but perhaps a little commonplace, quite good; chorus, first-rate; solists, exeenough so to become almost as popular crable; scenery, very good; and the as VERDI's vulgar 'La donna e mobile,' audience had not even standing room. or, as RossINI reads it, 'La donna è un On the whole, the production of 'Faust' Mobile,' which means quite a different has been a great and well-merited success. thing. Those who understand Italian will laugh; those who do n't will pretend to be amused; therefore it is not worth while to explain. With regard to the performance, the orchestra was The chief musical event of the month has been the production of 'Tannhauser,' by the German Opera Company, at the New-York Academy. This we purpose reviewing in our next. NOTES ON CURRENT EVENTS.* THE military event which most engrossed public attention at the time of our last writing was the advance of the Army of the Potomac in pursuit of the enemy under LEE. That movement was checked on the morning of the thirtieth of November, on the north side of a small stream running northward to the Rapidan, called Mine Run, the rebel troops having strongly intrenched themselves on the opposite bank. There had been much fighting previously by regiments, brigades, divisions, and corps, but no general battle. A council of war was held, and, at nine P.M. on December first, a retreat was ordered to the old position on the north side of the Rapi dan, and this was accomplished without loss. The reasons alleged for this barren result were the excessive cold of the weather and the sufferings to which it exposed the troops, and especially the wounded; the scanty supply of provisions remaining, the want of harmony and proper subordination among the corps commanders, and the impregnable position of the enemy - sorry excuses all. In compensation for this remarkable failure came news of the great and decisive victory gained by our forces, under General GRANT, over those led by BRAGG, which has secured to us the possession of East-Tennessee, Knoxville being held by General FOSTER, while GRANT occupies Chattanooga. The latter began his advance on the twentythird of November, and on the morning of the twenty-fifth our flag floated over Lookout Peak, a part of Missionary Ridge. Heavy fighting continued for the possession of the remainder of the heights all day, and by nightfall the rebel army was in full retreat and closely pursued. Our advance was repulsed, however, by the enemy's rearguard, at Ringgold. Intelligence that LONGSTREET had raised the siege of Knoxville, on the fourth of December, and that he was retreating to effect a junction with BRAGG or LEE, sharply pursued by a column under General SHERMAN, followed that of the battle of Chattanooga. Reports have since arrived that reënforcements have been sent to LONGSTREET, that JOE JOHNSTON's forces were to join HARDEE, BRAGG's successor, and that LEE has been assigned to the command in Georgia, leaving his army, except a single division, in winter quarters south of the Rapidan. In the late battles, the Army of the Cumberland captured no fewer than sixty-three pieces of cannon, seven thousand stand of arms, and about six thousand prisoners. In view of the successes of the Federal arms, the President re * THE matter intended to appear under this heading in the January number, was omitted for want of space. commended Thanksgiving day as one proper to be religiously observed by the people in places of public worship, and it was therefore kept as a day of national thanksgiving throughout the loyal States. The piratical seizure of the steamer 'Chesapeake,' on her voyage from NewYork towards Portland, by seventeen of the passengers claiming to be 'confederates,' took the country by surprise, as well so daring an act of piracy might. The second engineer was killed, and two others of the crew wounded in a struggle that ensued. The vessel was captured a few days afterwards in Sambro harbor, in the bay of Halifax, by the United States gunboat ‘Ella and Annie.' Several of the pirates were captured and sent to Halifax, where, however, they were rescued by the citizens and set at liberty. The Chesapeake' was also delivered up to the British authorities, but afterwards released by the Court of Admiralty. · The artillery duel in Charleston harbor still continues. Since our last record, a few more shells have been thrown into the city, the ruins of Fort Sumter have been on fire, and the melancholy accident of the sinking of the monitor 'Weehawken' has occurred. She suddenly foundered while at anchor on the sixth of December, in rough water, and thirty of her crew perished with her. The First Session of the Thirty-eighth Congress opened on the seventh of December, when Mr. COLFAX, of Indiana, was elected Speaker. The Messages of President LINCOLN and JEFF DAVIS at the meeting of the Congresses at Washington and Richmond respectively have been the chief political topics of the month. The radical proclamation of the one and the despondent tone of the other have been leading subjects of newspaper criticism. January 23, 1864. THE month of January has been unusually devoid of interest in war mat ters, and we have little more to record of importance than is chronicled above. Nothing of note has been heard from Charleston since the city was shelled on Christmas day, damaging a few buildings and causing some slight casualties. The United States gunboat 'Marblehead' had a brisk encounter with a rebel battery in Stono River, SouthCarolina, and was much injured. The battery was afterwards captured by