character and the comprehension of such an intelligence. Still the lovers and scholars will be few still the rewards of fame will be scanty and ill-proportioned: no accumulation of knowledge or series of experiences can teach the meaning of genius to those who look for it in additions and results, any more than the numbers studded round a planet's orbit could approach nearer infinity than a single unit. The world of thought must remain apart from the world of action, for, if they once coincided, the problem of Life would be solved, and the hope, which we call heaven, would be realized on earth. And therefore men "Are cradled into poetry by wrong: They learn in suffering what they teach in song." --R. Monckton Milnes. (An ancient Legend.) A stone stands in Kinoulton town Before 'twas placed where now it stands, And how and why the graybeards say Was ne'er the work of mortal hands. At church had met to praise and pray, But it roused the wrath of the foul fiend, Blent with the moonlight's silvery gray. And took his aim and distance well; As midnight tolled (for mightiest then Saint Wilfrid, from his seat above- As moveless as before 'twas flung. Then spoke Saint Wilfrid: "Baffled flend, But keeps within its fated form A gust of the fiend's fire-breath warm. Mammon is seated by a million hearths, Night brings out stars as sorrow shows us truths; not. They are too late to serve us; and sad things LITERATURE. COLA MONTI; OR THE STORY OF A GENIUS. By the Author of " How to win Love," "Michael the Miner," &c., &c.-(Arthur Hall and Co.)Many of the greatest names in literature have owed some of their celebrity to works for the juvenile library; for instance, Miss Edgeworth, (whose loss we have had occasion so recently to deplore,) and Sir Walter Scott, whose "Tales of a Grandfather" are standard and most delightful history. Such authority should disabuse thoughtless people of the idea they very commonly entertain, that it is easy to write for children. On the contrary, we believe few authors who have attempted the task will deny that it is the hardest work they know. The triumph of success should therefore be proportionately great; and we heartily congratulate Miss Mulock on the charming story before us. It is not written down to the capacity of young children, though the style is so simple and flowing, and the story so interesting, that even very young children may be pleased with the narrative. It is, however, rather intended for boys and girls of ten or twelve years of age, than to supersede the fairy tales which legitimately belong to more infantile years. There is heart-wisdom and world-wisdom union, in these pages, and full-grown children may dwell on them with profit. a rare ness. Humph a young artist; can't follow oil-painting, so condescends to wood-isn't that it?" Cola did not quite like this form of phrase, and colouring deeply, said so. "Well, never mind mere words. Show me your drawings." He examined the treasure-laden portfolio for a long time, and, as Cola fancied, with the air of a man heart warm to the ugly face-over which an unmiswho knew something about it. The youth felt his takeable expression of interest, if not satisfaction, seemed gradually to creep. But the charm was wellnigh dispelled, when the publisher turned suddenly round, saying "Young man, I dare say you think you are a genius!" too. Cola, much confused, drew back. The young artist responded to the grasp, his cheek varying from red to pale, and his lip almost quiver ing at this unexpected kindnesss. "I like this, and this; only there's a leg out of drawing, and here's a rather awkward pose. You see I know something about the matter, though I am no painter myself," said this worthy individual, who came to prove to the almost despairing Cola, that even the world of publishers was a tolerably good world in its way. "How long have you practised wood-drawing?" The hero is a "genius"-a_young Italian placed by circumstances in an English school. Art is the passion of his soul, and the struggles by which it makes itself known are true in fact, and most faithfully described. Cola's school companion and dearest friend, Archy M'Kaye, is a shrewd warm-hearted Scotch boy, full of integrity, talent, and energy; but without a particle of Cola's enthusiasm, or the privilege of knowing his dreams of beauty. He is precisely A grimace passed over the ugly face, not imthe material out of which our successful men of proving its beauty. "I see you don't know much In our business, and I business are formed; and so forcibly is his of the world, young man. character drawn-so brightly do his virtues suppose in nearly every other, the usual way of tryshine, that, on the whole, we prefer the steadying to get on, is by never acknowledging one's starlight of his nature to the comet-like radiance of the young painter. Perhaps the author intended it should be so-we are not