descriptive speculation, being after the manner of our classic models, is legitimate. So wars the spirit of Earth 'gainst Heaven, Could we, as from a peak secure, look down Those that erst trode God's earth with boastful foot, Why Heaven o'erturns not on their impious heads, The value of "Oran" is chiefly in this class of moral reflections, raised upon a dramatic scheme, but, of course, not meant for representation. The author might have advantageously compressed his thought into fewer verses, and thus had an opportunity of escaping lines that are not elegant, as, A Those who have glorious or inglorious fell. poem of this character has its breaks in rhyming verse. The heroes and heroines sing and talk in verse like Hamlet and Ophelia; but not quite so well; although many of these minor pieces show what might have been effected with care and time. I've oft heard that dreams are but And that their language though but darkly uttered, Making dreams photographs of the future is in one way not a bad, and yet it is not a true idea. There are three classes of dreams-those that originate in heavy suppers under the name of late dinners, accompanied or followed by copious drinking. They belong to the night-mare section, or are small editions of delirium tremens. There are dreams formed out of the materials of the past. And there are dreams, however unintelligible, that really resemble prophecies. The two latter classes are dim outlines generally; shadows not photographs, for the sun is an accurate limner, and leaves nothing out of his paintings. As for the dreams that are interpreted by rule and scalethus so-and-so means so-and-so-they originate in disordered stomochs, or a cramped leg, or a twisted arm, or some one thing or other entirely uncomfortable. The author of "Oran " will be quite angry with us for bidding him be more careful, especially as he has found some "local journals that publish," and "local gentlemen whose taste and critical acumen are a sufficient guarantee for the correctness of their judgment "who have given him their approbation, and he does not see how these hard words only say that "the judgment of these gentlemen is a guarantee for their judgment," yet he must clear away such lines as the following But timely aid came, and we two were took, Then other people will be offended for the occu pancy of their precious time with our advice to "Oran," but that is excusable on the ground that the author is not defective in genius, and writes with a good purpose. Miching Mallecho,* by PAUL RICHARDSON. This volume was noticed by us, if we remember rightly, some time since. This seems, therefore, to be a new edition, with the addition of bitter complaints in rhyme on the conduct and opinions of Mr. Richardson's critics. As we had a good opinion to give of this author's genius, and a doubtful one of the use he made of it, perhaps we "are not included in the general anathema of critics and criticisms; and therefore may say with per fect freedom that journalists very seldom buy poetry for the purpose of noticing it; and if an author cannot take their remarks in good part, he may save himself from them by keeping the author is a man of genius, and he is a man of volumes in the custody of his publisher. The temper too, hot and spicy; a very bad kind of temper, that allows him to call other persons by hard names, but cannot bear the return. He certainly is not over nice in his own criticisms of the politicians; who expects the world to glance tenderly at the sins of the poets. There is a little man of mighty will And there is Tommy Duncombe, whose tongues wags Upward and Onward. By S. W. PARTRIDGE.† Mr. Partridge discourses herein most sensibly on the way that men should take in the world; and if any reader of his work will follow his advice * Whitehurst, Burton-upon-Trent, 1 vol. pp. 193. London: Partridge and Co. 1 vol. 8vo, pp. 182. THE JUDGMENT OF THE FLOOD. they will walk through life in its pleasant paths, Be thou temperate, And shames the dull lights in the stifling room; And if all men only could and would act upon the following lines, the world would more closely resemble good poetry in its reminiscences than it does under the present arrangement : Keep thou fair accounts, Nor let thy business lack transparency, The Judgment of the Flood, by JOHN A. HERAUD.* There is a solemn feeling connected with this work, for the author tells us that it has occupied his time in all leisure hours for thirty years. A smaller edition of this poem was published some years since. The present is greatly enlarged,-and although not a necessary consequence of the enlargement-yet it is to that extent enhanced in value. We can not in a brief notice profess to trace the windings of this stream of poetry from the beginning down to the end of the first division in the world's history. Mr. Heraud clearly holds the universality of the deluge, a subject on which we cordially agree with him; and his opinion is of value in the discussion. The poem is a history of man's decline after the fall, and the struggles of Enoch, Methusaleh, Noah, even of Adam himself, and Seth, to arrest the onward progress of evil. The material is so small that the poet must draw deeply on the imagination for that scaffolding, on which his fabric of faith is erected. But he draws beautifully, if deeply, on that credit. Here is one of these drafts, and it is sweetly musical. Fame had reached Ardis, eloquent of all * London: David Bogue. 