led to infer that the dead have been striving for years and ages to make themselves known, and now for the last quarter of a century have very clumsily and imperfectly succeeded in doing so. Let us conceive for a moment a grand and loving soul- -a Shakespeare, or Jeremy Taylor, or Shelley, - who once spoke to mankind in free and noble speech, a man among men, fumbling about the legs of tables, scratching like a dog at a door, and eagerly flying to obtain the services of an interpreter like Miss Fox, Mr. Hume, or Mrs. Guppy; and we have surely invented a punishment and humiliation exceeding those of any purgatory hitherto invented. If Virtue itself has nothing better to hope for hereafter than such a destiny, we may well wish that the grave should prove indeed, after all, the last home of "earth's mighty nation." Where Oblivion's pall shall darkly fall In conclusion, Is it too much now to ask that we may be exonerated, once for all, from the charge of unreasonable prejudice, if we refuse to undertake the laborious inquiry into the marvels of Spiritualism which its advocates challenge, - -an inquiry pursued by methods bordering upon the sacrilegious, and terminating, either in the exposure of a miserable delusion, or else in the stultification and abortion of man's immortal Hope? FOREIGN NOTES. THE English musical critics say that Nilsson never sang so well as she is singing this year. EDMOND ABOUT does not think so highly of the late Jules Janin as some of his countrymen do. SOME of the English journals are just discovering that James Russell Lowell has been passing the last two years in Europe. MR. FROUDE is about to leave England for a year or two. He starts in August on a tour of inspection, visiting all the English colonies beginning with the Cape and ending with Canada. M. ROCHEFORT is preparing an account of events dating from the discontinuance of La Lanterne, with especial reference to their bearing upon the present political situa tion in France. THE bibliophile Jacob has just printed from the original manuscript the priced catalogue of the books of Mme. Du Barry in her library at Versailles in 1771, when her influence was at its height. MISS NEILSON, who is now in England, will shortly return to America to fulfil an engagement of 100 nights, on such terms as have not previously been granted except to stars of the lyric drama. So says The Athenæum. THE French Government has decided to erect a monument near the Swiss frontier in commemoration of the generous course of conduct which was adopted by Switzerland towards the prisoners of Bourbaki's army. The monument will represent "Exhausted France confiding her children to Switzerland." THE discoveries made by H. M. S. Brisk in New Guinea appear to be very important. It is now found that what was formerly supposed to be the north portion of the island is an entirely separate island, and between the two is a passage that will considerably shorten the route from Australia to China. A SINGULAR duel has just been fought at Tuelle. T combatants were both officers. One had been wounded the wrist during the late war, and it was, consequently, cided that the battle should take place with pistols, a not swords, as originally intended. The usual prelimina both fired, and one was wounded not by his opponent, having been gone through, the handkerchief was droppe by the recoil of his own weapon, which was so strong as fracture his jaw. Fighting a duel and wounding yours is certainly the last way out of" satisfying honor." A MANUSCRIPT of some value was lately found at a lo eating-house in Paris, where it had been left by a working mason, and, not being called for, was given to the childr of the house to play with. A bookseller, who happened see it, begged that he might be allowed to show it to friend of his who had more knowledge than himself of ol manuscripts, M. Jeanmaire. The latter at once perceived that it was a manuscript of great historical interest, being a cartulary of the Abbey of Savigny, a monastic found tion of the Cistercian order. Seeing its character, Jeanmaire conjectured that it might have been stole from some public library or other repository during troubles of the Commune, and accordingly advised that should be deposited with M. Bérillon, the Commissary Police, to be submitted to the Procureur of the Republ This has been done, but with what result is not yet known WE find the following in The Academy: "Some of the American papers state that Professor Huxley is likely to be the successor of Professor Agassiz, at Harvard. We hope there is no truth in this. Are the English Universi ties so rich in really eminent professors, and so poor in money, that they can or must allow Professor Huxley to go to America in order to find leisure for work? It would require nothing but the will for either Oxford or Cambridge to offer Huxley two or three thousand a year without any body suffering for it. There are hundreds of non-resident fellows, doing no good to the University, doing harm to themselves in resting on their oars, when they ought to be pulling with all their might. Why not give five or ten such fellowships to men like Huxley, and make the Universities again what they were in the Middle Ages, the very centres of intellectual force and light in the country? The Universities are so rich that they could beggar the whole world. Will they allow themselves to be beggared by Harvard?" THE ascent of Mont Blanc is no longer regarded as an almost impossible feat; it is not, however, generally known how lately it was viewed in that light. Some