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POETRY.

This day, when Granta hails her chosen Lord
And proud of her award,
Confiding in that star serene,

Welcomes the Consort of a happy Queen.

AIR-Contralto.

Prince, in these collegiate bowers,

Where science, leagued with holier truth,
Guards the sacred heart of youth,
Solemn monitors are ours.

These reverend aisles, these hallowed towers
Raised by many a hand august,
Are haunted by majestic powers,
The memories of the wise and just,

Who, faithful to a pious trust,
Here in the founder's spirit sought

To mould and stamp the ore of thought
In that bold form and impress high,
That best betoken patriot loyalty.

Not in vain those sages taught.-
True disciples, good as great,

Have pondered here, their country's weal,
Weighed the future by the past,
Learned how social frames may last,
And how a land may rule its fate
By constancy inviolate,

Though worlds to their foundations reel The sport of factious hate, or godless zeal.

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THE YELLOW LEAF.

HENRY J. JONES.

THE yellow leaf!-the yellow leaf!
Hath shed upon the woods again,
A radiance beautiful, but brief,—

A seeming glory, though a stain !
And lo! what tints of roseate blush
Amid the clustering foliage glow,
As if, on every tree and bush,

Another Spring were lighting now!
Ah! trust not that alluring hue!

The bloom on Autumn's fading wreath
Is but a hectic flush-too true-
The herald of decay and death!
The spoiler thus permits, awhile,

On beauty's cheek the rose to glow,
But plies, beneath the insidious guile,

With treacherous stealth the work of woe! The yellow leaf! the fading leaf!

In brightness clad, but frail as fair, Proclaims a tale of seasons brief,

And bids thee, thoughtless MAN, prepare!

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Association of the King and Queen's

IN IRELAND.

Royal Irish Academy,

College of Physicians,

1816

Royal Zoological Society of Ire

land,

1831

Geological Society of Dublin,¡

1832

Institution of Civil Engineers of

Ireland,

1835

Association of Graduates in Medicine (T. C. D.)

1837

Natural History Society, Dublin, 1838
Royal Institute of the Architects

of Ireland,

1839

Microscopical Society, Dublin, 1840
Dublin University Philosophical

Society,

1842

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Cloud upon cloud, with dark and deepening mass,
Roll o'er the blackened waters; the deep roar
Of distant thunder mutters awfully;

Tempest unfolds his pinions o'er the gloom

That shrouds the boiling surge; the pitiless fiend
With all his winds and lightnings tracks his prey,
The torn deep yawns-the vessel finds a grave
Beneath its jagged jaws.'

"I arrived at Pisa some hours later than I could have wished, for Lord Byron and Leigh Hunt and Trelawney had been engaged since the morning in burying Shelley's remains. The history of the funeral pyre has been so much misrepresented, that I shall premise it with a few observations. Fourteen days elapsed between the loss of the schooner and the finding of the corpses of my friends, and neither of them were in a state to be removed to consecrated ground; but an obstacle to such removal under any circumstance, was, that by the quarantine laws, their friends were not per. mitted to have possession of their relics. The laws with respect to everything cast on land by the sea, being, that it must be burned, in order to prevent the possibility of any remnant bringing the plague into Italy.

