This censure does not apply to "Ur- aristocracy and priesthood. They formed sula." Here in a condensed narrative is this club as a bulwark against such brought before us with bold and power-enemies, and they were ever true to their ful strokes the Zurich of Zwingli's day, cause, asked for no reward for their exerintroducing the religious and political tions, and placed all individual advantages changes wrought by this reformer. Kel- in the background if these came into conler's story deals chiefly with the Anabap- flict with their consciences. But now that tist movement, which he regards as one since 1848 the new constitution seemed of the inevitable ugly excrescences pro- to have guaranteed all they had struggled duced by every great revolution, and he for, there were fewer political matters to produces with horrible fidelity the delir- discuss, and hence domestic troubles were ious speeches and deeds of this misguided also brought forward and talked over with faction. In this story the plot is nothing, great impartiality at their meetings. On the accessories are everything. "The the night that the story opens, the subject Flag of the Seven Upright Ones" is per- under discussion was a visit the club as fect all round, and a worthy pendant to a body proposed to pay to the next shootthe "Romeo and Juliet of the Village." ing-fête at Aarau, the first held since the Plot, treatment, mise en scène, all are origi- new constitution came into force. It was nal and equally excellent, and give full the evening of the club's political life scope to Keller's peculiar talents. His how could they close it more worthily than best quips and quirks, his best vein of by such a demonstration ? A member drollery, his gentle satire, his tenderness, proposed that they should march to Aarau are all represented here. In the "Romeo with a flag of their own, another that they and Juliet," the fathers' hatred separated should present a handsome prize at the the children: here the fathers were the fête. Both proposals were accepted, and best of friends, but they did not wish the the details hotly discussed. The design young people to marry because the one of the flag did not occupy them long, but was rich and the other poor. For the what was the gift to be? The seven father of Karl Hediger was only a tailor, staunch friends, whose friendship all politiwhile Hermine Frymann's was a master cal agitations and divergencies had not carpenter, who owned a stately house and shaken, nearly fell out over this deliberayard on the lake, and could afford to give tion. For while seeking to do an honor his daughter a dowry. The two had to their country they also sought to do known each other since childhood, and it a little stroke of business for themselves. was hard that they should suddenly be Kuser, the silversmith, proposed they forbidden to meet. But so it had been should present a silver cup that he had resolved at the last meeting of the Club had by him for years, and which he would of the Seven Upright Ones. This club sell them cheap for the glory of the consisted of seven worthy friends who fatherland. Syfrig, the blacksmith, recmet twice a week alternately at the house ommended an ornamental plough which of two of their number who were innkeep- he had exhibited at the last agricultural ers. They were all tradesmen, ardent show. Bürgi, the cabinetmaker, offered politicians, patriots, lovers of freedom, a four-post bedstead he had made for a and stern home despots. Born in the last couple whose wedding never took place. century, they had witnessed as children This last proposition, however, raised the downfall of the old times and the only ridicule. Then followed Pfister, one birth-throes of the new, and had held to- of the innkeepers, with a warm commengether manfully during the agitated peri- dation of his red Schweizerblut of '34; od of Swiss history, when aristocrats and and Erismann, the farmer, proposed a Jesuits threatened the unity and goodfel- young cow of pure breed, but who was lowship of the little State, until in 1848, known to be a kicker. At last a cup was after the eighteen days' war with the decided upon, but it was to be made and Sonderbund, Switzerland broke forever designed for the occasion. This matter with the Jesuits and revived to new settled Frymann brought forward his strength and unity. Some of these men grievance, that Hediger's son was courtcame from the former subject States of ing his daughter, and he explained to him the confederacy, and remembered how how he could not do with a poor son-inas children they had to kneel down by the law. Hediger by no means took his roadside when a coachful of dignitaries friend's frankness amiss; they were quite passed; others had been related to im- agreed that the match was undesirable. prisoned or executed revolutionists, and They would not become relations; they all were filled with a burning hatred of reiterated they would remain friends

We must still say a word about Keller's manner, which is no less his own than his matter. He handles the German language with rare skill; no conventional phrases, no rhetorical flourishes, no affectations or mannerisms disfigure his pages. His style is simple and unadorned, and hence perfectly in keeping with the homely republican nature of his characters; yet withal so pithy, piquant, quaint, that the most ordinary expressions acquire a new force under his pen, and the whole effect is far removed from commonplace. Not the least of Keller's charms lies in his style, his happy mode of narration. Such, briefly, is the Swiss writer whose remarkable originality we have tried faintly to indicate.

