On this page
- Departments (1)
-
Text (4)
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
LITERATURE.
-
Untitled Article
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
Federal Diet , at Frankfort , shows very little business . It announces merely that at the meeting of the 17 tli and 24 th ihst ., only current affairs and petitions were disposed of . . Among these was one from the Hessian -Lower House of Assembly , praying the restoration of the Constitution of 1831 ; and another ( declaration , as it is termed ) from the Elector of Hessia , requesting the Diet not to be influenced by the prayer of the petition of the House of Assembly , but at the same time expressing his readiness to acquiesce in any resolution of the Diet , having for its object the restoration of the Constitution of 1831 ; provided always that everything therein contrary to the Federal laws be , as recommended by Prussia , struck out ; and reminding the Diet that the alterations made in that Constitutionin the years 1848 and 1849 , were declared to
, be at variance with the fundamental laws of the Confederation . These laws , as everybody is aware , the people of Germany had no voice in making . The petition of the House of Assembly , on the other hand , prays for the restoration of the Constitution of 1831 intact , with the alterations made in 1 S 48 and 1849 , submitting the whole , however , to a revision bv the Diet in conjunction with a Hessian Parliament , chosen under the electoral laws of 1831 . It is the universal conviction that the petition expresses the ardent desires of the entire Hessian people ; but though these desires are as .-moderate as they are ardent , very few anticipate their being attended to by the Diet , The whole affair is considered to be a piggle . Nobody is deceived by it , except , perhaps , the princes and the diplomatists themselves .
• An endeavour is being made to compose a congress , to sit at Wurzburg , the object of which is the settlement of all questions pending between princes and people ofGermany . it being ab .-olutely necessary , they believe , to set their houses in order , preparatory to the convulsion which threatens to shake --all Europe to its base , and ruin forever all houses divided against themselves . The subjects proposed first to be taken into consideration are the . laws of settlement , or rights of-d . pmieile—federal courts of justice—the revision of the federal military laws — the Hessian and Holstein questions—tlie regulating of the national movement . that is the Unity agitation , and the equalisation of weights and measures . The
auth-u- of this plan is Mr . Von Bvust , the Saxonian minister . This conference appears to be one of those pretended efforts made from time to time by some prineo or the other to instil into the people the belief that he is as patriotically anxious for unity and , freedom as the people themselves , but that a fatal combination of circumstances , over which the prince lias no control , thwarts all his exertions . At present we have two liberal and patriotic princes i " the field—the Prince Regent of Pr . ussia and the Duke of Suxe Coburg . The liberal cloak sits , by no means , gracefully nor comfortably upon the shoulders of tlie Regent—it is much too new and stiff for him . The Duke has worn his cloak long and
well , with the full concurrence , and to the high enjoyment , doubtless , of all his fellow ; princes . It matters little what the cut of so small a potentate may be , while it , at the same time ,, gratifies the people . Hanover , Brunswick , Badeii , Oldenburg , Weimar , and Coburg-Gothu have declined to attend the congress , it is said . The Hanse Towns have received no invitation . There is every likelihood that all will attend , notwithstanding their present pouting bashful ness or innocent aulkinoss , or , which is more probable , the whole affair will prove moonshine . Tho Diet of Baden was opened on the 2-2 nd instant . I
call these plagiarisms , < or caricatures of our Parliament , sometimes Diets , sometimes Chamber * , sometimes Mouses of Assembly , according ti > their fancied resemblance with something similar that I hare seen on the Continent . They term thumsdves " Statute , " which , 1 . suppose , is a word c oined to translate the French words etats . Tlio Grand Duke * made his speech from the throne in the , most approved constitutional English fashion—spoke about inuJjret , welfare of peoplo , his endeavours to maintain the peacu of tlio world , or sDmothing of the sort—very neatly got up , but not worth reporting . of the
A telegram announces tho retirement Prussian Minister of War , Von Uonlu , and the appointment in his plucc of General Von Herrmann . Also , that the last number of tho German pupor , Hermann , which is published in Itondon , has been confiscated . This is froo and constitutional Prussia , which the United States Minister latuly , uf . a banquet in Berlin , designated as the beucan-liaJM—not botiuon merely—not loud-sounding enough—of constitutional freedom and progress on tho Continent , rno war alarm still rages , and there are aigns of a great depreciation in tho value of house property . The shipowners of Bremen Imvo advert igod u meeting to take place on Friday next for the purpose of advising upon measured for tho promotion of all private Interests at uen in case of war .