statistics just published show that it is only since the year 1850 that ascents have been regularly made. From the time of the first ascent by Balmat in 1786, seven hundred and twentyfour persons have reached the summit of Mont Blanc, but for some years after the earliest attempts by Balmat and De Saussure long intervals elapsed, during which no one ventured upon the hazardous enterprise. There were, indeed, no ascents between 1788 and 1802 and between 1802 and 1809. Since 1850, however, the mountain has never been altogether unvisited, but the greatest number of ascents between that date and the year 1860 were twenty in 1854, and twenty-four in 1855. From 1861 to 1865 the numbers rose to thirty-nine, twenty-four, fifty-four, sixtythree, fifty-six, and fell in 1870 to fourteen. Twenty-two ascents took place in 1871, fifty-seven in 1872, and, finally, fifty-eight in 1873. This year is likely to show a much larger number, the ascents having begun on the 3d of June, whereas the 3d of July was the date of the first attempt made last year. A FRENCH resident in South America has presented to Museum at Nancy the embalmed head of a slain Indian ef, from the banks of the Amazon, named Micanapita. e head, which has the hair attached, is reduced to about the original size; and the Débats states that there are y eight heads thus embalmed known in European colions. They are worn as trophies by the Jivaros, a e of the warlike family of the Guaranis, which is spread r the east of South America. The Jivaros inhabit the ntries bordering on the Maraynon, especially to the th, where they are dependent on the Republic of Ecna. They are continually at war with their neighbors, Aguarunas, and the heads which are subjected to this eration are usually those of Aguaruna chiefs. The head first boiled, then the skin is detached from the bones, fed, and dried by smoking or by means of heated stones. oles are then bored in it, and it is hung by a cord and corated with the plumage of humming-birds and long tton fringes. The general effect is highly artistic, and extremely elegant trophy is the result; but, so far as e object is to preserve the features in a recognizable contion, this mode of embalming is not a success. M. JULES JANIN has bequeathed his library to his nave town, Saint-Etienne, Mine. Janin retaining the use of during her lifetime. The formation of this library was e work of half a century, comprising, as it does, from six seven thousand volumes. Besides admirable editions, ldines, Elzevirs, Robert Estiennes, and some fine copies f the poets of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth enturies, it contains copies, on Dutch or Chinese paper, f all the works of importance which have appeared for he last forty years. Authors, knowing the fondness of the elebrated critic for good books, had complimentary copies rinted for him, with dedications in prose or in verse. Jules Janin made it a duty and a pleasure to have them richly bound by the most celebrated binders, such as Trautz-Bauzonnet, Duru, Capé, Gayler-Hiron, Petit, etc. Some of these dedications are real manuscript prefaces. Under the cover of most of the volumes is to be found a letter from the author. A copy of "Jocelyn" contains, besides the dedication, four pages of manuscript written by Lamartine. There are some unique copies. The publisher Curmer had printed, solely for Janin, a single copy of a splendid book ornamented with original designs. This library is a veritable literary and artistic treasure for the town of Saint-Etienne. AN interesting little establishment, says the Pall Mall Gazette, has just been broken up at Trebizond under circumstances which have created, if not a 66 scandal," at least a sensation in that place. It appears that for some time past Trebizond has been kept in a state of uneasiness Owing to the proceedings of this household, which consisted of a father, six sons, and one daughter. Delightful as was the charm which reigned over their domestic circle, it did not extend beyond the hearth, for unfortunately the family weakness was murder. In a brief space of time the eight persons composing the family managed to get through, according to the Trebizond correspondent of the Levant Herald, no fewer than 235 murders. Out of this number the gentlemen of the family were each responsible for thirty murders, while the young lady only committed twenty-five, though, but for premature interference of the authorities, it is considered probable that she would have completed an equal number. The predecessor of the present governor most ungallantly caused her to be arrested, together with her amiable parent and four of her brothers. It is not stated what became of the remaining brothers, but the poor old gentleman was hanged about three months ago, and two of his sons met with a similar melancholy accident on the 25th of last month. The other two and the young lady are still languishing in captivity, and much anxiety is felt on their behalf, for, unless the local judges take a lenient view of their offences on account of their youth, they have but a poor chance of resuming their position in society. Altogether it is a sad story, and it is not surprising that these young people and their misfortunes have of late been the talk of Trebizond. THE WEDDING OF SHON MACLEAN. A BAGPIPE MELODY, FROM THE GAELIC. Bonnet and blackcock feather: Twenty Pipers together! He's but a Sassenach blind and vain All the Pipers so bravely drest 'T was wet and windy weather! Each with the bonnet o' blue, Tartan, and blackcock feather: Twenty