sure. The book contains an interesting episode of an Italian organ-boy, who ultimately becomes Cola's "model," servant, and humble friend. The miniature world of a boy's school too is happily sketched; but our extract shall be from the latter portion of the volume, towards the close of the artist's early struggles for existence. It was well for Cola that his energy and deter⚫ mination, though not easily roused, when once fairly wound up, sustained him for a long time. Still, he was in a frame of mind very much akin to desperation, when, after two or three disappointments, he entered the door of the last Art-publisher on the list which the far-seeing Archibald had enumerated. "I have never yet tried it, sir." unacquaintance with anything. Excuse me, but, though I like you all the better for your candour, it is rather comical that you should come and ask for employment here, when you have never touched a block in your life. Do you know what wood-draw▪ ing is ?" 66 I suppose, like any other kind of sketching." "Not at all; it is a craft of itself, requiring regular learning and plenty of practice, before you can get the knack of it. Look here," and he touched one of Cola's designs, "you have a free had; you sketch boldly; but such a bit as this hatching here would drive an engraver crazy." And then, with a patience and clearness that did equal credit to his good nature and his acquaintance with the subject, he explained to Monti the peculiarities of wood-drawing; the necessity for firm, sharp outline, and well-defined shadows, with other technicalities which are indispensable in making pencil and graver unite together to produce a perfect whole. "That's the reason the drawings of some of our cleverest artists look atrocious when engraved," said he," because these grand fellows will not take patience to acquire what they consider a lower style. I wonder how the world would get on, if people did not try to accommodate one another now and then! There's a maxim for you, young gentleman, if you are not above following it! and so you have a lesson on wood-drawing and moral philosophy at once." "Thank you very much for both, sir," answered Cola; but his tone, though grateful, was desponding; and he began to refasten his eternal portfolio with a heavy sigh. The good-natured publisher noticed it. "What! faint-hearted at your age? really, my young friend, why do you pull such a long face on the matter? I hope I have said nothing to dis courage you?" "You have said everything kind, I am sure; but there seems little chance for me, as of course I cannot ask you to employ me, when I am quite incompetent to the work." "But that is no reason why you should remain so. I am not aware that I have sent you away yet; so put down your hat, and seat yourself again." Cola obeyed. "In plain English," pursued be of the nice, good, ugly face, leaning the same ill-favoured visage on his hands, and bringing it to a level with Cola's beautiful and now pale countenance. "In plain English, I have such droves of small artists tormenting me-young, self-conceited cubs, would-be geniuses-that a quiet, simple-mannered youth, who seems to have the real thing in him, and no sham, is quite a relief. I like you. I would help you if I could; only you must learn how to help yourself first. Will you take some blocks, and practise until you can draw on wood well enough to suit me? You would soon get over the difficulties, with a little patience; and the profession is profitable, growing better and better every day." Cola joyfully assented, his grateful heart beaming in his eyes. "And now, just as a matter of form, or rather because I should like to know a little more about you, tell me your name, and whether you are a stranger here, or have acquaintance among London artists," questioned Cola's new friend. The youth mentioned Mr. Crome, and one or two others of his friends-men of sufficient celebrity to astonish the publisher. "Why did you not speak of this before? it might have been of use to you," cried the latter, his worldly wisdom creeping out in despite of his kindliness of disposition."Any other young man would have had these great names perpetually on his tongue, and have introduced himself everywhere by means of them." The young Italian drew up his slight figure with a just pride in himself and in his art. "If I am not considered worth notice on my own account, it shall certainly not be by hanging on the skirts of other people. As I deserve will I stand or fall." 66 Bravo, Mr. Monti! You are quite right in the main," was the involuntary exclamation of the worthy publisher, as he rose to end the interview. "Only you must not get too high and haughty, until you are strong enough to stand alone. And now, take your blocks, go and try your best, and success to you! Good morning." "Well," thought Cola, as with a lightened heart he turned homeward, "if this is what Archy calls working one's way,' and 'standing on one's own feet,' I think I have made a good beginning. It seems to me that getting on in the world is like walking through a bed of nettles; put your feet out boldly and you'll not get stung." This fine poetical and moral sentiment brought Cola's walk-as it does our chapter-to a very appropriate termination. ASTROLOGY; AND POPISH PRIESTCRAFT.