purpose of giving genius that direct reward which they well knew was necessary to its sustenance. When this is done, fairly and fully, we shall have less complaint about the degradation of the drama, and the meagre talents of actors. NATIONAL. Mr. James Wallack, the new manager of this || their seats in the theatre during the last contury for the express theatre, returned a few days since from a visit to Europe, made especially for the purpose of engaging performers. Mr. Wallack has succeeded in inducing many to cross the Atlantic who had heretofore entertained great horror for such a long voyage. Mr. Macready will not visit America this year; he has become the lessee of the Covent Garden. Miss Sheriff and Mr. Wilson BROADWAY THEATRE.-The building known as the Euterpean Hall has been converted, within a few weeks, into a neat and tasteful little theatre. The distinguished and unquestionable talents of Miss Louisa H. Medina, are secured to sustain the reputation of the establishment in a continual succession of new and magnificent pieces. The preparations thus far appear spirited and on an extensive scale. The decorations of the interior are in character with the smallness of the house, and we hope the responsible persons under whose direction the theatre is opened may not have cause to regret the experiment. W. W. S. Mrs. Gibbs. This distinguished vocalist has lately arrived in this city from a visit to the western section of the state, and the springs. In the absence of Mrs. Wood, this lady is without a rival, and we have no hesitation in pronouncing her the first singer in America. Wherever she displayed her powers, the voice of praise has been loud and fervent, and the critics of Albany where she recently sang, say, that she is the only vocalist worthy to assume the vacated throne of Malibran. Our distant contemporaries, more especially the press of Massachusetts (the critic state) and the South, have breathed warm praises, and having ourselves had the pleasure of hearing her, we of course, cheerfully concur in all they have said. If we were called upon to give a name to this lady's style, we would term it the sweet, rather than the commanding. Her ballad airs are beautiful and touching, yet her performance of Cinderella proves that she has the skill to appreciate and direct a higher order of harmony. At Buffalo she brought out the opera of Cinderella under her own immediate direction, and with decided success, if full houses and repeated plaudits may be taken as evidence. She is now in our city, and our managers know their interests too well to suffer such an opportunity to escape them, of We learn that it is her intention to embark for Europe shortly, but we trust, as Mrs. Wood is not coming, that every inducement may be laid before Mrs. Gibbs to prevent her leaving us. THE OLYMPIC.-This house will be open before our next. It is small, but quite large enough to prove a fortune to the pro-securing this "bright, particular star" in the musical horizon. prietors, if it is even only half filled through the season. It will, from present indications, be very complete and elegant;-a pleasant lounge for the fashionables of Upper Broadway, who may fancy themselves in a beautiful boudoir, rather than a theatre. They will be near enough to the stage to hear and see with ease. H. P. Applause at the Theatre.-A philosophical friend has prepared us the following remarks on the coldness of the audiences of our theatres, and their apparent backwardness in extending applause to stock performers, when it is richly merited. We heartily concur with the writer in every particular, and cheerfully give publicity to his communication. It is a frequent remark that the audiences of our theatres display a strange coldness even during the progress of some of the best exhibitions of histrionic talent; that the best efforts of the vocalist are answered with an apathy, which, if not chilling, is far from cheering. The remark is true, though it must not be supposed to imply that our people do not feel. We are a calculating, meditative people, guided by maxims and rules to a considerable degree; and have, even in our amusements, allowed our general habits to influence us. All this has contributed to make us indifferent to do justice to many of the excellent performances which we witness. We feel that we must not extend applause to an actor, unless fashion abroad sanctions, or general sentiment at home sustains us. Hence our stock actors become tame and frigid, after they have been on the stage a few years; they fail, not on account of any want of power or knowledge in their profession, for of course they have been growing with their growth, but rather because that stimulus which they at first received-applause, is taken away; a stimulus, which ought to be as lavishly bestowed as good taste will permit. We are manifestly unjust to our actors, when we take our place before them, with the assurance indicated in our habits that we expect them to play to the extent of their powers without any assistance from us. Is it to be supposed that any man would take much pains to impersonate before a multitude of statues or mummies? Precisely similar is the situation of him who has been on our stage for a year. He receives no applause for his efforts-he must be contended without, and allow the star that rules ascendant to receive what little the audience may have to spare. If the business of star-building is to be lessened in any way, it must be by an earnest disposal of our palms whenever stock actors merit applause; it must be through a watchfulness on our part to detect good playing. We know not yet the capabilities of any actor in our city. Why should we not, then, do our part of duty, and give each and all a fair trial? Let us remember those staunch leaders in taste and letters who took W. W. S. Crichton.