow to every generlaid aside by Germans, and the Russian taken al he meets. The German language has been up in its stead; which is much the same as givThe book consists of personal narrative, ing a bottle of hock for the same quantity of Neparticular description, and the result of much va water. German is now thought good enough experience or observation brought into gener- for servants and tradesmen, but the literary and al conclusions. The principal subjects are educated classes apply themselves to Russian. serfdom, the police system, including the pris- Literature is the voice of civilization in a nation, ons, the bureaucracy or civil service, and the Up to the present there has been no Russian litpublic and private life of the Russian people. erature. What is so termed is merely an inspiThe capital, with its characteristics, edificial ration from foreign sources. Because, here and and human, furnishes a chapter, as likewise there, a poetical mind has flown beyond the do the author's first impressions of the country of polished Epicurism has been sent to pressschool system-because a romance or novel full from the German frontier to St. Petersburg: because gallantry and witticism are considered and very sickening first impressions they are, genius and philosophy-a fond idea is entertainfor tyranny and brutality; but they must ed about the flourishing state of native literature. have occurred so long ago, that matters have It might have been supposed that a work like doubtless mended since, at least as regards of Krusenstern's "Travels Round the World" ficers and soldiers. There is also a chapter would have excited a peculiar interest on the on the history and rights by treaty of the literary horizon of Russia, because it was the Germano-Baltic provinces, and an account of first of the kind published by a Russian. Just the manner in which treaty stipulations were in Russia. ask, however, how many copies were disposed of disregarded by the late Emperor. This is the freshest, the truest-looking, the most interestSome despotisms, that pay no regard to ing, and the most informing section of the political or even civil rights, profess to have a book. It lays bare the utter disregard of the respect for the rights of conscience; and at Russian Government for engagements or rights all events tolerate religions different from that either political or religious; it exhibits the of the state. With great professions of relig slow, calculating, and, under the circumstanc-ious liberality, and great practical indifference es, irresistible policy of Russia, by which the on the part of the educated classes, this is the national life of a people is crushed out of it; way matters were managed in Russia by the so that if the people cannot be actually made late Emperor :Russian, they shall at least cease to be Germans, Poles, or any other nation. A princi- Now that compulsory measures are employed pal step in this direction is to destroy a lan- in religious matters, the Greek Church has by guage, and with it of course all that that lan-ukase been introduced as the dominant one, even guage teaches and inspires. The process is, where according to existing treaties, the Luther

*Recollections of Russia during Thirty-three Years' Residence. By a German Nobleman. Revised and Translated, with the Author's sanction, by Lascelles Wraxall. (Constable's Miscellany of Foreign Literature, Volume VIII.) Published by Constable, Edinburgh.

an ought to have remained unassailed. The
the Russian ritual. Children of mixed marriag
Evangelical churches are also forced to yield to
es, as well as illegitimate onos, are the prey of
the Greek Church; and the Russians, settling as
they do all over the country, increase the number
of these marriages and these children. Govern-

ment and clergy are everywhere zealous propa- | equality with Russian serf-peasant lads. In the
gandists. In Finland, especially in Evangelical Engineers' School at St. Petersburg, and in other
Wiborg, numerous Lutherans are persuaded to establishments, they may be found as drummers
enter the Greek Church; and the public papers
told us not long ago that several hundred Let-
tonians had been brought over by the secular and
clerical Russian influence, and that one peasant
had been consecrated a Pope.

The Lutheran and Catholic Churches have been thus completely ensnared by the Russians.

*

*

*

and fifers. In order utterly to extirpate this caste, they are bound, by a recent ukase, to submit to every conscription, whether ordered for the Eastern or Western provinces. Thousands of deported Catholics have also been purposely sent into districts where they are deprived of all religious support, and where the want of Catholic clergy will eventually force them to resign their creed.

