erman _Romanticism_, by Dr. JULIAN
SCHMIDT, written for the purpose of defeating the last attempts which
the romantic school of German writers is making to regain its former
ascendency. Baron Eichendorff, almost the last of the old school, has
lately brought out a pamphlet for that purpose. It has found a full
contradiction in Dr. Schmidt's essay, one which will doubtless be
satisfactory to all but the Baron himself.

* * * * *

We cannot too much commend a metrical German translation of the heroic
Sagas (_Heldensagen_) of Firdusi, the chief of Persian poets. It is due
to the learning and taste, we might even say the genius, of HERR VON SCHOCK, and has
lately been published at Berlin. Those who recollect the delicious
illustrations which our Emerson has dug out of this old mine of Persian
poetry, to adorn some of his more recent lectures with, can need no
additional inducement to seek the acquaintance of this book. It contains
ten distinct _sagas_, with an introduction by the translator.

* * * * *

A work bearing a somewhat attractive title has recently been published
for FRED BURAU, by Brockhaus, of Leipzig, entitled _The Secret History
of Enigmatic Men, a Collection of Forgotten Notabilities._ Among the
"odd ones" cited, are the Countess of Rochlitz, Dankelmann and
Wartenberg, natural children of the last Stuarts, and of Danish Kings,
Count Lewenhaupt, Lord Peterborough, the Duke of Ormond, Frederic
Augustus the First, John Lilburne, W. Ludwig Weckerlin, and various
other characters, too numerous to mention. We noticed this work while it
was in course of preparation last year.

* * * * *

A singular historical concert was given at Dresden, in November. It was
made up of works of distinguished Electoral and Royal Saxon
_Capellmeisters_, in chronological order. First appeared John Walther,
the friend of Luther, and the original master of Protestant Church
music. Next, Heinrich Schutz, the author of the first German opera. The
Italians, Lotti and Porpora, and Hasse (who composed in Italian style),
represented the golden period of the Electoral Court in the past half of
the eighteenth century. Naumann marked the transition to modern German
music, while the most recent schools were represented by Morlacchi,
Reissiger, Weber, and Richard Wagner.

* * * * *

The Michaelmas Fair of this year at