timidity, they never will. Her best performances "Monster, away," and " If e'er the cruel tyrant La both of which were sung with great beauty, and turously encored. I thought her “Soldier tired failure; but an encore, called for by the whole ho left me singular, yet unconvinced." The shake seem be going out of fashion even in the English school. Shirreff employed it but seldom: we would rather had omitted it altogether, for her master, who pres at the forte-piano, (which, by the way, he rendered offensive, by his thumping and rattling;) always ma shake a third above her, no matter how the air clo To me it was positive torture. To be sure, it hid bad shake: but it spoils a good one. Polly Peachu that disgusting piece" The Beggar's Opera," is to be next character for Miss Shirreff Those who remem Madame Caradori's performance of Polly, will be abl form some idea of the English vocalist, should she sat me that she excels the German.

made to her ere her star arose, had wellnigh deterred me from going at all. No wonder, then, that my expectations were confined within a narrow compass, and that a sort of prejudice was excited in my mind, which genuine talent alone could remove. And it has been removed: my expectations have been much surpassed, and the impression she has made is altogether favourable, thus showing that her abilities were quite sufficient, without the aid of gold and the " paper currency, to stamp her name with excellence. Of course, I am unwilling to commit myself by speaking in very decided terms of Miss Sherriff's vocal powers after a single hearings and, besides this, it must be kept in view that a first appearance is the result of elaborate study,—every turn, every roulade, every ornament, every light and shade, being fixed in the mind, with an exactness which leaves no room for independence of feeling or judgment. There are some vocalists who discover such glaring defects, even though they go through their parts with the accuracy of mechanism, that a second hearing is quite unnecessary for pronouncing on their merits; but in the present instance, there are glimpses of ability which are sufficient to de-female; but this listuyetna stalk. Bishop (not ter me from hazarding a too hasty judgment. I have Burkite, but he of Drury Lane) has crossed the chan yet to ascertain what share the mind has with her other in pursuit of the score of Meyerbeer's new opera, qualities for nothing is more easy to bert Le Diableqvhich has lately been produced at possessed of little intellect a player of great execution, Academie Royale. By all decounts, and I have read but of this alone. An original character, by which I criticisms in ten or éleven French papers, this comp mean a part in a new opera, or in one tion has been the most important since that of “ Fr been seen or heard by the debutante, one which has never the true and only schutz;" and it is not the least remarkable proof of mode of calling forth into exercise the powers of concep- excellence, that these journals are unanimous, not e tion, as well as of execution. In this case, a ma in their opinion, but, what is singular, they specify t but suggest effects; for the mind' the singer being very same points of superior excellence. Private prepossessed with the importance of the formation from those who have seen the opera m forth every latent energy, and strives to himself however, lead me to infer there was a want of un so thoroughly with the

one

19229,9285
a master can

puts

There is a talk of getting up Spohr's "Faust" Covent Garden, with Miss Inverarity as the princi

reject them that he is in a condi- in the entire effect; because, say they, there are,

tion to adumet 101

or impair verarity is a

example

according as they improve
conception. Miss In-
She had never

the characteristics of the author, a tinge of Rossini, glimmering of Mozart, a strong infusion of Weber, dash of Beethoven, and a sketch after Handel,

seen the ch never of that would do well enough 1910scellaneous concert, but a

93

name-nay,"
till it was put into

never

in

with her characteristands for stuttered for a single opera! Now, to my mind, this is a beati

eagerness into thonist
the spirit of the
part allotted to her, she chose to think for herself, adopt-
ing the hints of a practical musician,
ician, so far as her mind
was disposed to receive

formance of Zemita' was such
as eendly,

to the authore is of

to

faint, but

over

i

compliment to Were I a composer happy should T hadimmering Mozart," however one who is inte with a portion of the spirit of five great musicians, one of whom has already a niche the way, being so lin temple of imme I her to take her tality. I suspect my place in the highest rank of vocalists. Miss Shirreff is a genuine English singer, of the same school with Miss Stephens, but considerably more effetgette. She has been most thoroughly and carefully taught, but whether the palm is due to Mr T. Welsh, We catino say, for somebody calling himself Dr Essex amis doc. or course has declared her to have been his for five years previous to her engagement with the other at all events, Mr Welsh qualified her for the stage. Her voice is a clear, full-toned soprano, reaching with perfect ease to D in alt.; her intonation term frequently confounded with tone-is faultless; and her execution very

