interesting, we hope to find a fit opportunity for laying it before the English reader.

The historical student will be glad to hear that Signor Niccolini, whom the world has known hitherto chiefly as a poet, has nearly completed a History of the Swabian Emperors of the House of Hohenstauffen. The work will form four or five 8vo. volumes. It will be curious enough to compare the speculations of the German historian of the same house-(Raumer)-with those of his Italian contemporary; especially on a subject on which so many feelings and associations must lead them to take very opposite views.

Can we hope to be forgiven for having deferred to our last paragraph all mention of Signora Massimina Rossellini's poem, just published, on "Amerigo?" It is, in truth, an epic built on the regular classical model, and beginning in due form, "Canto," &c. &c. But it announces itself in the title-page simply as Amerigo-Canti-Venti.” The authoress has long been known as a writer of novelettes-works for children, &c. It is said that the diction is pure, and true to its classical models, and the versification harmonious; but we cannot say that we have heard anything of the "mens divinior," or "os magna sonaturum."

LITERARY NOTICES.

AUSTRIA.

VIENNA. With few exceptions, all our great literary men and poets are absent. Lenau has quite retired to his country seat near Döbling, Deinhardstein is on a journey in Denmark and Sweden, Franz Schober resides in Florence, Feuchtersleben is wandering among the Alps, Castelli is enjoying happy days in his villa near Lilienfeld, Betti Paoli dreams and sings in a romantic mountain district of Bohemia, Hammer-Purgstall is on the eve of a journey to Graetz. The most interesting journey, however, is the dramatist Grillparzer's, who intends travelling to Constantinople and Greece, returning by Italy.

BELGIUM.

M. Gachard, principal keeper of the Records for the southern division of Belgium, is preparing a collection of unpublished letters of William_I., to which he intends adding some interesting letters of Granville's to the Prince of Orange, and reports of William I. from 1554-56, while commanding at Philippeville, to Queen Maria and King Philip II.

DENMARK.

COPENHAGEN.-It is with great pleasure we notice a collected edition of Ingermann's Dramas, of which the first three volumes, containing " Mithridat," " Massaniello, Blanca," "Hyrden af Tolosa,' Reinalt Underbar

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net," "Rosten i Orkenen," are before us, and three more are promised to complete the collection. The price is so very reasonable that the circulation will probably be very extensive.-A monument is about to be erected to Rask. The committee have chosen a plain block of freestone, which is to be placed over his grave. To indicate his learning, proverbs in Icelandic, Arabic, Sanscrit and Danish will be engraved on the sides, the Icelandic in Runic letters, and the Danish will be a facsimile of Rask's handwriting. On an urn in alto relievo is inscribed the date of his birth and death, 22 November, 1787-14 November, 1832.

An article in a recent number of a literary periodical takes a review of modern Danish poets, and among them principally praises the following:Christian Winther, whose lyrical poems are considered inferior, but his ballads and tales, in verse, are said to be excellent; H. P. Helst, an author of "Remembrances of Travels," and a poem, entitled "The Dying Gladiator."-Schack-Staffeldt, and Heiberg, are known also out of their own country; the latter is the great advocate of the Hegelian school of philosophy in Denmark; the former also contributed many beautiful German poems to the German "MUSENALMANACH." In the drama, the most remarkable productions of the present day are Oehlenschläger's "Diana," which has excited universal admiration, and an exceedingly clever satirical comedy, entitled "Romeo and Giuliette," in which the enthusiasm for Italian singers is admirably ridiculed. Halm's "Sohn der Wildniss" has been translated into Danish by Borgaard.

KIEL. A collection of satirical poems, by Hocker, a Hamburgh wine merchant, principally directed against the senate and the affairs of his native city, was published here a few days ago, and already two editions of about 2000 copies had been sold in Hamburgh and its neighbourhood, when the police received orders to confiscate the remainder at the publisher's officethey, however, only found two copies.

GERMANY.

LEIPZIG.-An Essay on the comparative history of nations, by Professor E. M. Arndt, of Bonn, published here, has gained great applause from every party. The work is essentially the text of a series of lectures delivered at the Bonn University, and contains the portraits of the principal European nations in regard to their resemblances and distinguishing points, with speculations on their futurity as far as it may be deduced from their characters. The introduction is a rare specimen of humility in a man so universally esteemed and looked up to. He says that his inducement to deliver these lectures was solely to gratify the wish of many of his young friends again to hear him, as he is well aware that a man of his years should leave the chair for younger and abler persons. This modesty is the more to be admired, as his lectures show anything but the faults of age, but rather exhibit sound and energetic feeling, often desired, but seldom found in similar productions.

Weidmanns have published a work which is likely to be very popular at our Universities and high schools, by W. A. Becker, the author of "Gallus" and "Charikles," entitled, "Manual of Roman Antiquities."

A new work, by Dr. Waagen, on the artists and collections of works of art in Germany, just issued from Brockhaus's establishment, will be welcomed by all admirers of the arts, and of the productions of this able critic in particular. The first volume embraces Saxony, the North of Bavaria, including Nuremberg and part of Wirtemberg.