-A drama by this name, founded on Ainsworth's novel, has been produced at the Walnut street theatre, Philadelphia, with decided success. The critics speak well of it, and in the absence of all direct knowledge of its dramatic merits we must receive their opinion as our guide. The novel abounds in scenic incidents, and if the author has only adhered to the text he could not fail to make a striking and effective drama. Our valued poetical correspondent, E. Burke Fisher, furnished an opening address, which we transfer to our pages as being most unique and ingenious. It was recited by Messrs. Wemyss and J. G. Porter, as Author and Critic. Critic. I tell you, sir, your play will damn itself. Author. Should this prove true, I'll range it on the shelf Critic. I have before informed you what I meant. Author. (Coming forward.) Gramercy, friend, The author greets you! Patrons of the stage! That Crichton may not hope your smiles to share- No welcome guest am I within the shades, To" Bird," "Smith," "Conrad," "Brown," to you well known, NIBLO'S GARDEN. Niblo, the indefatigable conductor of this garden, continues with great ardor and zeal to produce every attraction for the amusement of the frequenters of the garden. The Vaudevilles are the principal feature. Several new ones have been produced since our last number, translated by Mr. Jonas B. Phillips and Mr. T. Bishop, the vocalist; and they have succeeded most deservedly. The Concerts, which were last summer so very fashionable, have gone into a decline; notwithstanding, we would particularly notice a new debutanté in the person of Mrs. Earle, from the Nobilites Concerts, London. It appears she received her musical education from the celebrated Signor di Begnis, who, from all indications, bestowed much care upon his pupil. Mrs. Earle's voice is clear, but appears at first somewhat harsh, from the length of time she has been out of practice, which apparent defect is, however, entirely removed on becoming familiar with her singing. Mrs. Watson is as much admired as ever; and she continues a decided favorite, if we may infer from her benefit, a few nights since, when all the avenues leading to the saloon were crowded as well as that centre of attraction itself. Mr. T. Bishop, whose delightful singing has won for him the admiration of all who His have witnessed his efforts, seems to improve nightly. enunciation is more distinct and rich every successive time we hear him. Mr. Bishop is warmly esteemed by all who are acquainted with him, no less so from his suavity of manners than from the skill which he displays in his profession. Clara Fisher's acting has lost none of its archness--although we forget the charming, fragile girl in the full grown, handsome wo man. The performances of the astonishing Ravel Family are new and varied. With such an array of novelty is it to be wondered that Niblo's Garden is thronged nightly with the beauty and fashion of the city. Mr. Jonas B. Phillips, the author of the greater portion of the new vaudevilles produced at this garden, during the present season, is a writer of no common order. His delineations of character are graphic and powerful, while his translations appear to be faithful and true to the nation from whence they emanate. Mr. Phillips has commenced and completed no less than a dozen pieces, within the almost incredible short period of two months. There is scarcely another young writer among us, who is as studious and quick as Mr. Phillips, and it is a matter of no little surprise that he should be so enviously looked upon by those toiling up the same steep ascent with himself. Mr. Phillips possesses rare talent, which, if cherished and warmed in the budding, will yet expand forth into one of the mighty THE only issue from the New-York press during the past month, in the shape of a book, is the "Cruise of the Midge," by the author of "Tom Cringle's Log," published by George Dearborn & Co. It is handsomely printed on clear white paper, and will, we predict, be seized upon with avidity, inasmuch as it is the only new work published for a length of time. The Harpers' have in press another edition of John L. Stephens' work of "Travels in Egypt, Arabia, Petræa and the Holy Land." The demand for this work has been very great, so much so, that there is scarcely a copy to be obtained at the book stores. Isaac C. Pray, Jr., of Boston, is about sending forth to the world another volume of his fugitive poems. Mr. Pray is an agreeable and pretty writer. Mercantile Library Association.