(Effingham Wilson.)-A curious, and, in one sense of the word, a bold book. It will be interesting to those who put faith in the occult science, who, if we are to judge by the enormous sale of “Zadkiel's Almanack," are not a few, A DIARY IN THE DARDANELLES, written on Commodore of the Royal Harwich Yacht Club; board the Corsair. By Wm. Knight, Esq., Rearauthor of "Worlds for the Windbound," "Ori ental Outlines," &c. &c. (Hunt, St. Alban's Place, Edgware Road.) The author of the present agreeable volume is by no means new to author. ship, though we do not remember to have seen his name on a title-page for the last few years. "Oriental Outlines" is a valuable work, and published as it was, before "Eothen," and other popular works on the East, the author laid claim to breaking new ground in many The respects. Diary in the Dardanelles maintains his reputation, and will be found a very useful companion to voyagers and tra vellers in the localities Mr. Knight describes. We have not space for long extracts, but present our readers with one or two short ones, which contain useful hints, and may serve as examples of the pleasant style of the book. People are excessively mistaken about the climate of the Dardanelles and Constantinople. In October the rains generally set in, then follow frost and snow; and the wintry season prevails off and on till March, when fine weather again comes upon you, as if Dame Nature, determined to do double duty, had suddenly [donned "seven-leagued boots," and decided on forcing into fragrance and freshness everything under her dominion at the shortest notice; and "by the Beard of the Prophet," she here succeeds well enough, and marches along at a railroad pace, and then the sun begins to shine in right. down earnest, and each human heart, as well as "mother earth," is warmed, and rays flash from mosque and minaret, and without doubt Stamboul perfects its claim to the proud title of "a Fairy City." * One of our writers-Usborne, if I recollect rightly stamps as rash any traveller who ventures to visit the Levant, without some knowledge of Italian or Spanish; and, from my own experience in Turkey, I cannot but concur with him. Spanish is spoken by all, or nearly all, the Jews; and Italian is not altogether unknown to those persons who are connected with shipping in any of its branches. To the long sway of the Venetians in the Levant, the latter fact is to be attributed; and the Jews, perhaps, continue to speak Spanish, because the great majority of those now settled in Turkey seem to be descended from men who were expelled en masse from Spain; and to whom their own Hebraic language was, there and then, almost as unknown as the 1 Greek tongue now is to the Greeks in the interior of many parts of Asia Minor. love truth, and most of all that truth which shall tend to impress its stamp upon the young heart, so impressible for good or for ill, and consequently for its future development in life. We can cordially recommend "Little Servant Maids” to our readers; it has an unexceptionable character, and is a tale inculcating virtue, forbearance, and Christian love.-F. There are many English, who hug themselves comfortably with the idea that a knowledge of French will carry them all over the world. Heaven save the mark! Will French serve them even in Wales? or will English serve them in Wales? Not a bit of it, in many, very many parts of the Principality. And they may rest assured that, if they visit the Dardanelles, French will be of no use to them, except under the roof of a Consulate; and not always there. To expect all travellers to know Turkish is of course childish; but I still may re- THE LATE COUNTESS OF BLESSINGcommend them to "pick up" a little Italian and Spanish before they visit the Hellespont. In conclusion, let me observe that it has now been my fortune to visit Constantinople several times, and that I have generally noticed English travellers arrive there with a very scanty supply of maps, imagining that the Pera booksellers will, of course, be able to furnish them. Trust not to such a chance To be without a map is almost to be in purgatory! THE RECLAIMED; a Poem, founded on the Restoration of Lazarus. By a Beneficed Clergyman. (Dublin: Oldham.)