have no desire to see the establishment of a Third Empire. Still we cannot forget that Mr. Beesly himself tells us that France prefers "a personal to a parliamentary government,' and that preference must be fatal to any government which is republican in fact as well as in name. We do not believe, moreover, that the peasantry have grown so enlightened in four years as to deliberately prefer the republic. If Napoleon IV. should land on the shores of France when he comes of age, we believe that the moneyed classes, the bourgeoisie and the peasantry would receive him with open arms. If they approve of the establishment of the republic just now it is only as a disagreeable but on the whole a necessary interregnum.

"Free Land," by Mr. H. R. Brand, M.P., deals with a question which is gradually coming to the front in England. The writer shows from premises supplied by the Lords' Committee that the present law of settlement is an insuperable obstacle to any attempt at land improvement. The remedy proposed by that committee of "giving power to the limited owner to act for some purposes as if he were the owner in fee" to this extent, that he may "spread the repayment of charges on the estate over a period equal to ten years more than his own expectation of life," Mr. Brand regards as inadequate. He suggests in lieu of it that land should be settled only upon a life in being and not upon unborn children of a living per

son.

"Mr. Mill's Three Essays on Religion" are reviewed by the editor with his usual vigour of thought and lucidity of expression. As however we have only a portion of the review in the current number we can hardly give Mr. Morley's views upon the book as a whole. The essay on "Nature" occupies his attention almost exclusively, the other two essays on the "Utility of Religion" and "Theism" being reserved for a future occasion. Mr. Mill's general propositions are stated in form, and, if we may venture to abridge the statement, they may be shortly expressed as follows:-That God cannot be allpowerful and at the same time purely benevolent, but is possibly, and, perhaps probably, limited in His powers; and that a belief in "certain supernatural potentialities" (including revelation and miracles) are proper objects of rational hope, though not capable of demonstration—a hope which may be a legitimate aid and an effective support to duty. Mr. Mill further allows that Christ, though not God, may have been what he supposed himself to be, "a man charged with a special, express and unique commission from God to lead mankind to truth and virtue ;" also that it may be satisfying and useful to hope for a life beyond the grave. Now, as Mr. Morley clearly shows, these admissions open the door to the entire

Christian system. Mr. Mill abuses that system without stint, and yet ends by welcoming it by another door. If the "rational hope" which he approves, though incapable of demonstration, be salutary and praiseworthy in its indulgence, on what does it rest? If it has a foundation in the spiritual or emotional nature of man, what becomes of Mr. Mill's philosophy? If it be merely an amiable delusion why not call it by its right name, absurd though it would be to speak of a rational delusion? The problem of the origin of evil is solved in the Essay on Nature after a fashion. There are four ways in which that terrible enigma may be dealt with. The Deity may be endowed with omnipotence and beneficence, as Christians believe, though not exactly as their belief is stated by Le Maistre. Both attributes and conscious intelligence may be denied and the universe regarded as "thoroughly miserable"-as something "which had better not have been." That is the pessimism of Hartmann and Schopenhauer. Thirdly, omnipotence may be conceded with maleficence for beneficence. This is devil-worship. Or lastly, omnipotence may be denied and beneficence admitted in a qualified sense. This is Manichæism and also the belief of Mr. Mill. The first view does not untie the knot certainly, but the last three cut it in a way satisfactory to those who hold it. Mr. Morley is surprised that Mill should have left the door open to the orthodox by leaving hope to be transformed successively into belief, faith, assurance, and finally into knowledge. The inconsistency is evident, but it is in perfect keeping with the gradual development of Mr. Mill's views in other departments, and seems to indicate that the "mystic" portions of the book were the most recent expressions of his progress towards a spiritual creed. In the evolution theory Mr. Morley sees another enemy, and that the danger is that "the Nature of science" is merely stepping to the throne of "the Nature of theology," because both are sketched upon the Optimist plan. Mr. Pater's "Fragment on Measure for Measure" is a short but thoughtful view of Shakspere's comedy from artistic and ethical stand-points. Mr. Stanton's review of Prof. Cairnes' latest work on Political Economy, is in the main eulogistic, although he differs with the author on the economic effects of trades-unions. The modifications made by the Professor in Mill's theory of wages and on other important points are approved by the writer without qualification.