-We believe it is generally known that this association is composed of the clerks attached to the mercantile houses of the city of New-York. The library is one of the most extensive in the Union, as it comprises rising ten thousand works. Independent of the facilities offered through the medium of a reading-room and library, lectures are delivered during the fall and winter months, by such gentlemen as are deemed by the managers best calculated to promote the interests of the association, and instil into the minds of its members that purity and honorable course of conduct so essential to every young man on the eve of embarking in business. These lectures have, with a few exceptions, been delivered. by eastern gentlemen, while those of our own city and state have been treated with total indifference. We do not mention this fact in a spirit of envy-on the contrary, we have ever highly esteemed such men as Everett, Ingersoll, Adams, &c.; but we are at a loss to conceive why the managers of the Mercantile Library Association should not extend the same liberal offers to Irving, Halleck Paulding, Verplanck, Segdwick, Cooper, and Granger, as to those of a section whose interest is entirely remote from that of New-York. The present clerks should be looked upon as the future mercantile men of this great commercial metropolis; and as such they should certainly be influenced by the advice of those of their own state This is a fruitful theme and we shall recur to it again in some future number. Original. SONNET. BY RUFUS W. GRISWOLD. W. W. S. "It seems but yesterday," said Dacre," that we played our childish games together. Now lie they in that tomb, and no memorial reminds those who are left, that such men ever lived. Indeed, we do 'fade as a leaf.'" HERE were they born, where now their ashes lie, At morn they bud, and at meridian bloom, They sleep neglected in the mouldering tomb. They rise, like shadows, on time's tossing wave, They float like bubbles, on her troubled stream, And then they sink into oblivion's grave, Their lives are fleeting as a summer's dream. And all are gone-the evil and the justEarth unto earth returns, and dust goes back to dust. TRIFLES TO SMILE AT. a hot iron, which is a common remedy in this country. MINUTE descriptions of the external appearance of noThis done, the mule was turned out and went into a field ted men are much desired by the world; but we ques- of barley. Some spark was attached to the hoof, tion if in any country, except one it could have occurred and set fire to the corn, which was consumed. The that the weight of great men was a point of importance. || proprietors of the barley applied to the sheik for justice; In the Salem Gazette of August 19, 1783, the weights of the principal American revolutionary commanders were given, as weighed in the scales at West Point;", the following is the list as there published:-General Washington, 209 lbs; General Lincoln, 224; General Knox, 280; General Huntington, 132; General Greaton, 166; Colonel Swift, 219; Colonel Michael Jackson, 252; Colonel Henry Jackson, 238; Lieutenant Colonel Huntington, 232; Lieutenant Colonel Cobb, 182; Licutenant Colonel Humphreys, 221. The average, 214 lbs, may be considered high. and A, B, C, and D, the owners of the mule, were summoned to appear. The sheik, finding the leg which caused the parley to be burned belonged to D, ordered him to pay the value of the barley. D expostulated, and maintained that he had no right to pay: for, if it had not been for A, B, and C's, portions of the mule, the barley would have remained, "How so?" replied the sheik. "Because," quoth D," the leg which belongs to me cannot touch the ground; but it was brought to the corn-field by the legs of A, B, and C, which were the efficient cause of the ignition of the barley." The sheik reversed his decree, and ordered A, B, and C, to pay the damage, and D, got off without expense. A sportsman coursing lost a hare, and hastily accosted "A hare sir?" Yes, fool." "What, a hare, sir?" "What, a thing that runs fast, with long ears?" At Kubberpore na Jeal, in India, there is a cannon two hundred and thirteen inches long, sixty-six inches round the muzzle, and eighteen inches round the calibre. It has five, and had originally six equidistant rings, by a shepherd boy-" Boy, did you see a hare run by which it was lifted up. This gun is called by the na-here?" tives Jaun Kushall, or the destroyer of life, and its casting and position are attributed to the doetas or divinities, though its almost obliterated Persian inscriptions declare its formation by human means. But what is most extraordinary about it is, that two peepul trees have grown both cannon and carriage into themselves. Fragments of the iron, a spring, one of the linches, and part of the woodwork, protrude from between the roots and bodies of these trees, but the trees alone entirely support the gun, one of the rings of which, and half of its whole length, are completely hid between and inside their bark and trunks. A more curious sight, or a cannon more firmly fixed, though by the mere gradual growth of two trees, cannot well be imagined. The Indians assert that it was only once fired, and sent the ball twenty-two of these cities equal in size and population, and four miles!!