nefit concerts. Those of Messrs. Cramer, Mr. Greatorex, Mr. W. Knyvett and Mr. Sapio, are already announced.

The publications this month, though numerous, are scarcely in such superabundance as the musical springtime produces; they are, however, of a higher quality than usual. La Bella Biondina, by Rawlings, is a lesson of great elegance. The introduction shows much imagination and contrivance. The second movement is an expressive Andante, leading to an air from Mozart's Opera of Il Seraglio, Ebbene ti lascio, which is treated with variety and brilliancy. Mr. Rawlings's compositions are always attractive from their melody, brilliancy, and invention; and La Bella Biondina cannot fail to become a favourite.

Kiallmark's Divertimento Scozzese, in which are introduced the airs Charlie is my darling, and We're a Noddin, with variations for the Pianoforte. The airs selected as the subjects for this piece are now so popular, that little additional composition is required to recommend them. Mr. Kiallmark has been, however, very happy in the additions he has made; and, with the exception of the second variation, which is common-place, his divertimento is a very spirited and agreeable piece, and much above his usual manner.

The 18th number of the Dramatic airs, by Steil, the subject A me tutte le Belle from La Modista Baggiratrice, once a great favourite when sung by Viganoni. The lesson, in the form of a Rondo, is bold and animat, ed, without, however, being vulgar, A very elegant and melodious passage is introduced at page 5, in B. flat, and the entire piece is striking and effective.

Rondeau brilliant pour le Pianoforte, composé par J. Moschelles. This piece is better adapted to the execution of the generality of Pianoforte players, than any of the compositions Mr. Moschelles has yet published; still it contains many of the difficulties of his particular style, although they are not so appalling as those of his Characteristic Sonata, &c. He appears, in the present case, to have written less for himself, and more for others. The subject of the Rondeau is very graceful, and its beauty is in

creased by the various forms in which it appears in the course of the piece; the skill so apparent in this instance is observable throughout; but this display of science is admirably adapted to heighten the effects of melody and expression. The composition is another proof of Mr. Moschelles's fine taste and eminence in his art.

A Barcarolle, with variations for the Pianoforte and flute, ad lib. by Latour, opens with an introduction of great feeling and elegance. The Barcarolle is composed by Mazas, the great violinist, and has been played by him at the Philharmonic Concerts, and is original and graceful. Mr. Latour has seized the moment of inspiration; for his composi→ tions must have been very rapidly produced, Mr. M. having played only a fortnight since. In the variations, he has manifested his accustomed good taste. The flute part is so arranged, that it may be omitted without injuring the effect of the performance, although it has more in it than an ad libitum accompaniment is usually allowed,

The second Number of Mr. Burrowe's Hibernian Airs has appeared. The subjects are Gramachree Molly, and Planxty Kelly. This number is at least equal, we think it superior, in merit to the first.

Pastorale Rondo pour le Pianoforte, par F. Kalkbrenner. There is great beauty and originality in the subject of this composition; the passages have a smoothness and flow which are highly agreeable, and well suited to its particular style. The lesson contains several cadences of a very novel form, and is difficult both in regard to expression and execution. In the former respect it is very peculiar.

Messrs. Birchall have reprinted, in a very handsome manner, the fine old music of Matthew Lock to Macbeth, with an introductory part containing the music to the Witche, a Tragic comedy, by Middleton, from which Shakspeare, it has been conjectured, caught the first idea of his supernatural imagery, and Lock, the themes for his music. It is curious thus to trace the rise and the expansion of subjects, which still justly engage the admiration of the present as they have done that of former ages.

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THE affairs of the last month have possessed very little interest either of a foreign or domestic nature. The great powers of Europe in whom the question, perhaps, virtually lies, are still coquetting on the subject of the Turkish war. Continual movements of messengers-rumours, now of immediate hostilities, and now of the renewed influence of Lord Strangford, succeed alternately, and are alternately contradicted. In the mean time a grand sitting of the Divan has taken place, the details of which as published must be interesting, or at least novel, to the English reader. The question was, whether or not the Russian ultimatum should be accepted. The Sultan himself is said to have been present, concealed behind the curtain of a window opening from his cabinet into the council room. All the councillors of the Porte then at Constantinople attended; an invitation was also sent to the chiefs of the Janissaries and of the Ulemas. The question of peace or war was supposed to hang, as it very likely did, on the decision. The Mufti and the chiefs of the Ulemas, in the first place, declared that several of the demands of the Muscovites were contrary to the principles of Islamism, and to the dignity of religion. After this significant and ominous commencement, the Grand Vizier, as president of the Divan, demanded" Is it just and conformable to the principles of the Holy Koran, to raise the standard of the great Prophet, and to call to arms the mussulmen of the east and of the west, when demands like these are addressed to the Prince of the faithful?" On which all the Muftis answered, "It is just." These words were then re-echoed by the Ulemas. The next proposition was Is it just and wise to withdraw the mussulmen from the principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, while the Muscovites have assembled on the frontiers a numerous corps which they will not dissolve?" To which all present unanimously answered--"No, it would not be just-it would not be