The oppression which the Catholic religion has endured from the Russians is well known. That things will not remain in their present The effect of all this has been but too sucstate, may be assumed certain as a mathematical cessful: there is as yet no sign of Polish naaxiom, and equally so that the Evangelical tionality in Poland. The Czar's proceedings church within Russian confines will not fare often operate in the same way not only in the one hair's-breadth better. Lutheranism, which Germano-Baltic provinces, but even with Gerdiverges still further from the Greek Church, is a more odious object to the Russian clergy than mans who go to Russia in search of advance

*

*

*

Catholicism.
The Russian Ministry of Worship has the in-

ment-that is, as adventurers.

spection of the Catholic Academy at Petersburg Russianized German Protestant families. They The Russian idolatry is found even among In the Catholic department of this ministry a

"Are

Russian State-Councillor is head. The infu- cross themselves just as zealously as the Rus-
ence of the Bishop is quite ignored by the Acad-sians before the shrines in their rooms. I never
emy; he dares not interfere either with the in- observed this servility among English and
structions or the management; the Russian French, but in very many German families, who
genius possesses the sole privilege of attend-kept the Russian pictures of saints in their apart-
ing to the mental and spiritual welfare of all ments, under the pretext that they did so for the
the inhabitants of the empire. But under the sake of the Russian domestics.
pretence that the Ministry cannot act according
you of the Russian religion?" I asked a
to its good pleasure alone, a Catholic Academi-State-Councillor, who bowed and crossed him-
cal Council has been established, composed of self, together with his wife and children, both be-
Catholic clergymen and Russian lay professors. fore and after dinner, in front of St. Alexander
Any book for the Catholic Church, throughout
the whole empire, can only be printed at the of
fice of the Catholic Academy. The revenues of
the clergy, derived from estates, funded proper-
ty, and tithes, have been taken away; the extra-
ordinary receipts from the parishes restricted, or
entirely forbidden. The principal supporters of
the Catholic faith among the monastic and secu-
lar clergy have been banished to Siberia, others
relegated to Russian monasteries.

A more tyrannic proceeding has taken place as regards Poland; but political apprehension may have been the cause: a dread of active conspiracy might possibly have prompted the extreme measures described in this passage:

Nevski.

No; I am a Lutheran. Why do you ask?" "Because I saw you behaving quite like a Russian.

"Oh! you must not be surprised at that: we do not believe in such nonsense, of course, but we have accustomed ourselves to it; we come much into contact with Russians, and these things please them."

The State education has a similar effect

upon children born in Russia of German parents, whether males or females. The writer is speaking of those celebrated institutions for the daughters of the respectable classes on which the late Emperor prided himself, and which some courtly travellers have so much admired.

Look, for instance, at a young lady educated in one of the two principal institutes-the Jung fern Kloster and the St. Catherine's foundation She is dressed, fed, and taught, according to the will of the Government. The Russian higher and lower nobility know no better education.

The importance of the Catholic Church has been undermined in various ways. Its numbers have been weakened by frequent deportations to Siberia, or to the steppes of the adjacent desolate government. These transportations have affected not only the Poles on the left bank of the Vistula, but still more the old Polish districts of Wilna, Mohilev, etc., belonging to Suppose a German daughter returns from one Russia. In this deportation was included a con- of these institutions to the bosom of her family. siderable portion of the Polish nation-the Od- For six years she has not once crossed the nodworzen, or lower nobility without estates. threshold of the paternal home. She has grown They were stripped of their privileges of nobili- a stranger to parents and relatives, who were ty; and in order to make them feel their humiliation still more deeply, a number of this class, who had enjoyed a good education, were placed as privates in Russian regiments, and on terms of DXCV. LIVING AGE. VOL. XI. 11

only allowed an hour on Sunday to speak with her, after the manner of the drawing-room. A finicking stiff Russian being comes out, a natural German girl went in. Ignorant of all do

mesticity, the poor creature is confounded at the all this is really true? As regards confirma-
sight of that world in which she is now to live. tory evidence, the "German Nobleman"
Her head, filled with phrases, is of no more value could produce plenty. His opinion is like
than the books in which the phrases are written that of most modern travellers; and he him-
in an elegant hand, and her heart has remained self, in one part of his work, quotes pretty
miserably empty. The mother-tongue is for-.
gotten, in spite of all the grammatical exercises; freely from a Danish traveller of a century
the daughter only speaks Russ, or can answer in ago, with the view of showing how little mat-
French when required, about weather, music, ters are mended. On the other side, the
dancing, and the visits of the Empress and her great exertions which Russia has made during
the last two years, both in the Baltic and
Black Sea, as well as in the moving of her
large armies with the transport and commis-
sariat of necessity implied, seem scarcely con-
sistent with the corruption and inefficiency
universally ascribed to the Tchin or civil ser-
Strangeness of modes, perhaps, may

ladies to the institution.

