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Lower Danube, and it would be almost impossible to transfer their allegiance without consulting their wishes. If the Conference recommences the work of NAPOLEON I. and of the Congress of Vienna by treating provinces as subjects of diplomatic barter, all honest politicians will hope that their efforts may end in ignominious failure. In the meantime, the presence of an English plenipotentiary at the Conference will cause a certain amount of suspicion and anxiety.

Two years ago, Austria and Prussia, having then the entire Confederation at their back, scornfully rejected the interference of England on the question of Schleswig and Holstein. Having afterwards completed the conquest of the Duchies, they professed to hold them by an unencumbered title; and it is strange that, because that they have quarrelled over the booty, they should now invite or accept foreign arbitration. If it were possible to submit the dispute to the judgement of a statesmanlike and perfectly disinterested umpire, he would probably recommend the incorporation of the provinces in the Prussian monarchy. The object would not be the attainment of poetic justice, but the conclusion of an arrangement which would ultimately be best for the people of the Duchies, for Germany, and for Europe. A more plausible plan would be to consult the representative of the Duchies, and to yield to their wishes if they insisted on provincial independence and on the hereditary claims of the House of AUGUSTENBURG. A Conference is not likely to adopt the largest and most durable policy; and perhaps, in the hope of conciliating ill-informed opinion and of weakening Prussia and Germany, the neutral plenipotentiaries will blunder into the creation of another insignificant State. If Prussia accepts such a settlement, it will be evident that as in 1850, the Government has at the last moment been frightened by the armaments of Austria, and perhaps by the demeanour of the secondary Governments. A measure which tended to perpetuate German divisions would almost compensate M. THIERS and the French Liberals for the annexation of Venetia to the kingdom of which it naturally forms a part; yet, it must be confessed that, if the Congress realizes the hopes of its advocates, it will have done irreparable injury to the cause of national independence and of European peace.

If the Germans choose to allow a coterie of alien statesmen to dictate to them the constitution of their own Federal League, no foreigner has the right to interfere except by the expression of an astonishment but little

tempered by respect. England has as much moral right to declare for or against a German Parliament, as the Diet of Frankfort to express an opinion on the Ministerial Bill for the redistribution of seats in England and Scotland. An English pienipotentiary would, however, have no oblique or corrupt motive, although his attempts to promote or impede German unity might fairly be repelled as impertinent. The participation of France in the controversy bears an entirely different aspect. The Emperor NAPOLEON will consent to tighten the bonds of German Federalism, or to recognize the supremacy of Prussia, only on condition of a fine to be paid to France for the aggrandizement of an independent neighbour. It is absurd to argue that the balance of power would be disturbed by the organization of a great central Federation. The Germans are not bound to remain helpless and divided because France or Russia might become relatively less powerful for mischief. Their honour, however, and their national unity are in their own keeping, and it is impossible to prevent them from submitting, if they so choose, to the grossest usurpation of authority. With three or four apparently impracticable tasks to accomplish, the Conference will meet under doubtful auspices. A week ago Lord CLARENDON told the House of Lords that the conversations which had been held on the subject of a possible pacification were not sufficiently serious or substantial to deserve the title of negotiations. He had previously intimated in the plainest language his conviction that, in desiring peace, England stood alone in Europe. There is little reason to suppose that his opinions have been changed by the project of a Conference. The scheme is proposed by a monarch who has for months carefully abstained from using his influence to prevent the impending war. His recent proclamation to his countrymen was universally understood as a menace to the general peace; and the only practical consequence which is expected to follow from the Conference is the annexation of some border territory to France. It would perhaps not have been justifiable to refuse the concurrence of England in a scheme which purported to postpone or avert a formidable war; but there is too much reason to fear that the parties to the Conference may become entangled with engagements which can neither be performed in accordance with prudence and justice, nor repudiated with honour. If Prussia, Austria, and Italy really desire peace, they can lay down their arms without the aid of any Congress.

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SPEECHES BY AN OLD SMOKER. No, Madam, I don't call that young lady plain. I never use middle terms to express extremes. Would you term a bull-dog plain, for example? The Gorilla is not plain, but very far from plain. So, on the other hand, is your daughter. On the other hand, I say, Ma'am. No compliment; only an illustration.

Indeed, the fact is that a plain girl is generally more eligible than a pretty one. Beauty is nothing when you're used to it; which is very soon. It is gone in a year or two, and leaves behind it what? Generally what men go to Clubs to escape from, Ma'am.

A plain wife has no beauty to lose and with it all her husband's liking. Plainness washes and wears - and doesn't paint, Ma'am.