"A consultation took place between Byron, Hunt, and Trelawney, on this subject. It had not only been the oft-repeated wish of Shelley to be buried at Rome, and there rejoin his favorite child William, who lay there, but he had left it as a sacred charge to Lord Byron, whom he had appointed as executor to his will, to fulfil this office of friendship for him. Even had the state of Shelley's corse admitted of being transported to Rome, they were assured by the authorities that no representation of theirs would have altered the law; and were it not for the kind and unwearied exertions of Mr. Dawkins, chargé d'affaires at Florence, permission would not have been gained for Mrs. Shelley to receive the ashes, after they had been consumed. I say, I arrived at Pisa too late. True to his engagement, Byron and his friends had gone that day to perform the singular and pious duty of watching his funeral pyre, in order that the ashes might be sent to the English cemetery at Rome. They came to a spot marked by an old withered pine tree, and near it, on the beach, stood a solitary ruined hut, covered with thatch. The place was well chosen for a poet's grave. Some few weeks before, I had ridden with Shelley and Byron to the very spot, which I have since visited in sad pilgrimage. Before them lay a wide expanse of the blue Mediterranean, with the islands of Elba and Gorgona visible in front; Lord Byron's yacht, the Bolivar, riding at anchor at some distance in the offing. On the other side appeared an almost illimitable sandy wilderness, and uninhabitable, only broken here and there by stunted shrubs, twisted by the sea-breeze, and stunted by the barrenness and drought of the ground in which they strove to grow. At equi-distance, along the coast, rose high square towers, for the double purpose of protecting the coast from smugglers, and enforcing the quarantine regulations. "At Spezzia, the people of the place told me This view was completed by a range of the far off where the bodies of my friends had been cast on Italian Alps, that from their many folded and volshore: they had been thrown on the beach, not to- canic character, as well as from their marble sumgether, but several miles apart, and the English mits, gave them the appearance of glittering snow; boy's five miles from that of Shelley. The follow-to finish the picture, and as a foreground, was ing verses, written in his eighteenth year, recurred placed a remarkable group. to me, which seem entirely out of place where they "Lord Byron, with some soldiers of the coast

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guard, stood about the burning pyre, and Leigh'cure and reward the best exertions of such musiHunt, whose feelings and nerves could not carry cians as Handel, Haydn, Beethoven, Weber. More him through the scene of horror, lying back in the recently, the noble public of our common people carriage; the four post-horses panting with the has shown itself rich enough in the enlightenment, heat of the noonday sun, and the fierceness of the association, and the means of remunerating genius fire. The solemness of the whole ceremony was and talent of the first order, to tempt to its great the more felt by the shrieks of a solitary curlew, meetings Mendelssohn and Spohr: and this, not as which, perhaps attracted by the corpse, wheeled in almsgivers, but as guests, giving and receiving narrow circles round the pile, so narrow that it honor. might have been struck with the hand. The bird It becomes us, then,-taking advantage of Dr. was so fearless, that it could not have been driven Spohr's presence among us,-to offer our mite of reaway. I am indebted to one of the party present cord and welcome to a distinguished man. With for the interesting particulars of this scene, but regard to his life there is not very much to tell;— must add to it Leigh Hunt's account. He says-happy and rare circumstance in an art whose exhi'The weather was beautifully fine. The Mediter- biting Professors are, possibly, more subject to ranean, now soft and liquid, kissed the shore, as if fevers, vicissitudes,-to excitement in youth and to make peace with it. The yellow sand and blue vapidity in age, than any other class of persons, desky entirely contrasted with one another, marble voted to imaginative pursuits and pleasures! Our mountains touched the air with coolness, and the guest was born, some sixty-four years since, at Saeflame of the fire bore towards Heaven its vigorous sen, in Brunswick; the son of a physician. He amplitude, waving and quivering with the bright- early showed signs of musical genius; a violin was ness of inconceivable beauty. It seemed as if it put into his hands, and he was placed under one contained the glassy essence of volatility. One Maucourt, who will be best remembered as his might have expected a sun-bright countenance to master, By the time that he was twelve years old, look out of it, coming once more before it departed, he was fit to play a Concerto at a Court, whose to thank the friends who had done their duty."

Duke knew what good violin playing was. Before "I have understood that Leigh Hunt was much he was fifteen, his particular vein in composition offended at the account above given respecting the had developed itself. The fine Quartett, op. 4,carriage, but why I am at a loss to guess. To which was performed by the Beethoven Society the what purpose should he have stood for some hours other day, in his presence,-was written, we heard by the side of the scorching furnace, when there him say himself (smiling pleasantly the while), were so many others of stronger nerves and of bet- when he was fourteen. When he was sixteen, he ter health present? This extreme sensitiveness on was placed under Franz Eck; and two years later, his part is much out of place, for neither my in- having been pensioned by the Duke, he accompaformant nor myself had the slightest intention of nied his master into Russia, where he stayed for a throwing on him a taunt, or taxing him with the year and a half. Subsequently, Spohr received muslightest dereliction of duty. His regard for Shel-sical appointments at Gotha; at the theatre An der ley is not to be questioned. The very excess cf Wien, Vienna; at the Frankfort theatre; and more feeling that he displayed, might, in default of other than 20 years ago, came finally to an anchor at Hesse proofs, have best testified it. Cassel: whence many of his best works have proceeded; and where most of the German violin play

"But Byron was unable long to withstand the sight, or perhaps the heat, and by way of distrac-ers have, at one period or other, been his pupils. tion swam off to his yacht.

