nation only waits a fitting opportunity for acknowledging papal supremacy. No record whatever appears in this or any other Neapolitan print of the passing events of the city; the courts of justice are never reported, in fact the Notizie Interne are wholly confined to the proclamation of a saintly festa, and the birth-days of the royal family. There are several monthly periodicals published in Naples. Il Progresso is perhaps the best. The literature of these ephemerals, as may be imagined, is very different in character to any thing which appears under similar circumstances in France or England. Essays on the poets, the fine arts, particularly music, with translations of romances, form the staple subjects for periodical writers in Naples. In most of the articles you trace the evil that hangs over and darkens every mental luminary of the kingdom; the author always appears to be writing as it were in an iron glove. To pass the scrutiny of revision it is necessary to resort to the most fulsome compliments on the religion and government of the place. I have now before me a new work printed in Naples-Teatro Tragico Italiano, edited by Professor Firrao. The work opens with a clever introduction by the editor, in which he traces the growth and perfection of the modern Italian tongue from its Latin mother, illustrating its progress by a chronological notice of authors who have contributed any valuable addition to the literature of Italy. The lamentable falling off during the last two centuries of great names does not escape the professor's observation; his subjectmatter gradually leaves him, until he finds himself in the existing dearth of every thing worthy of the name of Belles Lettres; and yet, in recording the temporal freedom, thought and spirit in Italy, which threw up Alfieri, and others less illustrious, who might have redeemed their land, the cautious professor does not forget where he is writing, and concludes his "introduction" by exclaiming, "E tu Napoli mia, tu sei certa fra le città italichi fortunatissima, sotto gli auspizi di un generoso monarca!” The old story-want of truth-hypocrisy, which has been the death of Italy: it was so in the days of Lorenzo the Magnificent, and Leo X.; it has been thus ever since-no sincerity in the minds which ought to govern and direct; and if a Macchiavelli has appeared, his mind lives and breathes in a foreign land; if he would be honest he must leave Italy-if he remain he becomes a hypocrite, and how frequently the worst of hypocrites-a cheater of himself! Scientific congresses may meet and parade their learning and wisdom: they will produce no beneficial effect whilst the press is imprisoned, as if it were an enemy of mankind! and any meeting for the promotion of literature under such circumstances is nothing better than a solemn satire. Feasting and talking, and complimenting the monarch and citizens that invite their presence, is the real business of these meetings, which remind one of some verses of Prior's :

"They talked and eat, good folks. What then?
Why then they talked and ate again."

Thiers's history of the Consulate is announced for publication; a Neapolitan edition of such a work must of necessity be very different in many important points from the narrative of the Frenchman.

This Italian translation, like others of a similar nature, is printed, in all probability, to prevent any curiosity about the French original.

RECENT EXCAVATIONS OF POMPEII.-The Bullettino Archeologico of a late date contains a long notice by Professor Avellino, of a very interesting and beautiful painting lately discovered near Pompeii. The subject represents the loves of Narcissus and Echo. As a work of art, as well as for its singularly happy preservation, this newly found treasure is equal to some of the best specimens in the Museo Borbonico, where the whole of the paintings and mosaics from the buried city are preserved. The excavations at Pompeii progress very slowly, as usual: one or two shops have been discovered; they do not possess, however, any new feature of interest. Some very remarkable and highly interesting specimens of vases have been found near Puglia, from which engravings have appeared in the Bullettino. Independent of their artistic merit, these interesting relics of the Greek world are calculated to throw much new light on the mythology they so beautifully illustrate; in fact, they are a contemporary commentary on Homeric literature, and might be used with infinite advantage as pictorial readings of the poetry and religion they embody.

COMMERCE.-Sir Woodbine Parish has at length completed the Navigation Treaty between Great Britain and Naples; but up to the present time, it has not been ratified, owing to the non-signing of a similar document on the part of France. When the arrangements are completed, some slight advantage may accrue to England from the admission of British vessels into the port, under more favourable circumstances; but whilst the enormous duty on English goods continues as it now is, our commercial interest must of necessity remain in a very crippled state. The wretched policy of the dogana at Naples is as notorious as the smuggling to which it gives rise. Goods are publicly sold in some instances for very little more than the custom-duties they ought to pay the vexatious annoyance of the officials in this wretchedly managed establishment is well known to all who have had any thing to do with passing goods: the duties are farmed by a company paying the government a certain sum for their privilege. the officials of this company an equal number of ill-paid officers are appointed as checks on the part of the government, or in other words the king. The disputes and delays occasioned by the wrangling of the two parties are scarcely conceivable in any public government establishment: bribery on all sides is the order of the day; it would be difficult perhaps to find in Europe any similar example of notorious robbery by government officials, and contrabandism, unless it be in Spain.

