WE have read with great interest a series of articles which have appeared in the recent numbers of the Grenzboten upon GEORGE SAND. Though we have often failed to agree with the view of the writer, Mr. Julian Schmidt, one of the editors of that paper, we have rarely met with literary criticism of more ability, and a more just and catholic spirit We translate the conclusion of the last arti

THE German authoress FANNY LEWALD, has in press a book entitled England und Schottland (England and Scotland), made up from the notes of a journey through those countries. Its publication just at this moment is for the benefit of the crowds of Germans who are going to the World's Fair, and who may find in it all sorts of preparatory information. A specimen chapter published in one of our German papers reads pleasantly. Fanny Lew-cle, in which Mr. Schmidt gives the result of ald is a phenomenon of a class of women who his careful analysis of all the works of the know something about every thing. Nothing author: "The novel, on account of its lax is too high or too low to become an object of and variable form, and the caprice which it consideration to these female Teufelsdröcks, tolerates, is in my opinion not to be reckoned petticoated professors of "the science of things among those kinds of art, which, as classic, in general." The intellectual cultivation among will endure to posterity. The authors who the middle and higher class of society in Prus- have been most read in modern times have sia, the patronage bestowed by the court upon already been checked in their popularity by learning, the arts, and sciences; the encourage- the greater attraction of novelty offered by ment to discuss freely every imaginable theme their successors. This is the case even with in politics or religion, with the single excep- Walter Scott. Besides, in most of her writtion of the measures of the administration, all ings, George Sand has dealt with problems tended to create a taste for mental display in whose justification later times will not underwhich it was necessary that women should stand; and thus it may happen that hereafter participate, if they wished to retain their old she will be regarded as of consequence in position in the social world. In the salons of the history of literature alone. But in that Berlin, therefore, women have been heard tak- sphere she will have a permanent importance. ing a prominent part in conversations in which Future centuries will regard her as the most the most abstruse questions in religion, poli- significant image of the morbid but intense tics, and general science were discussed. The striving which marks this generation. When it philosophers, male and female, debarred by has long been agreed that the lauded works of the spy system from any open investigation of Victor Hugo, Eugene Sue, Lamartine, Alfred passing political events, revenged themselves de Musset, and others, are but the barren outby treating these events as mere temporary growths of an untamed and unrestrained fanphases of the great system of evolutions which cy, and a perverted reflection; when the same forms the material of history, scarcely worthy verdict has been pronounced on the poems of of notice, and directed their attention to the M. de Chateaubriand, whose value is now great principles which underlie all great social taken as a matter of belief and confidence, beand religious developments. A strange tone cause there are few who have read them; was thus given to conversation. Listening to then the true poetic element in the works of the talkers at a Berlin conversazione, one might George Sand will, in spite of all its vaga. have fancied, judging from the nature of the ries, still be recognized. And more than this, subjects of conversation, that a number of since the period of sentimentalism will be seen gods and goddesses were debating on the con- as more extensive, and as the works of Richstruction of a world. Vulgar bricks and mor-ardson, Rousseau (of course only those which tar they ignored, and were anxious only about primary and secondary geological formations. The actual state of any society was scarcely cared for, except in illustration of a principle, and the great forces which must unite to form the best possible society, were the only subjects of investigation. It may be taken as a great proof of the wonderful facility of adaptation of the female mind, that women joined in these conversations as readily as men, and frequently with far more brilliancy, in spite of the range of reading which it must require to obtain even a superficial knowledge of the subjects of discourse. Fanny Lewald is one of these prodigies. She has studied every thing from the Hegelian philosophy downwards. She is as great in revolutions as in ribbons, and is as amusing when talking sentiment over oysters and Rheinwein, in the Rathskiller at Bremen, as when meditating upon ancient art and philosophy in Wilhelm von Humboldt's castle of Tegel near Berlin.

belong in this category), and of Madame de Stael and others, will be included in it, then we say that the better productions of our authoress will carry off the prize from all the rest."

Two collections of songs, national and lyrie, have made their appearance in Germany. The one is by GEORGE SCHERER, and is called Deutsche Volkshelier, the other, by WOLFGANG MENZEL, is entitled Die Gesange der Volker (The Songs of the Nations). The former is exclusively German; the latter contains songs from every civilized tongue under heaven, as well as from many of the uncivilized, in German versions, of course. Both are elegantly printed, and highly commended by the knowing in that line of literature.

HENRI MURGER has published a companion volume to his Scènes de la Bohéme in the shape of some stories called Scènes de la Vie de Jeunesse.