Plain good looks, resulting from mental quali ties, will last a lifetime. A middle-aged lady, once a plain girl, is commonly no less handsome than most other middle-aged ladies, and often handsomer. She may still look as well as ever she did, when the belle of former ballrooms may have shrunk into a Sycorax, or swollen into a grampus.

A plain woman and a plain joint; both well dressed in their way. None of your French kickshaws and toys. That is what I say to my nephew, Ma'am.

I also say that when a man marries a plain woman with his eyes open, he cannot be deluded by appearances into marrying a fool.Punch.

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Two HUNDRED POUNDS.-The following, I me the following story: He was once requestfrom the life of Johnson, is striking. Sir John ed by a man under sentence of death in New. Hawkins, who, though he may not compete gate, to come and see him in his cell; and, in with Boswell as a biographer, was chosen by pure humanity, he made him a visit. The man Johnson as his executor in preference to Bos- briefly informed him that he had been tried and well, was first a successful solicitor, next an ac- convicted of felony, and was in daily expectative and experienced magistrate, and knew the tion of the arrival of the warrant for his execu. world much and widely. Had he come down tion; 'but,' said he, 'I have 2001. and you are to us only as the active and useful Chairman of a man of character, and had the court interest Quarter Sessions, the following extract would when you stood for chamberlain; I should have been often quoted and well known. But therefore hope it is in your power to get me off.' as coming from an author who could not write Mr. Selwin was struck with so strange an applia biography so well as Boswell, nor a history of cation, and to account for it asked if there were music so well as Burney, which is all we know any alleviating circumstances in his case; the of Sir John Hawkins, it is quite forgotten :- man peevishly answered, No- but that he had "The chances [of eluding conviction] are these: inquired into the history of the place where he 1. That the offender is not discovered, or, if was, and could not find that any one who had two discovered, not apprehended. 2. That the per- hundred pounds was ever hanged. Mr. Selwin son injured is not both willing and able to pros- told him it was out of his power to help him, ecute him. 3. That the evidence is not suffi- and bade him farewell (—•which,' added he, cient for the finding of the bill, or if it be, 4. 'he did;' for he found means to escape punishThat the indictment is so framed as that the of- ment.' - We all know that publications of the fender cannot be convicted on it; or, 5. That class of 'Jonathan Wild,' The Beggars' Opethe witnesses to support it may die, or be pre- ra,' &c. throw out more than hints of such vailed upon to abscond, or to soften their testi- state of things as above described. These hints mony; or, 6. They may be entangled or made are neglected: but we may begin to pay more to contradict themselves, or each other, in a respect to them when we find them backed by cross-examination by the prisoner's counsel; or, such stories from a Quarter-Sessions Judge. 7. A mild judge; or, 8. An ignorant or per-—Athenæum. verse jury; 9. A recommendation to mercy; or, 10. Appeals to the public by states of his case in pamphlets, or newspaper paragraphs, which the Newgate solicitors know very well how to get drawn. 11. Practices with a jury to obtain a declaration that some of them were dissatisfied with the verdict. 12. A motion in arrest of judgment. 13. A writ of error grounded on some defect or mistake on the face of the record. 14. An escape; and lastly, interest to procure a pardon. [What follows is a note on the last word.] To this purpose, and as a caveat against seeking redress for injuries by going to law, I recollect a saying of a very sagacious and experienced citizen, Mr. Selwin, who was formerly a candidate for the office of chamberlain, and missed it only by seven votes out of near seven thousand: -- 'A man,' says he, who deliberates about going to law, should have, first, a good cause; secondly, a good purse; thirdly, an honest and skilful attorney; fourthly, good evidence: fifthly, able counsel; sixthly, an upright judge; seventhly, an intelligent jury; and with all these on his side, if he has not, eighthly, good luck, it is odds but he miscarries in his suit.' The same person told

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A correspondent informs the Times that in Switzerland the telegraph is the property of the State, an office is established in almost every village, and the charge is uniform, one franc for twenty-five words, irrespective of distance. The despatches are printed, and the establishment yields a large revenue to Government. The writer advocates a similar system in England, where the need for it is much greater than in Switzerland, and where the profit would be enormous. We have repeatedly pressed this idea upon the public as one which would equalize facilities of communication, greatly increase trade, and yield a revenue which Mr. Gladstone may apply if he pleases to reduce the national debt. At present our messages are badly sent at dear rates, whole districts are without telegraphs, and the State gains nothing,-Spectator.

No. 1152. Fourth Series, No. 13. 30 June, 1866.

