theories of materialism, and this is the danger which awaits us in the future. Up then, men and women of Israel, up! to the rescue! Yours is a priceless heritage, an invaluable gift from God, a boon none but madmen would despise! Do not then surrender, in your day of prosperity and political freedom, what your ancestors maintained in the darkest times of their history, at the cost of their lives! With the commencement of a new year let us all go to work cheerfully and zealously. Every man can do something, whatever his position may be. But on our clergymen, our chiefs and leaders, a heavy responsibility devolves. Let them endeavor to strengthen the cause of religion and public morals, by using every exertion toward harmonizing the discordant elements existing in our fold, and placing Judaism before the world as a religion of truth and spirit-a religion which is indeed from God, and destined to confer eternal happiness on His children. Let our rich men too come forward with a portion of that wealth which God has given them, and devote it to the cause of Jewish education. Let every honest effort made in the right direction be encouraged and fostered, and not permitted to languish and die for the want of proper support. Let harmony reign in our councils, peace in our homes, and good-will in our hearts toward all men, whatever their religion may be.

May the coming year prove a year of joy, peace, and prosperity, not alone to Israel, but to the country which each Israelite may claim as his home; may good deeds and noble achievements mark its progress though its several stages; may religious intolerance grow less, and true religious knowledge become more diffused, and may Judaism be one of God's means in blessing mankind with even greater blessings in the future than it has in the past. Then indeed, should we be spared to witness the birth of another year, we will be enabled to place before our readers something more pleasing and more congratulatory than our present New-Year Thoughts.

THE COMING SEASON OF ITALIAN OPERA.

THE programme for the coming season of Italian opera has been duly announced, and the promises therein contained are such as we would expect from those able impressarios, the Messrs. Strakosch. These gentlemen clearly demonstrated last year that Italian opera can be produced in this country with all the elaborate attractions for which the houses of London, Paris, Milan, and St. Petersburg are so

justly celebrated. It is but fair to conclude, then, that the promises of the programme will be faithfully executed. Although we would have wished for the re-engagement of such artists as Nillson, Campanini, and Maurel, yet we doubt not that their places will be as worthily occupied by the artists who have been chosen to succeed them.

Mlle. Emma Albani, the prima donna soprano, is an American young lady, whose reputation has been made by her brilliant achievements in many of the European capitals, where it is said she shared the honors with no less a personage than Mlle. Adelina Patti. Her appearence in her native land is exceedingly gratifying, and will doubtless add many laurels to the wreath of fame which she, although very young, already wears. Signora Vittoria Potentini is represented to be a dramatic prima donna of superlative powers, endowed with a rich, emotional voice; to her will be assigned the rôles of the great heroines which since the time of Grisi have found but few capable exponents. Mlle. Marie Heilbron, with whose gifts Parisians and Londoners are familiar, comes to us with a well-earned reputation for superiority in the vocal illustration of scenes requiring intense passion and pathos. In lighter rôles of opera she has proved a valuable acquisition to the lyric stage. Mlle. Donadio has won the esteem and admiration of the French public for her perfect interpretation of the sparkling rôles of the Bellini and Donizetti repertoire. In addition to these new engagements, Messrs. Strakosch have re-engaged two popular favorites, Miss Annie Louise Cary and Mlle. Alice Maresi. The merits of these ladies are well-known to the American public, and their re-appearance in our midst will afford their numerous admirers sincere pleasure.

Of the gentlemen artists there have been five new engagements. Signor Carlo Carpi is announced as "a genuine tenore di sentimento e forza," and is moreover said to be "the finest representative of the ideal tenor to be found." This excites great expectations which, we trust, will not be disappointed. If the new tenor is all he is said to be, he is indeed a rara avis. Signors Debassini and Benfratelli are also tenors, doubtless intended to fill the lighter rôles. Signor Tagliapietra is the primo baritono, and Signor Fiorini is the primo basso. All these gentlemen are favorably known in European opera circles. The re-engagements include Signor Del Puente, whose excellent baritone voice and thoroughly artistic performances last season elicited general admiration, and Signor Evasio Scolara, who also fulfilled acceptably the parts assigned to him. Signor Emmanuel Muzio is

again director, and a more capable one it would be difficult to find. In the performance of his arduous duties he will, as heretofore, be assisted by Mr. S. Behrens.

The repertoire will include Verdi's "Messe de Requiem," Marchetti's new opera of "Ruy Blas," Wagner's "Il Vascello Fantasma,” and Gounod's "Romeo e Giulietta, together with a revival of "La Stella del Nord," "Norma," "Dinorah," and the old standard operas, as well as the more modern ones, not forgetting, in this latter category, Lohengrin " and "Aida." The season will commence at the Academy of Music on Monday, September 28.

LITERARY NOTICES.