1 vol. pp. 376. Daughter of Ardis, wer't thou in thy bower The gladness of that Sire's return at even, 441 Anon, the sun went down; their hearts first bowed In worship pure, then folded each to each, In calm repose; . . . the stars watched over them This passage is an explanation of a very brief statement of Scripture that has occasioned great trouble to the commentators. We copy another passage, illustrative of the evils that prevailed in society from Tubal Cain's mechanical inventions, which became, in the hands of the Cainite family, instruments of torture aud of tyranny. Tubal Cain had built a city and established manufactories, In knots of disputants the citizens Whose boast of old grew that the common weal Labour he urged, and diligence he loved, 442 A princely merchant, a mechanic king; And knew not all were masters thus, or slaves, POLITICAL NARRATIVE. The antedeluvian world was full of sin, but we scarcely know the nature of its guilt, although we cannot doubt that the bullionists were busy then as now with their chains and fetters of gold. We cannot, perhaps, do more for this work, in the meantime, than recommend it as one of much learning and research, of sound vigorous thought, worthy of the name acquired by its author. POLITICAL NARRATIVE. THE domestic intelligence of the past few weeks A bill for repealing the ministers' money rate in Ireland-an obnoxious and paltry tax for the payment of clergymen belonging to the established church, in part; and that part so small as to be unworthy of quarrelling for, even by a tollman, has been carried over its second reading in the House of Commons, by a majority of 139. ther sum which they may receive must be derived from a compromise with the shareholders. The House of Peers has passed a measure which, if carried with its amendments, will terminate private prosecutions for criminal conversation, and render the crime a misdemeanour, punishable by fine on proof. The bill will also facilitate divorce in cases of that kind. It may not be so liberal as the Scotch law on the subject, but will be an absolute improvement on the barbarous state of the English law. The bill to relieve Jews from civil disabilities has been made a Cabinet measure. It is not even yet likely to pass through the Peers; though it has the Commons, after a strenuous opposition, at every stage. Against the intention of the Government, a clause was introduced, disqualifying Jews from certain offices, such as Lord Chancellor, or of exercising any ecclesiastical patronage which may fall in by virtue of the office. The The Duke of Cleveland has declared against House of Commons has also rejected a Governsmall boroughs, and in favour of extending the ment proposition of a grant of £50,000 for a park franchise to all persons residing in counties who at Finsbury. The opposition was led by Mr. W. have an income of one hundred-or even fifty-Williams (ennobled by "Punch" and by himself, pounds per annum. He evidently follows in the shadow of Mr. Disraeli, and thus we learn that an equalisation of the constituencies will be carried with the consent of the Opposition. The bill for the punishment of false reporting on their accounts or profits by the directors of public companies will pass during the session, and the measure will ensure greater honesty than has always hitherto been shown by some men who occasionally get into places of trust, and abuse the confidence that has been placed in them, although the number of culpable parties is comparatively small. A Government prosecution of the directors in the Royal British Bank has been commenced, and the bail required for their appearance-two in two thousand pounds each, and four thousand pounds of personal security, in itself worthless-implies a heavy offence. Nine out of the ten Directors implicated are in custody, or have given bail, and Mr. Cameron also is within the meshes of the law. The estate will yield 10s. in the pound for the creditors, any fur member for Lambeth, which borough has a park ready made by public money, at Kennington, and in close proximity to another in formation at Battersea, likewise at the public expense, and to reach which, other persons than the Lambethians will have to pay a bridge toll. The motion was seconded by Sir J. V. Shelley, whose constituency enjoy the use of St. James's Green and Hyde-parks, within themselves, and the Regent's-park and Kensington-gardens, within an easy walk. The first honourable member also moved another saving in the miscellaneous estimates, the effect of which would have been, had it been carried, that half of certain official residences was to be painted this year, and the painting of the other half would have been deferred to a further period, the houses thereby keeping the College of Physicians and the Union Club, on the west side of Trafalgar-square in countenance, each half of which building, for it is all one, is white and black alternately. A bill to improve the matrimonial law of England has descended to the Commons from the Peers POLITICAL NARRATIVE. in an imperfect state certainly-yet the best enactment on the subject that has yet been proposed. The army and navy estimates have been fully voted, and the Government have determined to have a short session. The Grand Duke Constantine of Russia visited the Queen at Osborne, and remained two days; but he either was not invited to inspect our dockyards and manufactories, or he thought them unworthy of a visit, for he only saw the Isle of Wight-and no military secrets exist there. The Grenadier company of the 93rd Regiment were employed as his guard of honour; and