66 were dragged into the affair; from them it extended to the various branches of the tribe, always anxious to fight for their own honor, and for the honor of their women. At other times, a man repented himself of his bargain, and refused to fulfil it; or a father, finding his future son-in-law increasing in wealth, demanded a higher price for his daughter motion. There was certainly enough to frighten | peal to physical force. Then the fathers and brothers any Turk, and Ibrahim Agha clung to the face of the declivity-the picture of despair. What's the Kurd doing?" cried a Tiyari, with whom all Mussulmans were Kurds, and who was waiting to pass on; "is there anything here to turn a man's face pale? This is dashta, dashta," (a plain, a plain.) Ibrahim Agha, who guessed from the words Kurd and dashta, the meaning of which he had learnt, the—a breach of faith which would naturally lead to purport of the Christian's address, almost forgot his danger in his rage and indignation. "Gehannem with your dashta!" cried he, still clinging to the moving stones, “and dishonor upon your wife and mother. Oh! that I could only get one way or the other to show this Infidel what it is to laugh at the beard of an Osmanli, and to call him a Kurd in the bargain!" With the assistance of the mountaineers he was at length rescued from his perilous position, but not restored to good humor. By main force the mules were dragged over this and similar places; the Tiyari seizing them by the halter and tail, and throwing them on their sides. violent measures on the part of the disappointed lover. Then a workman, who had returned hungry from his work, and found his bread unbaked, or the water-skin still lying empty at the entrance of his tent, or the bundle of fagots for his evening fire yet ungathered, would, in a moment of passion, pronounce three times the awful sentence, and divorce his wife; or, avoiding such extremities, would content himself with inflicting summary punishment with a tent pole. In the first case he probably repented himself of his act an hour or two afterwards, and wished to be remarried; or to prove that, being an ignorant man, he had mispronounced the formula, or omitted some words-both being good grounds to invalidate the divorce, and to obviate the necessity of any fresh ceremonies. But the mullah had to be summoned, witnesses called, and evidence produced. The beating was almost always the most expeditious, and really, to the wife, the most satisfactory way of adjusting the quarrel. I had almost nightly to settle such questions as these. Mr. Hormuzd Rassam, who had obtained an immense influence over the Arabs, and was known amongst all the tribes, was directed to ascertain the merits of the story, and to collect the evidence. When this process had been completed, I summoned the elders, and gave judgment in their presence. The culprit was punished summarily, or, in case of a disputed bargain, was made to pay more, or to refund, as the case required. Before the excavations were fully resumed, Mr. Layard had made three visits to the mountains, and obtained a high place in the confidence of the Yezidis, or Devil-worshippers, a remarkable set of mountaineers, whose customs and doctrines have never till now been detailed. On his return to Mosul he found letters announcing a grant of funds from the English government, given through the British Museum, for the continuation of his Nimroud researches. It was small and inadequate, but it was something. The French government had far exceeded this grant for Khorsabad alone, had sent out men of letters and draughtsmen, and had volunteered to purchase the whole village outright; but we manage such things differently in It is singular, considering the number of cases England. Mr. Layard's remittances were scanty, thus brought before me, that only on one occasion and, unaccompanied by other help, forced him to did either of the parties refuse to abide by my debring his labors to a premature close; but while cision. I was sitting one evening in my tent, when his means lasted, he worked on with the noblest a pretty Arab girl rushed into my presence, and results. He organized a band of workmen, estab- throwing herself at my feet, uttered the most dismal lamentations. An old Arab woman, her lished them as a little colony around him, and, with a precaution taught him by his residence in mother, entered soon after, and a man endeavored to force his way in, but was restrained by the the East, scattered among them a few Arabs of a brawny arms of the bairakdar. It was some time hostile tribe. Thus he knew at once when plots before I could learn from either the girl or her were brewing, or attempts were in progress to ap-mother, who were both equally agitated, the cause propriate the relics; and in return for control of this kind, salutary and severe, he made himself respected throughout his tents as a perfect image and embodiment of justice. The principal public quarrels, over which my jurisdiction extended, related to property abstracted, by the Arabs, from one another's tents. These I disposed of in a summary manner, as I had provided myself with handcuffs; and Ibrahim Agha and the bairakdar were always ready to act with energy and decision, to show how much they were devoted to my service. But the domestic dissensions were of a more serious