THE Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries held its annual session on the 15th February at the palace of Christianbourg, the King of Denmark presiding. Mr. RAFN read the report of the transactions of the Society during the year, and laid before the meeting a new number of the Annals of the archaeology and history of the North, and the completed volume of the Archaeological Journal, published by the Society. He also announced that the second volume of his own work on Russian Antiquities was in preparation, and that about half of it was already printed. To give an idea of this work, he read from it a biographical notice on Biorucon, of Arngeirr, an Icelander by birth, distinguished alike as a warrior and a poet, and by his exploits in Russia where he

A CURIOUS specimen of what may be done by a ready writer who is scrupulous only about getting his pay, is afforded by a book just published at Leipzic, called Zahme Geschichten aus wilder Zeit (Tame Stories of a Wild Time), by Frederick Ebeling. In these "tame stories" the heroes of the late revolutionary movements are held up now in one light, and now in another, with the most striking disregard of consistency. Jellachich, for instance, is lauded in one place as the most genial and charming of men, a scholar and gentleman, without equal, and almost in the next page he is called a ferocious butcher, who never wearies of slaughtering human beings. These discrepancies are accounted for by the fact that Mr. Ebeling wrote for both conservative and radical journals, and adapted his opinions to the wants of the mar-served Vladimir the Great. After this, other ket he was serving. He would have done well to reconcile his articles with each other before putting them into a book.

members of the Society gave interesting accounts of the results of their various labors during the year. The King presented a paper on excavations made under his personal direction in the ruins of the castles of Saborg and Adserbo, in the North of Seland. These castles date from the middle ages; the memoir was accompanied by drawings.

A VALUABLE Work on national law is entitled Du Droits et des Devoirs des Nations Neutres en Temps de Guerre Maritime, by M. L. B. Hautefeuille, a distinguished French jurist, lately published at Paris in four octavos. It is praised by no less an authority than the emi- THE Historisches Taschenbuch (Historical nent advocate M. Chaix d'Est Ange, as the Pocket-Book), edited by the learned Prussian, fruit of mature and conscientious study: he Raumer is a publication eminently worthy of calls it the most complete and one of the best notice. The number for the year 1851 opens works on modern national law ever produced. with biographical sketches of three women, The author in the historical part of his trea- Ines de Castro and Maria and Lenora Telley, tise, criticises the monopolizing spirit and policy who played important parts in Spanish and of the English without mercy, and insists that Portuguese history in the XIVth Century. the balance of power on the sea is of no less They are followed by a concise history of the importance than that on land. He would have German marine by Bartholdy, twelve letters established a permanent alliance of armed by John Voigt on the manners and social life neutrality, with France and the United States of the princes at the German Diets, a picture at its head, to maintain the maritime rights of from the XVIth Century, the sequel of a meweaker states in time of war, against the en-moir by Guhrauer on Elizabeth, Abbess of croachments of British commerce and ambition.

Herford, a frriend of William Penn, and a correspondent of Malebranche, Leibnitz and Descartes, &c., &c. &c.

A VIENNA publishing establishment has offered GRILLPARZER, the German dramatist, $4,000 for his writings, but he refuses, not be- AN interesting account of a most eventful cause he thinks the price too low, but because period and country is the Bilder aus Oestreich, he will not take the trouble of preparing and just published at Leipzic, by a German travelpublishing a collected edition of his dramas, [ler. The traveller is understood to be one of the last of which was entitled Maximilian Robespierre, a five act tragedy. He has also a variety of unpublished manuscripts, which it is feared will never see the light.

STUDENTS and amateurs of music will find their account in taking the Rheinische Musikzeitung (Rhine Musical Gazette), published at Cologne, under the editorial care of Prof. Bischof. Its criticism is impartial, intelligent, and free from the prejudices of the schools. German musical criticism has no better organ.

the editors of the Grenzboten, and the period he describes comprises the revolutionary years 1848-9. His account of Vienna in the memorable October days of 1848, is graphic, and even thrilling.

COTTA, of Stuttgart, has just published a new collection of poems by FRANZ DINGEL STEDT, under the title of "Night and Morning."

The themes are drawn from the revolution, its hopes and its disappointments.

FREDERIC LOUIS JAHN, the celebrated GerTHE German poet SIMROCK has just pub-man professor, who invented the modern syslished a new version of the two Eddas, with the mythical narratives of the Skalda, which is spoken of as a valuable contribution to literature.

tem of gymnastics, is writing his personal memoirs. He is about seventy years of age, and his long life has been full of significant incidents.