HELEN ZIMMERN.

no more and no less. The other mem- humor. He makes us smile at his charbers twitted them gently with their acters without injury to their dignity. resolve, and asked them if they were so While we are amused at the weaknesses very sure that young love could be checked of poor humanity, we never lose our by convention, and were willing to bet respect for the persons in whom these. that Cupid's wiles would prove too strong weaknesses are embodied. We smile for the fathers. Not so; they persisted gently over the heads of the seven up. were they not of the number of the up-right veterans, while at the same time right and firm, and would they not be so their creator forces us to bow down with still? But the young couple were resolved respect for their integrity and highnot to be parted thus easily. July and minded purposes. the shooting-festival approached, the cup and flag were ready, when it dawned on the club that their gift must be introduced by a speech. But who should hold this? All hung back, none would undertake the task. At last by lot it fell to Frymann. For days beforehand he was miserable, could think of nothing to say but fierce and inappropriate invectives against the Jesuits. The great day arrived, the little faithful band drove to Aarau in a four-horse omnibus, they marched in procession, Frymann carrying the flag with a face as though he were going to execution. They neared the confederate tent, and at the last moment his courage failed him, and he declared he could not speak: and so this glorious and patriotic expedition seemed likely to end in failure. But Hermine had foreseen some such catastrophe when she bade Karl be sure to come to Aarau for the fete. He now volunteered to be spokesman for the band, and Frymann himself was the first to assent, and hand him over the flag. Karl then pronounced an THERE are some slang phrases which, admirable discourse, in which he ex- if possibly objectionable, are certainly plained with tender humor the aims and expressive. We are not prepared to trace purposes of these seven grey-headed men, the origin of the expression which forms and offered their gift to the fatherland. the subject of this article, but we believe Applause greeted his words; the seven that most of our readers will allow that it marched away from the tent, pleased would accurately describe the condition with themselves and him. The friends in which, on more than one occasion in seconded Frymann's proposal to give his the course of their lives, they have found daughter to this worthy youth; and at themselves. Without attempting a defilast, not without difficulty, the proud and nition of the expression, we appeal to sternly radical Hediger also gave his con- every one who has experienced the sensent, on the condition that Frymann sation which it describes, to say whether should allow the pair no more money than or not he enjoyed himself under the cirwas good for them. The story, of which cumstances. The worst of such a condithis is the bald outline, is full of freshness tion is that in most cases it involves a and beauty. It is easy to see that what certain amount of disappointment. Keller describes here is a reflection of the may occasionally overtake us when we men and scenes among which he moves, expected nothing else, but it comes more and the picture of Swiss life as here pre- commonly when we had hoped for far sented will be new to most readers who better things. People often imagine that, know little or nothing of the distinctive if they could only get the entrée into some feelings and modes of life of this little envied clique, their position and happipeople. It also contains strongly empha-ness would be assured for the terms of sized a distinctive feature of Keller's their natural lives. At last the muchhe genius. This is the genial nature of his desired opportunity presents itself, and

1

From The Saturday Review. OUT OF IT.

It

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they enter the celestial portals. Their | rity is pointed out to him, he feels as if a
surroundings when they find themselves star had fallen from his little heaven, so
there may possibly surpass their fondest disappointing are the fleshly appearances
wishes, but as regards themselves, all is of these great writers in comparison with
.not satisfactory; on the contrary, they are the ideals which he had previously formed
conscious of a complete though inde- of them. He is sent in to dinner with
scribable failure, and they collapse with the daughter of a savant. He tries to
the lugubrious acknowledgment that some- say something clever on the staircase, and
how they feel "out of it." They are tells an amusing literary anecdote as soon
painfully conscious that they have nothing as he is seated at the dinner-table; but
in common with the inhabitants of their " "Yes," "No," and "Really," seem to con-
longed-for paradise; and these exalted be- stitute the entire vocabulary of his com-
ings give them clearly to understand that panion. As he cannot succeed in inter-
they look upon them as flies in their oint-esting the fair creature, he tries his other
ment. To have the cup of happiness neighbor. This is a lady with a long
snatched from one's grasp just as one is skinny neck, whose dress resembles a
putting it to one's lips is mortifying, and flimsy yellow sack. He talks books and
the sense of disappointment of one's magazines to her for a few minutes, and
fondest hopes is even worse. In these receives a little cold encouragement. She
days, "society," in one form or another, then smiles for the first time, and quietly
is the most run after of all will-o'-the- says, "You seem to have read a great
wisps, and there are many thousands of deal of rubbish." After this he relapses
people whose highest desire is to be on into silence for a time, and has leisure to
a familiar footing with some coterie which observe the literati devouring their food.
more especially recommends itself to There is a famous poet at the opposite
their tastes. They are ever on the watch end of the table, but all that he can see
for an opportunity of inserting the thin of him is that he is fat, and has a long
end of the wedge into the desired set. grey beard. There is a red-whiskered
There is great diversity of opinion as to man, and there is a red-nosed man, and
what is the most delectable of earthly he knows that one of them is a writer and
circles; but one or two descriptions, taken politician of high reputation; but he
at random, will easily exemplify the com- could not quite make out from his host's
mon experience of searchers after social description before dinner whether the
perfection.
nose or the whiskers belonged to the
genius. Immediately opposite to him
sits a well-known writer of articles in the
magazines, whom his host told him he
ought to know. This gentleman is ap-
parently a clergyman, and does not look
very clean. He never has the opportu-
nity of getting a single word with him
during the evening. A famous novelist
is in full view. Her books are intellec-
tual, with a strong flavor of the romantic.
There is a spirit in them that yearns for
the days to come when modern science
shall have torn away the veils of preju-
dice and superstition, and the new gospel
shall be fearlessly preached. She wears
a false front, and seems uninterested in
anything except her dinner. Near her
sits the writer of some amusing but
naughty novels. She has a stern face,
and looks like a severe governess. The
idea of facing these viragos when they
shall be let loose in the drawing-room is
terrifying to our novice; but it is some
temporary relief to his mind when they
leave the room, and the men draw up to
one end of the table. He finds, however,
that nobody cares to talk to him or to
hear what he has to say; so he might as