Saxony has at present no less than 154 newspapers, including monthly periodicals. Of these, 149 are German, 2 French, 1 English, and 2 Wendish; 27 are devoted to belles lettres, 13 to bibliography and literature, 3 to juris

prudence, 49 to local news, 7 to medicine, 5 to music, 8 to national economy and mercantile pursuits, 4 to philology, 4 to natural history, 5 to Christian and 2 to Jewish theology, and 6 to popular instruction and amusement. 76 of these are published at Leipsic.

Dr. F. Förster, the author of the "Life of Wallenstein," so justly celebrated, announces a history of the Wallenstein lawsuit, which has lately created so great a sensation in Germany. A seventh volume of Von Raumer's" History of Europe from the End of the 15th Century," has just appeared. It embraces the period from 1660 to 1740. The greater portion of the volume is devoted to Russia and Sweden, and their monarchs Charles XII. and Peter the Great. One chapter only is devoted to Spain and France, and another to England.

HEIDELBERG.-An English translation of Engel's "Lawrence Starke," just published here, so many years after the publication of the original, may be reckoned as a res curiosa. The translator is a Mr. Th. Gaspey.

GREIFSWALD.-Professor Kosegarten's Dictionary of the Plattdeutsch, or Lower Saxon Dialect, advertised for so many years, is, we understand, now actually in the press, and a part of it will probably appear at the Easter fair of next year.

BRESLA U.-The Arabic edition of the "Thousand and One Nights," edited from a Tunisian MS. by Professor Habicht, and after his death by Fleischer, has just been completed in twelve volumes, at the expense of the University. HAMBURGH. A bookseller in Hamburgh, who has made himself very conspicuous by publishing works attacking different governments in Germany, has lately issued several works against the Austrian government, which induced them not only to confiscate all the proscribed works that they could find in their dominions, but also to prohibit all works that were ever published, or that will be published, by the same house. Only two years ago the proprietor of the house was in the same predicament with regard to Prussia, but the latter state withdrew its order, in consideration of the loss the publisher sustained during the conflagration.

DUSSELDORF. Our clever artist, Schrödter, has just completed the first part of a series of Illustrations to Don Quixotte, which are to be published at Leipsic. Those who remember his celebrated painting of that hero, in the gallery of the bookseller Reimer at Berlin, of which an etched copy forms the first plate in this collection, will be able to judge how admirable an illustrator of Don Quixotte he is likely to be.

HANOVER.-An undertaking of some magnitude and importance, the publication of a collected edition of the Works of Leibnitz, from the Records in the Royal Library, has been set on foot by the brothers Hahn. The first volume of the division, embracing his historical works, has appeared, and contains the "Annales Imperii Occidentis Brunsvicensis," from 768 to 876. The editorship is in the hands of the celebrated Pertz, unfortunately a short time since enticed to Berlin by the King of Prussia; he has added to this volume an introduction on the life and scientific labours of Leibnitz. Among the other novelties in the literary world may be mentioned a collection of poetry by the novelist, Henrietta Hanke, and a little work of great merit, entitled "Attribute der Heiligen," a key to determine the names of the Saints in pictures from their attributes, with a supplement on the dresses of ecclesiastics of the middle ages. A. M. de Marlortie is said to be the author. Baroness Henrietta von Bissing, whose first novel, "Amalie Steinfels," was praised in so extraordinary degree, has a new novel in the press, to be entitled "Waldheim."

Kühne, whose new play " Frederick III.," has been so favourably received at our theatre, has also published a collection of Essays, principally contributed to the "Elegante Zeitung" during his editorship, among which a biogra

phy of Wienbarg is very interesting, but many are at present out of date. The literary part refers to the notable names in modern literature, and a division is devoted to notices on modern art. The same publisher has also issued a collection of popular stories and legends of Upper Lusatia, by Will komm, which, although valuable from the diligence with which the materials have been collected, is in many instances spoilt by the injudicious style of the language and arrangement of the plots. That a simple recitation of popular stories is both more popular and more useful, is fully proved by the success of Grimm's works, the larger collection of whose popular stories is just now being brought out in a fifth edition.

FRANKFORT.-In the literary circles, an Universal History, which Schlosser is now writing in conjunction with Dr. Kriegk, the historian, is much talked of. It is intended to produce neither a very popular or school book, of which there are many, nor a work for only the more highly educated classes, such as Schlosser's other works, but a history for every person of education, in the most liberal acceptation of the term. It is intended to form twelve volumes, and the publication will commence in the beginning of 1844. Gutzkow is expected back here very shortly from a tour in Italy, where we understand he has written an historical comedy, taken from Prussian history, entitled "The Pigtail and the Sword." A new tragedy of his also, taken from Russian history, "Bugatscheff," will shortly be performed on the stage, either here or at Stuttgart.