Untitled Article
LITERARY NOTES OF THE WEEK . IIJR . MACltEADY gave a reading from the ItX English . Poets , at the Town Hall , Weston-Super-Mare , on Thursday last , for the benefit of the Working Men ' s Institute and other educational societies . The visit of this gentleman attracted one of the most crowded gatherings ever held in Weston , including members of almost every leading family
in the town and neighbourhood * Mr . Mae-ready read the story of Le Fevre , from Sterne ' s " Tristram Shandy . " Campbell ' s " Exile of Erin" followed with amazing pathos , eliciting unbounded applause . He next read a passage from the Fifth Book of Milton ' s "Paradise Lost , " including Eve ' s Dream and Adam ' s Morning Hymn . Campbell's " Lord Ullin ' s Daughter" was the next selection . The reading concluded with an act from Shakspere ' s " Henry IV , "
*• George Eliot " complains thus in the Times . Mr . Newby , the publisher , in issuing a work under the title of Adam Bede , Junior , has not only made use of my title , but has so worded liis advertisement as to lead many persons into the belief that I am the author of his so-called " Sequel . " The extent to which this belief has spread urges me to come forward with a public statement that I have nothing whatever to do with the work in question , or . with Mr . Newby . I am not the first writer who has had to suffer from this publisher ' s method of trading . The readers of Currer Bell's life will remember a very unpleasant , illustration of it .
Messrs . J . W . Parker and Son announce a volume of Essays and Reviews by Rev . B . Jowett , M . A ., Regius Professor of Greeek , Oxford ; Rev . Rowland Williams , D . D ., Viee-Prmcripa . l , Lam peter College ; Rev . F . Temple , D . D ., Head Master of llugby School '; Rev . Baden Powell , M . A ., F . R . S ., Savi-Han Professor-of Geometry . Oxford ; Rev . Mark Pattison , B . D . ¦; C . W . Goodwin , M . A . ; Rev . H . B Wilson , B IX , Vicar of Great Staughton , Hunts . A few evenings ago , B . Waterhouse Hawkins . Esq ., delivered a lecture ( the first of a series ) to the members of the Athenaeum , at Bury St . Edmunds , upon "Tlio Ago of . Dragons in Great Britain ; being an inquiry how far the fables , legends , romance ^ and traditions about dragons arc founded on truth . " Mr Alfred Tennyson is writing a new poem for < Macmillan ' s Magazine , " to be entitled " Sea Dreams :
an Idyll . " Four shares in the Globe evening newspaper were offered for sale this week . The proprietary shares are sixty-two in number , thu dividends on which have been £ 84 , but the average for the lust three years has been £ 40 per annum . The-auctioneer stated that the last shares sold in that place , about two or three years ago , produced . € 500 per share , and the proprietors' present pre-emption price is £ 400 por slim ' . The highest bid was £ 127 10 s . por share , and this offer boing under the reserve price fixed by the Court of Chancery , no sale was effected . It was reported in the room , but not officially , that tho reserve price was £ 250 por share . _ -. r dk * ft . _ . 1 _ n 1 . ~ 2 ** I I ., __ t rt 4 \ \ m frit t ~ t of the schools in Paris for tlie
. The opening new studv of tlio living Eastern languages is announced for Monday . next . This foundation , due to the activity of the Convention , was first endowed on the 10 th Germinal , in the third year of thu Republic , with throe professorship 8 f ° tl ) e Arabic , Turkish , and Crimean Tartar languages . Nino chairs have been instituted since that time , and bestowed on the most learned savnnn of our time . The ancient school founded by Louis Quatorze for tlio education of interpreters , destined for the divers * -missions in tho Levant , is still in oxisteiice , ond still furnishes the dragomans for tlie embassy at Constantinople . The now schools have been Greeted close to tho Bibliotheaue Imporiiile . The course of Iccturc 3 on
HimlostanilanguageK » d literature is conducted by Monsieur Oarein do Tassy , whoso translation of all the great Hinclostniii works has done so much for tho study of tho language in Europe . Tho work of M . Coulvior-Gravior , on " Shooting Stars , " 1 mb been received with the groatost honour in the world of aeienw . Tlio question of tho formation , tho purpose , and tlio final destination ot tho vast quantities of shooting stars , whoso existonco has hitherto presented tlio greatest dlflioulty of explanation to the arttrononiors of all ages , ifl liero solved by M . Coulvler-Gravier , whose appointment to a most important post at the Observatoiro has crivon universal satisfaction . The Kreuz Zaitunq states that iho murnngo at
Munich of Ivan Golovin , the well . known literary refugee , was telegraphed to the Emperor of Kuasia , and his Majesty immediately replied , « My imporial , pfttumal blessing . All Is forgiven , all lorgotten . "
The Government of . . Madras has taken legislative action in the matter of Rotnauising native words . It has directed all officials , to adhere to the following rules : — " 1-st . — -When native terms can be suitably represented in official correspondence by English equivalents the English' word should be used . 2 nd . —When native terms are introdueed into-official correspondence they should be expressed in English letters , according to the system originally recommended by Sir William Jones , and since adopted , with partial variations , by the Asiatic Society , the Madras -Literary Society , and by
Professor Wilson in his glossary of Indian official terms . 3 rd . —No letters should be introduced into any native word which do not exist in the original , and those which do exist should be expressed strictly in accordance with the scheme . 4 th . —The only exception from this rule should be in the case of the names of particular places , which have become stereotvped by long usage in a conventional form , such as Negapatam , Mussilipatam , Vizagapatam , &c . " That officials may learn Sir William Jones ' s system , the Government promise to publish lists of words and a vowel scale , but conclude the order with that remark .
