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rals. There never yet was a campaign without a blunder; and the campaign of the valley of Mexico is no exception to the rule; and the author has not failed to point out its blunders, any more than he has failed to bring into strong relief its more salient and brilliant points.' We may mention here, that we have also received, from the press of the APPLETONS, a pamphlet-volume by Brevet-Ma or ISAAC J. STEVENS, of the army, entitled 'Campaigns of the Rio Grande and of Mexico, with Notes on the Recent Work of Major Ripley, but we have found no leisure as yet to master its pages.

THE POPULAR CYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE. Condensed from the Larger Work. By JOHN KITTO, D.D., F.S.A., Author of the Pictorial Bible,' History and Physical Geography of Palestine,' etc.; assisted by Rev. JAMES TAYLOR, D.D., of Glasgow. Illustrated by numerous engravings. Boston: GOULD, KENDALL AND LINCOLN.

THIS Dictionary of the Bible has not been framed out of old materials, but embodies the products of the best and most recent researches in Biblical literature, in which the scholars of this country and the continent have been engaged. The original work, of which the present is an abridgment, was the result of immense labor and research, and enriched by the contributions of writers of distinguished eminence in the various departments of sacred literature. The edition before us comprises a compendious selection from the contents of the original work, and embraces all the matter suited to popular and general use, and cannot but prove acceptable to very many whose studies have not created a need for the larger work, or whose means do not enable them to secure the possession of it. The present volume is well suited to the use of the great body of the religious public, and will doubtless prove of essential service to parents and teachers in the important business of Biblical education, while to young persons it will serve as a valuable introduction to the more extensive work. The original publication is twice the size of the present; but so well has the condensation been effected that the present will possess the same superiority over popular cyclopædias of its class, as the great work confessedly does over those which aspire to higher erudition.

SKETCHES OF European CAPITALS. BY WILLIAM WARE. In one volume: pp. 320. Boston: PHILLIPS, SAMPSON AND COMPANY. New-York: STRINGER AND TOWNSEND.

An editorial notice of this latest work of an old and highly esteemed friend and correspondent of this Magazine, was among the things lost upon earth,' we may suppose, in a certain little box, elsewhere alluded to. In the absence of the missing critique, we avail ourselves of the just and comprehensive remarks upon the same work by Mr. GEORGE RIPLEY, of the 'Tribune' daily journal, one of the most accomplished and candid literary critics of our time: We thankfully welcome a new volume from the author of 'Letters from Palmyra, Probus,' and the other historical novels which have given him a classical reputation among the writers of this country. With a singularly refined taste, an imagination of equal delicacy and vigor, a rare vein of chaste and quiet humor, a breadth and freedom of thought admirably balanced by a nice sense of truth and a refreshing horror of extravagance and affectation, together with a fine power of clear and well-adjusted expression, Mr. WARE has been too abstinent for his own fame in his dealings with the press, confining himself to a narrower sphere of literary effort than was due to the public by a writer of such excellent culture and genuine power. His personal modesty has

crippled his ambition as an author. For several years we have had no important production from his pen. The plea of occasional ill health, we regret to know, may to some extent be urged as the cause of this protracted reticence. But even that should present no invincible obstacle to a writer of his variety and fertility of resources. We wish he had been less chary of his pen, for the influence of his works has always been friendly to æsthetic cultivation and elevated views of life. Without farther complaints, however, we again thank him for this very agreeable volume. His old friends will read it with delight, and it will help to give him new ones. They will find in it the pure reflex of his own sterling character; modest, simple, calm, in beautiful taste; at first view deficient in energy, but often starting a train of vigorous thought; noble and elevated in its aspirations, although perhaps sometimes presenting too strong a spice of conservatism in its judgments both of literature and persons. It is always truthful, never feeble. Many of its criticisms in art we decidedly reject, but always with admiration of the frankness and hearty independence with which they are expressed. The tone of the book is eminently healthy throughout. It is so absolutely free from pretension that it may perhaps be passed over without appreciation by those who read with their fingers, or who deem a great deal of smoke necessary for a very little fire. The position which it claims is gracefully stated by the author in his manly preface: This small volume comes into existence, like so many others now-a-days, as a convenient way of disposing of matter previously used in the form of Lectures. They are the sketches of a traveller, and aim to give the first rapid impressions, with as little error and exaggeration as possible, of places visited in the course of a year's absence. I only hope they may not prove more incorrect in fact, or false in inference, than the majority of writings of the class. It is a volume of light reading for the summer road-side; and though, like the flowers of that season, it perish with them, one may be permitted to hope that, like some of them, at least it may exhale a not unpleasing fragrance while it lasts.'