"Writing to Mr. Moore, he says,—

Dr. Spohr has been twice married. His first wife, Fräulein Scheidler, was the best harpist in Germany; and the finish of their duett performances is spoken of in all musical chronicles as something remarkable. The present Madame Spohr is alive.

"The other day, at Via Reggio,'-he does not specify the day of the burning,—' I thought proper to swim off to my schooner, the Bolivar, in the offing, and thence to shore again, about three miles or betWhen we have said that our guest possesses that ter, in all. As it was at mid-day, under a broiling tranquil, serene, and equable spirit, which prevents sun, the consequence has been a feverish attack;' its owner from "inviting storms," and pilots him and then he adds, in another paragraph of the same safely and speedily through such as are inevitable; letter, though not connecting the burning with the-and have pointed to his life in the pleasant town of swimming, We have been burning the bodies of Cassel as an enviable example of cheerful leisure, Shelley and Williams. You can have no idea spent in ease and pastime, alternated with steady what an extraordinary effect such a funeral pyre work and pleasant journeyings from time to time, to has on a desert shore, with mountains in the back-reap honors as its fruits,-when we have recorded, ground, and the sea before, the singular appear- that after having been for some quarter of a century ance the salt and frankincense give to the flames.' considered not only as the first German violin mas"Much objection has been started to these acces-ter, but also one of the first German violin players, sories to the funeral pyre, which have been con--Dr. Spohr has naturally and gracefully retired demned as bearing the character of a heathen rite; from public exhibition, leaving the arena to youngbut without them it would not only have been dan-er, not worthier men, -the story of his life is told; gerous to have assisted at the ceremony, but from and we have but to speak of his works. the state of the body it would have been intolerable. "In the evening I saw Lord Byron. He was in a high state of fever, from the excitement of the day, combined with exposure for some hours to the sun, in swimming and floating."

Though to us there are few things more distasteful than unmixed eulogy; and praise loses its value when unaccompanied by signs of power to distinguish,-there are "times and occasions," as Sir Charles Grandison had it, when the duty of a writer is but to dwell on that which merits admiration : the

DR. LOUIS SPOHR.-In no spirit of vaporing present is one. We meet Dr. Spohr in every aspect self-praise, but of honest congratulation, may we re- which a musical composer can take. In all he has mind the reader that whatever be our country's shown himself meritorious and successful; in all, faults in musical taste, or slackness of artistic cul- individual. Among his Oratorios, "The Last tivation, England has successively been able to se-Judgment" is our favorite, for the sake of the quar

Cruikshank, Frank Stone, and John Leach. This entertainment will probably realize some five or six hundred pounds, which will be a most welcome and seasonable gift to Mr. Hunt

tett and chorus which closes the first part; and the receive an important addition to the annual sum algrand scene of " Babylon," with the impressive fu- ready allowed him by the Government.-Several neral strain," Blest are the departed," in the second. celebrated literary characters and artists are about to The instrumental introduction to the latter, also, de- give a dramatic performance in Manchester for his serves notice as richly scored, and full of grace- benefit. Among the number may be mentioned the ful melody. Among Dr. Spohr's operas "Jesson-names of Charles Dickens, Douglas Jerrold, Mark da" deserves to be rated the highest as a whole; Lemon, Dudley Costello, John Forster, George though the gloom of the story, founded on "La Veuve de Malabar,"-a heavy and sentimental French tragedy by M. Lemierre,-has imparted a certain monotony to the music. But we do not forget the charming trio for female voices in "Zemire und Azur;" nor the impressive burial chant in "Pietro von Abano;" nor the many magnificent RUSSIAN RAILWAYS.-The Emperor Nicholas has airs in "Faust;" some of which have been recently just taken an important decision in a strategic point revived in our recollection by the glorious singing of view. He has adopted the project of a vast line and saying of Herr Pischek. In all, the orches of railways, uniting the three capitals, Warsaw, tral portion is richly ingenious, and admirably Moscow, and St. Petersburgh. This line, of which finished. The mention of this brings us to this the têle de pont will be the fortress of Warsaw, will "Master's exclusively instrumental music; begin-complete and strengthen the system of the old kingning with his Symphonies. Here, again, there is dom of Poland, such as the Emperor Nicholas estamuch to admire, apart from the general praise blished it at the last insurrection in 1830. The due to one who is so sure and masterly in his or- country to be traversed by the line is generally flat, chestral effects. The slow movement, scherzo, and which will allow of the works being rapidly comfinale, of the Symphony in D minor; the finale to pleted at an expense of about 100,000f. the English the Symphony in C minor; the first allegro, and mile. the march in that picturesque Symphony, "The Power of Sound," are all as good as they are peculiar. And even in Dr. Spohr's works where our sympathies are more at fault, let us insist that the seal of individuality which distinguishes the originator from the copyist, is never missing. In all, there is shown the self-respect of a true artist: care, learning, and high finish.