nature, and their adjustment offered far greater difficulties. They related, of course, always to the women. As soon as the workmen saved a few piasters, their thoughts were turned to the purchase of a new wife, a striped.cloak, and a spear. To accomplish this, their ingenuity was taxed to the utmost extent. The old wife naturally enough raised objections, and picked a quarrel with the intended bride, which generally ended in an ap of their distress. The father, who was dead, had, during his lifetime, agreed to marry his daughter to the man who had followed them to my tent; and The the price, fixed at two sheep, a donkey, and a few mother to give back a donkey, with two sheep by part of that which I wanted; you must search for way of interest for the deceased animal, and fur- the rest." They looked at one another in amazenished her privately with the means of doing so.ment. One man, more bold than the rest, was They were tendered to the complainant; but he about to seize the bridle of my horse; but the weight refused to accept them, although the tribe approved of Ibraham Agha's courbatch across his back, drew of the decision. As the girl appeared to fear the his attention to another object. Although the consequences of the steps she had taken, I yielded Arabs were well armed, they were too much surto her solicitations, and allowed her to remain prised to make any attempt at resistance; or perunder my roof. In the night the man went to the haps they feared too much for their sheikh, still tent of the mother, and stabbed her to the heart. jolting away at an uneasy pace in the iron grasp He then fled into the desert. I succeeded after of the bairakdar, who had put his horse to a brisk some time in catching him, and he was handed over trot, and held his pistol cocked in one hand. The to the authorities at Mosul; but, during the con- women, swarming out of the tents, now took part fusion which ensued on the death of Tahyar Pasha, in the matter. Gathering round my horse, they he escaped from prison, and I heard no more of kissed the tails of my coat and my shoes, making him. The Arabs, on account of this tragical the most dolorous supplications. I was not to be business, were prejudiced against the girl, and moved, however; and extricating myself with difthere was little chance of her being again be- ficulty from the crowd, I rejoined the bairakdar, trothed. I married her, therefore, to an inhabi- who was hurrying on his prisoner with evident tant of Mosul. good will. The sheikh had already made himself well known Great were his discoveries meanwhile. He had to the authorities by his dealings with the villages, already sent one raft loaded with bas-reliefs down and there was scarcely a man in the country who the Tigris, and had prepared spars and skins, could not bring forward a specious claim against him mats, felts, and ropes, for the construction of a-either for a donkey, a horse, a sheep, or a copper second, when the tribe of a thievish Arab chief kettle. He was consequently most averse to an inin the neigborhood seized and made off with these horror on the prospect of a journey to Mosul. 1 terview with the pasha, and looked with evident important materials. We must show the reader added considerably to his alarm, by dropping a few Mr. Layard's proceeding hereupon. First he dis-friendly hints on the advantage of the dreary subcovered the robbers, and then terraneous lock-up house under the governor's palace, and of the pillory and sticks. By the time he reached Nimroud, he was fully alive to his fate, and deemed it prudent to make a full confession. He sent an Arab to his tents; and next morning an ass appeared in the court-yard bearing the missing property, with the addition of a lamb, and a kid by way of a conciliatory offering. I dismissed the sheikh with a lecture, and had afterwards no reason to complain of him or of his tribe-nor indeed of any tribes in the neighborhood; for the story got abroad, and was invested with several horrible facts in addition, which could only be traced to the imagination of the Arabs, but which served to produce the effect I desired—a proper respect for my property. Having ascertained the position of their tents, I started off one morning at dawn, accompanied by Ibrahim Agha, the bairakdar, and another irregular horseman, who was in my service. We reached the encampment after a long ride, and found the number of the Arabs to be greater than I expected. The arrival of strangers drew together a crowd, which gathered round the tent of the sheikh, where I seated myself. A slight bustle was apparent in the women's department. I soon perceived that attempts were being made to hide various ropes and felts, the ends of which, protruding from under the canvass, I had little difficulty in recognizing. "Peace be with you!" said I, addressing the sheikh, who showed by his counteAn English traveller, unconnected with Mr. Laynance that he was not altogether ignorant of the ard, now passed through Nimroud, saw the excaobject of my visit. "Your health and spirits are, vations, and wrote of them as they appeared at this please God, good. We have long been friends, time. He descended to the disburied palace in the although it has never yet been my good fortune to evening, and passed through a labyrinth of halls, I know the laws of friendship; that chambers, and