to set about a confederation of the States, so and that the proposed incorporation would anas to establish a Federal German Empire. nul privileges enjoyed in them; and a revolt This has involved him in a war with Denmark, ensued. The King of Denmark marched his and caused a coolness towards him in the cabi- army, and defeated the insurgents; whereupon net of Austria; the latter empire having hitherto the King of Prussia and the German confedebeen considered the head of the German States. ration, on the ground that Holstein was part of The ministry have officially declared that the confederation, that the Duchies are indealthough Austria is desirous of cementing a pendent States, that they are firmly united to complete union with Germany, it is not in each other, and that the male line obtains in tended either to sacrifice the local interests of both, marched their forces against the King of the imperial provinces, or to renounce the in- | Denmark, who denies their right, under any dependence of the internal government of Aus- circumstances, to interfere as regards Schlestria. The Government, therefore, assumes to swig, which never formed part of the German itself full power to adopt or reject the decisions confederation. The Prussian and German of the confederation, as it may think proper; forces have marched into the latter territory and "provided that the last stipulation is not and a battle has been fought, which, teradmitted as reconcilable with the character of minated in favor of the Prussians. The a confederation of States, Austria will not be Danes have laid an embargo on Prussian in a position to join it." In consequence of a vessels, and the Swedish Government is fitting petition from his Polish subjects, the King of out ships of war; and it is said that the Swedes Prussia declared his desire and intention for a are unanimously in favor, and will support the national re-organization of the Grand Duchy of views of Denmark. Russia continues to arm, Posen, and for that purpose sent a Commis- watching all the proceedings in Europe, and sioner. From the great antipathy which exists acting at present with strict neutrality. between the Polish and German inhabitants of that Duchy, the measure has at present resulted in both parties setting the King's functionaries at defiance, and getting up a civil war between themselves; and the King has been compelled to decide that the national re-organization of the Polish population, shall not be extended to those portions of the Grand Duchy in which the Germans are in greater number than the Poles: the peculiarly German portions of the Duchy are to be forthwith incorporated with the German confederacy. The Emperor of Austria has granted to all his provinces, except Hungary, Croatia, Sclavonia, Siebenbergen, and for the present, the Italian provinces, a constitution, granting trial by jury-Independence of the Judges-Parlianents, to be assembled annually-Freedom of eligion, speech, the press, petition, and public neeting, civil equality of the citizens, responsiility of ministers, &c. Hungary is to form a eparate organization, and also Austrian-Po- | and, of the latter the Emperor taking the title f King. The war between Denmark and the German onfederacy, has arisen respecting the Duchies f Schleswig and Holstein, now under the rule f the King of Denmark, and which have been nnexed to that kingdom for more than a cenry; the population of which consists of a ixture of Danes and Germans. The present ing, on his accession, a few months since, ranted a constitution to the whole of his minions, incorporating them together. To is the Duchies objected on the ground at, in therm, the Salic law prevailed, and that e proposed constitution would render them bject to be under the rule of female sovergns, who were eligible to rule in Denmark, | | have possession of nearly the whole of LomIn Italy, the King of Sardinia and his allies bardy. An attack was made on Peschiera, but repulsed by the Austrians, and Radetzky has offered battle to Charles Albert, which the latter did not accept. The latter declines entering the Venetian territory, on the ground of its having been declared a republic, and declares that if the Lombards establish a republican government, he will desert their cause and return to his own do minions. Troops have marched from Rome to assist in expelling the Austrians, and the King of Naples has been compelled by his subjects to send his contingent, although they were much required to keep his own people quiet. Sicily has declared its independence of Naples, and the Parliament has decreed that Ferdinand Bourbon and his dynasty have forever fallen from the throne of Sicily, which shall be governed by a constitutional government, under an Italian prince, to be called to reign as soon as the constitution is established. The Pacha of Egypt is suffering the greatest debility of body and mind. His health renders him totally incapable of attending to the government of his country. At