accustomed to originality of conception, can scarcely
cognise the rarity when it does appear, and according
imagine every brilliant passage is derived from Rossi
every ravishing melody from Mozart, every wild
mony from Weber, orchestral effects from Beethoven
and sublimity from Handel
"Robert Le Diables del From all this I infer, the
of original power
genius, which is quite suficient to place wa
Meyerbeer, at the very head of living composer's;
until I hear much better reasons than those detailed abov
I shall be slow to alter my conclusiónsɗ no ɓaA

ト

OF THE TWO ROSES

THE UNION OF THE TWO
“Trampet, drum, and culverin,t to to
Are rending earth and sky bolqar
But though they tell of peace and joybonito bad
Men start as ill were nigh sig-stan

So long those sounds have only woke yd avusfo
To herald war and woed svods but a
No marvel England scarce can dream itamo!
A gentler task they know.qe ti jud :dente bed
05998 sifT 9991 nitengib tady
"But see the bride by Henry's sided an
Beneath the dais stands,oq e'irobers) amabelf
With gracious smile and sunny locks 102 m)
That shame their golden bandsoze are 18d3 97
The empire of her lovely cheekit & ai stod i

The rival roses share diw nb) 3976)

And turn by turn each other chase-sud; sismat
Contending even there lui to od d

An' hail'd home his brows upon,

as her son, an' cried-
This is
is is the Bard of Caledon!"

has led & 307 29451,

Lang may his moorland whistle blaw,
An' lang may Scotia hear the sar
sang-
Be it aye heard by greenwood shaw,
When the silent snaws o' eild
An echoed gfen an' braes amang!
shik o'er his head come stealing on,
Be his the snug a and c
cozy biela,
95081-Shield the bardo Caledon!"

An

With angere or with grief nye surabitur 6915
PARAPHRASED FROM HORACE, ODE & BOOK IV.

I doidwyd By Robert Chambers.
19790 end doidy awe ni 713 FUN10 790 6 ni 31.
vino br Wars long ceased my soul to move?
AGAIN, enchantress, wilt thou try..
Cease, cease, I pray, nor think that [...
Again can e'er be warm'd to love, desager as

once

idt dage. am not now instal

am no

Jamie sdt to s
-iba Alas nor e'er shall be again di dar
Since years have left upon my and p
Their tracks of grief, remorse, and pain,

1

W to noientai ymoide & 378XOM to gairmill Jabus 9fts dolore bas nevoden PS. By the way, the printer made a curious mistake my last letter, by reading Neukomm for Nicholson, pected with a flute performance. No my excellent nd has not lungs for such an instrument: he makes nchant, but he does not handle it himself.

06.971

eidt to laxs guidinta sai v
Go to the youth whose eager prayers
Are hourly breathed before thy shrine,
And leave to its austerer caressotni t
This cold reluctant heart of mine, a

on to drids of goda ode 19d of Ira Me woman, lovely as she seems to etuid Tempts with her wonted joys in yainoil. Alas! can youth's delusive dreams 10 99 Rise from the grave of age again? 3 mi die londoz 91582 203 20 me deilyn'd on... No:-and not love nor wine avail d w To chain the swift-decaying hours o

toob Although we wreathe them round with Aowers..

not liquq aid 1990 97ad of 791 bosfood esd-98uer And Age comes on age, loveless, vileivorq The pease of Scotia lighted down saadav Age, sullen, lonely, cold, severe, di #1.. She held a pipe of ivory brighted doum or I limo And on her head a laurel crowna wole ad fiada 1 Busiaya she sigh'd an' aye she sang mot to 94T Sin' Robin Burns has fled awa, porondo 5 Ob wha,mang a the minstrel thrang, yd This pipe o' mine will ever blaw?" tadt gnival r

"

And lone and friendless are they now, two infants, fair
and free,105 191

As ever shared a mother's kiss, or climb'd a father's knee.
mister hadde tit: batasan my () Z
Upon the flowery bank they sit beneath its verdant
breast 3 9h 7

Their parents, sleeping side by side, in cold communion
111 rest;1944 li

Yet, all unconscious of their loss, the orphans prattle

there,

Contented with the flowers around-as innocent and

fair.

