Mr. Hummel's Pandean airs are a very good selection, arranged effectively, and likely to please for brilliancy and facility, with reference to either instrument. His "Delices," which we suppose are either for the piano forte or harp, consist of easy rondos on, favourite subjects, and bear the same character.

Though last not least, Mr. Parry's Warbler claims great praise for the ingenious idea which forms its basis. The six rondos which compose the set are each formed on the note of some particular bird, which is taken as the introduction and subject; these are calculated to rivet the fancy and engage the attention of a child, which would alone be a strong recommendation, but the rondos are likewise all sprightly, characteristic, and attractive.

Fantasia for the Piano Forte, on "God save the King;" by Thos. Valentine. Welsh and Hawes.

Faithless Emma, with Variations for the Piano Forte; by Thos. Valentine.

"Jock o' Hazledean," with Variations for the Piano Forte; by Thos. Valentine.

Second Series of Caledonian Airs, No. 17, "There's nae Luck about the House;" by J. F. Burrowes.

Divertimento from La Donna del Lago; by G. Kiallmark.
Petite Divertisement, on an Air de Ballet; by G. Kiallmark.
Hungarian Divertimento, with an Accompaniment for the Flute;
by F. J. Klose.

All published by Chappell and Co.

Although the range to which Mr. Valentine limits his exertions as a composer gives room for but few of the higher animations of genius, particularly as respect passages of execution, although he is evidently governed by a desire not to go beyond a certain degree of difficulty, there is nevertheless sound conception and solid purpose in all that he writes. His fantasia contains more execution perhaps than he usually admits, and is marked by the same characteristics for which we have before commended his style.

The introduction is very original-the construction of variation 3 is clever, as is also that of No. 6 & 7, which are spirited throughout, and marked by an extremely effective Rallentando. It appears however that Mr. V.'s great forte lies in the art of embellishing trifles. His Faithless Emma is really conspicuous for elegance, although so simple as to be suited only to beginners. Jock o' Hazledean is of the same kind, but scarcely so good.

Mr. Burrowes continues his Caledonian airs with unaltered success. The present number is neither very difficult nor novel, but it is graceful and agreeable.

Mr. Kiallmark's lessons are of a kind to admit of but little remark. The plan of selecting beautiful airs for the groundwork of lessons for beginners is judicious; his choice is good, and he treats his subject agreeably.

Mr. Klose's theme is spirited, and the character well preserved throughout,

Twelve Original Venetian Canzonets, arranged with an Accompaniment for the Spanish Guitar; by J. A.. Nüske. London. Boosey and Co.

Collection of Select German National Melodies, arranged with an Accompaniment of Piano Forte or Guitar; by Mollwo and Derwort. London. Ewer and Co.

The Venetian airs, chiefly Barcaroles, or those short and sweet melodies which are sung by the Gondoliers of Venice, have long been known for their general character of melodious simplicity and beauty-while if we may believe Michael Kelly no language glides off the tongue like the Venetian dialect from the lips of a pretty woman. Here then are reasons plenty as blackberries for the introduction of Venetian canzonets. But to make assurance doubly sure, and to sanction opinion by the highest authority of facts, one of the two songs which Signor Velluti selected to sing on his arrival in England, at Devonshire House, was a Barcarole (La notte xe bella.) We have said enough to sustain the charac

ter of these truly national and peculiar compositions, if need there be for any additional reasons for relishing their beauties beyond their intrinsic excellence. But to come to the particular merits of the six airs (all yet published) that lie before us. They are short, sweet, and tasteful strains, bright and vivid, and as transient as the electric gleamings that play in the summer twilight-to which time they may be held appropriate, if a guitar and a listener be at hand, or they may enliven a winter's night at a piano forte-probatum est.