Over

RAILROADS IN ITALY.-On the 4th of April, the Grand Duke of Tuscany commissioned several Italian engineers to take surveys for a new line of road from Pistovia to the confines of Bologna. On the same day a similar commission was issued for the survey of a much more important line, namely, from Leghorn to the confines of the Roman states, passing Grosetto and arriving at the new dogana of Chiarone. This important work, when completed, will be an advance,

as far as Tuscany is concerned, towards uniting by rail-road the cities of Florence, Rome and Naples. In the latter kingdom advances are already made as far as Capua; it therefore only rests with the papal government to carry out this great object. It is difficult to say when that line will be finished, as the innumerable delays and disputes attending public works in most of the Italian states, is such, that it would be impossible to offer any speculations on the subject. There can be little doubt, however, that eventually the line will be formed, and when such has actually taken place, and when the line from Paris to Marseilles is in operation, Italy may be visited by cockney travellers, who have hitherto contented themselves with a trip to Margate or Brighton. In the kingdom of Naples the line running from the capital to Salerno is rapidly progressing. This in all probability is the only road that will be formed to any town of Naples, and there is much doubt if this line connecting the capital with the largest provincial city will pay. The Venetian rail-road is nearly finished, and hopes are entertained of a partial revival of commerce.

VESUVIUS. The smoky giant is ever an attractive object to the traveller, and in many instances constitutes a potent reason for visiting Naples; the travelled and the untravelled, therefore, will be glad to learn that a new road is forming, which will enable the curious to look down the monster's mouth with much less fatigue than hitherto. An observatory is also erecting, to which a permanent professor of astronomy will be appointed as soon as the building is complete. The enormous tazza, which, during the last three years has been gradually filling, is now completely occupied with disgorged matter. The various reports constantly circulated relative to an approaching eruption, are utterly without foundation; in fact the continued activity of the mountain during the last twelve months would rather argue against any grand display.

THE LYRICAL DRAMA.-San Carlo of Naples, the theatre that first echoed the compositions of a Rossini, a Bellini, a Pacini, a Donizetti,the stage which gave European fame to nearly all the first Italian singers, is gradually declining, and becoming little better than a second rate compared with the theatres of London, Paris and Vienna. Two new operas by Mercadante are the only musical events worth recording. The most ambitious, and that produced at San Carlo, is entitled П Vascello de Gama. Full of clever instrumentative and studied ef fects (as all the compositions of this master invariably are), it wants novelty of thought, and a few of those pezzi cantabile, which are absolutely necessary to ensure universal approbation. Mercadante's great deficiency is want of invention: he always pleases, but seldom transports his hearers. This was very obvious in Vascello de Gama; the audience received the new production with cold approbation; the opera was sustained by Mrs. Bishop (prima donna), Coletti and Fraschini. Mrs. Bishop in this, as in nearly all her performances, gave very little satisfaction; in fact, such is the nature of that lady's voice, it amounts almost to an impossibility for her to sustain an important spartita in so large a theatre as that of San Carlo. Il Vascello de Gama will founder for ever on the boards that witnessed its launch

Mercadante's second novelty is entitled Leonora; the scene is laid in Prussia, and the story a very simple love-narrative of the lady Leonora, who is compelled of course to marry her father's choice, during the absence of him on whom she bestows many bars of very beautiful love-music. But, of course, just as the forzate nozze is about to take place the man appears, and every thing is arranged as amiably as ever lovers could desire. The maestro was called for repeatedly to receive the congratulations of a delighted audience; and the excess of this less ambitious effort was complete. Leonora will certainly find her way to Paris and London, and confer new honours on the author of Il Bravo.

The Italian opera is now so important and grave a subject throughout Europe, as to allow of a statistic report of its progress during the past year, 1814.

There were seventy-three theatres open for the representation of the lyrical drama in Italy, namely, twenty-eight in Lombardy; in Sardinia fifteen; in the kingdom of the Two Sicilies eleven; in Tuscany nine; in the Papal States seven; and three in Modena.

Seven new operas were produced, namely, three at Naples; two at Milan; one at Rome, and one at Forlè.

Three new composers presented their first operas to the publicPasquale Bona, Salvatore Cappocci, and Favi.