The past hath faded from their thoughts, or half-forgot- night among his books. An old cloak served him for a gown in ten lies

the day, and for bedclathen at night; he had one straw ehair fer No pictures of futurity amid their dreams arise ;

his table, and anothor for his bed, in which he generally remained

fixed, in the midst of a heap of volumes and papers, until he was The present hours are rifo with flowers--they sigh for overpowered with sleep. With all this intense application in nothing more

reading, his knowledge was well estimated in the observation The world, with all its mysteries, they seek not to applied to him—that he was a learned man among booksellers, explore.

and a bookseller among the learned, David Blondell, a Protestant

minister in the 17th century, was esteemed one of those who had eyes,

a very singular of studying; he lay the ground, and had But smiles are following on their wake, lika sunshine in round about him the books which he wanted for the work he was the skies;

upon. Descartes nsed to lie in bed about sixteen hours every

day, with the curtains drawn and windows shut. He imagined Their sorrow is forgotten, while their eyelids still are

that in that easy and undisturbed situation he had more command wet,

over his mind, than when it was interrupted by external objects So lightly is the seal of grief on infant bosoms set. And Malebranche used to meditate with his windows shut, as the

light was a disturbaạce to him. And pleasantly-ah! pleasantly--they sit in childish CUITCHAT FROM SICCAR POINT.--Every one who has read the play,

works of Professor Playfair, must well remember, in his “ Life of ?• Too lone and beautiful they seem in this cold world to Dr Hutton," the account of his visit to the Sioeur Paint, in com. stay ;

pany with the Doctor, and Sir James Hall, Bart, now the only Ah! better far to wither in the glory of their spring,

surviver of the distinguished trio. It is situated between two

and three miles eastward of Dunglass, and about hat a mile Than live to taste the bitter fruit maturer age will northward of the ruins of St Helen's Church, as shown on Kbox! bring!

J.

Map of the Basin of the Frith of Forth. The rocks of this high Glasgow, December 12, 1831.

volcanic precipice, forming a transverse spetion with the line of the Lammermuir hills, exhibit palpable evidence of a great eos.

vulsion of nature at some remoto period of antiquity, while they LITERARY CHITCHAT AND VARIETIES.

are considered to bear testimony, equally manifest and coaciu.

sive, to the truth of the Huttonian Theory of the Earth. Aby PART I. of Finden's Landseape Illustrations to Mr Murray's attempt at description, after Professur Playfair, might justly be first complete and uniform edition of the Life and Works of Lord thought a work of presumptuous supererogation at the same Byron, is announced for immediate appearance.

time, it may be proper to mention, that uptil very lately, the viet The author of "Chartley the Fatalist". announces “ The which he has put upon imperishable record, was the only ene Robber.".

remembered, in this part of the country, ever to have takes place. The novel, entitled " Sir Ralph Esher," a story of the Court of Suffice it, therefore, to relate, that on the 10th November last, a Charles II., announced for immediate publication, is said to be party of gentlemen, headed by the Rev. Mr Moore of Oldbo. from the pen of Leigh Hunt. A selection from the miscellaneous stacks and the Rev. Mr Baird of Cockburnspath, both practised Essays of the same buthor is in the press, to be entitled his geologists, went on an excursion to this stern promontors, in “ Lucubrations."

order to read, in Nature's own volume, the history of her prise Preparing for publication, a complete Collection of Scottish val labours. The day was rather unfavourable; it was hany. Proverbs, carefully compiled, Arranged, and eollected, by Andrew with rain at intervals, and the sea offered no temptation for the Henderson ; with a Preliminary Dissertation on the History and boat, politely offered by Lieutenant Cox of the Coast Guard. Philosophy of Proverbs, by William Motherwell, Esq.

