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While warblin? birds exulting soar
So soft to our Almighty friend—
He every sigh our bosoms pour.”
We have heard Ministers say that their freedom
in the pulpit was much promoted by the music-ser
vices preceding the sermon ; and we are very sure
t [ ia £ an y educated and cultivated preacher must have
],is taste and feelings shocked by the wretched ef
forts at singing which are frequently made in our
Churches. We should suppose they would com
pletely dist ract his mind, and unfit him for the sol
emn duties of bis station.
It seems to us —let us remark cn passant —a great
hindrance to good and effective singing, to have the
hymns “lined,” as it is termed. Not unfrequently
the sense of the stanza is obscured, if not perverted,
bv the suspension of the air ; the melody is invaria
bly marred, and if there bo no instrumental aid, the
hoy is usually depressed, to the great annoyance of
I lie singers. And why must the lines be given out 1
Because, forsooth, some of the congregation are
t , M> —parsimonious —that’s the word—to buy hymn
hooks, to follow the singers. For the preacher’s
sake, this practice should be abandoned ; he should
be preparing his mind for the solemnities of his
message to the people. For the singers’ sake, and
for the sake of sound and sense, it should be aban
doned.
A choir in a village Church is, in our opinion, a
fine qua nc/n to the proper discharge of the duty of
“ praising God with the spirit and the understand
ing also.” A choir will prepare themselves, more
or less, to sing, and the minister will not be afraid
so give out any metre, beside long, short or common,
lest there should be no one able to “ set a tune.”
Opposition, at this day, to cultivated singing in
our temples of worship, is too preposterous to be
treated with respect or consideration. We should
have as much regard for the man who would object
to a grammatical sermon or prayer, as to cultivated,
scientific singing. “Sing ye praises with the un
derstanding.” Where, we ask, is the understand
ing of those vocalisers, who, instead of executing
music secunclem artem, choke it in their bungling
attempts, and make that part of the public worship
of Go;l, which ought to be a pure delight, a failure
and a farce to the refined and intelligent worship
per 1
There are in every community enough respectable
singers to form vocal choirs —and, if they will only
moot for frequent practice, no congregation need be
without good singing on public and social occasions.
There is so much pleasure in sacred vocal music, that
there is rarely any serious difficulty in obtaining
numbers to form and support a choir, where some
one of taste and energy will make the effort. It is
indisputably true, moreover, that wherever there is
a good cho’ ~ lead the singing, there is always a
more general participation in it by the congregation
than where there is no choir. We earnestly recom
mend suggestions to our church-going and
music-loving readers.
The Copyright Question.
We have already expressed our views on the im
portance and necessity of a Law of International
Copyright, and do not design to intrude them again
upon our readers. Our present purpose is to intro
duce to their notice a letter, which we find in our
valued contemporary, the “ Literary World,” ad
dressed by the distinguished John Jay, of England,
to our Representative, lion. Thomas Butler King,
<*ne of the Special Committee of the late Congress,
to whom the Copyright Memorials were referred —
and the report of which committee Congress rose
without hearing. The letter will speak for itself,
and must command the attention of every literary
man who reads it:
“ London, June 26, 1848.
‘‘ My Dear Sir :—l sent you, a week or two since,
printed copies of the Copyright Conventions which
have been entered into between Great Britain and
some of the Continental States.
“ I now beg leave to call your attention to two ar
guments, in favor of International Copyright as an
American measure, which I think have not before
been presented to your committee. The first, re
gards the state of science chiefly in the United States,
end singularly enough escaped me in my examina
tion of the subject. It is this: that by the present
arrangement, there being no copyright for foreign
authors, they have no control at all over their books,
end they cannot suppress one edition to supply a
better. Their works are exclusively controlled by
publishers, whose only object is to make as much
money out of them as possible, and hence old stereo
typed editions are kept in the market to the utter
exclusion of new, revised, and corrected editions.
1 rofessor Lyell. the distinguished Geologist, tells
ine that the editions of his books, and those of many
other modern professors, now circulating in the Uni
ted States, are those first published several years
:, go ; and year after year new editions are vamped
up from the old plates, and bought by our unsus
pecting citizens, as representing the latest discoveries
uud most approved theories, when, perhaps, theso
discoveries have lost their interest before later and
more important ones, and the theories have been
king exploded. This is particularly likely to be the
ease, as Prof. Lyell remarked, with anew and pro
gressive science like geology; but the same remark
applies, in a greater or less degree, to almost all
works, either scientific or historical. Take Alison’s
tiatory of Europe, for instance, of which the author
asjnst prepared anew edition, revised and amend-
©Trias SKI QjUTFBIB&I&'Sr ®ABBTFTfIB,
cd, and in which he has endeavored to correct the
various errors into which he had fallen, and which
had been pointed out in reviews, critiques, and by
private communication. The Chapters on America
were marked by some very grave blunders, which
are probably corrected in the new edition. But this
new edition would be probably never published in
the United States, for the simple reason that the first
has been stereotyped by the Messrs. Harper of New
York, and they will find it more to their interest to
supply cheap editions from the old plates, than to set
up in type the complete work as now amended.