Untitled Article
SCHILLER'S LIFE AND WORKS . By Emil Palleske . Translated by fcady Wallace . 2 vols . ^ -Longrnan , Green , Longman , and Koberts . The Life of Schiller is mainly valuable as illustrating the rise and growth of German drama ; and it fortunately happens that this is one of the main points in the new biography of the poet by Em . il Palleske . Mr . Thomas Carlyle ' s Life , with all its merits , was necessarily crude , and showed no sympathy with the stage . It was rather a psychological rhapsody on the inner life of tlie poet than a critical account of the career of the dramatist . The translations , too , from the-plays were harshly , even unrlrytiunically rendered , and did in all respects
injustice to the original . Mr , Carlyle was no lnetricist , and absurdly unskilled in the treatment of blank verse . Regarding the technical structure of a drama lie was especially ignorant . The onlv good quality of the book was an easy , readable Ityle , -which" , however , he soon afterwards abandoned ; and , altogether , it may be qualified as a young scholar ' s creditable essay on ' a subject comparatively new , aivl in which lie gave much information to those who were ignorant of trer ~ man—at that time the larger portion of the British public . For a new Life , and precisely such an one as that before us , there was therefore room . We receive the book with a hearty welcome .
In Germany dramatic art and Protestantism had progressed- together . Luther had given his testimony in favour of the stas ^ e , and venerable theologians had corroborated the same with their own . Nevertheless prejudice existed against it among German pietists as among English ; even Suliiller himself , though aiming at the stage , undervalued its' professors . Ho was , nevertheless , forward to defend the institution , advocated its utility to the State , and proved that it tended to ennoble man . Lessing , however , ridiculed the notion of creating n national theatre in Germany , when the Germans were not even a nation . Nevertheless , as our biographer observes , I- ^ ssing wrote his " Nathan . " Schiller met Lesstug's objections somewhat in the following manner : —
' ' If in all our pieced , ' ho suys , ' one loading idea prevailed , if our poets wero to agree among themselves , and cling together in faithful' alliance for this purpose , a severe selection guiding their ¦ works , and iheir r . o . vora of delineation being only devoted to evonts connected with the peoplo ; i . n a word , when we at last succeed in o < iabl | slilng u national stage , then wo slmll be In reality a nation . ' To this remark vc nro bound to add thoso of Pullqskc himself : — " How can any ono be so blind ns to deny this ? Ilavonot Kotzobuu and his imitators depraved the national feeling ? Tlio uvil effects lh . it a theatre car . produce on a nation , lead us to conclude that it would bo equally cup . iblo of producing bonofioial
° " Tluis tho staga by means of the Iliiinbiivffli ncliool doatroyod the sway of the French , and Helnllor in Carlos' and ' Wulleiifitoin , ' In . lond in all his pieces , ( which are not merely uxnorimentnl" ) , hud begun to rear tlio fabric of tho ¦ groat principles ( so tar as a atuKQ may do so ) on which a nation ifl founded- — SS of thouBlit , individual power , justice , horolo courage , aiul political liberty . wid unity , llavo Franco and Bn « lmia , although they nro great imtious ,-ovQP boasted of more than a stage for their oimltnls , not for tho nation at large ? nnd wltli tho solitary exception of SUukosppare , whose principal works , ' Hamlet , ' Loar , ' Othello , " llomeo and
Literature.
LITERATURE .
Untitled Article
Ko . 506 . Dec . 3 , 1859 . 1 THE LEADER 1325
-
-
Citation
-
Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 3, 1859, page 1325, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2323/page/17/
-