a meeting of his family and the most influential Pachas and Beys, it was decided that the government should be conducted under Ibrahim Pacha and a council, who were to assume Mehemet Ali's seal until his death, which is expected to happen shortly. Belgium is enjoying political tranquillity, but its mercantile and financial affairs are in a very depressed state, greatly owing to the stoppage of its trade with France. In Holland, the King has re-organized the representative portion of the government on a more popular basis. CRITICAL NOTICES. Silliman's American Journal of Science and Arts. Edited by B. SILLIMAN, B. SILLIMAN, Jr., and JAMES D. DANA. New Haven: May 1, 1848. This is the fifteenth number of the Second Series of this important periodical. The contents are as follows:-A Review of the Annual Report of the U. S. Survey: this article has been copied into the National Intelligencer for May 17, and occupies three columns of that paper. A paper on Philosophical Induction, by Samuel Tyler: whether Science can proceed altogether without the aid of " thinking," is at least doubtful; Mr. Tyler seems to think not, else he would not have been at the trouble to write this article. An article by Samuel S. Haldeman, an excellent and accurate naturalist, on the identity of two very curious and doubtless interesting animals. Letter on Philosophical Analogy; containing some new views. A description of two new minerals, by J. Lawrence Smith. Analysis of Meteoric Iron that fell in Bohemia, by A. Duflos and N. W. Fischer. Explanations of various electrical phenomena by the undulatory hypothesis, by Professor Hare, of Philadelphia: Professor Hare is evidently of the same mind with Mr. Tyler. Description of a mass of Meteoric Iron, discovered near Murfreesboro, Tenn., by Professor G. Troost: a bit of information judicious and brief. A Greek naturalist would have filled fifty pages with what is here packed into one. Parallelism of the older rocky strata ("Palæozoic formations") of North America with those of Europe. On Halley's Comet, by Professor Loomis, of New York. A mathematical paper on the propagation of sound, by Eli W. Blake. Review of Professor Asa Gray's Manual of Botany: a book with which all botanical readers are well acquainted. Review of Matteucchi's Lectures on Living Beings; which describes some curious electrical experiments upon the nerves of animals. A translation from Poggendorf's Annaton, of a paper by Professor Scheerer of Christiana, on the similarity in the forms of crystals of unlike substances, throwing new light on the secret constitution of matter. Mathematical paper, by Professor Stanley of Yale College. Not the least valuable part of this Journal is the scientific intelligence, taken from foreign Periodicals, which keeps us informed of the progress of European Science. In looking over several of these articles, it occurred to us to say, that in America as well as in Germany and France, science is very much obscured by the use of Greek names. In a free State like ours, statesmen and politicians are compelled to popularize everything of a public character or that appertains to the people. In science, on the contrary, no sooner does a savan discover a new fact or a new object, than he claps a leaden cover over it in the shape of a tremendous composite Greek name. For example, though we are personally familiar with the ancient rock strata that lie under our coal-fields, we quite failed to recognize them under the formidable name paleozoic, which, as the Greek dictionary informs us, signifies" containing remains of the ancient or primeval forms of life." Seriously, and with the greatest deference to our learned and ingenious savans, whom we believe to be not a whit inferior to those of Europe, would it not be rendering a service to humanity to divest their labors as far as possible of this heavy and perishable load of technicalities? Of all dialects, that of science has the briefest existence; why, then. waste a moment in adding one unnecessary name to the vast and gloomy vocabulary? This is not the age of Linnæus or of Gmelin; it is the age of Faraday, and of Humboldt. Mer begin now to seek eagerly for the precios fruits of the understanding; it is injudicious. even inhuman, to do the least thing to keep knowledge from the people. Meanwhile no man has done more to the great purpose of popular instruction than the Senior Editor of this Journal. Professor Sulman's reputation is as wide as the Continent. and wider; for his Journal is the ambassad of our science in foreign countries. It goes t Germany, France and England, and suffers n disgrace anywhere. The Mexican War: A History of its Ories and a Detailed Account of the Victories w terminated in the Surrender of the Cap with the Official Dispatches of the Genera By EDWARD D. MANSFIELD. New Yor Barnes & Co., 50 John street. Probably no war, at least during its progres has ever had so many historians as our with Mexico. Many of these have been me¬ catch-penny