“ Doubtless many similar instances might be found,
but t hese sufficiently illustrate the practical working
of the present system, and show, I think, very con
clusively, that the absence of an International Co
pyright actually tends to the restriction and exclu
sion of truth, and to the extension and perpetuation
of error —after it is known and acknowledged to bo
error. The second point will, I believe, interest
you—as affecting, to a great exte it, and in the most
favorable manner, the American book-trade, by
opening anew market for our publishers.
“By referiing to the British Customs’ Duties
Act 8 and 9 Viet. c. xc . you will find that the gene
ral duty on English books printed abroad is £5 per
cvvt. —and the general duty on foreign books £2 10s,
which materially enhances the cost of American
books in England, and to a great extent prohibits
their exportation from the United States.
“This duty has been modified in regard to all
books from a country between which and Great Bri
tain there exists an International Copyright, by the
Book Duties’ Act of 9 and 10 Viet, c lviii., which
reduces the duty on books originally printed in Eng
land and republished in a country with which there
exists a copyright treaty, to £2 10s , and the duty
on all other books published in a country with which
there is a copyright treaty to jCO 15s. The 15s.
duty, as I am advised by a gentleman connected with
the Board of Trade, is to countervail the excise on
paper, and would be taken off if tlxat duty were re
pealed.
“ I was not aware of the latter act until a day or
two since, and lose no time in calling your attention
to it, as it seems to present a most influential argu
ment to all publishers of America, and indirectly to
all who in any way are concerned in the book trade.
*******
“ I am, Dear Sir, with great regard,
“ Your most faithful servant,
JOHN JAY.
“Hon. T. Butler King, M. C., of Georgia.”
STfje 2Ltterar Scoria.
Plagiarism .—Our esteemed contemporary, ‘ ; The
Literary World,” exposes, in its last issue, some
glaring instances of plagiarism; one of Parke Good
win’s Translation of the Autobiography of Goethe,
which ha:: been reproduced in London in Bohn’s
Standard Library, purporting to be written for that
series by John Oxenford, Esq.; and another, in
which the spirited translation of William Tell, by
Wm. Peter, Esq., H. B M. Consul at Philadelphia,
has been appropriated, with only verbal alterations,
by a Mr. Theodore Martin, a popular writer in
Blackwood, whose piracy has been also incorporated
into Bohn’s Standard Library as original. The
translation of Mr. Peters was made in 1837 —that of
Mr. Martin dates in 1846 —and the versions are al
most identical. Now these are things which we are
sorry to have to tell of the author traternity, but
when a writer is thus caught in flagrante delictu, it
is certainly right to expose him to public shame. —
We sincerely despdse plagiarism, and such cool, im
pudent appropriation of other men’s hard labors is
base and highly reprehensible. It is astonishing to
us that, in this day of free communication with all
parts of the globe, there can be found men rash
enough to pilfer others’ ideas by the wholesale.
Yet so it is—the more’s the pity.
General Gleanings. —Macauley’s History of
England is announced for early publication in Lon
don, and by the new year this latest of that gifted
writer’s works will probably be in the hands of his
cis-atlantic admirers.
Alison, the brilliant English Historian, is prepar
ing a continuation of his History of Europe to the
time of the Bourbon Restoration, embracing a period
of 26 years.
At the late Commencement of Harvard Universi
ty, fifty-nine young gentlemen were graduated with
the degree of A. B. The honorary degree of Doctor
of Laws was conferred upon the popular Historian,
Henry Ilallam, Esq., of London.
Cooper's New Novel, entitled “ The Oak Open
ings,” has been issued by Burgess, Stringer & Cos.
It is said by some to be worthy of his early fame.
We have received a copy, and shall notice it shortly.
W. Gilmore Simms, Esq., sailed for New York in
the last steamer from Charleston. lie has ready for
press a Biography of Gen. Greene, and is now enga
ged on a semi-romantic History, to be entitled “ The
Huguenots in Florida.”
Mrs. E. F. Ellet’s work, on the Women of the
American Revolution, has been issued by Baker &
Scribner, in two volumes, illustrated with portraits.
It will be eagerly sought after.
Burgess, Stringer & Cos , have in press a work on
the “ Field Sports of the United States and British
Provinces of America,” by Frank Forrester ; from
the sheets of which the Liiterary World is giving
pleasant chapters.