In forty-four theatres were represented the most familiar operas of Donizetti: namely, in eight theatres, the Elisir; Gemma, Lucrezia, and Luida, in seven others. Roberto Devereux and Figlia del Reggimento were performed in six theatres. Ajo was given in four different cities. Anna Bolena, Lucia, Don Pasquale, and Maria di Rohan, were each represented in three various theatres; Belisario, Parisina, and Furioso, in two others. Marino Faliero, Favorita, Maria Padilla, Regina di Golconda, and Betly, were favourites at one theatre only.

The following are the operas of the well known masters, which found favour during the past year, throughout Italy.

ROSSINI.-Barbiere, Cenerentola, Gazza Ladra, and Italiana in

Algeri.

BELLINI.-Beatrice, Norma, Capuleti, Sonnambula, and Straniera. VERDI.-Errani, Nabucco, and Lombardi.

Giuramento, Bravo, Elena da Feltre, Vestale,

RICCI (Luigi).—Chi dura Verice, Scaramuccia, Nuovo Figaro and Colonnello.

RICCI (Fred.).-Corrado.

Rossi.-Falsi Monetari, Borgomastro di Schiedam.

MEYERBEER.-Roberto il Diavolo.

PONIATOWSKI.-Bonifazio, Don Desiderio, and Ruy Blas.

NICOLAI Templario.

PACINI.-Saffo and Fidanzata.

During the last seven years, 297 new operas have been produced in Italy as follows:-in 1838, 44; 1839, 37; 1840, 35; 1841, 51; 1842, 43; 1843, 52; and in 1844, 35.

267

LITERARY NOTICES.

POLAND.

THE Polish Israelites have ardently joined the Poles in cultivating their literature. It is no longer to be merely a proverb, that "Poland is the Palestine of the Jews;" but Poland begins to be in reality their native land, the land of their forefathers. Unluckily for them, they did not feel so earlier, but until they had passed a cruel ordeal. Rumours of prophecies are secretly circulating among them, probably started by their Rabbis and sages, of the regeneration of Israel being at hand, which event is to take place along with the restoration of Poland, and that of two other states beside. With an oppressed and fanatical population this may not be without weight. The Russian government is not ignorant of the state of excitement prevalent among the Jews, and censor officers are enjoined to keep a vigilant eye on what is printed in Hebrew, and what sort of foreign books are circulating among their communities. One of their recent popular, and severely prohibited hymns in Hebrew begins in the following strain :

"An old oracle tells us Lech's heaven is at hand,

Poles! your eagle is our eagle, your country is our land." * One of their most popular writers is, J. Garnytz, a poet. His "David" in Hebrew is much read and admired; he lately published in the Polish language, "Considerations (Mysli) on Poland;" and is a contributor to the “Archives Israelites," a periodical organ of the French, German, and Polish Jews.

Dr. Handvogel writes likewise for that same journal. While yet at Warsaw, he used to vindicate the cause of Poland against unjust and injurious aspersions of the French and German newspapers, whereby he incurred the displeasure of the government, and was obliged in consequence to expatriate himself.

Judel Klaczko, of Wilna, while yet a youth of fifteen, wrote his "First Offering" (Pierwsza Ofiara) in Polish, and subsequently translated Korzeniowski's tragedy, "The Monk," into Hebrew. He published a poem, much read, "The Israelite on the Ruins of Jerusalem," and is now writing "The Deluge," in Hebrew.

Jacob Tugenhold, one of the profoundest Jewish writers in Poland, published an 66 Index of Truth and Concordance of the different Jewish Sects," collected by him for their use. His authorities are the Bible, the Talmud, and ancient rabbinic writers, in which he is deeply read. In issuing his book his purpose seems to be to improve the moral and physical condition of his co-religionists by breaking through the shackles of ignorance and prejudices of the Israelites of the old school; and to reconcile them with Christians, and the social order at large. To further this desirable object, his book is to appear also in the vulgar tongue of the Polish Jews, with signatures of the living Rabbis appended to the translation, in testimony of the authenticity of the sources from which the adduced passages are drawn. On the very outset, he endeavours to impress the Israelites with the conviction that Christians are their neighbours, whom they should love as their brethren; and that the expressions of hatred and of curses found in the Scriptures, and in their religious books, against men of other *The idea is borrowed from a poem of Woronicz, the last Archbishop of Poland. "Dawno Wyrocznio Lecha Niebo nam oglasza, Polacy to nasz Orzel, ta ziemia jest wasza.'