galleries, with bas-reliefs, painted which is my property is your property, and the contrary. But there are a few things, such as flowers, and inscriptions covering the walls. He mats, felts, and ropes, which come from afar, and saw these walls crowded with gorgeous phantoms are very necessary to me, whilst they can be of lit- of the past, depicted still in the oriental pomp of tle use to you; otherwise God forbid that I should their richly-embroidered robes, still at their audiask for them. You will greatly oblige me by giv-ences, battles, sieges, and lion-hunts, as when they ing these things to me." "As I am your sacrifice, were mighty hunters, warriors, and statesmen beO Bey," answered he, "no such things as mats, fore the Lord. He saw the portly forms of kings felts, or ropes, were ever in my tents (I observed a and viziers, so life-like, and carved in such fine renew rope supporting the principal pole.) Search, and if such things be found, we give them to you lief, that he could almost imagine them stepping willingly." Wallah, the sheikh has spoken the from the walls to question the rash intruder on their truth," exclaimed all the bystanders. "That is privacy. Mingled with them also were other monexactly what I want to ascertain; and, as this is a strous shapes, the Assyrian deities of old, with humatter of doubt, the pasha must decide between man bodies, long drooping wings, and the heads us," replied I, making a sign to the bairakdar, and beaks of eagles; and he saw, still faithfully who had been duly instructed how to act. In a see you. 66 moment he had handcuffed the sheikh; and, jump-guarding the portals of halls deserted and empty ing on his horse, dragged the Arab, at an uncom- for more than three thousand years, the colossal fortable pace, out of the encampment. "Now my forms of winged lions and bulls, with gigantic husons," said I, mounting ieisurely, "I have found a man faces. All these figures," he exclaimed, "the idols of a religion long since dead and buried like themselves, seemed actually in the twilight to be raising their desecrated heads from the sleep of centuries." Other things he saw, too; the living and human remains of that eastern world, not less worthy of seeing and recording: I was riding home from the ruins one evening with Mr. Longworth. The Arabs, returning from their day's work, were following a flock of sheep belonging to the people of the village, shouting their war-cry, flourishing their swords, and indulging in the most extravagant gesticulations. My friend, less acquainted with the excitable temperament of the children of the desert than myself, was somewhat amazed at these violent proceedings, and desired to learn their cause. I asked one of the most active of the party. "O Bey," they exclaimed almost all together, "God be praised, we have eaten butter and wheaten bread under your shadow and are content-but an Arab is an Arab. It is not for a man to carry about dirt in baskets, and to use a spade all his life; he should be with his sword and his mare in the desert. We are sad as we think of the days when we plundered the Anayza, and we must have excitement, or our hearts would break. Let us then believe that these are the sheep we have taken for the enemy, and that we are driving them to our tents!" And off they ran, raising their wild cry and flourishing their swords, to the no small alarm of the shepherd, who saw his sheep scampering in all directions, and did not seem inclined to enter into the joke. aged might replace, cannot be restored in the old; the other remedies of the active school, that only reduce the mature, pull down the old never to rise again. There are peculiarities, too, connected with declining life, that require consideration, even when the practitioner is not likely to pass beyond moderate measures. "For virtue's self may too much zeal be had ;" and when the best part of half a century has been regularly passed in bad habits, it becomes a nice question to what extent an attempt should be made to change them, or whether the attempt should be made at all. Regular habits of life are essential to the wellbeing of old people. I will even go so far as to assert, that in many cases it is dangerous to attempt to correct habits which have an acknowledged pernicious effect. The constitution can no longer adapt itself to a change of circumstances. I have witnessed several cases in which persons at about the age of sixty have become teetotalers, after having drunk freely for a period of perhaps thirty or forty years. Few of those men have survived to enjoy the moral benefits of the change for more than two or three years. The same is the case with opium-eating. Although the general management of old age and the treatment of its particular diseases are so critical, few books have been published upon the subject. The only systematic work that has appeared within the last half century is Canstatt's; though many essays on individual points connected Very reluctantly we must close here. In another with the hygiene and diseases of advanced life lie article we will relate the sequel. From the Spectator. ᎠᎡ. DAY ON THE DISEASES OF ADVANCED LIFE.