The Contemporary has no pièce de resistance this month. The first paper is an instalment of Prof. Tyndall's experiments in the value of various methods of fog-signalling. These experiments were conducted at and off South Foreland, near Dover. The instruments used were two huge trumpets

Music Hall was crowded on each occasion. The concerts were additionally interesting owing to their being the means of introducing the Beethoven Quintette Club, who gave their valuable assistance in the orchestra. As the main features of the two performances were the same, it is with the second of them that weshall deal. As, however, the daily press have commented on both with fairness and at length, it will be unnecessary for us to go into details. The soloists were Mrs. Osgood, of Boston, Mr. Tandy (tenor), of Kingston, and Mr. Egan (bass), of Hamilton, the duty of sustaining the reputation of our local talent devolving upon Mrs. Cuthbert, Miss Scott, Miss A. Corbett and Mr. Warrington. The principal soprano solos were allotted to Mrs. Osgood, who proved herself to be possessed of a fresh and pleasing voice, in compass extending upwards to C in alt, and very equal in tone throughout its registers. She gave a conscientious and careful interpretation of the airs "The marvellous work," "With verdure clad," and "On mighty pens," and created a very favourable impression. Her phrasing is artistic, although perhaps here and there a slight sentimental exaggeration was noticeable. The other parts were scarcely so ably sustained. Mr. Tandy, who appeared to be suffering from a severe cold, was unable to make more than an average effort in the celebrated air "In native worth," while Mr. Egan, who has a ponderous and rather unmanageable bass voice, showed a great want of taste, and perpetrated atrocities that would have been more in keeping at an ordinary music hall concert. We cannot but agree with the comments that have been made in reference to certain departures from the text indulged in by both these gentlemen. The practice, now far too common, of tampering with the score of the great masters, is deserving of the severest censure, and admits of no justification. If this species of vandalism is to be encouraged, or even tolerated, there is no knowing where it will end. Every singer, to whom is assigned an important part, will feel at liberty to alter, or make additions to, the score at the dictates of his own caprice or fancy, and the result will be a total perversionof the intention of the composer, and a de- | plorable mutilation of the greatest inspirations. It is to be hoped that the time will come when audiences will receive these tasteless exhibitions with the most marked expression of disapproval, then; and not till then, will the evil cease. To Mr. War rington, who sang the bass solos and the first portion of the oratorio, must be given the credit of endeavouring to do his best; his rendition, however, was void of style, life, or expression. Miss Scott, who sang in the exquisite trio "Most beautiful appear," and in the final quartette with chorus, is without

doubt the best representative of our amateur talent that the Society put forward. Her voice is fresh, and though not full in tone, is nevertheless pleasing. Her delivery improves upon every appearance. The choruses were worked up admirably, and were often marked by precision of attack, excellent intonation, and equality. The popular "The Heavens are telling" went without a hitch, and throughout, the choral singing was far superior to anything of the kind before heard in Toronto. The string portion of the orchestra was comparatively brilliant, and had the wind" been supplied by good professionals, there would not have been so many unpleasant defects in the accompaniments. The conductor was Mr. Torrington, who wielded the baton with his usual ability.

Last Thursday evening the Beethoven Quintette Club gave one of their high-class concerts at the Music Hall. The most interesting numbers on the programme were the "Andante Scherzando and Adagio," from Mendelssohu's string quintette, Op. 87, "Theme and variations," from Beethoven's string quintette, Op. 104; the "Andante and Molto Allero Vivace," from Mendelssohn's Pianoforte Concerto, Op. 25, and Schumann's Träumerei, arranged for a string quintette. The movements from Mendelssohn's quintette, a posthumous publication, and one of the most exquisite inspirations of the master's maturer years, perfectly entranced the audience. The adagio in D minor, the surprising beauty of which it would be impossible to describe, was interpreted with fidelity by the Club, whose playing appears to be always neat and finished. The principal violin was Mr. Allen, an artist of considerable merit, and whose delivery, if not characrised by that marvellous solidity and firmness for which the leaders of the best European quartet unions are distinguished, was sufficiently finished and just to give a fair idea of the magnificent composition above mentioned, which was but slightly modified or coloured by his own individuality. The second quintette, "Theme and variations," Op. 104, is Beetho ven's own arrangement of the third (C minor) of his early trios (Op. 1) for piano, violin and violoncello. It was this very trio that is said to have been the cause of the coldness that existed betweeu Beethoven and Haydn. Beethoven considered the C minor trio to be the best of the three, but on submitting them to Haydn for his approval, that celebrated maestro, while warmly praising the first and second trios, advised him not to publish the third. Beethoven, we are told, suspected the sincerity of this advice, and from that time lost all confidence in Haydn. However, the trio in C minor is now universally acknowledged to be the finest, the opening