affairs, and others designed sz to give a sketch of battles. In the work bes us, Mr. Mansfield has gone fully into the s ject--traced the origin of the war-exposed its injustice, and characterized it as it will be seen by future generations. It is hard to write the history of an exciting event half a century after it has transpired; for while the statistics may be correct, the spirit is wanting. Those err who suppose that the facts of history are given when every statement is made out with accuracy--the greatest fact of all is the feeling which originated the movement, and the enthusiasm which bore it onward. The Journal of Congress, the muster roll of our forces, and the complete maps of the battles during our revolutionary war, are only a part of the history of that event. The spirit of the people, the deep emotion underlaying all, are of equal importance. But if it is difficult to be just in this respect, it is equally so amid the fierce animosities and exaggerated views which prevail during the progress of the event. Mr. Mansfield has, we think, been just, and written with conscience as well as feeling. The Mexican war is an anomaly in our history. That the Government anticipated it in moving the army on the Rio Grande, few will believe. To overawe the Mexicans, obtain territory by blustering, and make political capital out of it all, was doubtless the origin of this great wrong. It was probably a huge blunder growing out of ignorance and a deviation from the course of integrity. It is useless to argue the point, for talk as men will, there is not an intelligent statesman of either party in the land, who believes for a moment, that the same cause asserted to exist would precipitate us in a war with a strong nation. We have done to the weak what we would never have thought of doing to the strong. Say what men will of the war, and deprecate all glorification of it as stimulating a wrong and dangerous spirit in the country, the achievements of our army are so many facts in our history, which must be contemplated; for they have turned aside our whole career as a nation, set in motion influences, and created opinions, which cannot be overlooked. We think Mr. Mansfield's work may be safely commended as a judicious and impartial history. Lectures on Shakspeare. By H. N. HUDSON. In two volumes. New York: Baker & Scribner. 1848. Several of the lectures in these volumes have appeared from time to time in the pages of the Review, so that our readers may be presumed to be familiar with their characteristic merits. It is intended, moreover, to make them the subject of an extended article hereafter. We need now, therefore, only call attention to their appearance in this form, for the con venience of such of our readers as may wish to obtain them. Mr. Hudson has had the good taste to have his work come before the public with the advantage of a dedication to R. H. Dana, whose own lectures on the same subject, delivered a few years ago, so well sustained his distinguished reputation as a poet and critic. We cannot but regret, however, in seeing Mr. Dana's name here, that he should appear as sponsor to another's offspring, which, though excellent in its kind, is very unlike his own, when his own have never yet been admitted to the rites of publication. It argues a want of parental affection in one who has done as much as any other to direct the taste of students and literary men in our country, that it will take circumstances--strong ones, too-to disprove. In the absence of all knowledge respecting circumstances, we will presume one, viz :--Boston. Boston is situate on that side of Massachusetts which is cooled by the east wind-an air uncongenial to poetry. Humanity, Progress, all sorts of schemes and systems, (useless shrubs,) thrive there very well; but the tender flowers of poetry become wilted and odorless, under the clammy dews of transcendentalism. Hence, Boston, to those who reside there, is a great circumstance; to publish poetry or poetic criticism there, one must assume the hallucination of the crazy man, to whom the seasons were reversed, who could walk forth in the bitterest day of January, and experience the sensations of June. But to New York, and to those living here, Boston is not a circumstance. It is merely a remote village; we can contemplate it and all its notions, as indifferently as does the angel who stands "fixed in cogitation deep," the regent of the Sun. As indifferently, and no less benevolently, for peradventure there be fifty righteous men among our Boston readers. Portrait of Daniel Webster.