-Asiatic Journal. "That go loppety, loppety, lop?" "Ah, then," said the boy," I didn't see it." Huber thus describes, in Homeric style, that burlesque of human warfare, a battle of ants:-Figure to yourself situated about a hundred paces from each other; observe A traveller once showed Lavater, the physiognomist, their countless numbers equal to the population of two two portraits; the one of a highwayman who had been mighty empires. The whole space which separate them, broken upon the wheel, the other was the portrait of Kant, for the breadth of twenty-four inches, appears alive with the philosopher: he was desired to distinguish between prodigious crowds of their inhabitants. Thousands of them. Lavater took up that of the robber: after at- champions, mounted on more elevated spots, engage in tentively considering it for some time," here," said he, single combat, and seize each other with their powerful "we have the true philosopher; here is penetration in jaws; a still greater number are engaged on both sides the eye, and reflection in the forehead; here is cause, in taking prisoners, who make vain efforts to escape, and there is effect; here is combination, there is distinc- conscious of the cruel fate which awaits them when arrition; synthetic lips! and analytic nose." Then turning ved at the hostile formicary. The spot where the batto the portrait of the philosopher, he exclaimed," the tle most rages, is about two or three square feet in dicalm thinking villain is so well expressed, and so strong-mensions; a penetrating odour exhales on all sides; numly marked in his countenance, that it needs no com- bers of ants are lying dead, covered with venom; others, This anecdote Kant used to tell with great glee. || composing groups and chains, are hooked together by The province of Ait, in Lower Suse, Africa, is considered as an independent province, and it pays no tribute. They have a great dislike to kadies, talbs, and attorneys, alleging that they only increase disputes between man and man, which is not at all necessary; all disputes are therefore decided by the sheik, who is not a logical wrangler, but decides according to the simplest manner. The following decree of their sheik is on record:"Four men who for elucidation, we will call A, B, C, and D, conjointly bought a mule; each claimed a leg. || D's leg was the off hind one. In a few days this leg began to swell it was agreed to cure it by burning it with ment. their legs or jaws, and drag each other alternately in contrary directions. These groups are formed gradually. At first, a pair of combatants seize each other, and, rearing upon their hind legs, mutually spirt their acid; then closing, they fall and wrestle in the dust. Again recovering their feet, each endeavors to drag off his antagonist: if their strength be equal, they remain immoveable, till the arrival of a third gives one the advantage. Both, however, are often succored at the same time, and the battle still continues undecided; others take part on each side, till chains are formed of six, eight, or sometimes ten, all hooked together, and struggling pertina ciously for the mastery: the equilibrium remains unbroken, till a number of champions from the same hive arriving at once, compel them to let go their hold, and the single combatants recommence. At the approach of night,|| each party gradually retreats to its own city; but before the following dawn, the combat is renewed with redoubled fury, and occupies a greater extent of ground. These daily fights continue till violent rains separating the combatants, they forget their quarrel, and peace is restored. There was once in a certain part of India such a voluminous library, that a thousand camels were requisite for its tranport, and an hundred Brahmins had to be paid for the care. The king felt no inclination to wade through all this heap of learning himself, and ordered his well fed librarians to furnish him with an extract for his private use. They set to work and in about twenty year's time they produced a nice little Encyclopædia, which might have been easily carried by thirty camels. But the monarch found it still too large, and had not even patience enough to read the preface. The indefatigable Brahmins began therefore afresh, and reduced the thirty cargoes into so small a substance, that a single ass march ed away with it in comfort: but the kingly dislike for reading had increased with age, and his servants wrote at last on a palm leaf," The quintessence of all science consists in the little word, PERHAPS! Three expressions contain the history of mankind: they were born: they suffered; and they died. Love only what is good, and practice what you love. Believe only what is true, but do not mention all that which you believe." were baked, the bran was taken out, a hole was cut in the bottom, and live birds put into one, and live frogs into the other, and the holes closed