Pipers together! The knot was tied, the words were said, Shon was married, the feast was spread; At the head of the table sat, huge and hoar, Strong Sandy of Isla, age fourscore, Whiskered, gray as a Haskcir seal, And clad in crimson from head to heel. Beneath and round him in their degree Gathered the men of minstrelsie, With keepers, gillies, and lads and lasses, Mixing voices, and jingling glasses. At soup and haggis, at roast and boiled, Awhile the happy gathering toiled, While Shon and Jean at the table ends Shook hands with a hundred of their friends. Then came a hush. Through the open door A wee bright Form flashed on the floor,The Duke himself, in the kilt and plaid, With slim soft knees, like the knees of a maid. And he took a glass, and he cried out plain "I drink to the health of Shon Maclean! To Shon the Piper and Jean his wife, A clean fireside and a merry life!" Then out he slipt, and each man sprang To his feet, and with "hooch" the chamber rang! "Clear the tables!" shrieked out oneA leap, a scramble, the thing was done! And then the Pipers all in a row Tuned their pipes and began to blow, While all to dance stood fain: Sandy of Isla and Earach More, Dougal Dhu from Kilflannan shore, Played up the company on the floor At the wedding of Shon Maclean. At the wedding of Shon Maclean, Red cheeked, with lungs of leather: Twenty Pipers together! Who led the dance? In pomp and pride The Duke himself led out the Bride. Great was the joy of each beholder, For the wee Duke only reached her shoulder; And they danced, and turned, when the reel began, But like an earthquake was the din The Duke began it with toe and heel, At the wedding of Shon Maclean Those Pipers played together! Tartan, and blackcock feather: And every Piper was fu', Twenty Pipers together! Oh for a magic tongue to tell Of all the wonders that befell! Of how the Duke, when the first stave died, Reached up on tiptoe to kiss the Bride, We Sardy's pipes, as their mouths were meeting, Skried, and set every heart abeating. Then Shen took the pipes! and all was still, As serily be the bags did fill, With faming cheeks and round bright eyes, A the Pipers around replied, And sweed the gioricus strain: The hearts of all were proud and light, Is bear the Busic, to see the sight, And the Duke's own eyes were dim that night, So to honor the Clan Maclean * Blue bonnets across the heather!” Wwonderful lungs of leather: Twenty Pipers together! When the Duke and Duchess went away The dance grew mad and the fan grew gay; Leage and foosed and screamed anace! the soul seemed swooning into sound, And all creation was whirling round. All the Pipers of all the Macs, To soothe their struggle with words of love, He seizes his pipes and he plays an air- And blowing madly, with flourish and squeak, Up and down the gamut they go, Each with a different strain. Each tries hard to drown the first, Each blows louder till like to burst. Thus were the tunes of the Clans rehearst At the wedding of Shon Maclean! At the wedding of Shon Maclean, Through wonderful lungs of leather. They strutted, they screamed, they crew! Holding the heart in tether: A storm of music! Like wild sleuth-hounds At half-past two the Bridegroom, Shen, From the wedding of Shon Maclear' 1 The parting glass; It. the up of b EVERY SATURDAY: A JOURNAL of choice reading, BLISHED WEEKLY BY H. O. HOUGHTON AND COMPANY, 219 WASHINGTON STREET, BOSTON: NEW YORK: HURD AND HOUGHTON; ngle Numbers, 10 ets.; Monthly Parts, 50 cts.: Yearly Subscription, $5.00. N. B. THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY and EVERY SATURDAY sent to one address = $8.00. AUTHORS' PROOFS. A PICTURE has been drawn representing contentment the person of a German scholar, with pipe and mug of er, revising the last proof, before printing, of his latest ork. There is a nice equilibrium in the picture: the pe and mug give a mild and brief pleasure to the palate, d the author's intellectual nature takes a puff or sip of atification as he reads in type the smooth pages to which =can give a final touch here and there, with the knowlge that as a rehearsal to the final concert, so is his gligée proof to the carefully printed, trim book. For much of his pleasure the author is indebted to the adowy being who mediates between him and the typetter. Could he see, sometimes, his thought as first renered into type, his favorite words mangled into an unemly likeness, his wit stolidly bruised of its point, his uestions made exclamations, and all the melody of his entences "Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh,” e would be filled with dismay; and, if a humble man, bein to consider whether the type-setter, so interpreting is manuscript, might not represent the whole body of the ntelligent public reading his book. But this trial of his erves is spared him by that patient reader who is reained by the printer, as counsel is furnished to a needy efendant, to see that justice is done. He, with learned authorities at hand, sees first that the author gets fair treatment at the hands of the type-setter, and then by marginal notes and faint blue lines and significant interrogation points reminds the author that he too is human, for be too has erred. To an author desirous of being exact and consistent, the mortification of being caught tripping is more than offset by the pleasure at being saved a blunder fixed in stereotype metal and multiplied by the thousands of copies of his book which he hopes to see printed. There is a feeling akin to dismay in sending out a book and discovering that it has blemishes of