'The subjects of which it treats are full of interest, though not easily admitting of great originality. Mr. WARE, however, never ekes out his thought with commonplaces, nor gives us an insipid re-hash of the remarks of former travellers. He describes, with the most limpid sincerity, the impression made on his mind by a brief residence in Rome, Florence, Naples and London. The whole of the volume is valuable for its authenticity and its enlightened comments; but the most racy portion by far is that which relates to London and the English character. Some readers may be little attracted by its disquisitions on art, but no one can fail to enjoy its keen and merciless dissection of the insolence and pretence of unmitigated JOHN BULLISM; of that broad phase of the British character, of which The Times newspaper is a plethoric representative. Mr. WARE's personal impressions of the Italians were highly favorable. He saw no people abroad whom he would prefer to live with, if forced to leave his own country. In spite of their faults, they displayed so many of the charms of social intercourse, that no people could be more agreeable in their demeanor, either toward each other or toward strangers. Compared with the English, he finds them possessed of angelic attractions. He is by no means blind, however, to the defects of the Italian character, especially those which prevent their love of liberty from being realized in their political institutions. He handles the POPE with a sturdy freedom from ceremony not often exhibited in intercourse with pontiffs.' As contrasted with American carelessness in that respect, he is much struck with the universality of the English virtue of in-door, out-door, and personal cleanliness, and especially commends their avoidance of the vice of Ptyalism, to which 'the spitting Yankees' are said to be so generally addicted.

EDITOR'S TABLE.

MISS CATHERINE HAYES.-This eminent cantatrice, before another number of the KNICKERBOCKER Shall appear, will have arrived in this city, and have entered upon her career of triumph. We welcome, therefore, as both timely and interesting, the following account of this excellent and gifted lady, from the pen of an accomplished correspondent: When I first knew CATHERINE HAYES, she was in Paris, where she was studying under the greatest teacher of singing at present to be found in Europe. I allude of course to M. GARCIA, who has also been the director of Mademoiselle JENNY LIND'S studies, of Mademoiselle NISSEN'S, and is the brother of Madame MALIBRAN and of VIARDOT GARCIA. It is obvious that with such an efficient teacher, blessed by nature with a powerful and admirably-sweet voice, as well as endowed with no common amount of genius, such a student as CATHERINE HAYES could not fail, during the years of her probation, to make rapid strides in her art. When I first heard her, she was all that a youth of study and promise could give in her musical development. In her physical, she had already passed the boundaries of her pretty girlhood, and laid claim to be considered a beauty. Nor was this a claim which was very likely to be disputed, when compared with others in her profession. GRISI was undoubtedly handsome, but middle age had ripened her charms into that state whose augury is a speedy termination to them. ALBONI was somewhat too fat for beauty; and with these two singers ended most of the pretensions to it, which were then evinced among the first sopranos of the day.

In consequence of this, when at length Miss CATHERINE HAYES made her debut at the Scala, her beauty, coupled with her musical talents, made her at once successful. Nothing, indeed, could have been more triumphant than her first appearance; and with the rapidity with which musical intelligence travels in Italy, it was speedily known throughout the whole of that country. Five days after, her name was as much talked of in Naples as it then was in Milan; and three months later, her reputation was established as the last new fact which Milan had added to the musical history of Italy.

'Nor was she undeserving of such a rapid and astounding success. CATHERINE HAYES has a fine and full-toned soprano voice, ranging indeed so low that there is little contralto music which is without its scope, while its higher notes are both full and clear. Moreover, it possesses unusual flexibility and facility, and its intonation is remarkably true. With such an organ, Miss HAYES of course has one great advantage. She is enabled to sing the soprano and mezzo-soprano music of JENNY LIND and GRISI; and most of the melody adapted to the pure contralto of ALBONI also comes within her range. We have heard her sing at one concert, some two years

since in London, the Grand Scena from 'Der Freyschutz,' the 'Casta Diva' from 'Norma,' and the Ah, mon fils!' from MEYERBEER's last opera, the 'Prophète. This air requires unusual extent of voice, great power, and intense dramatic feeling. Nevertheless, on her first appearance in London, CATHERINE HAYES had much to contend against. JENNY LIND was in the second season of her success. GRISI, VIARDOT GARCIA, and ALBONI occupied Covent-Garden; yet here CATHERINE HAYES was to make her entrée before the public. She did it as Bertha in the 'Prophète;' and with such triumphant success did she effect it, that VIARDOT was almost forgotten in the peans of applause which burst on the following morning from the English press.* Since that period CATHERINE HAYES has daily been making immense strides in her profession; and during the last year she has stood out as the first of modern vocalists England has had upon her stage.