a land force. A Federal force of three hundred men was overpowered and captured at Jonesville, Western Virginia. Rumors of cavalry skirmishing in the same vicinity, as also in Tennessee, have found their way into the newspapers, but the details are wanting. We hear, too, of an expedition from New-Orleans against Mobile. The cavalry raid of General AVERILL, U. S., into Western Virginia was a bold and successful movement, so far as it went, and resulted in considerable destruction of property. General LONGSTREET, reënforced by twelve thousand infantry, is fortifying at Bull's Gap, Tennessee. His full force is said to be thirty-four thousand infantry and twelve thousand cavalry. There are now fourteen Major-Generals and eleven Brigadier-Generals in the Federal army unemployed. The severe coldness of the weather operated for a time to prevent any general military movement, and the condition of the roads following its moderation has since interposed an almost equally formidable bar to progress. FOREIGN. THE Schleswig-Holstein question has. assumed a formidable aspect since the death of FREDERICK VII. of Denmark, on the eighth of last October, in consequence of the German Duchies refusing to acknowledge the right of the new king, CHRISTIAN, the father-in-law of the Prince of WALES, to govern them, and the determination of the latter to enforce his ated. Meanwhile, Denmark has called for a reserve force of fourteen thousand troops, and England has protested against the Federal occupation of the Duchies, and notified Austria and Prussia that any infringement of the territorial rights of Denmark would call for her moral and material support of the Danish monarchy in the question. France has adopted a somewhat similar course, and Sweden and Norway have espoused the Danish cause. The attitude of Austria and Prussia with regard to future movements remains undecided, and the further development of this long-vexed question is awaited with anxiety by all the governments of Europe. authority. The people of Schleswig- informed, the Danes have entirely evacu Holstein - two of the most important of the Duchies - claim that CHRISTIAN has no right of succession to the government of the Duchies but of Denmark only, and have proclaimed FREDERICK, the head of the elder branch of the same family, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, and as such he has already been recognized by some of the smaller German powers. This conflict results primarily from a strong antagonism which exists between the people of Denmark proper and the Duchies, the latter being subjected to oppressive regulations which have made the yoke of Denmark both galling to their pride and subversive of their liberties; it being, for instance, compulsory that the Danish language should be spoken and taught in all their public schools to the exclusion of the German, although German is the mother tongue of the majority of the inhabitants. When the late King ascended the throne in 1848, the Duchies rose against him as they now do against his successor, and a war, in which Germany aided the Schleswig-Holsteiners, was the result. This was terminated by the mediation of England and Russia, and a law was thereupon passed, investing Prince CHRISTIAN With the right of succession in the event of FREDERICK dying without male heirs. CHRISTIAN being a member of the younger branch of the house of AUGUSTINEBURG, and the elder branch being in the legitimate line of succession, this was very naturally considered unfair by the Duchies, especially when the former was known to represent the interests of Denmark, while the latter was strongly in favor of the independence of the Duchies. The Schleswig-Holsteiners having had no share in passing this law of succession in favor of CHRISTIAN, but, on the contrary, having strongly opposed it, defied Denmark to enforce it, and appealed to Germany for help to resist the Danish authority. The troops of the Germanic Confederation were therefore ordered, after due notification, to advance into Holstein, which, we are now The pet scheme of LOUIS NAPOLEON to organize an European Congress having failed to receive the support of the Great Powers, will probably be aban doned. The news from Mexico is favorable to the French. The latest accounts report the army of the latter eighteen thousand strong in the vicinity of Tlapultan, near Columba, where the Mexican army, seven thousand strong, was expected to provoke an engagement. The Archduke MAXIMILIAN, it is supposed, has at last decided to assume the crown of Mexico, and it is expected that, soon after his visit to LOUIS NAPOLEON, at Paris, he will embark for that distracted land. The Polish insurrection still continues, and the insurrectionists are very active in Landomer and Cracow, where some three thousand infantry and three hundred cavalry are led by experienced officers. The Pope has addressed a letter to JEFFERSON DAVIS, in which he styles him 'illustrious and honorable President,' invokes God's blessing upon him and his people, and hopes that he may be attached to himself by perfect friendship. KOSSUTH has issued a proclamation to the Hungarians inciting them to revolution. THE KNICKERBOCKER. VOL. LXIII. MARCH, 1864. No. 3. BACHELORHOOD. AFTER the delicious reveries of Ik should perceive that we only were to be Marvel and Thackeray's 'Cane-Bot- obtained-strong types of men — with tomed Chair,' it may seem presumptu- naught of base metal or dingy earth ous in another bachelor to try for a pertaining to us why should rejected hearing and that too