wooden-soled shoes, contrasted as strangely with the Parisian attire of those I had just been watching, as did her quiet demeanour, light movements, and precise steps, with their sprightliness of talk, and gliding sleepy motions. She was enjoying the dance for its own sake, they for their partners' sake!

Another girl I noticed was a pretty young bourgeoise, in cap of tulle and pink ribbons. As we passed along the portion of the circle where she stood, a smart young gentleman approached with upraised hat: 'Vous dansez, Mademoiselle?' he said; and I liked the modest way in which she replied, 'Oui, Monsieur!' and blushingly took his proffered arm. When I again saw this couple, the young girl was smilingly accepting from her partner a cone of 'plaisirs.' 'Plaisirs pour oublier vos douleurs,' as the motto on the wafer-vendor's bucket runs!

At eleven o'clock the dancing ceased, and forming into procession, the mass of people began slowly to wend their way up the narrow woodland path, lighted at intervals by the glowing naphtha flames. The band and a company of torch-bearers closed the cortège, which reached the silent town just as the cathedral bells rang midnight, when they all dispersed in perfect order and quiet.

The following morning we quitted Dinan to commence a long-desired tour in Brittany.

HINTS ON READING.

MRS. GATTY'S Aunt Judy's Magazine (Bell and Daldy) is very charming, and supplies a want that we have often heard expressed; namely, that of reading for the younger sisters of our own special class of readers, for whom we are often obliged to cater provision beyond the appetite of the lesser ones. Here is a delightful collection of fact and fiction provided. The Round Table-a sort of Editor's Box-is this month employed upon advocating home work for the Children's Hospital; the leading story of The Cousins and their Friends is delightful, and full of character. Mrs. Overtheway's first chapter was in Aunt Judy's best style, and we have great expectations of the Prince of Sleona, though perhaps fairy tales can worse bear division than most stories; it may be because their charm is more plot than character. The two ballads are likewise admirable, as from such hands they are sure to be; and we have little doubt that Aunt Judy will be one of the first magazines opened on that delightful day, when periodicals arrive, and are eagerly appropriated by their several

owners.

Scripture History, and the Monuments of Egypt, Chaldea, Assyria, and Babylon. (Lothian.) We are told that this little book was called forth by the interest taken in these subjects by a class of intelligent boys at a Sunday-school; and we therefore conclude that the language is adapted to their intelligence; and if so, very high it must be. The diction may be exactly what is best for them, as we know that there are many that esteem a book in proportion to its difficulty; but we are afraid there are many who would not attach many ideas to an 'Augustan Age,' nor enter into the Egyptian reaction' under Necho. The history seems to us well put together, and as a book for school-masters it may be useful.

My dear C.,

CORRESPONDENCE.

MUSIC.

LETTER IV.

My pleasant stay here is now drawing to a close, to my regret, and holiday time will soon be over. I will now note down all you wish to know, as I shall not be able to write to you after this. I wish you joy of your self-imposed task; you may not find it, I think, such a Herculean labour as you imagine. Teaching is certainly a gift, specially the teaching of music; and sometimes those who are not very good musicians themselves, prove better instructors (in the early stage) than those quite devoted to music. Their taste and feeling not being very fine, they preserve their equanimity, are not tortured by false notes, and make a sure progress with their pupils; so much will patience and perseverance achieve. You will not, perhaps, find out for some time whether your little sisters have much or any taste for music; so dull and seemingly insensible are some children beginning to learn music, who afterwards more than reward you for the pains bestowed on them; but do not lightly give up your undertaking if you think you are making no progress, or worse, that they will do you no credit. Some years ago a little paper on 'Teaching Little Sisters' came out in the Monthly Packet; the habit of making the child read out new music every day, a capital plan, was strongly recommended. It cannot be begun too early; and if persevered in daily, will quicken a dull pupil, and give confidence to a nervous one. Never allow your pupils, after a mistake, to go back to the commencement of the passage, and have, as it were, a fresh start-a common failing with children, which engenders a sort of wavering and hesitation at all troublesome passages; make them correct the mistakes at the moment, and then, if you like, repeat the passage. The bad habit most children have of constantly looking at the keys on the piano-forte, can be provided against; at the same time, it is not a good thing for them to depend entirely on the book, and have no notion what their fingers are about on the piano-forte. However, these are but slight troubles, belonging to quite young beginners, and easily got over.