scholarship. There they are, those spots in the feast of charity, and they grow portentously big to the author. He swears he did not make them; it was the printer. But the printer, if he be methodical, goes to a pigeon-hole and brings forth proofs in evidence -the author's proofs and there is no gainsaying them. There is thus a certain mathematical exactness about the printer's work which dignifies the profession, and ought indeed, as we think it will in time, make it to be reckoned amongst the learned professions. But after all, authors' proofs, as we intimated at the beginning, bring a secret joy to the author's mind, not in the fact of their proving to him that his manuscript has been set according to copy, but in the proof they present that at last his labor is to be rewarded and his thought made public. While it was in manuscript it might easily be destroyed or lost, or worse than that, it might remain in his desk, a proof there that his work was fruitless; but now, translated into type, it becomes transfigured to him. Did I indeed say this? he asks in surprise. Why, this is well said! and he suddenly gets a proof that he was building better than he knew. Indeed, there is a kind of glow upon his proof which is apt to fade afterwards. The actual demands made upon a published book seem severer than those which the proof is subject to, when under the affectionate guardianship of the author. Perhaps this may explain something of the pleasure which the author may take in his proofs. He and his little thought are alone together, and he may look upon it in the proof as something half his own and half foreign. It is the pleasure which the plant that has sprung through the earth gives the gardener, a pleasure not to be accounted for by any anticipation of fruit or flower. He put the seed in and watered the ground, but the plant came up by some unseen power. So proof to the author seems a halfmiraculous new birth of his thought. He has a right to his pleasure, good friends: you will be ready enough to imperil the after pleasure in the printed book, with your criticism and your indifference. NOTES. The reissue of "Clarissa Harlowe," in an abridged form, by Henry Holt & Co., will, we trust, awaken fresh interest in a masterpiece of literature and interpreter of life in England in the middle of the eighteenth century. For one thing, it ought to carry to some minds a perception of the noble morality which was the life of this novel, and explain how unessential and extraneous were the passages which have made the book to be reputed indelicate. Many books of the day which have no naughty words in them are base, mean, and frivolous, beside "Clarissa Harlowe." -The author of "Our First Hundred Years," Part One of which has just been issued, has such an overpowering sense of the magnitude of his task that it almost frightens the more humble reader when he thinks of reading the book. In his address "to my fellow-citizens," which with his biography in small type, and result of his labors in large type, accompany the part, the author, referring to the fright he was in when he thought of writing his great work, says, "Nor should I have dared to attempt it, had it not been my own, my native land.' But she is my mother, and although I lay my hand upon her brow with instinctive reverence, yet I feel that I can do it with the tender but familiar love of a child." It will be seen that our author has a rare gift in the direction of personifying nature. Another instance of an accumulative sort shows a recklessness of minor grammatical considerations which argues well for the courage of the writer. "The tidal-wave which started from Plymouth Rock and James River has begun to surge around the shores of old Asia; and as its swarming communities turn their backs on the hoary cypresses, which for dreary centuries held their steady moan over those gray sepulchres of eight hundred millions of the buried-alive, they feel the undulations of the American age." The Part already issued is studded with gems; as the author might say, but does n't, the rhetoric being our own, acquired after a study of his work we pluck one from the heavily-laden tree, and gently lay it by the side of its brethren, on the printed sheet. Here is the gem: "Let us come then to the National Altar, and receive afresh its regenerating baptism of patriotic fire: -worthy members of a grand fraternity whose interests are as boundless as the continent is wide, and whose prej udices and passions are engendered by a land bounded on the North by eternal ice, and stretching to the South where we see the wings of our Eagle flapping over the heated line of the Equator." We quote but one more passage: "Go with that travelling sunshine till its first beams strike the Sierra Nevada, and from its highest and sheerest cliff the bird of Washington, with the eaglet on her back, launches from the dizzy height, and at midheaven casts off her young, where it, too, must learn to fly." - The July New Englander has an interesting paper, "Reminiscences of Dr. Isaac Nordheimer." Perhaps the review finds its readers only among professional persons, but we think even they would have had no objection to being told over again who Isaac Nordheimer was, when he was born, and when and where he died; and such information would have been gratefully received by the laymen who read the Reminiscences. He does not seem to have been known to the vigilant Dr. Thomas who edited Lippincott's excellent Biographical Dictionary. Who was Isaac Nordheimer, and did he really work a revolution in