-Mr. E. A. Anthony has sent us a new and beautifully executed portrait of our great Senator, from a recent daguerreotype. The artist who managed the daguerreotype selected a very characteristic expression, so much so that the portrait, in addition to its fidelity, has the spirit of a good miniature. The engraver is Mr. A. H. Ritchie, and the work is the most perfect we know of in this kind of engraving, which is a mixture of etching and mezzotinto. Mr. Webster's domestic afflictions during the past year have not passed over him without leaving traces on his countenance, but they have evidently not bowed the conscious greatness of his mind. He still looks the man who at one time saved the two most powerful nations on the globe from war, and is worthy to bear the distinction of being the ablest statesman of his time. A Collection of Psalm and Hymn Tunes, Harmonized for Four Voices; with an Arrangement for the Organ and Piano-Forte. Forming the First Part of the People's Music Book. Edited by JAMES TURLE, Organist of Westminster Abbey, and EDWARD TAYLOR, Gres. Prof. Mus. London: George Virtue. This is not only one of the handsomest, but one of the most valuable of the recent English publications. It affords evidence of the taste, scholarship, and judgment of its editors, qualities in which the editors of our ordinary collections are remarkably deficient. In most of our collections of psalm tunes, we have instead of beautiful melodies and dignified devotional harmonies, unmeaning successions of chords which any tyro could string together after a fortnight's study, and which serve no end, unless it be to betray the mental poverty of their authors. It is utterly absurd to think of exciting devotional feelings by the performance of such music. Of this fact we suspect the authors, themselves, are fully aware, judging from the absurd directions accompanying their music. E. g. "With bold and animated emotion, loud, but not clamorous, and not hurried.”—“With a slow, gentle movement, and with a tender, fervent expression."—" With awe and reverence."-" With serenity, cheerfulness and expression."* These directions are tacit insults to the devotion of the performer, to say nothing of his common sense. To be classed with them are those marks termed breathing-places," the uselessness and absurdity of which is evident to every musician. We may expect in future editions, marks pointing out the proper time and place for the singer to cough, and perhaps to spit. The contents of the book under notice are of a strictly sacred character. In this respect it differs much from many American and English books. In our books, it is very common to see the compositions of Herold, Bellini and Rossini, mutilated and shortened to metrical dimensions to meet the Procrustean necessities of English verse. In one, the beautiful waltz from Rossini's Cenerentola is adapted to the well-known hymn, commencing, "I love to steal awhile away From every cumbering care;" and the prayer from Herold's Zampa set to the hymn, "God of mercy, God of love," etc. In a recent publication,* we noticed a tune arranged from the first movement of the Overture to Le Calife de Bagdad. But some of our compilers are driven to still worse shifts than these. In another recent work we noticed tunes arranged from common "Exercises" for the piano-forte. The celebrated air, "Lord, remember David," which has been arranged as a metrical tune by many of our compilers, was taken from Handel's Sosarmes. "Rendi l' sereno al ciglio; This is a tender and soothing address to a mother by a daughter, and when sung with the original words, full effect is given to the beauty as well as the grace of the melody; both of which are, in a great measure, destroyed by the English poetry. So much is this the case, that "Rendi l' sereno al ciglio," and "Lord, remember David," are seldom recognized as the same music. Many other of Handel's Italian Opera airs have been wedded to sacred English poetry, thus destroying the exquisite beauty and design of the original. The music of the celebrated anthem, "Holy, holy, Lord God Almighty," is taken from an air in his Rodelinda, " Dove sei, amato bene," which is addressed to a lover by his mistress. "We know this beautiful air," to quote the words of another, "only in the cold, measured style in which we hear it sung at our sacred music meetings; but imagine it breathed by a Grisi in her most passionate accents, and we shall conceive its true meaning and expression." 66 It is not the Italian opera airs themselves that we object to, (for most of those we have cited above are perfect gems,) but it is the associations connected with them. A familar melody suggests a crowd of recollections, whether heard in the Church or in the Opers. The prayer from Zampa, for example, is sung to sacred English verse frequently in our churches. How unlike the proper feelings for the church must be those which this piece suggests to one familiar with the Opera. The subject of the drama in many respects resem bles that of Don Giovanni. The hero, Zampa. is a libertine, who, after indulging in every species of wickedness, is at last stopped short in his course, and consigned to the infernal regions by the statue of a deceived mistress, an whose finger he has, in a thoughtless moment, | editors, for the sake of favoring the popular placed a ring. On this point the English editors make the following remarks : "We