The early cultivation of good music has of course much to do with the forming of a sound and delicate taste; children in general (not marked geniuses) cannot distinguish between pretty and good music; their taste forms, of course, as they grow older, and the sooner they hear good music and it is brought before them, the better that taste will be. Early associations in music, as in other things, have much to do with aiding or retarding the pupils' progress. Easy arrangements of light operatic airs are often given to children, but they should never be used as ground-work alone. Do not confine your pupils to dull exercises; let them be pleasing as well as good, and they will be practised all the better. Occasionally a good sacred piece-the best of all music; and this, if carefully and feelingly played to them, will help children more than anything else, to distinguish and appreciate good music. I fear this will not help you much, for the real battle lies more in the actual teaching; and as you go on experience will aid you more than fixed rules.

A child fond of music will always be glad to know something of the music it is playing, and will be pleased when you sit down and play it over yourself; and though of course to 'knock' in the notes is the first thing, it is never too early for a child to learn to play a piece with taste and feeling, as it should be played; taste and feeling, for they are not the same thing, and do not always go together. We often hear piano-forte playing very good in its way, the music carefully and tastefully executed; we admire greatly, but something, we cannot exactly say what, is wanting-an absence of feeling with the composer, or in the musician himself, though the music is by no means lack-lustre.

You will find it useful for yourself, to study some book of musical criticism; they do not often fall in one's way, but you will certainly find both pleasure and profit in reading one. The papers translated from the German that appeared last year in the Shilling Magazine, were very interesting, and are considered able critiques. Mozart's Letters, translated by Lady Wallace, would interest you greatly.

It is curious to note, reading the lives of various great composers, the different ways of composing they employed, and the time, more or less, they spent on their

works. Haydn was a great composer, and spent two years, if not more, over his Creation; while Handel, over one of his greatest works, the Messiah, spent but four weeks; so high does he stand above even masters in his art. The length of time Haydn was accustomed to bestow on his works, is partly attributed, not to any lack of ideas, but to the great delicacy and particularity of his taste. He was often dissatisfied with what he had written, and many corrections and alterations were made before he was pleased with his compositions. His scores, it is said, were written with the greatest neatness and accuracy, and before sitting down to compose he went through various mechanical preparations which he considered necessary to success. Mozart showered his notes on the paper, and often could not write quickly enough from a profusion of ideas; his manner of composing, it is said, was to arrange his work entirely in his own mind, before putting it on paper.

One peculiarity in Haydn's method of composing may excite wonder, and has drawn out various and rather far-fetched speculations. He first settled his theme, and while filling up the work with the movements and modulations he had previously sketched, he occupied his imagination in making up some story which gave an impression to the music-either romantic, or sad, or happy. This is curious altogether, and shows a complete sway of the imagination; one has some notion of it, calling to mind when sitting dreamily at the piano-forte playing half mechanically and passing from one air to another of quite a different nature, how the current of our thoughts changes almost imperceptibly, though one does not stop to consider whether it is our feelings that have changed the music, or the change of melody impressed our thoughts.

This peculiarity of Haydn's has drawn forth various remarks on musical signification, and how far imitation, or the representation in music, of objects conceived by the fancy, can be effected. Some carry this so far as to maintain that every instrument stands for a certain colour-the different sounds acting on the ear, as some suppose different colours do on the eye. This, perhaps, is carrying the theory too far. In works purely of fancy, not written in connection with words, one would think the composer would have greater recourse to his imagination; and indeed, in all works the composer must have a lively, almost actual, representation in his mind of his ideas, and feel that he is transcribing them on the instrument.

You do not know many of Mozart's sonatas for the piano-forte; most of them are comparatively easy, and they are very good practice. Some of them one is inclined at first sight to think trifling; on a better acquaintance you wonder at the pretty airs and variations, the grace and elegance which seems made out of almost nothing. Nos. 2, 6, and 7, with Andante, are very pretty, and among the easiest. These sonatas are not among Mozart's greatest works, but not being nearly so difficult as Beethoven's, they can be mastered by those who have not much time for regular practice. I must now say good-bye, my dear C., wishing you all success.

Yours always truly,

A. R. F.

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.

