Ah, were we judged by what we might have been.
And not by what we are, too apt to fall!
My little child-he sleeps and smiles between

These thoughts and me. In heaven we shall know
all!

We like least in the volume the Wife's Tragedy, which is one of its longer pieces. This contains, we think, more than is discoverable in any other of the weakness that accompanies the intellectual work of youth. Excepting some stanzas in the first part, it is weak almost throughout; and a laudation of the aristocracy, put, hors de propos, into the mouth of an afflicted earl, has even a puerile effect. In this poem, too, an error in the general selection of Mr. Meredith's subjects becomes conspicuous. For the most part, throughout these, there is too close a confinement of the human interest to one marked theme, and this not very agreeable or true in itself, since it indicates rather the beauty than the worth of woman. Nearly all his heroines are either faithless wives, or women who have turned their backs on love in search of vanity. That too-often recurring. thought he will do well to purge his fancy from. But of defects as well as beauties we have said enough, and need only repeat the belief with which we began, that in both we recognize the beginnings of a true poet.

LOTTIE.

Weep not for the dead, but for the living, For she is at rest, and we in tears."

Oh shed no tear for Lottie now,

I know she is at rest,

All free from pain, with placid brow,
Her fair hands on her breast.

She faded just as Spring's young flowers
Had waked from winter's sleep,
And April with its fitful showers
Doth wildly o'er her weep.

Yes, Lottie was a fair young thing,

With forehead pure and white,
Which 'minded me of snow in Spring
Beneath the soft sunlight.
But most I loved the spirit sweet
That shone through those dark eyes,
Oh surely such a soul must meet
Its welcome in the skies.

They miss her when the twilight dim
Comes o'er the distant hills,

They miss her when the morning hyma
The thirsting spirit thrills.

"O the good genius of fair weather, who deserves many temples and palaces," says Jean Paul, and thus thought I, as I looked upon "the shining morning face" of this legislative city. It is true, its broad avenues are no longer gay with dazzling equipages, and its pavements are no longer thronged with the varied crowd that business and pleasure bring here during the months of winter. There is comparative silence in the streets, the hotels are deserted-there are no loungers on their porticos, and no long lines of carriages drawn up as a barricade before them. But Washington is still attractive to the eye of the stranger. The Capitolis a fine building in itself, but its effect is rendered still finer so at this season, by the loveliness of its cultivated grounds. You enter the wide gateway, and the eye reposes on lawns of the deepest verdure. Here and there the grassy carpet is variegated by beds of flowers, whose fragrance and beauty are almost intoxicating, seen in such numbers after the long and dreary winter. There is the burning tulip, the classic hyacinth.

"Violets dim,

But sweeter than the lids of Juno's eyes

Or Cytherea's breath,"

and the fair daffodil, apostrophized with such

simple pathos by the poet Herrick. Over | Every face expresses, in an individual manyour head are trees whose graceful foliage ner, the common emotion. It does not need and varied hues of green it is a simple joy language to tell us what event in our history to look upon. Among their branches the it represents, and the rainbow seen on the birds sing as freely and as sweetly as in their dark cloud intimates to us the heavenly hope native woods. You ascend the broad flight and trust of the sorrowful band we are con templating.

of steps, and passing the unsightly monument erected to the memory of the naval of- Near Powell's picture is Chapman's beauficers who fell at Tripoli, walk upon the tiful " Baptism of Pocahontas." There are western portico of the Capitol. When you in it some fine Indian figures and our symcan leave the delicious air of a May morn-pathies are enlisted at once for the gentle ing, and the pleasant view of the noble child of the forest who kneels to receive the avenue, and of the distant Potomac, enter sacred rite. She would have been more histhe Rotunda. Powell's picture of "De torical, had the artist depicted in her face Soto discovering the Mississippi," has been and air, some of the noble qualities which recently placed here, and it attracts many led her to risk her life for the English colovisitors. It is a striking painting from the nists. The incident with regard to Captain number of its figures, and the brilliance and John Smith seems capable of high artistic depth of its lights and shadows. As an his-treatment, and it would have pleased us, had torical piece it disappointed us. It might this gallant son of Virginia perpetuated its more appropriately be named "Planting the remembrance in the glowing colors of his Cross among Savages." De Soto and his pencil. In the Landing of Columbus," by men, so far as one feeling actuates them, Vanderlyn, a fine subject has been tamely have their eyes fixed upon the elevation of treated. Columbus is not an impressive figa rude cross, made from a tree just felled. ure, and his men, searching in the land for The group around it, regarded; as separated gold the moment they step on shore, increase from the rest of the picture, and from its the want of elevation in the suggestions of design, is fine. An aged priest, with an the picture. The four remaining panels of open book, repeats the prayers, while another the rotunda are filled by Col. Trumbull's hispriest swings a censer as the work progres- torical paintings. Their subjects are well ses. The painting is a strange mixture of known. They have been criticised as unimthe warlike and the religious, appropriate aginative in design, and stiff in execution, perhaps to the times, but not to the event. The but we think unjustly. The faces of the noble Mississippi is only seen on a corner of American actors are valuable as true porthe canvas, and without any of its magnifi- traits, and there is a dignity and simplicity cent characteristics clearly and definitely in the scenes represented that might well drawn. We do not see its rapid and turbid belong to the reality. In the yet unfinished current; its immense snags, reared above its southern wing of the Capitol is the room of waters like fabulous monsters of the deep. the Agricultural Committee of Congress. The shores do not show the desolate cane- On one of the walls there is a fine piece of brake and the spreading cotton trees and cy-fresco painting It represents the deputies presses of its swamps. We had hoped that of the Roman senate offering the Dictatorthis peculiarly American landscape would ship to Cincinnatus. The patriot stands by have had a more decided expression on his plough calmly listening to the earnest the canvas, and thus have spoken to the words addressed to him. His face and form eye of many who will never see its reality, are of the highest type of manly beauty. A but the river is quite secondary in the pic-barge is waiting to convey him across the ture; no one looks toward it, or seems aware Tiber, and every figure and countenance exthat it flows like a broad sea before them. presses the deepest interest in his reply. In We turned from the painting to look with a corner of the picture, with his arm around pleasure upon Wier's "Embarcation of the the neck of a dog, is the little son of CincinPilgrims." Here every figure unites in natus. He looks at the grave senators with deepening the impression of the scene. such thoughtful curiosity, and he is so lovely