Determined, however, to porsevere, onr philosophers proceeded **** Count Robert of Paris" is already out of print.

on their expedition by the yet more unpromising way of land, Mr Galt is employed on a " Life of the late Marquess of Lon. urged forward by their enthusiasm in the cause, and not less 1 I donderry." 110

by a violent gale of wind, which - New PLAYA-lin leading performer should feel inclined for a new part, be begins by selecting some French play, which, with

“blew as 'tiad hlawn its last," a little touching up, he thinks might be adapted to his talents. If seemingly anxious, 'it is the melo-dramatic line, he sends for the painter, and with

the dizzy steep in above measure, to assist the whole party

the raging ocean below. In this stated him plans the character and arrangements of the scenes. If a matters, one of the gentlernen," whilst haudin fast his guil comic piece, the tailor is probably consulted upon the construc- black beaver," became seriously alarmed, mendorragement tion of some new and extravagant costume in which to cut a could induce him "to came to the point ;" but all the rest figure. Thus far settled, it only remains for the performer to ceeded in safely effecting the perilous descent. And here, send for Mr P. or Mr B., (the author;) and give him the "job" of length, fairly arrived in front of the deep cavern and light ra Mr B., who, perhaps, is in one of his “happiest moods," takes of the learned professor, who thus his intenselylist: home the " stuff," and forthwith the culinary operation being resting and eloquent narrative :-** The inind seemed to go performed according to the most established rules, and his handi- giddy by looking so far inte the abyss of time, and while : work brought honie on the appointed day, the new comedy, or listened with delight to the philosopher, (Dr Hatton, who tragedy, or farce, or whatever it may be called, makes its appear. now unfolding to us the order and series of these work ance with entire new skenery, machinery, dresses, and decora- events, we became sensible higgo much further reason may tions."

times go than imagination can renture to follow. As for the Medico-CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY. - At the abnnal election, on

we were truly fortunate in the course we had pursned in this ex Wednesday December 7th, the following office hearers were choc cursion ; a great number of other eurious and important para sen :-President, Dr Abercrombie ; VicePresidents, Professor presented themselves; and we returned, having collected in an de Turner, Dr Beilby, and Dr Maclagan ; Counsellors, Drs Christi.

more ample materials for future speculation, than hare sometimes son, Davidson, Moncrieff, Begbie, Boggie, Duncan, and Messrs resulted from years of diligent and laborious research." W. Wood, Alexander Watson; Treasurer, Dr John Gairdner; fair's Works, Vol.iy, p. 78 to 8l, Such, likewise, were the feel Secretaries, Drs Alison and Gregory.

ings of the heroic adventurers on the present occasion. The catt . PLINIAN SOCIETY.--On Tuesday week, the election of the office uneasiness they felt was on the score of their companion, bearers of the Society took place, when the following gentle little faith," who had retraced his steps, preferring to weo Dato men were elected Presidents :-Mr A. D, Maclagan, w. 4. Nature in her calmer moods. Nor was he without his wondertimi Stables, and W. B. D. D. Turnbull: Mr John M. Brown was

tale to tell. Wending his solitary way by the rugged beach we elected Museum Carator and Librarian ; and W. Dunbar, M.D., ward, and at the point first in sight of the Cove harbour, he lighted Secretary

upon a beautiful "spreckled" stone of high polish, bearing en FINE ARTS.–We have been favoured with a sight of a mezzo

resemblance, is every respect, to a helmet of gigantic proportion tinto plato, at present in progress by Hodgete, of John Wood, This discovery he intimated to the proper quarter. To popelab Esq. Advocate, which bids fair to be a very excellent likeness, and

a much longer yarn than was at first intended, but which cate generally a work of great merit. Phe unwearied attention of Mr properly be curtailed; one party returned, a precious band of Wood to the instruction of the youth of the Sessional School of starving geologists, to Lawfield, where, at the hospitable de Edinburgh, calls for such a mark of esteem and lasting remem. of Mr P, Hume, however much they might differ in spikeun brance of his unexampled philanthropy.—Mr Fraser (the publisher) specting terrestrial theories, they all agreed that they had will have much credit by this undertaking:

formed a very uncommon feat, well meriting registration in How To STUDY AT ONE's EABB.It is recorded of Anthony Edinburgh Literary Journal; as also, that they had now Magliobechi, that his attention was continually absorbod day and their hazardous enterprise, landed at the * Hicker podprset best

a

THE EDITOR'S ANNUAL ADDRESS.