The great work on “ Ancient Monuments of the
Mississippi Va. n ey,” by Messrs. Squier & Davis — a
notice of which we gave in No. 6—has just been
published by Bartlett & Welford. Price, $lO 00.
©ur ©osstp tfoltinriu
In publishing, this week, the letter of our medical
friend “ Bayard,” we beg leave to disavow any in
tention of throwing ridicule upon the claims of
Homeopathy to the public confidence. Several near
and dear friends of ours are firm believers in tho
principles and practice of the followers of Hahne
mann —and “we have seen with our eyes” instances
of successful homeopathic treatment in dangerous
illness, that came pretty nigh making us converts
to tho new system. We confess, moreover, to a con
siderable liking to the “ materia modioa” of our
homeopathic friends —if for no other reason, that it
is administered with such a delightful economy, and
in such a pleasant guise. Who can indulge an an
tipathy to the little sugar-coated pills that remind
one so much of the “thousands” of boyhood —those
tiny sugar-plums, of which a thimble full never
failed to make us happy for an hour 1 Not we, cer
tainly. We never liked medicine, and we arc- get
ting “ more so” every day. Our prejudices, then,
are all in of “infinitesimal doses.” At the
same time, we are occasionally staggered at the doc
trines of the Ilahncmanians, and especially that
which imputes such sanitary efficacy or “ tremen
dous potency,” as it is termed, to the octillionth and
even decilhonth part of a grain—infinitely diluted !
Black, in his treatise on Homeopathy, assumes that
by trituration, the superficies of a medicine is in
creased in such a ratio, that a cubic inch of any
drug at the third trituration will become equal to
two square miles, and at the ninth, to the united su
perfices of the sun, moon and planets! During this
trituration, the latent power of the drug is devel
oped. Setting aside all these wonderful mathema
tical views, we have quite a regard forthe intelligent
practitioner on the “small dose” principle. We
hope, however, that some of our homeopathic rea
ders will treat our friend “Bayard” to a “small
dose,” if they fancy they can do him any good
thereby, or promote their favorite theory. Our col
umns are open to the pros , as well as the cons, so
long as we can find such disputants as “ Bayard,”
from whom we hope to hear on other subjects
These arc kind words and encouraging, dear reader,
that we quote from the letter of a friendly corres
pondent, personally unknown to us, but who has re
mitted us the money for nine copies of the “ Ga
zette.” We rejoice to believe that many others
think as lie does, and we hope some may be influ
enced to go and do likewise. “The ‘Gazette’is
worthy of the prompt payment of the small sub
scription price; and he is certainly forgetful of him
self, or incapable of appreciating its many excellen
cies, who does not at once remit the amount. —
Your paper has, with each successive number,
gone from good to better. In other words, it is
‘progressive in its tendencies,’ like every thing a
round us. * * * May it still progress, increasing in
its circulation and usefulness —cultivating and fos
tering literary taste and talent in the South, until it
shall be recognized by the whole South as the vehi
cle and organ of our literature.” Our whole heart
thanks our esteemed friend. He is, indeed, “ one
|in a thousand.” Such tokens of good-will are in
estimably grateful to us, and we have personal friends
in numbers who could easily emulate this generous
example, if they would but try. Who will lay us
under a similar obligation! Dear friends —who!
.... We trust we shall bo pardoned for quoting
from another letter just received, a passage relating
to the “ vindication” published in our Journal of
the 9th inst.: “ Allow me to say, en passant , that
the Reverend gentleman, of whom you speak, in
your last number, as objecting to your paper,
because it may exert an unwholesome influence up
on his children, or upon any one else, is mistaken.
I have noticed with pleasure the high-toned morali
ty and gentlemanly honor of the Gazette, ab initio ;
and have spoken to several about these things, ap
plying to your Journal the epiihet delicate, &c.”
We trust ever to maintain the Gazette in its purity
and delicacy, and to make it useful as well as enter
taining Punch, of the 2nd instant, has
two admirable caricature-plates of full page size.