To those who seek a good acquaintance A NOTABLE and interesting book is BEHSE'S with the current belles-lettres literature of Geschichte des preussischen Hofes und Adels Germany, we can cordially recommend the (History of the Prussian Court and Nobility) Deutsches Museum, published semi-monthly at of which the two first volumes have just been Leipsic, under the editorial care of Professor published at Hamburg by Hoffman & Campe. Robert Prutz and Wilhelm Wolffson, and sold The whole work will contain from thirty to in this city by Westermann, 290 Broadway. forty small volumes, and will treat all the Each number contains eighty-five close pages, states of Germany, only some half dozen volfilled by some of the leading writers of Ger- umes being devoted to Prussia. The two man science, art and politics. In the number now published bring the history down to the now before us, are articles by Gutzkow, Böch, reign of Frederic William II. They abound the philologist, Berthold Auerbach, Emanuel in most curious historic details. For instance, Geibel and Julius Mosen. The entire range the acquisition of the title of King of Prussia of politics, philosophy, antiquities, art, poetry, by the Elector of Brandenburgh, Frederic III., romances and literary criticism is included in is narrated at length. It seems that this the scope of the Museum, except that it is de- prince, who was deformed in body, but as signed not for the learned world, but for the politic as he was ambitious in spirit, after mass of the people, and accordingly aims at many fruitless efforts obtained from the Emgeneral not technical instruction. Among the peror at Vienna the grant of the royal digniart notices, we observe a brief criticism on the ty, by a bribe of two hundred thousand thaGallery of Illustrious Americans, in which the lers, paid to the Jesuit Father Wolff, as a lithography of the pictures is praised as well compensation for the influence of the Society, as the faces themselves. The critic is delight-whose members were flattered that the most ed with the energy, originality and freshness of character expressed in their features.

A VALUABLE Contribution to current political history is the Verfassungskampf in Kurhessen (Constitutional Struggle in Electoral Hesse), by Dr. H. Gräfe, which has just made its appearance in Germany. The conflict of the people and parliament and public officers, against the selfish, arbitrary and foolish Elector, is the turning point of recent German politics, and the defeat of the former after their patience and firmness, acting always within the limits of the constitution, had gained a decided victory, and compelled the faithless prince to fly the country, a defeat accomplished only by the intervention of Austrian and Prussian troops, was the final downfall of every form of political liberty in Germany. Dr. Gräfe has wisely abstained from treating the events of this crisis as a philosophical historian; they are too fresh, and his own share in them was too decided to allow him to undertake that successfully. He accordingly does little more than simply report the trasactions in a compendious way, with all the documents necessary to a full understanding of the subject. Whoever wishes for a thorough apprehension of the German tragi-comedy, may derive aid from his work.

THE resources of philology have just been enriched by the publication at Tubingen of a dictionary of six of the dialects of Eastern Africa, namely, the Kisuaheli, Kinika, Kikamba, Kipokomo, Kihian, and Kigalla. This is accompanied by a translation of Mark's Gospel into the Kikamba dialect, and a short grammar of the Kisuaheli. The author of these works is the Protestant minister Krap, who has been for fifteen years in Ethiopia, and has collected and presented to the University at Tubingen a considerable number of most valuable Ethiopian manuscripts.

powerful of the Protestant princes of Germany should solicit their assistance. The whole cost of the grant was six millions of thalers, an enormous sum for these times. The Papal Court refused to recognize the new king, and did not until Frederic the Great.

We believe a general Biographical Dictionary of Illustrious Women, now in course of publication in Berlin, is to be reproduced here, with suitable additions. We need, while discussions of the sphere and capacities of women are so common among us, a work of real learning and authority, in which the part which the sex has borne and is capable of bearing in the business of civilizing, shall be carefully and honestly exhibited. There are fifteen or twenty volumes of short biographies. of women now in print in this country, with prospects of others-all worthless except this extensive German work, which is considerably advanced, and for its literary merit as well as for the interest of its materials, will command an unusual degree of attention.

COUNTESS IDA HAHN HAHN is writing a work to be called My Way from Darkness to Light, from Error to Truth. She has became a Catholic, and this book is intended to tell why. A cheap edition of her works is publishing at Berlin. We presume they are no longer in her control, but belong to her publishers, as she could scarcely consent to reprint some of them.

A NEW Work bearing as its title the single word Italia, is about to be published at Frankfort on the Main. It is a complete artistic, historic and poetic manual for travellers in that lovely peninsula.

THE Cologne Musical Society lately offered a prize for the best symphony. Eighty-three have been offered, of which one only seems to be a pure plagiarism.