ransacks his antiquarian budget, and tells how this festive

time ought to be celebrated. Gertrude transports to the GENTLE PUBLIC, as the re-assembling of Parliament, sunny clime and free soil of ancient Greece-her brother in virtue of old custom, obliges the Monarch to address sports him amid the fantastic splendour of a modern a speech to his loyal legislators, so does the return of soirée. Delta murmurs sweet music in the ear of an old Christmas-tide call upon us to speechify to our kind and crony. L. E. Le laying aside that delicate and playful patient readers.

wit, which does so well become her, sings a melancholy The bygone year has been a trying one for us. The song of the past. Tytler strings his stirring lyre ; and voice of contending parties has been raised so loud and Malcolm, our own dear Malcolm! recalls the memory of 50 long, as almost to drown our household notes.' Never- his warrior days. Though last, not least, the author of theless we have abated no jot of heart or hope, and have “ Richelieu" brings, as his contribution to this pic-nic, a held the onward tenor of our way, cheered by the kind, tale of the fierce passions of the south. ' Our chroniclers smiles of friends, who either mingled not in the contest of the amusements of the day are also at their posts. without, or retired to match an uncertain hour of plea- Many good names and true, and well-beloved of our sure when worn out with political brawling. The readers, yet remain and we invite all parties to meet them night of tempest seems wellnigh over,--they who have next Saturday—the mysterious festival of Hogmanay. been balked of their will must soon learn to acquiesce in We shall then take occasion to speak of our future plans, the inevitable, the song will again be heard on the plains and to recommend ourselves to a continuance of the favour of merry England, and we, who have sung like night, we have hitherto enjoyed, by pledging ourselves to reingales (modest comparison) amid the dark and stormy doubled exertion. hour, will not allow our voices' to be drowned by the Meanwhile, to all those generous friends, who have lent dissonant but joyous cackle of the pacified combatants. their aid to render precious this our Christmas-box, deep,

During the past year, (we are not over-fond of chi- heartfelt thanks! To all readers, in whose eyes we have ming our own praises, but there is a time when silence been happy enough to find favour, that warmth of gration that theme is no virtue,) we have laboured incessantly, tude which cannot be conceived but by those who, awkand not without success, to show, as in a mirror, the ward and retiring in society, can only pour forth their multitudinous publications of the day. We have, more-soul in the retirement of the closet-remaining riddles to over, rambled with our kind friends “ through summer's all who'are'in babits of daily interconrse with them, and heat and winter's snow," sharing with them the sports of familiarly known to few but those who have never seen, every season, now wheeling o'er the ice-clad lake; now and ne'er may see them ! standing with our fishing-rod by the clear stream, while spring exhaled, like an odorous exhalation from the groundnow panting over the sultry moor; now joining

GIFTS FOR THE PAST. in the revelry of luxuriant beauty; now sharing the

By L, E. L. genial warmth of the peasant's fire-side; now sitting Tue påst-now what shall we give the past?: heath some shadowy rock, or by our study fire, rocalling bright visions of the olden time. ko ce sa

Oh, give it tears. This week, and probably the next also, we throw the For the sorrows that heavily shadows, cast, aum veins on the neck of pleasure. Unlike to housewives, For friends that are friends to us no more,

O'er our early years: who only pluck their geese at this season, we follow that delectable occupation all the year round, and now cast it for the grief behind, and the gloom before to the dags. Authors may for a week or two sleep with. It will perish by those whom it could not save

For love that is weeping beside the grave, out our shadow darkening their dreams. Intent on our own and our reader's happiness, we

Long may it mourn over those beneath, have clapped our bands like the Sultan of some Eastern Lingering a life that is worse than death tale--and summoned around our Yule Log the fairest For brief is the reign of the sunny hour, and loftiest spirits of the land. From the halls of our

Long is that of the shade, and the shower : own University, the poet of Nature's finest and most

For pleasures in which we no more take part, delicate fancies has come to us

For weariness lying like frost on the heart,

For an earth worn out sky olereast, Upon his forehead, middle age

The past--now what shall we give the past?
Has lightly press'd his spirit sage,

Oh, give it tears.
But has not quench'd the open truth,
Or fiery vebemence of youth.""

The past-now what shall we give the past?