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'Perhaps it is in sacred music that she has exhibited the most profound and unexampled success. In the Messiah,' the Creation,' the Elijah,' and the 'St. Paul, she has no rival. As with JENNY LIND, however, it is in her national melodies that CATHERINE HAYES has excited the most profound sensation. As a singer of the Irish ballad she has endeared herself the most to her own country, and won the highest opinions of her merits in England. I know not how it is, but nationality in music is more strongly colored in our day than it has ever previously been. In the oratorio, which is specially English in its nature, but two or three foreign vocalists who do not speak the language have made themselves celebrated. While JENNY LIND'S great points of attraction were those delicious Swedish melodies which have made themselves the choicest of our musical memories, CATHERINE HAYES has become the musical high priestess of her nation, and the name of the 'Swan of Erin' is as distinctively hers as the 'Swedish Nightingale' is that of her great and precedent rival. 'She has now reached the extreme point in her profession. But two singers stand parallel with her in their European reputation: the one who has recently enchanted America out of all its old notions of propriety, and who we understand still remains here with the purpose of making another musical tour in the South, at the close of our second summer season; and the star of modern contraltos, and indeed the only one who has more than rivalled PISARONI in her reputation—the golden-voiced ALBONI. The second of the three now pays us a visit; and we believe that we shall not fail in doing her the justice which her voice, her genius, and her spotless character alike merit. Nor indeed is it impossible that with another year we shall have experienced the pleasure of hearing ALBONI, and being enabled to weigh, discuss and examine the relative claims of the three singers with the same gusto that a European amateur may now use in discussing their relative claims to the crown of song. Let us trust that it may be so. In literature, painting, and the stage, we are already on a par in progress with the old country. As a taste for music spreads, and musical education becomes more common, we also may count a JENNY LIND or a 'KATY HAYES' upon our own roll of reputations.'

*OUR friend General MORRIS gives in his journal a graphic account of the enthusiasm excited in Milan on 'La Bella Catarina's' first appearance at 'La Scala.' The writer, a fellow-countryman (to employ a 'bull') of the artiste, who was accompanied by an eminent Milanese musical critic, waited upon her at the end of the first act of the opera. A ring, composed of congratulatory critics and artists, some seven or eight feet deep, had surrounded the triumphant débutante. Her face, lighted up with the mixed emotions of fear of failure and joy at her singular success, had an almost inspired expression; and when she heard her performance so enthusiastically eulogized, she burst into a flood of tears, and hurried away to her dressing-room.

VOL. XXXVIII.

18

ED. KNICKERBOCKER.

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WORDS OF WISDOM.-Far, far away, from over the wastes of ocean, comes the following, from a sober, discreet citizen, high in office and dignity, past and present; a man who tells us that he never laughs, except he has the law on his side;' a man not given to vain talk and unprofitable anecdotes, nor consorting with punsters, and the like; a man who has been Justice of the Peace, ay, and 'of the Quorum' too; and who has written after his name Armigero, on many a bond and quittance;' a man, in short, who hath 'had losses,' and is of weight, gravity and sobriety. The eyes of our associate OWL brightened when he saw the advice which had been given us; and placing his claw upon the page of the epistle which contained it, he said, as plainly as ever 'poor MINO' spoke in the world, 'How often have I told you the same thing! You are too light, too simple, too volatile! Tu-whit, tu-whoo!' But we pass to the missive, or we might say missile, which has been hurled at us as by an eruption, or eructation, from a land of earthquakeous mountains, half way to t'other side of the 'globéd airth:' 'I must declare that the editor of the Bunkum Flag-Staff' seems to me to be a man of more solidity and solemnity and intensiveness than yourself. He does not indulge in light and jocose and quizzical composition. He does not correspond with all the storytellers and anecdote-mongers and fun-extractors from Maine to California. He don't write or print poems or verses that prove nothing. He is practical. He goes for 'the root of the matter.' In plain 'Saxony English,' he goes in for the 'grits,' and leaves inconsiderate youth to snuff up the east wind of unprofitable wit and unpaying humor. He is sober, and in earnest. He means what he says, and don't leave his readers in doubt whether the writer is telling the truth or making up his stories out of whole cloth. He never laughs as a horse laugheth, or if he does, he does not go right away and write it down in his paper, how he has gone beyond humanity in his cachinnation. He do n't tell all about common things; about his babies, and his rollicking, romping, and undignified sports. Nor does he expose himself to the great danger of lowering his dignity, by putting on a long-skirted coat and a broadbrimmed drab hat, and milking Shaker heifers, and then telling all the world in his next 'issoo' how boyish and frivolous he has acted, and how he got cut up, and the conceit taken out of him, in trying to mow with Tarrytown hay-makers, or wrestle with Onondaga lawyers. He writes as one having the fear of matter-of-fact and solemn-visaged men in his heart, and as having his commission as Justice of the Peace always before him. I don't say that any body else is the 'per contra,' for that would be personal. But you seem never to think that common things-common hopes, joys, experiences, and events are infra dig.' the EDITOR of the 'KNICKERBOCKER.' With you, a story or an anecdote causeth casual mirth, and finds a place, if it only has a 'p'int,' and a wakens a smile, and gives vain and fleeting pleasure to those who indulge the faculty of appreciation. And yet you could not, if put upon your corporal oath, tell what it proved in morals, mathematics, or mental philosophy. Ask your OwL if this is right. I will abide his decision. And remember, I pray and beseech of you, that he is not a mere single voter, but the representative of a large class, both in solemnity of visage and wisdom in judgment. Let him

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