THE HEART OF AFRICA: Three Years' Travels and Adventures in the Unexplored Regions of Central Africa, from 1868 to 1871. BY DR. GEORG SCHWEINFURTH. Translated By ELLEN E. FREWER, with an introduction by WINWOOD READE. 2 vols. New York: Harper & Bros.

The great problem of the Nile is gradually being solved. Reluctantly is the continent of Africa yielding up her secrets, but by the aid of such noble explorers as Dr. Georg Schweinfurth-those who have preceded him, and those who will follow in his path-all her mysteries will be discovered. Already the efforts of Sir Samuel Baker, Dr. Livingston, and the many others who have devoted their lives to African explorations have been rewarded by the settlement of certain geographical problems which have been so perplexing to the students of all countries. And now there comes another giant and treads the very heart of the mighty continent, discovering in his wanderings the course of one of the chief branches of the White Nile in the low mountain region north-east of the Albert Nyanza. Valuable as this discovery is to geographical science, it does not yet completely determine the limits of the great Nile, but if it be possible for any one man to accomplish this feat, Dr. Schweinfurth is the man who will do it.

The doctor is in many respects a very fortunate explorer. He is, comparatively speaking, a young man, of a strong, vigorous constitution, having passed three years of his life in the most unhealthy and inhospitable parts of Africa without any serious sickness, or even peril from the hostility of the savages among whom he sojourned.

Indeed he seemed to have gained the friendship and good-will even of the cannibals, who did not disguise from him their little peculiarities of diet and domestic life. His vivid descriptions of the Niamniam are intensely interesting and possess all the charm of romance. In addition to his other qualifications, Dr. Schweinfurth is an accomplished draughtsman and an experienced botanist. His sketches are works of art, and his knowledge of botany is of material service in the discovery of new species, and classification of the fine collection he obtained in the course of his travels.

An important contribution to ethnology has also been made by Dr. Schweinfurth, by his definitely settling a point which has long been in dispute, viz., the existence of a race of pygmies. There is now no doubt that such race does exist, and it is much to be regretted that little Tikki-tikki, the specimen dwarf that Schweinfurth intended to take home with him, died before he reached the sea.

The result of the doctor's travels now appears in two large octavo volumes, handsomely printed, and ornamented with numerous maps. and wood-cut illustrations. As a work of travel, it will rank among the most celebrated; while as a contribution to African exploration, it is invaluable.

YALE LECTURES ON PREACHING. BY HENRY WARD BEECHER. Second Series. New York: J. B. Ford & Co.

The lectures which form the present volume were delivered by Mr. Beecher before the theological department of Yale College, New Haven, Conn., in accordance with the terms of the endowment by which the lectureship was established. As a volume of homiletics it is perhaps one of the most useful in the English language, as it deals with those matters of practical detail in which young ministers need most to be instructed. The library of a divinity student, especially of the Christian denomination, is incomplete without a copy of these Yale Lectures.

OTHER BOOKS RECEIVED.

ARCTIC EXPERIENCES, containing CAPT. GEORGE E. TYSON's Wonderful Drift on the Ice-floe, a History of the Polaris Expedition, the Cruise of the Tigress, and Rescue of the Polaris Survivors. To which is added, A General Arctic Chronology. Edited by E. VALE BLAKE. New York: Harper & Bros.

THE MODE OF MAN'S IMMORTALITY: or, The When, Where, and How of the Future Life. By REV. T. A. GOODWIN, A. M. New York: J. B. Ford & Co.

AGAIN, theology teaches that the innumerable, the daily, hourly calamities that inflict mankind, are dispensations of Providence; the earthquakes, conflagrations of cities, the devastating pestilence, the sudden shipwrecks, the burning, drowning, mutilation of thousands of men, of helpless women, of innocent children, are the acts of God, visitations.

A daughter, unable to save a mother's life, prefers death amidst the flames by the side of that mother to safety; a young man, in his zeal to extricate from death and suffering his fellow-men buried under the ruins of a fallen building, labors from early morn to late in the night, does not even take any nourishment all that day, not to lose even a moment of time; exhausted with toil he sits down to rest, his foot slips, and he is precipitated among the ruins and crushed to atoms. Can you reconcile these facts, asks Freemasonry, with a presiding, active, omnipotent, and merciful Providence?

A very few years since, a ship is on fire, no prospect is left but death-death in the flames or in the waves. Among the large number of passengers is a family returning from Europe, consisting of man, wife, and three children. They choose a less terrible death by drowning. The mother jumps overboard, and the father throws one child after another to her, .and then follows them. Here was an opportunity for a miraculous interposition of Providence. Was the miracle performed? No. But a deluded congregation is told from the pulpit, that this calamity was the hand of Providence! His object was to chastise men, so that they might prepare themselves by a

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by RAPHAEL D'C. LEWIN, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

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