Oh, give it smiles. I se His moed is grave, and he reagens high of " fate, free For fulsehood, which, ending in truth' at last, will, føreknowledge absolute." From his lonely moun- No more beguiles ; taires comes the Bard of Kilmeng, with a wondrous wild For the pleasures from which we turn aside, and rugged tale. The douce Professor-once known by For the friends whose flattery we now deridethe endearing epithet of " In Tam”-recalls the days of They came to our side in the leaf and the flower, his boyhood. The chronicler of Dún Edin's manners They all fell off in the winter hour :

For hopes that are colourless now and dead,
Down at our feet in the dust that we tread ;
And we marvel that ever we lighted our way
With hues so painted and false as they
For all the deceits we have seen depart,
For the scorn which fills and hardens the heart,
For the knowledge so harshly acquired at last,
The past-now what shall we give the past?
Oh, give it smiles.

The past-now what shall we give the past?
Forgetfulness.

Oh, for some blessedness veil to cast
O'er the thoughts which press

The heavy heart, wearied and worn,'
With all it bears, and all it has borne.

We will think no more of the friends of our youth;
Folly that ever we trusted their truth!
Perish the hopes that never again
Can soothe or solace-delude or sustain,
Think no more of the love which is fled
Afar with the faithless, or deep with the dead.
All that has ever beguiled or betray'd,
Mute be its memory, deep be its shade.
For all the flowers it to earth has cast,.
The past Oh! what shall we give the past?
Forgetfulness.

STRAY LEAVES.
No. II.

By Professor Wilson,

JEALOUSY.

THE passion of Jealousy is one of a complex and somewhat anomalous kind. It implies that the person feeling it, possesses, or has hopes of possessing, some good; that he prizes it very highly, and that he has apprehension of obstruction or injury to his possession of that good, from the conduct of others; and watches over such apprehended | obstruction or injury with painful anxiety. We very often conceive of it as an accompanying passion peculiar to the passion of Love, in which it is felt most vehemently; but it may also be felt in respect to every good that is highly prized, and of which the possession is liable to be impaired by the act of others.

listens anxiously to rumours and petty calumnies, and
conceives himself called upon to interfere and protect i
upon every slight occasion. However dear his reputation
may be to him, he ought to feel reliance on its self-secu
rity. He should distinguish between the floating breat
of idle slander that dies away, and the real shaking of hi
honour in the minds of men. The character of a
honourable man does not live on every tongue. It lives
indeed, in the general estimation; but he ought not t
conceive that the general opinion is so lightly moved, o
that his character has so little power to speak for itself
His jealousy shows, indeed, that he prizes highly the goo
he possesses; that he has a quick sensibility to its valu
but it shows also a want of due confidence in the posse
sion of what he absolutely holds; he acknowledges the
tenure to be precarious which is indeed stable, and betray
a disposition to lay himself open to the power of other
to wound him, in a manner which the self-dependence
a strong mind will not submit to. Now all this show
either distrust of himself, or an undue estimation of th
opinion of others, or that he cannot love virtue for its ow
sake, or that he has an insufficient conception of the pow
of virtue.

The jealousy of power, the jealousy of personal dignity
are of a like kind. It is true, the good may be just
valued, but the possession is not on that account to be to
readily suspected. He who possesses power of any kind
and is jealous to suspect and to resent any seeming inter
ference who feels angrily and painfully any slight rea
interference with it, and rises up in his strength to resis
and repel the aggression-discovers an anxiety of self-de
fence, which implies an unworthy fear of the insecurity
of his entire possession, and which is entirely distin
from that necessary vigilance and resolution, by which
every man must maintain himself in his own rights
The jealousy of personal dignity, the suspicious apprehen
sion of slights and affronts, and the study and scrupulous
exaction of all rights of this kind, show in like manner
mind that is uneasy with fears it ought not to feel. In
such cases, a man must be ready to maintain his rights when
he is called upon to do so; but he should wait to be called
on. He ought to feel secure in the possession of his rights
and the more secure because he knows he has its protes
tion in himself. The temper of jealousy in all cases show
a mind living in an uneasy element of fear, Now f
of whatever kind, whether of the transient nature of the
possession, or of the power of external circumstances over
it, brings down a man's mind from its proper height, an
renders him wavering, unsteady, and disturbed. Some
minds, attaching undue value to marks of respect, arash
jealous of their dues, that they consider every accidental
want of courtesy a crime; and thus the slightest omission
have caused ruptures between dear friends, and friendship
have fallen to pieces under a mere breath.