up with paste; then the lids were cut neatly up, so that they might be easily taken off by the funnels, and adorned with gilded laurels. These being thus prepared, and placed in order on the table. First of all one of the ladies is persuaded to draw the arrow out of the body of the stag, which being done, the red wine issues out like the blood out of a wound, and causes some small admiration in the spectators; which being over, after a little pause, all the guns on one side of the castle are, by a train, discharged against the ship, and afterwards the guns of one side of the ship against the castle; then having turned the chargers, the other sides fired off, as in battle; this causing a great smell of powder, the ladies or gentlemen take up the egg-shells of perfumed water and throw them at one another. This pleasant disorder being pretty well laughed over, and the two great pies still remaining untouched, some one will have the curiosity to see what was in them, and lifting off the lid of one pie, out jump the frogs; this makes the ladies skip and scamper; and lifting up the lid of the other, out fly the birds, which, will naturally fly to the light, and so put out the candles, and with the leaping of the frogs below, and flying of the birds above, it caused a surprising and diverting hurly-burly amongst the guests in the dark; after which the candles being lighted, the banquet was brought in, the music sounded, and the particulars of each person's surprise and adventures furnished matters for diverting discourse. The modes of living among the Chinese are very different according to the rank and wealth of the people; but the extremes of luxury and misery are nowhere more ludicrously contrasted. Those who can afford to purchase rare and expensive delicacies grudge no cost for them, as is proved by the price paid for edible bird's nests (glutinous compositions, formed by a kind of swallow, in vast clusters, found in caves in the Nicobar and other islands,) five thousand dollars being sometimes given for a picul, weighing one hundred and thirty-three pounds three-quarters. In the streets, multitudes of men are employed in preparing these for sale, with a pair of twee In former days, when good housekeeping was in fashion amongst the English nobility, they used either to begin or conclude their entertainments, and divert their guests with such pretty devices as the following, namely: with a castle made of pasteboard, with gates, drawbridges, battlements, and portcullises, all done over with paste. This was set upon the table in a large charger, with salt laid round about it, as if it were the ground, in which were stuck egg-shells full of rose and other sweet waters, the meat of the egg having been taken out with a large pin: upon the battlements of the castle were plan-zers plucking from them every hair, or fibre of feather, ted guns made of kexes, covered over with paste, made into the form of cannons, and made to look like brass by covering them with Dutch leaf gold; these cannons being charged with powder, and trains laid, so that you might fire as many of them as you pleased at one touch. The castle was set at one end of the table; then in the middle of the table they would set a stag, made in paste, but hollow, and filled with red wine, and a broad arrow stuck in the side of him; this being also set in a large charger, with a ground made of salt, and egg-shells of perfumed waters stuck in it as before; then at the other end of the table they would have the form of a ship, made in pasteboard, and covered over with paste, with masts, sails, flags, and streamers, and guns made of kexes, and covered with paste and charged with gunpowder, with a train as in the castle; this also in a larger char-en, he is grievouly annoyed in a morning by the noises of ger, set upright in, as it were, a sea of salt, in which were stuck egg-shells full of perfumed waters; then betwixt the stag and castle, and stag and ship, were placed two pies, made of coarse paste, filled with bran, and washed over with saffron and yolks of eggs: when these or extraneous matter; and, at the same time, carefully preserving the form of the nests, by pushing through them very slender slips of bamboo. Shark's fins are highly prized, and when well dried, they fetch a great price. The beche-de-lamer (a horrid looking black seaslug,) brought from the Pacific Islands, is also exceedingly esteemed by Chinese epicures. But while the rich fare thus sumptuously, the mass of the poor subsist on the veriest garbage. The heads of fowls, their entrails, their feet, with every scrap of digestible animal matter; earth-worms, sea-reptiles of all kinds, rats, and other vermin, are greedily devoured. We have noticed lots of black frogs, in half dozens, tied together, exposed for sale in shallow troughs of water. A lodger in our hotel complained that his bedroom being over the kitch dogs and cats, which are slaughtering below for the day's consumption-but not at our table. Not a bone nor a green leaf is ever seen in the streets; some use or other is found for every thing that would be refuse elsewhere Missionary Voyages. |