No classical writer for the violin (distinguishing Rode, Viotti, Mayseder, and De Beriot, as brilliant; which means something less, and something more than classical), has contributed so much admirable.and interesting music for his instrument, as Dr. S. His Concertos will long be in request, not merely for the grace and solidity of their solo parts, but for the

richness of the orchestral tissue. His duetts are in-
comparable. We rate these as the highest of his
works, since no one has approached their composer,
in whose hands the two instruments become almost
a quartett-so rich and full are their effects and com-
binations. There have been painters of gallery
pictures, the fame of which has been disputed, who,
when restricting themselves within the smaller
range of cabinet art, rise to unquestioned perfection.
Scale does not constitute excellence. One of Shak-
speare's Sonnets is greater than a "wilderness" of
epics by
Let every groaning reader fill
the blank for himself! Our singling out, therefore,
of these less obtrusive works, must not be thought
as disparagement to the Master or his essays on a
more extensive scale. We shall only further dwell
with gratitude on the ingenuity, delicacy, and rich
harmonies of his quartetts, single and double, the
delight of all players on stringed instruments, who
find in them that exquisite acquaintance with what
is possible and what is agreeable, which a theorical
study of any instrument will hardly produce. Thus,
while his violin music is his best, Dr. Spohr is least
eminent when he writes for the pianoforte. Need
we say more? Yes, one word. We believe that
certain selected works of our guest have permanent
life in them; and are good for a future, as well as
for the present generation. May their list still be
lengthened!-Howitt's Journal.

LITERARY HISTRIONICS.-Mr. Leigh Hunt, whose mental and physical powers are nearly exhausted, and whose purse is in the same condition is about to

AND IRELAND.-In an English exchange, lately, we
STATISTICS OF SPIRIT DRINKING IN GREAT BRITAIN
observed a curious official document in relation to
the annual consumption of spirits in the United
Kingdom. We were hardly prepared for the facts
disclosed by some of the tables.

consumption was as follows:
During the five years ending in 1804, the average

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Total.

England. Scotland. Ireland.
Galls. 11,446,167 5,991,605 6,302,228 23,739,841

The annual average consumption per head was for England, 51-3 pints; for Ireland, 534; for Scotland, considerably more than two gallons! The total average consumption per head is only a small fraction greater than it was forty years ago. But it will be remarked, that while Temperance has rather increased in England and Ireland, there has been a lamentable increase of Intemperance in Scotland, her people consuming on an average, per head, of spirits, more than three times as much as the Irish!

In these tables, no account, of course, is taken of the product of illicit distillation; and it is supposed that a part of this alarming increase in Scotland is only apparent, being the result of the suppression of illicit distillation, by the reduction of the whiskey duty.

In Ireland, the consumption of spirits had greatly augmented during the five years ending 1839, the average per head having reached nearly 1 1-2 gallons; but the great Temperance movement under Father Mathew checked the evil, and reduced the amount consumed, one half. Thus, from 1834 to 1839, Ireland consumed 11,436,127 gallons annually; but the average per annum of consumption during the five years closing with 1845, was only 6,302,228, although the population must have increased half a million.

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