-From the titlepage, and modest yet eloquent preface to this poem, we learn that a moiety of the profits of its sale will be appropriated to the benefit of the Clergy Daughters' School. We heartily trust this generous intent will be liberally realized, as it unquestionably deserves to be. The Poem, divided into three cantos, is partly in blank verse and partly in the heroic measure; it is replete with Christian sentiments and graceful imagery.. TON. The recent lamented and sudden death of this gifted and accomplished lady, in Paris, has given occasion to a tribute to her memory in the columns of the Athenæum. It expresses, with so much truth and vigour, all we desire to say, that despairing of equal eloquence, we transfer the greater portion of the paragraph to our pages: Few departures have been attended by more regrets than will be that of this brilliant and beautiful woman in the circle to which her influences have been restricted. It is unnecessary to sum up the writings published by Lady Blessington within the last eighteen years-commencing by her "Conversations with Lord Byron," and including her lively and natural French and Italian journals, half-a-score of novels, the most powerful among which is "The Victims of Society"detached thoughts, and fugitive verses-since these are too recent to call for enumeration. As all who stinctive-in the intervals snatched from a life of knew the writer will bear us out in saying, they faintly represent her gifts and graces-her command over anecdote, her vivacity of fancy, her cordiality "LITTLE SERVANT MAIDS." (Society for of manner, and her kindness of heart. They were promoting Christian Knowledge.) - Under this hastily and slightly thrown off by one with whom title we have a work, in three parts, by Miss authorship was a pursuit assumed rather than inAdams, an author long well-known for the many unselfish good offices and lively social intercourse. delightful works she has given to the publicprincipally written for and adapted to the use of From each one of the vast variety of men of all classes, all creeds, all manner of acquirements, and young people. The present work not only sup- all colour of political opinions whom Lady Blessingports the fame which accompanies her "William ton delighted to draw around her, she had skill to Woodland," "Hat and Feathers," and other gather the characteristic trait, the favourite object of tales, but, in our opinion, far enhances the claim interest, with a fineness of appreciation to be exshe so justly has upon the classes who have ceeded only by the retentiveness of her memory. under their charge the instruction of the young. Thus, until a long series of family bereavements and Pure in their sentiment and morale, perspicuous the pressure of uncertain health had somewhat in their detail of the light and shadow of the dimmed the gaiety of her spirits, her conversation human mind, easy and graceful in their diction, had a variety of reminiscence, a felicity of apropos, and the works of this author have found their way fascination of which her writings offer faint traces. In into almost every home, and are, doubtless, talk of other beaux esprits. With the eagerness of one respect, moreover, her talk did not resemble the familiar to our readers. Were these the only a child, she could amuse and persuade herself as enmerits to claim our esteem they were enough, tirely as she amused and persuaded others. Among but there is added to them a greater charm than all the brilliant women we have known, she was one these, viz., the good religious principles they ad- of the most earnest-earnest in defence of the abvance, and which have a practical utility in their sent, in protection of the unpopular, in advocacy of development throughout the story. Though the the unknown: and many are those who can tell how work under notice may appear to be written for generously and actively Lady Blessington availed a particular class, yet its adaptiveness will be herself of her widely-extended connexions throughfelt by all who are, or who have under their out the world to further their success or to promote charge, "little servant maids;" for while it is a their pleasures. In her own family she was warmly beloved as an indefatigable friend and eagerly relesson to them, it is a good one to their emsorted to as an unwearied counsellor. How largely ployers; and the distinct and vigorous, yet she was trusted by some of the most distinguished withal delicate delineation of the characters, has men of the time, her extensive and varied correswith it a simplicity of truth and oneness of pur-pondence will show, should it ever be given to the pose that is worthy of the highest praise. We world. AMUSEMENTS OF THE THE ITALIAN OPERAS. Unless Jenny Lind was herself an attraction outweighing the merits of any half-dozen prime donne, the season, now we suppose past its culminating point, must be acknowledged one of the most brilliant within the memory of habitués. Illness of the contributor on whom we depended for notices of the two houses, compels us at the last moment to present to our readers only this hasty acknowledgment and brief