One represents “ Punch telling the members to go
about their business.” The little old gentleman is
in a furious rage, and the members’ countenances —
many of them sufficiently striking portraits ’--ex
press every conceivable emotion. The other picture
is of “A Physical Force Chartist arming for the
fight,” and a more comical picture wc have rarely
seen. Imagine a gaunt looking figure, with starting
eyes and fierce whiskers. Upon his head, for a hel
met, is a huge coal-scuttle, with the handle brought
down under the chin ; in his right hand a blunder
buss without a flint; around his waist, for a shield,
his wife is intent on strapping a huge dish-cover —
while, between his legs, hangs a huge sword trailing
on the floor! Vive la satire! Punch, in illustra
ting “Author’s Miseries, No. 1,” says, “Perhapis
you flatter yourself that you have made an impres
sion on Miss Flannigan—at Worthing— and yon
find her asleep over your favorite number /” The
old gentleman thinks that Meagher’s sword is a very
harmless blade after all, since all the use to which
the owner put it was to cut —his stick !...„“ The
Cabinet & Atheneum,” a capital family paper, by
the way, published at Boston, gives —but wheth
er as original or copied, we “eannot tell”—the fol
lowing Ilibernicism upon the late Eclipse of tlie
Moon: “During the night of the 12th inslant, there
ipas a —so called—total Eclipse of the Moon, which
will be visible throughout the United States. At
Boston it took place as follows,” &c. This must l e
a traveling show, proceeding deliberately over the
country. We will thank the Cabinet to enlighten
us as to when it will be visible in these parts! . .
. . Here is another sample of the “outworking*”
of our Conundrum Machine, for which we are now
prepared to sell Stato or County “rights” on very
reasonable terms. It is proper to say that we acci
dentally dropped our purse into the Machine while
it was in operation, which will account for the fiscal
character of some of the Cons, and we hope will si!-
so give them currency:
Why is a panic in the city like a fog at sea !
Because it causes a run on the banks.
Why is an antiquarian like the treasurer of the
mint!
Because he determines the amount of coin-age.
Why Is a notary like a singing-master !
Because he protests bad notes.
Why is a penniless person like a fool !
Because he has no cents, [sense.]
Why is an insolvent merchant like an unknown
character !
Because he is not notable, [note able.]
Why is a young girl just entered school like the
new moon!
Because she is in lier first quarter.
<Eljc American JJHotrtfjlw sJrcss.
The Gentleman’s Magazine, Cincinnati, Ohio.
The August number of this handsome monthly
lia3 reached us, and wo hope the Publishers will ob
lige us by sending tho two previous issues, as we
shall certainly preserve the work with care. A
Western Monthly of high character, both iu Art
and Literature, is so rare as to occasion more than
common interest in the present effort to establish
such an one.
It would be small praise to say of the Gentleman's
Magazine that it deserves support. It has peculiar
claims upon the patronage of the public, as an organ
of literature in that, section of our vast territory
which will shortly be its grand centre.
Apart from its position, its merits are not merely
negative, but decided; and we think the number
before us will compare favorably with many older
works. Wo notice among the contributors a triad
of sisters —the Misses Carey—all of whom exhibit a
poetic spirit. The Rev. E. L. Magoon is one of its
ablest contributors. We notice, also, the popular
name of Anne P. Dinnies, a gifted daughter of our
sister State, South Carolina. The Editors, Messrs.
J. M. Sanders and John M. Huntingdon, exhibit,
good taste and critical acumen in their Editorial and
Review Departments.
The number is .embellished wit h a superior steel
engraving, representing a Bamboo Aqueduct—a de
lightful picture.
This able and original Magazine can bo had at
$2 50 in advance, and it is richly worth it.
The Southern Literary Messenger for Sept.
The number for the current month opens with an
Historical View of the Languages of Europe, in
which the author very ably traces the rise and pro
gress of the English tongue. Lieut. Maury contri
butes a valuable article on the “Dead Sea Expedi
tion ;” and the Memorials of the Earl of Finwatcr
are quite agreeable. We observe the first chapters
of anew story, by P. P. Cooke, Esq., entitled
“The Gregories of Hackwood.” Mr. Poe contri
butes a very flattering Review of the Poems of Mrs.
Lewis, favorably known by her “Records of the
Heart.”
We should like to see more from the pen of the
Editor, and we really regret that he suffers himself
to be crowded into, and almost out of, a comer by
liis contributors. Again and again do we commend
the Messenger to the people of the South. Itrichly
merits their most generous support.
©ur 3Soofe Stable.
Gowrie, or the King’s Plot. New York: Harper
& Brothers.
We do not think Mr. James the most brilliant
writer of fiction now living, but, from some cause or
other, he is among the most successful. His versa
tility is not less surprising than his fecundity, and
yet all of his books are readable, nay, interesting.
He moralizes agreeably ; and, if he never startles
you by the power of his genius, he never offends you
by coarseness, improbability, or absolute nonsense.
The present story, or, as some would-be-critics are
fond of saying, the present version of his story is
fully equal to his former works. The scene is laid in
Scotland in the time of James Vlth, and the princi
pal characters are the Monarch, Earl Gowrie, his
brother Ruthven, and the heroine Jufia.
We wish all the fictions of the day were as ha*n
less and as agreeable as those of Mr. James.
I
159