allegro con brio and the finale prestissimo foreshadow ing that strength of grasp and originality of idea which Beethoven afterwards exhibited in the composition of his third period. The movement played by the Club, the Andante cantabile con variazioni, although exceedingly melodious, is perhaps the least original, and suffered by contrast with Mendelssohn's quintette, which, as we have stated, was written during the period of the composer's greatest musical productivity. In the performance of this number, J. C. Mullaley assumed the lead; his style, however, in our opinion, although good, is scarcely polished enough to constitute him a quintette player of a high order. Mendelssohn's piano concerto, Op. 25, was played by Miss Crowle, an amateur of some executive ability. Her effort was a very promising one, but it was evident that both the " grand and the concerto were too much for her. This concerto was written at Munich perhaps in the year 1830, and was played for the first time in London by the composer

himself at the Philharmonic Concert of the 28th May, 1832. The delicate cantabile of the andante, the forcible and impetuous character of the allegro require an artist of the very highest order even to do them barely justice, while the innumerable difficulties of the rapid passages demand execution nothing short of complete mastery of the key-board. It is, therefore, no disparagement to Miss Crowle to say that, clever as her performance was, it merely served the purpose of introducing to the notice of a Toronto audience this wonderful concerto, and for this alone we are indebted to her. The Club, evidently fearing to hazard the experiment of giving in Toronto a purely classical programme, introduced a number of pieces with which the public are familiar, and which, therefore, need no comment thereupon. In con. clusion it might be added that the vocalist was Mrs. Osgood, who was received with the utmost enthusiasm, and who sang charmingly.

THE OLD REGIME IN CANADA. By Francis Parkman, Author of “ Pioneers of France in the New World," &c., &c. Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1874.

This admirable historical work, although, strictly speaking, only one volume of a series, is complete in itself. To its author Canadians are deeply indebted; for he has done for us, what, we are almost ashamed to say no historical student here has had the courage to undertake on so complete a scale. It is not too much to claim for Mr. Parkman that he has made the field of early Canadian history entirely his own. Not content with studying the documents printed by Provincial or State Governments, or by Historical Societies, he has explored the unpublished sources of information oral or written. Every Canadian whose name has been heard of in connection with the subject has been consulted, and the French archives, particularly those of the Department of Marine and Colonies, have been laid under tribute. Our author's industry has been untiring, and his power of digesting the congeries of material at his disposal, and of presenting it in a graphic and entertaining style, are qualifications which he shares with only a few modern historians. The volume before us is divided into parts entitled, not with the author's

The hazard

usual felicitousness of arrangement, we think, "The Period of Transition,” and “The Colony and the King." The first three chapters of the former are devoted to the perils and self-sacrifice of the missionaries and the religieuses. Each of these chapters contains a romance in itself. ous mission of the Jesuits to Onondaga, and their narrow escape from massacre; the holy wars of Montreal, which are like a chapter from the history of the Crusades, but far surpassed these mad expeditions in the rational objects in view and the rare self-devotion of priest and nun. The stories of miracle and portent, of Divine and angelic interposition, read like the legends of mediæval saints. then there is the grand episode of Daulacdes Ormeaux and the heroes of that forlorn hope at the Long Sault. In reading of the alacrity of the Jesuit fathers to go where duty called, over the ice and through the forest, and into the midst of savage camps, with their lives in their hands-lives not worth a day's purchase-it is impossible to withhold our tribute of admiration. They are but counterparts to another scene enacted in North Simcoe, at the massacre of the Hurons, when the gentle Lalemant and the lion-hearted Brébœuf, after suffering the most fearful tortures, perished at the stake, mar

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