There is a re

L. E. L.-I observe that a Correspondent of yours inquires whether there is any collection of George Wither's Poems. My reply is that there is not. publication of the Hallelujah, published by Mr. J. Russell Smith, Soho Square, price, 1 believe, 5s.; there is also a reprint of Wither's Hymns and Songs of the Churchboth of these works, brought out by the same publisher, are edited by Mr. Farr-and the last contains the musical notes, composed by Orlando Gibbons, price 5s. But although these works-the first especially-are interesting and valuable, the quantity of really good poetry is small in proportion to the amount of what is indifferent. Your Correspondent will be surprised perhaps to learn that Mr. Park's catalogue of Wither's Poetical Works comprises fifty-two volumes-some very small, however. There can be no doubt that a beautiful selection might be made, and that the Emblems especially might form a considerable part of it. These form a bulky volume; and the illustrations to every Emblem would render a fac-simile reprint extremely expensive; but I still live in hopes of seeing at least a select volume of Wither's Poems.

May I take this opportunity of correcting an error which has crept into my paper on Crashaw. (Monthly Packet, vol. xxx., p. 385.) At p. 391 there is a reference (line 11 from bottom) to Leigh Hunt's Specimens. It should have been Charles Lamb's. Leigh Hunt's Selections are only from the Plays of Beaumont and Fletcher-a beautiful and most judicious work, one of Bohn's Series. Charles Lamb's are perhaps better known— Specimens of English Dramatic Poets, who lived about the time of Shakspeare. Longman, 1808.-E. T., the Author of Papers on the 'Old English Poets.'

Margaret's gift of books is thankfully acknowledged, and we believe the Gravesend Mission would be very glad of the others she so kindly offers.

We have two letters to acknowledge from A Curate and A Tradesman's Daughter on the Montgomery subject; but we think, on the whole, it is best to abandon it for the present. Her letter was not quite taken as it was meant-chiefly to show how little vulgarities appear to the high bred, in the chance that to hear how others see us' might be stimulus to alteration where they were really undesirable.

A Constant Reader of The Monthly Packet will be glad to know whether there is any institution in London where advice for deafness is given gratis.

Can any of your Correspondents inform me where I can find a little Scotch poem called The Wee Flower, beginning

'A bonnie wee flower grew green in the wuds,

Like a twinkling wee star amang the cluds,' &c.

also, who is the author of the poem called the Lambs of Christ, beginning—
'They were gathered early. Earth's young and fair,
Time cannot touch them, nor want, nor care;

Safe in the bosom of endless rest,

The babes are cradled in Jesu's breast.'

and of another short poem called Heaven, beginning

'Before a lowland cottage,

With climbing roses gay."

Can any of them also supply the concluding lines in a little American poem, entitled The Coral Grove. The lines I require follow these

'There, with a light and easy motion,

The fan-coral sweeps through the clear deep sea.'

If any other Correspondent can inform me where to find the legend of the origin of the name of the Forget-me-not, told in verse, I shall be much obliged. The verses conclude with the following lines, which may help to recall the piece to the memory of your readers.

Old Damoetas wishes to know where the following lines come from :

will be found in Tennyson's May Queen (conclusion.)-F. G. C.

L. E. L. is informed that an edition of George Wither's Hymns and Songs of the Church was published by J. R. Smith, of Soho Square, in 1856. The size is small 8vo., and the price, I think, is 7s. 6d.-Rev. G. A. Trevor, 48, Queen's Gardens, Hyde Park.

The Secretary of the Hospital for Sick Children begs to acknowledge in The Monthly Packet the present of a Scrap-book for the Sick Children from Katie and her little Sisters. Our later Correspondents shall be answered in our next.

John and Charles Mozley, Printers, Derby.

A PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL WISDOM.

O KING of kings! in all Thy servants blest :-
Who didst on Thine elect Bartholomew
Pour down Thy gifts, as erst the trickling dew
Of grace divine on Aaron's sacred vest.—

So, rain Thy Spirit on Thy Church, opprest

By foes declared, and children bold, untrue;

Yea, with Thy strength her spreading boughs renew,
Till in her shade the gather'd nations rest.

Nor let our minds, beguiled by 'too much learning,'
Mar the old faith with treacherous novelties,
The wonders of redemption's labour spurning;

But make our hearts in heavenly knowledge wise,
That we, Thy purpose spiritually discerning,
May comprehend all truth, all mysteries!

PRACTICAL READINGS ON THE

APOSTLES' CREED.

ARTICLE IX.

THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH, THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS.'

In my belief in the Holy Catholic Church, I comprehend this-that Christ did, by the preaching of the Apostles, gather unto Himself a Church, consisting of thousands of believing persons, and numerous congregations, to which He daily added such as should be saved, and

VOL. 2.

8

PART 8.