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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