There are many people, for instance, who read a little, talk a great deal, and think scarcely at all, and yet imagine themselves to be literary, and entertain an ardent longing to get into a literary set. After anxious and weary struggles they obtain the acquaintance of an intellectual lion-hunter, and, by dint of perseverance, induce this being to invite them to meet some literary people. We will imagine a would-be member of such a clique going to a dinner-party of this description. He congratulates himself that the golden gates are at last about to open to him, and he feels that, after all, patience and dogged perseverance are always rewarded in the end. He is about to find himself among congenial spirits, and his own true worth is going to be for the first time appreciated. Instead of feeling that he is going amongst strangers, he rather seems to be returning to his own brethren and his father's house. On entering the drawing-room; the first thing that strikes him is the ugliness of most of his fellow-guests. His genial host takes him by the arm, and confidentially tells him "who's who." As each celeb

d

h

outsiders are absolutely ignorant. The subjects talked of are chiefly the incidents of the day's shooting, or the details of a practical joke played in the house the night before, or the doings of some friends of the family who are mentioned by their Christian names only. The host and hostess are genial enough to the newcomers, but they introduce them to nobody, and talk of little but the common friends to whom their acquaintance is due. This is so much the case that they almost seem to say, "We should certainly not have called upon you at all if Lady Plantagenet had not asked us to do so, and we have undergone the nuisance of having you to dinner (once) to please her only." When the dining-room is deserted, most of the party, both male and female, go into the billiard or music rooms, while only the unhappy outsiders, the hostess, and one aged lady remain to "do company in the drawing-room. The new neighbors naturally feel that, though present in body, they are, socially speaking, out of the whole thing, and the servant who announces that their carriage is at the door, seems like an angel of mercy come to their relief.

1 well have saved himself the trouble of cramming up all the leading weeklies and monthlies for the occasion. The whole party listen to the conversation of two men who "talk like books," as unlearned people sometimes say. The most igno0 rant man in England who would hold his tongue would have made an excellent member of a literary party of this kind, and our novice begins to be conscious that he can scarcely have been invited on account of his prodigious talents. In the drawing-room he finds that the guests break up into little groups, and converse confidentially, and he himself is left to his own devices. At last a charitable savant takes pity upon him and enters into a conversation on topics which he thinks suited to the inferior intellect of a poor creature evidently belonging to the outer world. Although the experience is humiliating, even talk of this kind is better than none; but it is scarcely begun when silence is ordered that one of the company may give a recitation in French, and soon after that the party breaks up. As he drives home the aspirant feels that his entrance into literary society has been far from a marked success, and he owns to himself that he had never in his life To be suddenly thrown amongst a fast felt so much "out of it" as he did during set is to ordinary people much the same the last three hours. If this is the way thing as to be thrown on dry land would in which the learned spend their even be to a fish. The very language of his ings he would rather dine at his club, and new acquaintances is to him incompreit seems probable that the men and wom-hensible. A great deal of their talk is en of letters whom he has just left will offer no obstacle to his doing so.