"How sleep the brave, who sink to rest
By all their country's wishes blest!"

in his child-like beauty, as strongly to remind one of the youthful St. John in Raphael's Holy Families. It is well known With sorrow we answer, there is here litthat the colors of the true frescoes are laid the outward evidence of the respect and afon while the mortar is wet, and when dried fection cherished for the memory of Washingthey have a softness which time alone can ton. Even nature seems forbidden to bring give to vivid tints upon canvas. This paint-her tribute of verdure and flowers. The ing was executed by an Italian artist, and mortar has fallen from the arch above the we hope Congress will employ his taste and inclosure, and the earth is covered with skill in adorning the remaining walls of the small stones and bits of clay. The fine lines room with appropriate subjects. Few per- of the ode, at this patriot's grave at least, sons visit Washington without making a pil- can have no significance,

grimage to Mt. Vernon. You are conveyed

"When Spring, with dewy fingers cold,
Return to deck their hallow'd mould,
She there shall dress a sweeter sod,
Than Fancy's feet have ever trod."

by a steamer fifteen miles down the Potomac, to this consecrated spot. At this seaon the banks of the river are beautiful with the fresh verdure of Spring, and enlivened at various points by the picturesque lookIt is a beautiful thing in our common huing fishermen, drawing the seine for the manity that love and veneration for the deannual piscatory harvest. Whole genera-parted expresses itself by remembrance and rations of the finny inhabitants are thus care of their places of sepulchre. Far back brought to the light of day, and here, at in the patriarchal days we read, that the lords. least, the promise seems amply fulfilled, of Egypt, with a great company of chariots "Thou shall seek of the abundance of the and horsemen, accompanied Joseph, when seas, and of treasures hid in the sand." Be- with pious care he laid his father, Jacob, to fore reaching Mount Vernon our little steam-rest, in the family burying place, in the land. er stopped for an half hour at Fort Wash-of Canaan, and later, in Grecian story, the ington, and we walked upon the ramparts devoted Artemisia showed her grief at the and examined the fortifications. This fort death of her husband, Mausolus, by erecting commands the river, and it has been rebuilt a monument so splendid, as to have forever and strengthened since the war of 1812. perpetuated his memory in the word it has Even at that time, if it had not been aban-given to the language. In modern times. doned, the British could never have passed what wealth and magnificence has been lavit and reached Washington to burn the Cap-ished upon the tomb of Napoleon, and shall tol. In case of a war it would be immedi- the children of America allow the Father of ately garrisoned, but at present, only men their Liberties to sleep in a neglected grave? enough are retained on duty to keep the We read with unfeigned satisfaction, in the buildings and grounds in order. It was last number of the Messenger, the appeal about noon when we landed at Mount Ver-made by the "Southern Mount Vernon Asnon. A short walk from the shore conducts sociation" on this subject. We hope the you to the tomb of Washington. Our party, daughters of Virginia may succeed in their about fifty in number, followed each other in sacred enterprise, and that the time is not silence, and as we reached the iron grated distant, when they may, by purchase, give door, and looked through it upon the sarco- this cherished spot to our own state, to be phagus, underneath which reposes the hon-held by it in trust for themselves, and for ored dust, every hat was raised, and more all who in our common country honor the than one face showed emotion. It was an name of Washington. With what pure interesting sight, for our company were from pleasure shall we then walk through the venvarious parts of the Union, and many of erable mansion once his home, and under them had never before visited this hallowed the shade of trees which his care planted. shrine. As we turned from the tomb, I am sure it was the language of every heart, our hero deserves a worthier resting-place.