* scattered among the French and German periodicals. It is from these sources, well digested, and enlarged and tested by his own observation, that Dr. Day has composed his treatise. The want that I personally experienced of a THE manifold inconveniences of age have fur-riod I entered on the active duties of my profession, standard work on this subject, led me, from the penished a fruitful theme for the moralists and satirists of all times. "Multa senem circumveniunt incommoda," said Horace, when his object was merely to expound the characteristics of the different periods of life. Juvenal, when it was his cue to paint man and his pursuits in the darkest colors, described old age as something peculiarly wretched; youth has differences, and might offer a choice, but old age is one in its appearance and its great and infinite evils. The all-weighing Shakspeare himself could not avoid admitting its drawbacks When thou art old, and rich, Thou hast neither heat, affection, limb, nor beauty, To make thy riches pleasant. Yet, in spite of poets and philosophers, the old wish to live on, or at least to escape being killed when their object is to be cured; and killed they are very apt to be by an active" practitioner. The treatment, which the young might bear in addition to the disease, is likely to be fatal in declining life. The lost blood, that the youthful or the middle *A Practical Treatise on the Domestic Management and most Important Diseases of Advanced Life. By George G. Day, M. D., Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, &c. &c. Published by Boone." to note down for my own guidance all the facts and observations bearing on the diseases of advanced life and their treatment which my official connection with large charitable institutions daily presented to me. I have likewise been in the habit of recording references to all the works, journals, &c., which in tain any information on these points. The matter the ordinary course of reading I have found to conthat has been thus gradually accumulating from my own experience, and from the records of other laborers in the same field, is now presented to the world in a very condensed form; but, in order to enable others to pursue with greater facility the same subed to these remarks the bibliography which I have ject, or individual departments of it, I have appendconstructed. My great object has been to render this volume an essentially practical work; and with of the appearances presented after death from the this view, I have intentionally omitted any notice diseases which I have described in the following pages. The volume consists of two main topics. The first treats of the leading characteristics of declining life; beginning from about forty in women and fifty in men, till decrepitude or second infancy is reached, after passing through these three stages1. Declining age; extending in women to about the fifty-second year, and in men to about the six- | popularity, and which, though they may not fulfil tieth. 2. Advanced age, or incipient old age; extending in women from fifty-three to about sixty-five, and in Inen from sixty to seventy. all the conditions of the highest order of art, may still be deemed worthy of a place side by side with the brighter specimens of which it is intended that this series shall principally consist. Figaro, Nor 3. Mature or ripe old age; dating from the pre-ma, and Il Barbiere, have now appeared; the first ceding period, and extending to about seventy-five in the female, and eighty in the male. The exposition of the physical peculiarities of these periods, to which the practitioner should have a regard, is followed by general rules for diet, regimen, and conduct, "wherein the patient must minister to himself." The second part of the book discusses the characters and medical management of those diseases to which age is more peculiarly liable, or which, when they attack the old, require modifications of treatment. The former are principally the climacteric disease, marasmus, and skin affections. The latter class are numerous; embracing disorders of the respiratory, nervous, and digestive systems, as well as of some other functions particularly affected in advancing years. The composition of the work is, as Mr. Day states, condensed, and more perhaps in topics than in style; the views are generally directive or suggestive, rather than instructive; the class of persons for whom Dr. Day writes not requiring details, and the minutiae of medical treatment, when that is in question, being generally left to the practitioner. The matter, however, has been well mastered and digested; presenting the pith of the subjects in a clear and easy way. The style is entitled to praise, the diction close, the manner free,, and there is the just appreciation of things which marks the sensible practitioner and man of the world. In short, Dr. Day's treatise on the Medical Management of Old Age is well adapted to alleviate what cannot be cured. WE gave some account of this serial publication on the completion of the first volume, which consisted of Le Nozze di Figaro. The second volume contains Norma; and the third, which has just appeared, contains Il Barbiere di Siviglia. We may remind our readers that the work, which is published in monthly numbers, has been undertaken with the object of forming a library of the musical drama, by furnishing a series of editions of the most celebrated works of the foreign schools, not only more complete and correct than any that have yet appeared in this country, but adapted to the use of the English public by means of a vernacular version of the original text. Respecting the principle of the selection, we find the following explanation in the newly-published preface to the third volume. 