have rejected all airs originally written to secular words, deviating, we are well aware, in this respect, from a practice which, though general, we regard as inexpedient, if not indefensible. We have seen a Stabat Mater' converted into a set of Quadrilles; and Bacchanalian and amorous songs have been changed into Psalm tunes. The compositions of Haydn, Mozart, Handel and Beethoven, are shortened, in order to fit the words of a hymn, or, for the same purpose, stretched by some addition, standing in unfortunate contrast to the fragments of a beautiful melody. If there were any scarcity of good Psalm tunes, we might be driven to some such shifts; but the fact is the very reverse. The supply is abundant. The practice to which we have alluded, is liable to the heavier charge of indecorum. It is much to be regretted that an unadvised remark of John Wesley should have sanctioned the introduction of airs originally written to profane words, into the service of the house of God. Had that extraordinary man possessed any of the musical knowledge and taste for which several members of his family have been so justly celebrated, it had never been made. It has been the means of introducing into the service of devotion, Glorious Apollo,' 'Tell me, babbling Echo, why,' Thou soft-flowing Avon,' Rule Britannia,' 'Vedrai carino,' Butti, butti, y bel-Masetto,' 'Ah perdona il primo affetto, and various invocations to Bacchus, Apollo, and Venus. It may be said that the words and the music of these amatory (sometimes scarcely decent) songs, from Italian Operas are known, in their original form, to few only who listen to or join in them in their new connection, and that unseemly and indecorous associations are, on that account, but rarely engendered. This question, we apprehend, has been settled by the highest authority. We are enjoined to take heed lest by any means this liberty become a stumbling block to them that are weak.' And if the performance of an Opera song shall have the effect of interrupting the devotion of only a single wor shipper, if it shall cause only one brother to offend,' better far is it that it be omitted. The reasoning of the Apostle is exactly, as it appears to us, to the point in question; and if so, it is conclusive in condemnation of the practice." The Editors have added an accompaniment for the Organ instead of "figuring" the bass, as is commonly done by editors in this country.† This is as it should be; the Organist is then obliged to disperse the harmony as the author has written it. By the old method the composer furnishes, as it were, the skeleton, and the performer supplies the intermediate parts as his fancy dictates. The tenor clef is used instead of writing that part on the G clef. In this respect the Editors are worthy of all praise. Our * 1 Corinthians viii. The Beethoven Collection and the American Harp, are exceptions to this remark. ignorance, condescend to violate one of the most prominent rules in the Musical Syntax. But this is not so bad as the habit some of our editors have of writing consecutive octaves and fifths, and other progessions hardly less faulty. There are a few Hymns in this book which we think are inappropriately inserted, because they cannot be said to express the feelings of all the members of a mixed congregation. There is one on the 236th page, beginning, "Why hast thou cast us off, O God? On the 19th page is another, still more inappropriate : "God of mercy, God of grace, If we were citing examples from our American books, we could proceed almost ad infinitum. There is a difficulty which our composers English composers know nothing. The writers labor under in writing metrical tunes, of which of Sacred Lyrics among us are not content to express their thoughts in those metres which are the most natural and convenient, but must needs make use of those which are so ungainly in their structure as to refuse alliance with musical sounds. Hence, instead of a few metres, we have a list exceeding in length those of Horace. The excellencies of this book have suggested to us the defects of our own. wish that our Editors and Publishers would take We heartily pattern from it, and endeavor to improve the public taste in this department of Musical Art. The making of psalm books has been too entirely a matter of business. As an illustration, it is believed that one of our oldest and most respectable musical societies, sells its " sanctions" to use its name, as a merchant sells his wares. Local prejudices operate powerfully to degrade the Art; indeed, the inhabitants of one meridian look upon those of another, much in the same light as the Greeks regarded foreigners. Surely there should be some common ground, some Olympia, where the students of Art and Literature could meet, unsullied by petty and unworthy feeling. Every one should have the interests of true scholarship so much at heart as to be willing to make every reasonable sacrifice for its advancement. Lives of the Queens of England, from the |