elicited the admiration of the Grand Duke; but the Russians had seen them before-when they barred the road into Balaklava. The 93rd Grenadiers, or the regiment altogether, are not likely to be kept as secrets where work has to be done. The Emperor Napoleon is said to have kept the secret manufactory of military missiles closed against his visitor from St. Petersburgh, although it was shown to the King of Bavaria, who arrived in Paris after the Grand Duke left that capital. In order to avoid any offence that might be felt in the north at this preference of a second-class King, to the son of a first-class Emperor, the Parisian press were desired to avoid any notice of the visit made to this "work of secresy," by the French Emperor and his second guest. Some parties have insisted that the visit was celebrated by an attempt to blow up the distinguished party along with the works; and that the failure explains the secresy required from the press. former seems to be the more natural explanation; but the life of Napoleon III. is always in danger. That is the price of being an Emperor in France. The Louis Napoleon has contrived to get over the elections of members to his Parliament in France, but it has been a tougher matter than he expected; the votes in Paris ran at the rate of 110,000 for, and 95,000 against, the Government, indicating a feeling of independence that may gather strength and be troublesome. An advance has been made by the French successfully into the farther recesses of their African opponents. It was attended by a battle which involved more loss than has occurred recently in French victories within the Algerine colony. The foreign intelligence comprises an attempt to assassinate the King of Naples; an effort that will be successful, we fear, on some day, unless that gentleman improve his habits. The intelligence from America confirms former reports of the defeat of Walker, and the rescue of Nicaragua from the grasp of the pioneer of United States filibusterism. The people of the Southern States have queer musical notions. The authorities of New Orleans neglected to pay for the fares up the river of one hundred or two hundred of Walker's men, whom a British captain (Dunlop, R.N.) had conveyed free from Central America. The captain was compelled to give a bond for their fares on a river steamer, but 443 one of the New Orleans clubs repaid the money. When, however, General Walker, who had surrendered upon terms, virtually, with the remainder of his force, arrived in New Orleans, he was met by musical bands, playing "See the conquering hero comes." The extraordinary measures adopted against Central America from the States have failed therefore, but, as if peace could never perfectly reign in that quarter, New Granada, to which the Isthmus of Panama belongs, is on the eve of a rupture with Great Britain on one subject, and with the United States on another. The New Granadians have nothing to fear from the British Government, but the States would exact onerous conditions; if they were successful. Spain with all its incapacity clings like a leech to the nearly mortuum corpus of Mexico, and insists upon satisfaction for some claims real, or imaginary, upon that republic. Famine prevails in some of the United States, caused partly by the extreme length of the winter which must have exhausted the stocks of grain in some places, while in others abundant supplies are stored. This calamity has been chiefly experienced in the northern parts of Michigan, where examples of death by starvation have occurred. It has also reached the states of Alabama, Georgia, and Tenessee, where the price of food, dear through scarcity, has been enhanced by speculation. A desire to get as much as possible out of the slaves is the cause of the famine. Cotton has rated high for the last two years, and to increase the cultivation of it, the tillage of corn and wheat has been laid aside, depending entirely for a supply of these necessaries upon the western states. Fortunately, the grain crops there promise to be most abundant; but if any failure take place, the consequences must be fearful. The exhibition of works of Fine Art, at Manchester, has been successful with the upper and middle classes of the manufacturing districts, but it has not, according to some parties, attracted the working classes in the anticipated numbers. We cannot tell what may have been anticipated, but over ten thousand visitors in one day looks very like success among all classes. The distribution of the Victoria Crosses by her Majesty in Hyde Park on the 26th June, was a brilliant spectacle closing the late war in a creditable manner. The Victoria Cross will long be valued by the wearers, and will incite to deeds of heroism men, who are now only boys. It is the only distinction of an honorary nature open to all classes. An effort most respectably supported has been made to obtain a guarantee for the Euphrates Valley Railway from the Government, which we trust will be successful. Several meetings in the large towns have occurred in favour of the navigable Egyptian Canal and they have been promoted by the dread of a scarcity of cotton which has also led to some Par liamentary discussions on the slow rate at which | Further, we have read that there was no vibration the construction of Indian rails and roads progress. THE HANDEL FESTIVAL. THE Handel Festival formed the leading feature of London life in June. It was a rehearsal, we presume, of the centenary celebration proposed in 1859, and unlike rehearsals usually, was