66 and last of which compositions may indisputably be cited as classical; as to the intermediate drama, though it fall in merit below its fellows, still, dramatically speaking, it is of such excellence that its apparent musical feebleness does not stand in the way of its taking an early position amongst the works of this series; always considering that the stage and its interests, as well as the musician's our now rapidly-succeeding periodical." closet, are equally looked to by the management of We acquiesce in this view; because we are satisfied, from the evident and strong classical predilections of the editors, that they are not likely to make undue concessions to merely popular taste. Norma, and La Somnambula, announced as the next opera in the series, are certainly worthy of being included in a collection like the present. They are the two masterpieces of a musician whose genius was prevented by an untimely death from ripening, as it probably would have done, into very high excellence; and immature and comparatively weak as they are in some respects, their beauties have been sufficient to gain the favor of the most Europe, and will probably secure to them a considrefined portion of the public in every country in erable share of longevity. Among the multitudinous works of Donizetti, too, there are a few which will not speedily die, and which we should be sorry to see excluded from a collection of the standard lyrical drama by a spirit of classical puritanism. The execution of this work, we think, has improved since the publication of the first volume; in one important particular, indeed, the improvement is decided. The task of adapting an English version of a foreign libretto to the original music is at all times a difficult one, and Mr. Mould has increased the difficulty by imposing on himself an unusual restriction. It is the custom, in adapting English words to foreign music, to use a good deal of freedom with the original notes-to multiply syllables, and consequently to split one note into two or more of shorter duration, or, vice versa, to slur together several notes, each of which in the original is articulated to a separate syllable. These liberties are injurious to the melody and expression of the music; and besides, when the two versions are printed together, the musical notation, adapted to both, is rendered confused and embarrassing. Mr. Mould has avoided both these evils, by making his version totidem syllabis with the original; and the advantages of his plan counterbalance the occasional awkwardness of phraseology, and even the deviations from the sense of the original which it renders unavoidable. But Mr. Mould is gaining skill by practice; and his versions of all the operas before us are on the whole much superior, in spirit and idiomatic freedom of expression, to any others that have appeared. The recitatives go trippingly on the tongue, and the melodies lose very little of their Italian flow and smoothness. There is no doubt in the long run of the demand for the classical productions outstripping that The more strictly musical branch of the editorial for those works which cannot pretend to so high a duty-including the pianoforte arrangement of the rank in the art musical; but still this preference orchestral score, the interpretation of the accomon the part of the public will not deter the project-paniments to the recitatives from the figured bass, ors from introducing from time to time those operas (an entirely new figure of the work,) and the purity which have received the decided stamp of universal of the composer's text-is executed by Mr. Rock THE BIBLE PSALMS.-THE TIMES ON AMERICAN SLAVERY. 369 gation, with moderate attention and practice, may soon acquire the art of chanting with distinctness and harmony. The chants, simple as they are, have great variety of character and expression; but in our cathedral service this important consideration is wholly overlooked. The Book of Psalms is stro with great ability and success. For the first time in this country, the whole opera-every word of the drama with every note of the music-is given; and great pains have been taken, by consulting the most authentic editions of the original scores, to render the publication as complete as possible. This is especially remarkable in the Bar-cut into such a number of lengths that they are all biere di Siviglia, which contains several things not to be found in the ordinary editions. We have, in particular, the beautiful canzonetta, so full of Spanish character, sung by the count under Rosina's window, and introduced for the first time in this country by Gardoni at Her Majesty's Theatre. We learn also a curious circumstance, of which we were formerly unaware, that the brilliant finale of the Cenerentola, “Non più mesta," originally belonged to the part of Count Almaviva, but was afterwards employed to give effect to the conclusion of a weak opera-Rossini thus robbing one of his rich children to help a poor one. The literary portion of this work is informing and interesting; but we would advise Mr Mould to resist a common propensity of young authors-fine writing. If, for example, he had shown any experienced critical friend his high-flown exordium to the memoir of Bellini, his friend would have done him good service by drawing his pen through the whole of it. The same fault is committed in the versions of the libretti; tropes and figures being introduced where the original phrases are quite plain and familiar.