notwithstanding we pine or be condemned? The sinless the fact that both these gentlemen have state of Adam before his connubial venleft the ranks of single file. As a soli- ture lends a brilliant prestige to our ortary picket, however, when claiming der. With the long line of single men cheerfulness does not disparage the whose names are landmarks in the general's staff, and as one, while en- world's history, why should the word joying a single chop, likes to behold bachelor provoke a smile of amuseliberality in him who can afford two, ment, if not of derision? Nay, it thus, with all modesty, do I speak. shall not, if those so named will but And if the advantages of celibacy are glory in their title and emblazon it with dwelt upon with some affection, let me zeal. assure the ladies (as if they cared, to be sure) that, by the analogy of this world and the next, so bachelorhood is here regarded as the time of probation before that heaven of bliss where our souls are not our own, and we shall see not darkly, but face to face. Let us take up the cudgels then, Arise-to your posts-for our very individuality itself is attacked! Our independence is declared abnormal. 'No,' some lukewarm brother may say, leaning towards the old rib-complaint, 'it is only the old ones who are ridiculed.' What! shall we desert our grand masters? (What man of spirit would not prefer that name to grandfather?) Shall we not reverence the .givers of a name made glorious by themselves? O noble precursors! We will not thus desert you. We know that your natures preclude the possibility of better-halves. The proper date for matrimony never can be fixed, and who shall say that you have lived too long single? Live on-and, when the breaking-up time comes, rejoice that only one wig, one ear-trumpet, one set of ivories must lessen your money-bags. Elevated by long habit above the sneers of the multitude, your dignity shall nevertheless be vindicated by our militant order, and we of the youthful down, calmly stroking our (figurative) beards, shall repel assaults by pointing to your example. No-to return from this digressionboth young and old are attacked. What community does not hold up its hands if a young man expresses no great desire for a holy alliance? His present condition can be tolerated as respectable only upon the supposition that he yearns for a partner. If he has yet seen no object of affinity, he should eclipse 'Japhet in Search of a Father' by his zeal; if pecuniary paucity interferes, the moisture upon the first husband's brow should be but as a drop when compared with his exertions. In short, A spouse! a spouse! must be the cry of every stripling who would be conventional. We defend, then, the ancient worthies who-whether they have tried to change or not-are now contented with their lot; the middle-aged, excepting those hopeful gentlemen seeking ere it be too. late some benefactress who will smile assent, and the merry juniors, drawn as yet by no feminine magnet, and think ing that, if they should never face the altar, it would be no hard task to remain single. O ye matronly dispensers of destiny! why should you wonder and complain that yonder buck of sixty winters has never found a doe? He agrees with you that great comfort would have accrued to him had he been suited, but thanks heaven that he has judged for, himself. You sigh because he might have made some lone lady so happy.' Doubtless the old gentleman, if he could hear us, would reply with a bow: 'So long as I can remain a faithful servant of the sex, my conscience will be free with regard to any imaginary claimant for entire devotion.' And why should you, fair maiden, who have been so delightfully entertained, between dances, by that 'dear old bachelor,' exclaim with the rest: 'What a pity he has n't a wife!' If he did possess one he could n't have so many bright sweethearts, and, instead of being 'that dear old,' he would become 'old Mr.' Don't you believe that he enjoys playing the agreeable as much as you delight in being entertained? And, again, does your modesty forbid your observing how your conversation brightens the old fellow? If Celebs has been, is, or soon will be on the perilous precipice of forty, why should you think it 'strange' if he balances himself well? Give the poor man credit for self-control; he is proba bly much more anxious than you are. Whatever my hopes may have been of exciting sympathy for the two classes above mentioned, I approach the defence of the more youthful conscious of strong opposition. Unwavering in my resolve, however, my voice shall not cease, and though the general harmony be broken, its constant stream of melody, brimming with feeling, cannot fail to awaken echoes from the very rocks which withstand its current. The nature and habits of animals are shown by nothing external so well as by their nests, dens, lairs, or whatever their peculiar places of abode may be. And as the king of beasts leaves his family and resides where his lordly nature may have full sway, so the ideal bachelor (not to carry the comparison to the brutal point) must not be surrounded by the amenities of household life. There are, I know, many noble representatives of our order who maintain their individuality to the wonder of all while dwelling in the midst of the married and marrying, mothers and children, from toothless age to toothless infancy. And such greatness cannot be brought under common rules. We gaze, we admire, but we cannot underst: nd. For our own part, we of the rank and file must confess that such tempta |