profitable. The musical performers and vocalists collected by the Sacred Harmonic Society, were more in number than ever were previously engaged in the execution of Handel's oratorios; or, indeed, of any music whatever in Europe. Five hundred instrumental and two thousand vocal musicians occupied the orchestra, and required rather more space than, it is said, the largest music hall in Britain could give. "It has been said," but of course, in error; although the mere saying, from its being very common, conveys an idea of magnitude in the festival, perhaps more useful than the exact statistics in feet and inches. The great organ, built not precisely for this festival, but for the Crystal Palace, where alone the assemblage could have found space, occupies itself forty by thirty feet, weighs fifty tons, has two-and-twenty bellows, and far over four thousand pipes, from tubes like a quill in diameter and an inch in length to others like the funnel of a Cunard steamer, but longer perhaps. This organ is the largest in the world. Every matter connected with the festival was superlative. It was the most numerously attended musical performance of which we have any authentic record, at least with a price attached to the tickets of admission. The orchestra comprised the largest number of persons ever associated in modern times for a musical purpose. The building where both parties met is probably the largest and the strangest in the world. The very drum was the largest known drum; although that name scarcely conveys to common cars the idea of this huge buffalo's robe. Necessarily the music of choristers, drum, organ, violins, and all the other accompaniments was louder than any other musical sounds in our remembrance, but not unpleasant. Such are the superlatives. Handel's oratorios can only be described by a musician, although, happily, they can be enjoyed by those who are not musicians. Their composer was the Shakespere of music, and has had no rival, although, as in the case of other great men, the world only discovered the full extent of his genius after his death. The present generation are innocent on that subject, for he died now ninety-eight years since. The fears entertained by many skilful persons that the Crystal Palate would do something or other to mar the harmony of the performance, were disappointed. We observe that credit has been given to the Palace for having no echo whatever-very erroneously, we must say. Echo held its place, and replied very pleasantly indeed, but without reflecting any mischief that we could hear, or bearing could understand to be mischief. of the network of iron rods that support the galleries and roof; but that also is erroneous. The drum that shook the gaseliers of Exeter Hall did not in reality shake this Palace until "roof and rafters a' did dirl—but the strength of sound was quite perceptible among the iron wires on which Sir Joseph Paxton and his friends have been pleased to suspend their fellow men, with perfect security, we believe, to life and limb; otherwise, we should not have placed either the one or the other in any hazard, even for the sake of Handel and the Sacred Harmonic Society. The execution of the three oratorios was perfectly successful. From the professional musicians the highest success was reasonably expected. Madame Novello, Miss Dolby, Mr. Reeves, and all the other professional vocalists, under circumstances difficult even to them, were almost certain of achieving professional triumphs. The arduous duty devolving on M. Costa was sure to be met. The harmonious performances of the choruses was a different matter, and the promoters must have experienced considerable anxiety on that subject. The two thousand five hundred members of the Sacred Harmonic Societies had never acted together until the 12th of June, when they met in Exeter Hall, many of them being brought from Lancashire and Yorkshire. The choruses were rehearsed on the 13th, before an audience of five or six thousand persons. The oratorios of the 15th and 17th brought together audiences of more than eleven thousand, and that of the 19th, "Israel in Egypt" had an audience exceeding twenty thousand. We assume moreover that these audiences contained a larger than the ordinary proportion of musically educated persons. No assumption need to be hazarded on the statement, for it is undoubtedly true. Still the performance of the choruses seemed to satisfy the most fastidious; and to others they were very splendid, or as on the 13th, the first and the worst day, one French gentleman kept repeating in his own language "they were superb." They were very pleasing too, as evidence of a growing taste for the practice and science of music in the manufacturing districts, and in the metropolis, among the artizan and operative classes. Undoubtedly the orchestra represented the higher grades of the working classes; and a large proportion of persons in different circumstances, but the possibility of the festival may be taken as good evidence of intellectual improvement; for the scientific execution of these oratorios implies a severe intellectual effort. The company formed a spectacle in itself worthy of being seen, not often to be seen, or likely soon to be repeated; and only possible in London. Two or three of the larger townsLiverpool, Glasgow, or Manchester, might have furnished a similar audience in evenings, but not in the mornings. The enthusiasm for business would have overcome that for music, and a similar audience is only possible in London; and there |