"O God!" once complained to me with tears a German mother, whose daughter had come back, after six years' separation, with first-rate testimonials: "I do not know what has happened to my Sophie. My heart bleeds when I look at the poverty of her mind and heart. vice. Father, mother, and sisters, have become objects of indifference to her. I will never send another color the conclusions of writers, as well as child to these institutions, even if we are forced to earn our bread by sewing."

I know a number of these beings, altered in the same manner, without any fault of their own. Many, too, possessing talents; not one of which, however, was employed or developed.

some prejudice against Russia. This writer exhibits a touch of both in his account of the prisons. His picture of misery is sad enough, but he makes out the majority of the noble prisoners to be such rogues that they deserve all they get. In the fancy picture of å prisoner innocently imprisoned, he supposes his feelThe picture of Russia as drawn by this wri-ings if relations should be ill and he not able to ter is as bad as that of any other author; in see them: but this is a hardship to which all some respects, indeed, it is worse. The only prisoners are exposed. It is the arbitrary imexception he makes is in favor of the army. prisonment and long detention that are the He describes the officers as being more like grounds of complaint; and though the mangentlemen and men of honor than the gener-agement is bad, what was it in our own coun-ality of travellers do: in which he seems borne try a century ago? out by the facts of the present war. The igThe sketches of the German Nobleman are norance, corruption, servility, and immorality animated and readable; his general accounts of the civil service, he paints in darker colors broad and vigorous. Subject to the qualificathan any one, we think, has yet done; at tions already spoken of, the accounts seem least he enters into the subject more minutely. true enough; but the writer has a habit of Of the system of government, and the two dramatizing his instances, which throws an great classes of genuine Russians, the serfs air of fiction over parts of the book that the and the traders, he gives a sorry account; but matter itself may not possess. the question continually arises, how much of

慶

食

SAGACITY OF THE NORTHERN BEARS. to bask or sleep on the very edge of the pieces
On one occasion, a bear was seen to swim of floating ice, so that on the slightest alarm
cautiously to a rough piece of ice, on which two they can by one roll tumble themselves into their
female walruses were lying asleep with their favorite element. They are exceedingly restless,
cubs. The wily animal crept up some hum- constantly moving their head from side to side,
mocks behind the party, and with its fore-feet wild creatures, they turn their attention to the
and sleeping by very short naps. As with all
loosened a large block of ice; this, with the help direction of the wind, as if expecting danger
of its nose and paws, he rolled and carried un- from that quarter. The bear, on seeing his in-
til immediately over the heads of the sleepers, tended prey, gets quietly into the water, and
when he let it fall on one of the old animals, swims until he is leeward of him, from whence,
which was instantly killed. The other walrus,

with its cubs rolled into the water; but the by frequent short dives, he silently makes his ap-
younger one of the stricken females remained proaches, and so arranges his distance that at
by its dam; upon this helpless creature the bear the last dive he comes up to the spot where the
now leaped down, and thus completed the de- seal is lying. If the poor animal attempts to es-
struction of two animals which it would not cape by rolling into the water, he falls into the
have adventured to attack openly.... The bear's clutches; if, on the contrary, he lies still,
his destroyer makes a powerful spring, kills him
stratagems practised in taking large seal are not
much less to be admired. These creatures are on the ice, and devours him at his leisure.-
remarkably timid, and for that reason always lie King's Narrative.

From Chambers's Journal.
MEYERBEER AND HIS MUSIC.