wise!"

The following questions were then discussed—“ Čan the administration of the two frontier provinces be intrusted in future, as it has hitherto been, to the perfidious and traitorous Greeks or Boyars?" Unanimously answered-"No, that is impossible."—"Can we restore to the rebellious Rajahs all their churches and their privileges, so long as they obstinately persist in their disobedi ence to the sublime Porte?"—" No, that cannot be!"-The Sultan approved all these decisions, and gave orders to the Grand Vizier to cause his intention to be notified by the Reis Effendi to the foreign ambassadors, and to explain to them, at the same time, the reasons which had in duced the Porte to come to such a ré solution. It was affirmed that in the same Divan it was resolved, that in case of a new war with Christendom, some mysterious plan, which was under consideration during the war of the Porte with Austria and Russia, in the reigns of Joseph and Catherine, but which was frustrated by the victories of Suwarrow and Prince Coburg, should be put in execution. In consonance with this de cision of the Divan, a sort of demiofficial rejection of the Russian ulti matum has been published, in language, if it be authentic, quite suffi cient to excite even the frozen blood of a northern autocrat. In pursuance of this, the Sultan was said to have ordered a general impressment of seamen, which was carried into execu tion with great rigour, and without any respect to persons. The city of Constantinople is represented to be as light during the night as it is in the day-time, in consequence of the fires of the bivouacs; by day or night, it resembles a large camp; and the people are so elevated at the idea of the plunder of the accursed infidels," that the Sultan's determination seems scarcely voluntary on his part. The consequence of this has been a grand council at Vienna, to which the foreign ambassadors were invited, and at which a renewed and simultaneous remonstrance of the

Christian powers to the Porte was resolved upon; but such was the spirit of the Turkish people, that it was supposed the acquiescence of the Sultan must produce a catastrophe at Constantinople, attended by the massacre of all the ministers. The Russian letters give equal "note of preparation." They say, that the army assembled on the Pruth, and ready to take the field, consists of 280,000 men, of which a very large proportion is cavalry; the dragoons alone are estimated at 26,000 men. The Russian park of artillery is stated to consist of 500 pieces of cannon. In the mean time, the death of Ali Pacha does not seem to have produced so favourable an effect upon the affairs of the Porte in Greece as might have been expected. The accounts from Albania and the Epirus are favourable to the insurgents. Chourschid Pacha is so occupied with the Suliotes and Albanians, that he has been unable either to execute the orders of the Sultan or to proceed with his army to the Morea. The whole Pachalik of Joannina is represented to be in arms, and determined in every way to resist the removal of Ali's treasures. While upon this subject, we may mention a strange report, that Ali has escaped alive, and that the head sent to Constantinople was really not his, but that of an old soldier! It is not impossible that by our next something decisive may be communicated on this important question, as the Russian troops are generally accustomed to commence operations by the middle of April.

The state of France continues pretty much as we represented it last month, and as it probably will continue till a general explosion takes place. The Bourbons seem to be exactly in the same situation as they were on the landing of Napoleon from Elba;-not a whit more secure. Our readers may form some idea of this, from the fact of an universal consternation having seized all the authorities on the perusal of a song in a number of the Morning Chronicle! The song related to the "Cordon Sanitaire;" and immediately on its appearance all the numbers of the Journal containing it were seized by the police. This was followed by an intimation, that it was expected that