The German airs amount to nineteen, all nearly of the same degree, though differing in character. Their value as music stands above mediocrity, as may be conceived, where the names of such composers as Mozart, Himmel, Spohr, Weigl, &c. are to be found. Many of them however are adaptations of opera songs to English words-German, French, or Italian being also attached. We prefer Numbers 2, 4, 5, (especially) 7 and 8, 14 and 16; and regret exceedingly that such words are put to No. 15 (which is a very effective trio) as would forbid their being sung. The words of No. 18 are intended to be playful, but are very silly. The melodies are published singly, and the best may therefore be chosen. We should recommend a second edition of those to which we have objected with better poetry, for it is equally desirable to preserve the collection entire and to have it unexceptionable, for the reasons which will be found in our review of the French melodies.

A Selection of French Melodies, with Symphonies and Accompaniments, by W. Eavestaff; the Words by W. H. Bellamy, Esq. London. Eavestaff.

The success of Mr. Moore's exquisite adaptations of English verses to the choice airs of various nations, has turned the thoughts of other poets and other adapters to similar services, and it has been a matter of some surprise to us, that so few of the many who have emulated and imitated the modern Anacreon should

have approached his vein. Not that we would be thought to infer that the task is light, or that it belongs even to minds of great sensibility and power to effect what he has accomplished with so much apparent ease. We are quite aware of how much must be thought, felt, and suffered, before the tone of the mind is sweetened and softened and saddened down to the musing melancholy of his strains. But still there are certain clues to his superiority which might have been followed out we should have imagined with better fortune than has attended most of the rhymesters who have endeavoured to tread in his steps. Many of Mr. Moore's best songs, if not absolutely free translations, yet have their foundation in the original words. For instance, "When through the piazetta might breathes her cool air," which in some of its best lines is almost a version (very beautifully turned indeed) from La notte xe bella, the canzonetta in the Venetian dialect, which Signor Velluti has lately sung so beautifully at the private concerts of the Nobility.

The first lines run thus :

La notte xe bella,

Fa presto Ninetta,
Andemo in barcheta
I freschi a chiapar.
Che gusto contarsela,
Soleti in laguna

E al chiaro di luna

Sentirse a vogar.

Mr. Moore's second verse is as follows:

In garb then resembling
Some gay gondolier,

I'll whisper thee trembling
The bark love is near;
Now now while there hover
These clouds o'er the moon,

"Twill waft thee safe over

Yon silent Lagoon.

If Mr. Moore has added some delicious thoughts to the original, yet the foundation is there, and is even discoverable in the syllables that rhyme-" laguna and luna"-moon and Largoon. There is much more of this kind of intellectual assimilation in the

writings of the most original poets than the world imagines. Yet we do not make the remark as detracting at all from the merit of the individuals, for this is the alchemy of genius, which converts all substances to gold.

With the exception of the Spanish melodies by Messrs. Planché and Sola, we know of none of the publications of the sort that have lived or deserved to live an hour. In the melodies before us however there is much that is beautiful, much that touches the heart and delights the fancy. Better, far better taste is observable both in the selection of the melodies and in the adaptation of the words, which however do not rise above the level oflyric poetry in general, than we have found in the other imitations of Moore. These are fully and fairly entitled to a place on the shelves of the amateur, by the side of the elegant productions which they follow so closely.

Five Numbers only have yet appeared, in each of which are three songs, and one of them harmonized for two or more voices, for three shillings-printed after the same manner, though scarcely so well as the National Airs.

Neither the first Number, nor the second nor third are the best, though they perhaps may afford a fair standard of the whole work. In the first is a curious specimen of how much may be made of three notes, which is all that are contained in the melody. No. 2 (C'est toujours toi) is very elegant. In No. 3 the old and lively tune of Malbrook is converted into a beautiful love song. This is one of the most agreeable as well as one of the most unexpected transmutations. No. 4 by far transcends the rest. "Good night" is exquisite. The second, though elegant; and the third very sweet. lively, the middle one beautiful.

limited in compass, is rather Two of the airs of No. 5 are

One of the excellencies of such selections is, that they not only preserve but afford materials for ascertaining the properties which render national music peculiar. It is well known that we have our hypothesis upon this subject, and we consider this work as likely to afford to philosophical musicians, who are enquirers into these traits of nature and art combined, easy means of research as well as pleasure.