STUTTGART.-The "Allgemeine Zeitung" has a long article on the proceedings of the "Literary Society" of Stuttgart, established in that town a few years ago, upon the plan of our Camden, Percy, and other Societies. We can only mention the titles of some of the works which have either already been delivered to the subscribers, or are in the press. The series commenced with "Closener's Strasburgische Chronik;" this was followed by "Ritter Georg von Elsingen Reisen," "Ott Ruland's Handlungsbuch," Fabri's “Eragatorium," "De viris Illustribus," by Eneas Sylvius; the Society also intends to republish the "Chronicles of Ramon Muntauer," the Rep gauische Chronik," the "Hirländische Reimchronik," the "Codex Hirsaugiensis," the "Habsburg Urbarbuch," "Letters of the Princess Elisabeth Charlotte of Orleans," and many other very scarce books of interest.

Cotta announces as forthcoming shortly, a new work by Alexander von Humboldt, entitled "Kosmos," or a Sketch of Physical Geography; also a volume of old High and Low-German Volkslieder, collected by the poet Uhland, who has devoted the last four or five years to this labour of love. It is also his intention to add two volumes of dissertation on "Volkslieder " in general, and notes to the particular songs that he has collected.

The concluding division of Plattner and Bunsen's description of Rome, a work unparalleled for its completeness and excellence, has just been published. It contains the Campus Martius, the Insula Tiberina, Trastevere and the Janiculum, with a plan of the Campus Martius. We understand that a condensation of the work by the authors is progressing, and will be published in a short time.

RUSSIA.

ST. PETERSBURGH.-Literature is at a very low ebb in Russia, and lately nothing has presented itself to justify hopes of a speedy revival. The only branch at all cultivated is history, which is employing many talented young Russians in its service. Their researches principally relate to Russia, and the Archæological Commission, established 10 years ago, has been most active in this respect. By the publication of ancient records it has opened valuable sources to the future historians of Russia. The history of this country

necessarily requires a continuation of Karamsin's Chronicles, left incomplete, reaching only to the founder of the present dynasty. Polewoy began a history of the Russian Empire, but he was not equal to the task, and did not get farther than the middle ages, so that Karamsin's work is the only useful one, and modern researches have discovered many inaccuracies which render it of inferior value as an authority. General Danilewsky continues to describe the campaigns of Alexander, in which his praises too often overstep historic truth. His last volumes contain the campaign of 1810 in Finnland, and of 1828-9 against the Turks. In Russia his works are considered a high authority, but truth has been sadly handled in his descriptions, particularly of the events of 1812-13. A valuable work by Pogodin, the professor of history at Moscow, is a palæography of Ancient Russia. The above mentioned Polewoy is decidedly the most prolific Russian author living; he has ventured on most paths of literature, with different success; his "History of Peter the Great," and a biography of the General Suwarrow, are considered talented productions; but the drama appears to be his favourite pursuit-he is the most fruitful playwright living.

In belles lettres nothing striking has appeared for some time; the veterans Krülow and Shukowsky are resting on their laurels, and Puskin has left no successor worthy to carry his mantle. Lermontow perhaps might have taken his place, had he lived; his novel, "The Modern Hero," promised great things. A young Countess Rostoptschin has written many novels and tales which are not without merit, and Count Sologubs is indefatigable, and his Tales are much read.

SWEDEN.

STOCKHOLM.-The Archbishop of Upsala af Wingard has published a retrospect of the state of the church in Sweden,--a work that has excited great attention. Count Björnstjerna's work on the Theogony of the Hindoos, reviewed in a late Number of the Foreign and Colonial Review, has been translated into German, with corrections and additions by the author.

Crusenstolpe has published a fifth volume of his historical novel, "Morian, or the House of Holstein-Gottorp in Sweden."

Miss Bremer's new novel, "The Diary," is in almost every body's hand; the sale of these novels at a comparatively high price is truly astonishing.

In the last year 116 periodicals have been published in this country, of which the majority are newspapers. Six are devoted to theology, four to agricultural pursuits, and many branches of science are represented by a journal.

In theology, a translation of Strauss's "Life of Christ" has excited great attention, and has called forth a number of writings refuting his doctrines, partly translations of the German works by Tholuck, Neander, Umbreit, &c.; partly originals, as the "Life of Christ," by Melin in Lund, and the Lectures on the Authenticity of the Gospels, by Professor Knös in Upsala.

The novelties in philosophic literature are, "Thoughts on the Condition of the Soul after Death," by Petrelli-" Essay on Marriage," by Professor Hwassen. Professors Schröder and Otterbom, in a work produced conjointly, entitled "Plato and Goethe," have defended these great names from attacks by modern Swedish philosophers. Afzelius, in an introduction to his translation of Hegel, has been attacking Schelling and his position in Berlin. Bring, one of the professors of Lund, is publishing, in the shape of Academical Dissertations, a Lexicon to explain the Hegelian terminology; and Snellmann, a tutor at Helsingfors, announces a work on political philosophy, based on Hegel's principles.

"Christmas Eve," an Idyll by Runenberg, is mentioned in Swedish papers as one of the best productions in belles lettres of the current year.