Hebrew grammar? - Mr. E. Steiger has sent out a Specimen of an Attempt at a Catalogue of Original American Books with Index of Subject-Matters." He complains of the great difficulty he experiences in procuring information from publishers, respecting the books they publish. We suppose a part of the difficulty in making a bibliography here lies in the very heterogeneous character of American books, enough to drive a bibliographer crazy as he tries to discriminate between works of native production and reprints, English editions with American imprints, books revived under new names or new publishing imprints, and the like. But Mr. Steiger has, to our thinking, increased his difficulties by the singular definition which he is pleased to apply to original American books. "Omitting," he school books, works of poetry, fiction, and the like, it was to contain solely original American publications (including translations if by Americans but excluding all reprints)." The translations, we suppose, must therefore also not be works of fiction. We think Mr. Steiger will have a hard time of it, determining the exact place of some books. What would he say, for instance, to Mr. Hale's "Working Men's Homes"? Is Dana's "Manual says, The explan ing in the Worcester (Mass.) Palladium. Sketch sometimes by dragging the charcoal loosely ove the paper, making cobweb lines. I wished you all to begin by drawing that squirrel, be cause I wish you to learn to record an impression. S have you rub in a dark shape, and then form it. After getting values and masses, work with exactness, as Hol bein did. You must be able to draw a bird in charcoal so that one could not tell which is the bird, and which the drawing must model in two colors so completely that the drawing will seem to have color. Hold up two one. Carefully map out your work at first. perpendicular lines, and get the idea of where it will come firmly, wilfully! Dare to make a mistake if it be a bold upon the paper. With persistent, slow carelessness, work Think of the Egyptian image, with an arm longer than the whole figure, pointing with decision and daring; and so strong that the beholder bows before it. We dare to make the letter D, but we niggle over a drawing till it is so weak that it has nothing of nature in it —only our selves. Compare constantly lines and angles, now you have the idea of values. Hold a looking-glass before your model and your drawing. Take a second's glance only, and see if the impression be the same. If it be not, ask, "What is the difference?" Reflect as well as work; get a system of working! "It seems as if nothing would ever come to me! " Nothing comes into anybody's head! It is persistent love of a thing that tells finally. And we are helped immensely by putting down our impressions. We don't try, for fear that we can't. When I was a little boy I wanted to learn the violin, but a certain man discouraged me. "all "Don't learn the violin! It's so hard!" I could kick that man now! It is easier to eat dip-toast than to play the violin; but it of Geology" to be excluded on the ground of its being used in schools? By his severe treatment W. Cullen Bryant appears solely as the author of "Letters from the East"! Mr. Steiger's catalogue will be acceptable on the plea that half a loaf is better than none; but what he gives us will all be the outside of the loaf, very crusty. - A summer course of instruction in botany was started at Harvard two years ago, and is continued this year, extending from July 6 to the end of August. Professor Goodale conducts the instruction throughout July, the subject being the botany of flowering plants. A lecture is given every morning except Saturday, and followed by laboratory work throughout the day. Saturday is given up to excursions. The instruction in August is devoted to cryptogamic botany, mainly that of the lower and more difficult orders, the sea-weeds and fungi, and is by Dr. Farlow, who was formerly Professor Gray's assistant, and has recently returned from Europe, where he was a pupil of De Barry and Thuset. The course is of special value to teachers. does n't meet the same want. In drawing, as in pistol-shooting, pay your whole atten tion to the object aimed at! Keep your finger gently on the trigger, making it close slowly, deliberately, imper ceptibly, like fate; and, after that is started, put your whole mind upon the aim, and make everything bend to that. A bad marksman is thinking too much of the trig The pistol should go off itself. Some of you older scholars must begin to settle upon some system. Find out what you like to do, and begin to do it. Every one must express something as it looks to him. When everybody is original, then life will be worth living for. A few people half dare to express themselves, and how interesting they are! ger. Children should learn to draw as they learn to write, should be encouraged, not flattered. and such a mystery should not be made of it. They As it is, every child shows some disposition to draw early, marking on doors, be wasted," while the parents who would save that tables, books," whole sheets of paper," — "which must not paper write the most vapid nonsense. With no help and encouragement, the child gradually loses its desire to draw; gets interested in other things, until the wish to draw again breaks out, and then double effort is required to get the facility which might have been gained insensibly. A man is nothing, except in his relation to others of the human race, We are all too selfish, not ready enough to give. And yet, Giving is Receiving. |