-Spectator. The Bible Psalms, according to the Authorized Version; set forth to appropriate Tunes or Chants, Ancient and Modern, and Divided and Arranged after a plain and easy Method, for general use in Public or Private Worship. By H. J. GAUNTLETT, Mus. Doc. gone through in the course of a month. One of these lengths consists of several psalms, often entirely different in expression; yet they are all sung to one chant. "The modern practice," Dr. Gauntlett justly says, "of singing five or six psalms to an unvarying chant, is one which forbids a right musical expression of these ancient hymns, and has given rise to that hurried and formal exhibition sometimes witnessed in our public places of worship." In the collection before us, every separate psalm has a chant, and sometimes two, suited to the spirit and expression of the poetry. Dr. Gauntlett's publication consists of the whole Psalter, properly punctuated for chanting, with, as we have said, one or more chants for each psalm. There are four volumes, similar in every respect except in the parts of the harmony; one volume containing the treble, and the others the alto, tenor, and bass; and there is a fifth volume, containing the music only, with the harmony in score so as to be played on the organ. It is not necessary, nor does it seem to be intended, that all these volumes should be purchased together; it being sufficient for each member of a congregation to possess the part suited to the individual voice; and thus the work, considering its extent, is really a very cheap one. There is besides a small and exceedingly cheap selection of psalms with their chants, of which the melody only is given. From the London Times of Jan. 11. THE TIMES ON AMERICAN SLAVERY. This is not only by far the largest collection of chants that we have ever seen, but has been made with great care and judgment. The utmost attenTHIS elaborate work, together with the excellent tion has evidently been paid to facility, by keeping publications of Dr. Rimbault and other eminent all the parts, both in regard to pitch and compass, musicians devoted to the same object, is a proof of within the reach of the most ordinary voices; and the growing desire on the part of the public for an the harmonies have all the simplicity and gravity improvement of the musical services of religion, which this species of music demands. The princiand of the increasing demand for the means of ob-ples and practice of chanting are clearly explained; taining that improvement. The love that has long and the work contains everything requisite for a prevailed for metrical psalmody has given birth to complete manual of this branch of devotional muinnumerable collections of that species of music; sic.-Spectator. but it is only of late that anything like general attention has been directed to ecclesiastical chanting, or the musical recitation of the Scriptural psalms and hymns in the words of the Bible itself, without In this hour of questionable glory and substanthe intervention of a metrical paraphrase or version. Hitherto its use has been confined almost exclu- tial success, the great plague spot and curse of the sively to the choirs of cathedrals, whose slovenly American republic presses into the foreground and and irreverent performance generally destroys its will not be concealed. Slavery, like an evil genius, beauty and solemnity; and congregations, valuing obtrudes itself on the triumph, and claims a place it little, give themselves no trouble to learn how to in the grand spectacle of the national powers. The join in it. But the opinion gains ground that the most sanguine anticipations of the men who signed chanting of the Bible psalms would conduce greatly the declaration of independence have been surpassed to the solemnity of religious worship, whether conthis day, when within the compass of one lengthgregational or private; an opinion in which we concur, though we would by no means supersede ened human life their successors find themselves the occasional use of metrical psalmody. The ec- summoned to give laws and institutions to a newlyclesiastical chant, a remnant of the canto fermo or conquered territory half the size of Europe, and Gregorian chant of the early ages of the church, is stretching from the Pacific to the Atlantic ocean. a species of melody simpler even than the psalm- Nothing is wanting to complete the grandeur of the tune, and is so constructed that there are certain crisis. Nature pours all her treasures into the lap notes which can be prolonged indefinitely, and to which any number of syllables may be joined. The of Freedom, whatever can satisfy the simplest rules for the adaptation of the words to the notes wants, or aid the most towering ambition. are easily learned by any one who has the rudiments of music; and the general body of a congre24 CCXLIX. LIVING AGE. VOL. XX. While the Old World seems almost breaking up, and while monarchies are falling into dotage and |