VOL: XXI-43

No where will be seen evidences of decay and dilapidation, for love and reverence will have repaired the waste of time, and a na

tion's generous gratitude have given a culti-[ vation to the soil, and a beauty to its surroundings which it were now unreasonable to expect from the resources of a private fortune.

esting paragraph of my notes of travel. The mo-1ses along a region of such hallowed memories ment we commenced smoking, our German friends where the mind of the traveller is so crowded with warmed to us decidedly. Before the cigars had associations, as this one. The train waits at been produced, one of them had bewildered R- Eisenach fifteen minutes--you look out of the with the innocent inquiry of Rauchen sie nicht? car-window and within a stone's throw you see and no sooner had we manifested a disposition to the famous castle of Wartburg crowning the sumenter cloud-land, than fire was provided by a po-mit of a neighbouring hill-memorable, ghostly lite Prometheus with immense moustaches and a old castle where Luther was imprisoned by his cap about the size of a coffee cup. Indeed the friend the Elector of Saxony to keep him out of common enjoyment of tobacco proved such a pro- the reach of those who sought his destruction. vocative to sociability that Prometheus soon para-It was in that castle that Luther had his conflicts ded a small stock of French, by means of which with Sathanas whom he put to flight by throwing learning we were Americans, he manifested great an inkstand at his head-singular superstition, <atisfaction, since it was clear we must know his you will say, yet verified to the letter, for did not brother who resided at Milwaukie. the bold reformer vanquish the devil and confound There was one slight inconvenience attending his devices with the contents of an inkstand? the Frankfort and Halle Railway communication Was it not to the theories which were wrought which took us somewhat by surprise-the want of out in that Wartburg dungeon that we owe whatrefreshment saloons. The Germans are so re-ever of civilization and progress the world has markable for immoderate eating as almost to sug-since accomplished-nay, would one of Mr. Norzest some remote etymological connection, which ris's Philadelphia engines ever have snorted under Mr. Trench might be able to establish, between the shadow of the venerable building but for that German and yourmand, and all who are familiar same inkstand of Luther? A quarter of an hour with the literature of the country are aware that in a railway carriage is a short time for the march the knife and fork play no unimportant part in it. of centuries to evolve itself in one's imagination, Goethe himself has shewn us how German sorrow yet the grand procession of great events which turns for solace to sauerkraut. It was therefore followed the assertion of the right of private judglittle to be expected that in the interior of Fader- ment filed before me in that interval; I could not land we should experience any difficulty about our but think that the principle of civil liberty itself, commissiariat, but it was not until noon that we so triumphantly carried out în the land of my reached a station on the railway where the cra-birth, took its rise in the dark, medieval strongvings of hunger could have been satisfied, and hold which now frowned upon us, that, as even a there the fate of Tantalus was ours. Rushing to Catholic poet tells us, it was because the counter of a very spacious hall that promised -Luther's schism had too much roused mankind great things in the way of provand, we found For Hampden's truths to linger long behindnothing but snail-sandwiches, which, owing peraps to a defect in early education, we could not that freedom had been able to rend the gyves undertake, but which the German travellers de- which once bound her and appear in her celestial voured with infinite gusto. This station was sit-port before the world. Nor was this train of cated at the junction of the Frankfort and Cassel ideas at once dispelled, when the castle was left the Cassel and Eisenach lines and is set down behind us, for we soon came to the Erfurt and in Bradshaw as Gunterhausen Junction, and very near it there was a fine viaduct over which the Eisenach line passed. As we were to wait some minutes for the arrival of the Cassel train at this place, and as we could procure nothing at the muget to refresh the inner man but lager beer, we set forth to inspect this viaduct and paid what It was not until we arrived at the Weimar stawas equivalent to five sous cach for the privilege, tion that we began to recal other reminiscences of but the train coming up rather suddenly com- the greatness of Germany in more modern times. pelled us to return in double quick time, and we Weimar as seen from the railway is as slow and went along to Eisenach poorer and hungrier, and provincial-looking a town as one will see anyI may add angrier in consequence of our double where, and to such as think of it in the past with lisappointment. the atmosphere of genius investing it with poetic In an hour or so after leaving Gunterhausen interest, the collection of ordinary buildings doJunction we reached Eisenach and now everyzing in the sunshine and flanking its silent and troke of the locomotive's piston bore us over clas-solitary streets will work almost a disenchantic ground. Perhaps there is no railway in the ment. One cannot help fancying Weimar in the world of one hundred miles in length which pas-days of the Duchess Amelia, when Goethe and

caught a passing glimpse of the Augustine convent where the Reformer's monkish days were passed, and where he first read for himself the Bible and drew therefrom the apostolic courage which bore him up during the whole of his wonderful career.