resumé of the proceedings of the past month. At both Her Majesty's Theatre and at the Royal Italian Opera, Cimarosa's "Matrimonio Segreto" has been produced, and with nearly an equally powerful cast. At the former, Alboni, Parodi, Guliani, and Lablache sustained the principal parts; and at the rival establishment Grisi, Angri, and Persiani were the ladies, and Tamburini achieved a triumph in essaying, for the first time, the part of Geronimo. The grand opera of the "Huguenots," and the immortal "Don Giovanni," have been deservedly attractive at Covent Garden during the past month. Persiani's appearances were her last before taking leave of the stage. MONTH. no less as a literary work than as an acting drama. MARYLEBONE THEATRE. We have had the pleasure of witnessing twice at this theatre the performance of the new play entitled "Virginia," adapted by Oxenford from the French of M. Latour. The piece is constructed with classical care; it is stately, statuesque, and dramatic. Mrs. Mowatt acted the part of Virginia with great taste, discrimination, and emotion: one of the chief charms of this lady's acting is its freedom from conventional demeanour; her characterization of a part is based upon her own fine and subtle conceptions; when she succeeds, the result is produced by her own creative imagination; and when she fails, she might have succeeded if she had condescended to imitate "the regular modes" of personifying stage representations. The story of Virginia is too well known to require any analysis. We may simply observe that the French author has treated the subject very dif ferently from Sheridan Knowles, and made Virginia a more prominent character. The independ entirely upon combining the stately and terest and completeness of the representation classical attributes of the Roman maiden with those feelings of tenderness and sympathy which pre-eminently distinguish the feminine nature. Mrs. Mowatt was particularly happy and effec tive, indeed we may say unique, in working out this ideal: the weakest part of her acting was in the second act, where she takes leave of her friends, kindred, and retainers: we thought that here she made too great a display and parade of emotion, and gave too incessantly that stereotyped sob, which is perhaps the least pleasant feature of her general performances. Her atti tudes were superlatively graceful and picturesque -quite studies for a painter. Mr. Davenport, as Virginius, showed himself to be a perfect master of his craft. On the 17th ultimo, Mr. We are sorry again to plead our critic's illness Spicer's new play, "The Witch Wife," was proas the reason for delaying a full notice of the tragic duced successfully. The conception and cha play of "Strathmore," produced here last week. racter of the story resemble in some respects It is, however, a work of so different a character Lady Duff Gordon's admirable tale of the "Amber from the ephemeral productions of the day-to Witch," and Ainsworth's novel of "The Lan which a month is a long period of existence-that cashire Witches." One of the principal per our remarks will be as acceptable in August as sonages of the piece is Matthew Hopkins, the they would have been in July. Meanwhile, we ad- celebrated Witch-finder," who flourished vise our London readers to judge for themselves, about two centuries ago. If we recollect rightly, if they have the appreciation we give them credit this notorious individual in one year caused fifty for, of dramatic conception of character, and a persons in one county to be executed for witchpoetry of diction not surpassed by any dramatist craft. Mr. Johnstone gave to this gloomy enthu who has lived for the last century; and, although siast all the spontaneous hypocrisy and wicked it is a play not without important faults, it is courage which necessarily belong to such a cha not dependent on tricky construction or clap-racter. A beautiful young girl, sweetly pourtrap sentiment. It is from the pen of Mr. Westland Marston, the author of "The Patrician's Daughter," &c. Next month it will be noticed "Don Giovanni" has also been produced at Her Majesty's Theatre, Coletti appearing as the Don. This is one of the most difficult parts in the whole range of the lyric drama; and if Coletti did not quite equal Tamburini (or Herr Formes at the German Opera) we need not consequently deny him great praise, for careful study and correct reading. Parodi was impressive as Donna Anna, and sang the delicious music of the part effectively. Alboni has been great in the "Gazza Ladra," although the music of Ninetta is not calculated to show the richness of her pure contralto notes. Rosati and Marie Taglioni have been as charming as usual in the poetical ballets produced this season. HAYMARKET. 66 trayed by Mrs. Mowatt, becomes his victim, because she will not become his wife. One night she dresses herself and a host of female |