his Most Christian Majesty's ambassador in London would do his duty! In what a state must the throne of that country be, whose monarch trembles at a song! The Chamber of Deputies has been adjourned, after many stormy discussions, the result of one of which was, after ample provocation, a duel between Generals Foy and Semele, which, after three shots each, terminated without bloodshed. A very curious exposé took place, by M. Girardin, during one of the sittings, of the practices pursued in the French Post-office. He said that, after passing through the ostensibleoffice, by merely touching a secret door, you found yourself altogether in a new world-surrounded by all the instruments and artifices of espionage. Cauldrons of boiling water to soften wafers-furnaces to melt wax-artists to forge seal-engravings--scientific men to unfold cyphers-all under the immediate inspection of the Director of the Posts, and all, said M. Girardin, "so carefully concealed, that they who were employed to discover the secrets of the world, were themselves a secret to all the world." The Times Newspaper asserts, that this practice was introduced into England at the accession of the house of Brunswick, at which time it was partially adopted, under the apology of a disputed crown. It is stated, that after all the efforts made to apprehend General Berthon, he has at length succeeded in escaping with his principal officers by sea to St. Sebastian, where he was most favourably received. The following has been given as an authentic statement, in one of the French papers, of the number of English who have visited Paris from 1815 to 1821, both inclusive. In 1815, 13,822; in 1816, 15,512; in 1817, 16,618; in 1818, 19,838; in 1819, 18,720; in 1820, 19,040; in 1821, 20,184! The city of Paris has surely, in this estimate, a good setoff against the spoliation of the Louvre.

An important message has been transmitted by the President of the United States to the Americau House of Representatives, recommending the recognition of the South American provinces as an independent country. It recites the strict neutrality which the American govern

ment has hitherto preserved with respect to the belligerents, but pointedly observes, that when the result of such a contest is manifestly settled, the new government have a claim to recognition from other powers, which ought not to be resisted. The President enters into the following detail of the progress of the revolted provinces, which is important, as its authenticity cannot be doubted, coming from such a quarter. Buenos Ayres, he says, assumed her rank as an independent state, by a formal declaration in 1815, and has enjoyed it since, free from any invasion by the parent country. The provinces composing the Republic of Columbia, after having separately declared their independence, were united by a fundamental law of the 17th of December, 1819. The provinces on the Pacific have likewise been very successful. Chili declared her independence in 1818, and has since enjoyed it undisturbed; and, of late, by the assistance of Chili and Buenos Ayres, the revolution has extended to Peru. Of the movements in Mexico, Mr. Monroe does not profess to give such authentic information; but he says it is distinctly understood that the new government has declared its independence, and that there is now neither an opposition to it there, nor a force to make any. Under these circumstances, he recommends an immediate recognition of these countries by the United States; a recommendation which no doubt will be acceded to, as it cannot fail to be followed by very considerable commercial advantages. It is surprising with what perseverance the government of the United States endeavours to facilitate the communication with the various ports of Europe. A New York paper asserts, that there is an establishment of twelve regular packets between that place and the port of Liverpool alone! Three of these start every month, so that the intercourse seldom suffers the interruption of a week! What would have been said if this had been prophesied thirty years ago?

Some proceedings have lately been instituted against the press in India, which render completely nugatory all the pretended freedom which was

An Easter recess, of a very unusual length, has left us but little to say on the score of parliamentary intelligence. One important debate has, however, taken place since the house resumed its sittings; we allude to that produced by the motion of Sir John Newport, on the state of Ireland. The motion was for an Address to his Majesty, and was evidently, and indeed avowedly made, not so much with a view to its being carried, as to provoke a discussion on the subject. The discussion was provoked, and ended pretty much in the same way as all such discussions have done since the junction of the parliaments. Every one admitted the misery which Ireland suffers→→ each speaker attributed that misery to a different cause, and none proposed a single remedy! Sir J. Newport declared that the evils chiefly arose from not granting Catholic emancipation and reforming the tithe system. Mr. Ellis, of Dublin, said they arose from the exclusive miscreancy of the Catholic population-and Mr. Goulburn, the new Irish Secretary, dilated at some length upon the policy pursued in the days of Strongbow. The speech of the member for Dublin was most eloquently and indignantly reprobated by Mr. Plunket, who went at considerable length into the question. We have already expressed our opinion on the merits of this gentleman. There is not certainly, either in or out of the house, any person more capable of elucidating the affairs of Ireland, if he turns his mind seriously to the topic; and we are gratified in hearing from him that the government, of which he is now a member, are inclined to give it a serious consideration. The subjects to which