When a man takes a good house in a good country neighborhood, armed with the best introductions, and is invited immediately to dine at the best house in that best of neighborhoods, he has every reason for self-congratulation; but let us observe how he passes his evening. The chances are that he finds a large party, and that he and his wife and the curate are the only guests who are not staying in the house. The names of the ladies, written on slips of paper, are thrown into a china bowl, and the gentlemen draw them like lots, in order to see who they are to take into the dining-room. The stranger finds himself between two ladies whom he has never seen before, nor is likely to see again, while his wife is between the London doctor and the agent of the Irish estate. The party in the house have their own jokes and interests. At the mention of some apparently meaningless words there is immense amusement, concerning the origin of which the

In this

made up of apparently unmeaning phra-
ses and scraps from comic songs. Their
social intercourse consists of a rough
horse-play, in which the ladies join with
even greater spirit than the men.
happy coterie there seem to be two or
three "butts," who positively take a
pleasure in being affronted for the amuse-
ment of the company, while there are one
or two ladies who appear to be privileged
to say or do whatever they please, and to
insult any of the men either by word or
act, according to their fancy. A person
who has not been fully initiated into these
and the other mysteries of this wonderful
confraternity is made to feel painfully
conscious that he is an outsider, and he
is certain to receive no attention or hos-
pitality beyond mere meat and drink. We
will cite only one other instance of occa-
sions when one is likely to feel "out of
it." A friend invites our wife to luncheon.
She implores her to come any day or
every day. Whenever they meet, she
pesters her to come over at the earliest
opportunity without the formality of send-

ing a previous notice. At last our wife takes her at her word, and drives (five miles) to the house of her importunate acquaintance. Another and more intimate friend of the hostess happens to have arrived a few minutes earlier, and it is at once evident that a mistake has been committed, although it is too late for retreat. Throughout luncheon, as well as before and after, the hostess talks almost entirely to her more honored guest, and on pretence of taking the latter to her bedroom for a minute to give her a little sal-volatile for her headache, remains closeted with her for three-quarters of an hour, leaving her other guest to amuse herself with the reflection that she is altogether "out of it."

It may be that in our times well-bred people are not so flagrantly rude to those whose company they dislike as they used to be in days gone by. There may be none of the coarse rebuffs or duel-provoking insults which were common in the latter part of the last century; but it seems to us that neither is the gentleman of our time so courteous as the man of the old school; and if the man of breeding of the present day is under no circumstances so offensive as was his progenitor when put out, he far more frequently succeeds in making those whom he does not care to please feel uncomfortable, unwelcome, and, in the slang phraseology of the period, thoroughly out of it. And if the man of modern times is an offender in this respect, the woman is often even more guilty. She revels in the art of being politely disagreeable, and enjoys nothing so much as seeing others feel themselves to be in a false position.

MUSICAL PITCH.

From Nature.

their compass at will. In the voice especially, although a few exceptional singers can, so to speak, acrobatize in music to the wonder of the public, yet the really good and usable part of even their compass for every-day work is comparatively limited, and if they are called upon frequently to sing either at their highest or lowest, the voice rapidly deteriorates, and wonder is changed to compassion. Violins even cannot afford to be "screwed up or down" too much, and rather prefer altering the thickness of their strings, with by no means a general improvement of effect. The thin strings are particularly objectionable in instruments only too prone to be played cuttingly. And clarinets and oboes, and even trumpets, when they are made short and narrow for high pitch, are only fit to be heard out of doors, as in military bands.

The whole secret of the difficulty lies in this: musical notes do not represent fixed and determinate sounds. The sounds collectively, when once the system of the scale is determined, are indeed fixed relatively to one sound, but that one has varied and does vary immensely. It has become quite an antiquarian problem to determine what sounds the writer of a piece of music attributed to his notes. This problem has to a great extent been solved by Mr. Alexander J. Ellis in a paper recently read before the Society of Arts and abstracted below, and we wish here to draw attention to the practical result of his labors.

Very little turns upon the music of more than three hundred years ago. It must be transposed, as is common with Orlando Gibbons's church music, and written in notes which at the current value will indicate sounds lying within the power of the singer. There is comparatively little of such music, and hence it is not difficult to reproduce it in the required form. It is only convenient to ALTHOUGH the outside world knows note in passing how very widely the little about it, the question of musical meaning of the notes then differed from pitch causes great anxiety to the public ours, Gibbons using a pitch which Mr. singer, to the conductor of operas and Ellis estimates as a whole fourth above choirs, and to musical-instrument makers Handel's. But this does not apply to the generally. Musical instruments are di- great mass of classical music which has vided into two classes: those with fixed appeared since the beginning of the cighand those with variable tones. The first teenth century. When equal temperacomprises organs and pianos and most ment (a babe of less_than forty years old brass and wood wind-instruments. The in England, as Mr. Ellis's facts establish) trombone, the bowed instruments, and has a notation of its own, as has recently the human voice are variable. Even the been proposed in Germany, and ceases latter, however, can vary only within nar- to wear the clothes which Salinas derow limits, so that they cannot extend | signed in 1577, then it will become neces