GEORGE STEPHENS, the learned translator of the Frithiof's Saga of BISHOP TEGNER, in a letter to The International states that he is now printing at Copenhagen three AngloSaxon poems of the eleventh century, namely: The Old Testament Story, On the Sixth Day's Work, and The New Testament Story, by Aelfric, Archbishop of York, now just translated into the metre and alliteration of the original. The three poems will make a quarto volume of about thirty sheets, and copies may be ordered (price three dollars), through the Hon. H. W. Ellsworth, late United States Charge d'Affaires in Sweden, at New-York, or Dr. S. H. Smith, of Cincinnati. Of the ability and fidelity with which the work will be executed, the readers of the Frithiof's Saga need no other assurance.

A BOOK just published in Germany under | tine, Victor Hugo, Dumas, Scribe, Thiers, and the title of Berlin und die Berliner contains many others, have obtained large fortunes by some exceedingly interesting details concern-writing. In Germany Dieffenbach received for ing the great naturalist ALEXANDER VON HUM- his book on Operative Surgery some $3,500; BOLDT, from which the International translates and Perthes of Hamburg, paid to Neander on the following: "When, in the years 1834-5, a single work, more than $20,000, exclusive we young students thronged into lecture of the interest his heirs still have in it. Poets room No. VIII., at eight o'clock on winter like Uhland, Freiligrath, Geibel, have also remornings, to hear Böckh on Greek literature ceived as much as $6,000 or $12,000 on the and antiquities, we used to see in the crowd sales of a single volume. Long ago in Bosof students in the dark corridor a small, white-ton, Robert Treat Paine received $1,500 for a haired, old, and happy-looking man, dressed in song. Of our living poets, Longfellow has a long brown coat. This man was the studi- been most liberally paid. osus philologia, Alexander von Humboldt, who came, as he said, to go through again what he had neglected in his youth. When we met him in the lecture-room we respectfully made way for him; for though we had no respect for any body, especially professors, Humboldt was an exception, for he knew 'a hellish deal. To his own honor, the German student still respects this quality. During the lecture Humboldt sat on the fourth or fifth bench near the window, where he drew a piece of paper from a portfolio in his pocket, and took notes. In going home he liked to accompany Böckh, so as in conversation to build some logical bridge or other from the old world to the new, after his ingenious fashion. There was then in the class a man who has since distinguished himself in political literature, but whom we had nicknamed 'Mosherosh,' that is Calves'-head, on account of his stupid appearance. As Mosherosh generally came in late, it was the fashion to receive him with a magnificent round of stamping. One day, Humboldt came too late, and just at the usual time of Mosherosh, and without looking up we gave the regular round, while Hum-known for his experiments connected with the boldt, blushing and embarrassed, made his motive power of steam, has been discovered way to his place. In a moment the mistake near Marburg in Electoral Hesse; that the was seen, and a good-natured laugh succeeded. work bears the name of Traité des Opérations Humboldt also attended the evening lectures sans Douleur, and that in it are examined the difof Ritter on universal geography, and let the ferent means that might be employed to deadweather be as bad as it might, the gray-haired en, or altogether nullify, sensibility when surman never failed. If for a rarity he chanced gical operations are being performed on the hunot to come, we said among ourselves in stu-man body. Papin composed this work in 1681, dents' jargon, Alexander cuts the college today, because he's gone to King's to tea.' Once, on occasion of discussing an important problem of physical geography, Ritter quoted him, and every body looked up at him. Humboldt bowed to us, with his usual good nature, which put the youngsters into the happiest humor. We felt ourselves elevated by the presence of this great thinker and most laborious student. We seemed to be joined with him in the pursuit of great scientific ends."

"ETHERIZATION," after all, is not a modern discovery, and Wells, Jackson, and Morton, are alike undeserving of the praise they have received on account of it. The Paris Siècle states that a manuscript, written by Papin,

but his contemporaries treated it with ridicule, and he abandoned the medical profession.

A NEW five-act play, tragic of course, has just appeared at Berlin, founded on the history of Philip Augustus of France. It is by a lady of the aristocratic circles of the Prussian capital, who now makes her debut in literature. It is praised as excellent by those who are not in the habit of being satisfied with the writings of ladies. A collection of poems from the same pen is shortly to appear.