Giacomo Meyerbeer is the son of a rich 「 and well known Jewish banker of the same, or, as it has been otherwise stated, James THE life of Giacomo Meyerbeer, now the Beer; and was born in Berlin, in the year most illustrious of living composers for the op- 1791-so that he must be now about sixtyeratic stage, is one which should convey a four years old. At a very early age, he hopeful and valuable lesson to those who labor manifested a strong predilection for music, in the cause of art. By no coup de main has and while still very young, attracted much athe won the command of all the great Opera- tention by his talents as a pianist. His love for houses of Europe; by no lucky chance or the divine art appears to have been encouragclever audacity has he risen to the highest em-ed by those who superintended his progress inence known to his especial vocation; but by in life. When only nineteen years of age, he a career of extraordinary application, by pa- was placed under the tuition of the celebrated tient elaboration, and an incessant exacting Abbé Vogler, once the detested and ridiculed particularity almost without a parallel in the of Mozart, an old school teacher of counterhistory of maestri. For forty years has he point, but still a musical doctrinaire with a been climbing to the mountain-steep; and theory of composition of his own. In this posinow, in the fulness of days, he stands upon the tion, he became the fellow-pupil of one of the Olympian height-his purpose achieved, his most glorious geniuses the world has ever pro'own idea' so wrought out and impressed duced-the unique expositor of German romanupon the world, that the Meyerbeerian Opera tic Opera, Carl Maria von Weber. It appears is now a distinct and colossal feature in musi- that the two students-acolytes of immortalical art, completely sui generis, and apart from ty,' to use a phrase of Goethe's became comparison or imitation. To all aspiring art- greatly attached to each other. Pursuing ists, the spectacle of a composer rising step by their studies with enthusiasm they worked tostep, in spite of competition and obstruction, gether, sharing the same room, and particiand after repeated failures, to the very highest pating in congenial ambitions. Two years pinnacle of fame and popularity, cannot but after Meyerbeer had become a pupil of Vogler, be encouraging and stimulating. Especially the abbé closed his school, and made a tour to English composers would we point out M. through Germany for a twelvemonth with his Meyerbeer as an example, on account of his pupils, at that time four in number. Under loyalty to his own original ideas. The great his direction, Meyerbeer produced at Munich cause of our weakness in English Opera, lies his opera of Jephtha, the libretto by Schreiber. in the fact that our composers, from Arne The young composer was as yet, however, too down to Bishop and from Bishop to Balfe, faithful a disciple of the old contrapuntist. have based their conceptions upon Italian His work did him credit as a student, but and German models, so that it cannot be there was nothing in it to bewitch the ear of said that there is a school of English Opera the public. The opera failed. His second in existence. But Meyerbeer would always attempt, The Two Caliphs, another exercise be Meyerbeer, whether writing for the Ger- of ingenuity and scholarship, met, in the first man, Italian, or French stage; and notwith-place, with a similar fate. This was a comic standing that he commenced his career at a opera, and was produced both at Stuttgart time when the world was ravished with the and Vienna, but with no success. fascinating strains of Rossini, he kept faith in whose friendship for his fellow-pupil was still his own theory, clung to it, worked for it, nobly sustained, and who neglected no opporwaited for it, until at length he has secured tunity of assisting his career, exerted himself for it an audience which embraces every city to rescue this work from perdition. Owing in the world where there is an Opera-house. to his influence, it was afterwards performed It must not be forgotten, however, that much at Prague, under the name of Abimalek, or of the excitement at present existing with Host and Guest, and under its new form and regard to Meyerbeer is the result of fashion. That excitement will be modified in course of The veteran Salieri-who, in his younger time, when the composer will be more correct | days, had, like Vogler, been the contemporary ly appreciated. However little his music may and competitor of Mozart-advised the young enter into that general vogue which has been composer to visit Italy for the express purgained by Rossini, Donizetti, and Weber, his pose of cultivating a taste for melody. This grand operas will live as great master-pieces, counsel he followed, and made a sojourn in as perfected and elaborate chefs-d'œuvre. the immemorial land of song. As we are not aware that any memoir of In 1817, he produced at Padua an opera Meyerbeer has been published, the following entitled Romilda à Costanza, of which, howfew particulars, gleaned from various sources, ever, we know nothing more than the name. may not be uninteresting at the present In 1819, Semiramide Reconoscinta, the libretto time :by Metastasio, was brought out at Turin-of

Weber,

auspices actually met with considerable success.