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FRANCE AND ENGLAND IN NORTH AMERICA. A Series of Historical Narratives. By Fran

cis Parkman, Author of "History of the Conspiracy of Pontiac," Life" &c., Part First. Boston, Little, Brown, and Company.

Prairie and Rocky Mountain

PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY BY

LITTELL, SON, & CO.

BOSTON.

TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.

FOR EIGHT DOLLARS, remitted directly to the Publishers, the Living Age will be punctually forwarded for a year, free of postage. But we do not prepay postage on less than a year; nor where we have to pay a commission for forwarding the money.

Price of the First Series, in Cloth, 36 volumes, 90 dollars.

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Any Volume Bound, 3 dollars; Unbound, 2 dollars. The sets, or volumes, will be sent at the expense

of the publishers.

CORRESPONDENCE.

BEFORE reaching the age of three score and ten, we should be glad to appoint our successors in the management of the Living Age. To this we have looked forward with some anxiety during the war. Having passed through that severe trial, more than making up in one way what we lost in another, and having inaugurated a Fourth Series which has already largely gained upon its predecessor; we feel that this is a favorable time to turn over to other hands, all business matters.

Our editorial work we shall be glad to continue till "the night cometh."

To any persons competent to act as publishers, and to succeed us as editors, and able to invest the necessary capital, a finer business

with less risk cannot be found.

EDWARD ATKINSON, Esq., has delivered before the American Geographical and Statistical Society a Lecture upon Cotton, which the Society is about to issue in the Record of Civilization. Meantime a few copies have been printed, and we have read it with much interest. It furnishes large material for thought, and opens a prospect of unlimited prosperity to the South as soon as the politicians there shall be so far subdued by the working people and the owners of land as to cease obstructing the entrance into that country of Northern and European capital and labour. When men can work unmolested, and the fruits of their labour become secure, Mr. Atkinson thinks that all the coarser cotton fabrics will be made in the cotton country; leaving to the North a competition with England in the fine goods.

We read with great interest in the NewYork Evening Post, the following notice of a new edition of some of Mr. Halleck's Poems. It brings back our youth. More than 40 years ago, when New York contained about 130,000 people, we made our first visit to it, and remember the delight with which we read on a sign, Vandervoort and Flandin. This name had appeared in one of Mr. Halleck's lively poems :

"I want a little money, dear, for Vandervoort

and Flandin;

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Their bill, which now has stood a year, morrow mean to hand inand we had supposed that the name was made for the rhyme.

ed on

an ample octavo page, and on the finest paper. We say published, if that word can be properly applied to an edition of only seventy copies, a limit which implies that the edition is not for the public, but only for a lucky few who happen to be able to obtain a copy. The poem is illustrated by notes which bear the date of 1866. The local allusions, and the passages referring to personages who have passed from the stage, sometimes require explanation, though no lapse of time can make us insensible to the grace of the versification, the vein of Horatian pleasantry which pervades the poem, and the pungency of the satire, which has almost as direct an application to our own time as to that in which

the poem was written, nearly half a century ago. The allusions of which we speak author himself, in which he drops the charare therefore explained in notes by the acter of the satirist and contents himself with that of the historical annotator.

The poem entitled "The Recorder,” written some years after, and in a strain of equally playful satire, is printed in the same manner, and in like manner illustrated by the author's notes. It began originally with the lines,

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'My dear Dick Riker, you and I

Have floated down life's stream together." In the present edition for Dick Riker is substituted the word Recorder, Mr. Riker having filled the place of Recorder and principal criminal judge of the city for a long course of years. These two poems without being in the long run the most popular of Halleck's productions, are in certain respects the most characteristic — in their combination of beautiful poetic imagery with delicate satire. To the poem of Fanny is prefixed an engraved portrait in youth, about the time, we suppose, when of the author, representing him as he was the poem was written.

Professor Silliman was another old acquaintance, in a different line. We did all that we, as a young bookseller, could, to extend the sale of his Scientific Journal, in which we felt a patriotic interest, as we did in working for the North-American Review.

If people could learn from the experience of other people, we should hope that the article We had the pleasure of becoming ac- entitled History Anticipated would open the quainted with the poet, and enjoying con- eyes of Members of Congress to the great versation as clear and sparkling as his waste of public property, which the national bank-notes occasion to the United States. The poetry. Mr. Halleck still lives, but scarcely similar folly of the English people on the same single one of the society in which we met him. Would that we were one of "The Seventy!" subject is considered to be beyond the credulity of future ages. What will be thought of us, Halleck's poem of "Fanny" has been who are now paying these banks for nothing published in a beautiful edition by W. L. more than the whole expense of government under Andrews of this city. It is superbly print- 1 John Quincy Adams.

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