M. BIANCHI'S Turkish and French Dictionary, in two large octavos, has reached a second edition at Paris. It is all that could be desired for the use of diplomatic and consular agents, traders, navigators, and other travellers in the Levant, but not designed for critics in the lan

THE REWARDS OF AUTHORS, we suspect, are greatest in France. In Germany, England and the United States they are about the same. Cooper, Irving and Prescott, in this country, have each received for copyrights more than one hundred thousand dollars. In England, Dickens has probably received more than any other living author-and in France Lamar-guage or its literature.

of which the Parisian journals give us elaborate criticisms, she is represented as a very virtuous wife, by the ingenious contrivance of giving a certain courtezan such a striking personal resemblance to her that it was impossi ble to distinguish between the two, and mak

the real Massalina. The play is not without literary merit. It is called Valeria—the heroine's other name being considered too strong to figure on a play-bill. Rachel plays the two characters of Massalina and the courtezan-of course with the most perfect success.

THE students of geography and foreign THE most profligate woman of whom we modes of life, owe a debt to the French Gen- have any account in Roman history was the eral DAUMAS, for his three works on north- empress Massalina, and nothing is more natuwestern Africa. The first entitled, Le Sahara ral than that she should be selected for a heroAlgerien, is an exact and thorough and sci-ine by a Frenchman. In a new five act play entific account of the desert in Algiers, given, however, with a flow of manly, soldatesque imagination, which imparts life and charm to the narrative, and even adorned with frequent quotations from the Arab poets, who have sung the various localities he describes. The second of these works is called Le Grand De-ing the courtezan commit all the atrocities of sert in form it is a series of romances, the author having chosen that as the best manner of conveying to the reader a distinct impression. The hero is a dweller in the interior, a member of the tribe of Chambas, who came to Algiers, as he says, because he had predestined him to make that journey. The general interrogates him, and the Arab recounts his adventures. As he had thrice traversed the desert to the negro country beyond, and had seen beside all the usual events in the life of that savage region, the author violates no probability in putting into his mouth the most strange and characteristic stories. The whole are told with a fictitious reproduction of the teser and somewhat monotonous, yet figurative style, proper to all savages. La Grande Kabylie recounts the personal experiences of the author in that yet unconquered country of the Arabs, whither he went with Marshal Bugeaud in his last expedition. Kabylia he describes as a picturesque and productive region. There are deep, sheltered valleys, where along the shores of winding streams, nature has planted hedges of perpetual flowers, while the mountains on each side stand yellow with the ripe and ripening grain. The people are braver and more energetic, their habitations more substantial, and their fields more valuable than those in other parts of Algeria. Gen. Daumas would have France subjugate this country and add it to her African dominions.

M. DE CONCHES, who is well known for his illustrations of early French literature, is an enthusiastic admirer of La Fontaine and he has spent a vast sum in having printed one copy only, and for himself alone, of an edition of his works, illustrated by the first artists of the day, accompanied by notes and prefaces of the most eminent writers, and forming a very miracle of expensive and recherché typography and binding. Dibdin had never so good a subject for his Bibliomania.

JULES SANDEAU, one of the most spirituel and elegant of French romance writers, announced a new novel, Catherine, to appear on the 15th of April.

ANOTHER book on the Fall of Louis Philippe has been published at Paris by M. Francois de Groiseillez. It is in the Orleanist interest, and is praised by the Journal des Débats.

A NEW REVIEW has been established in Paris under the title of La Politique Nouvelle. It comes out as the rival of the Revue des Deux Mondes, and as the champion of the new republican régime (as opposed to the conservative tendencies of the older established Review), offers battle with a promising array of names of future contributors. The department of English criticism is confided to M. Léon de Wailly, author of Stella and Vanessa and the translator of Burns; whose name promises a knowledge and intelligent appreciation of English literature. The first two numbers contain contributions from the brilliant and caustic pen of Eugène Pelletan, and a serial from Madame Charles Reybaud, author of the Cadet de Calobrieres, Helene, &c.

VICTOR HUGO, since the appearance of the last volume of Le Rhin, four or five years ago, has not printed a new book. The proprietor of his copyrights, who had brought out two splendid editions of his complete works, one in twenty-five volumes, and another, illustrated by the best artists of France, in twelve, made a contract with him by which he has been prevented from any original publications. The term is now nearly expired, and it is announced that he will at once issue three voiumes of poetry, and twelve of romances. is now engaged in finishing a novel entitled Misery, which is spoken of by those who have seen portions of it as a magnificent work.

He

M. DE ST. BEUVE, since October, 1849, the literary critic of Le Constitutionnel, a writer who has pushed himself up in the world far ahead of his merits, has published at Paris a volume, Causeries du Lundi (Monday Gossipings), which is no great things. These gossipings are taken from the columns of that journal, where they are regularly published on Mondays, and where we have occasionally had the benefit of seeing them. If they were not written by a member of the French Academy, and an eminent litterateur, we should say they were rather stupid, as far as ideas go, and not very elegant in respect of style.