thought I had no right to impose on you | in letting you see feelings which, though the task of keeping a secret which I must very real at the time, were hasty and have told you if I had written, and which awakened during a misconception of the a person, whose equal concern it is, had position in which I stood towards another decided to keep silence upon for a while. person. What I have to say is, don't let My tongue is loosened now, and I will tell your belief in truth and sincerity, or above you at once that I am engaged, have been all, in your own worth be lessened through engaged for four months, to your cousin, my fault. I submit that I ought to be low. Alma Rivers, and that we shall probably ered in your estimation, you cannot supbe married very shortly after her return to pose my esteem for you greater than it is, England in September. The wedding will and the false coloring came through me. be in London; but Lady Rivers is coming I know your disposition to undervalue with her daughter to Leigh for a short visit yourself, and I also know from past expefirst, and I am trying to persuade Madame rience how prone we air people' are de Florimel to meet them there, and re- when the light of life happens to burn low main to stand by me on the great day. to translate everything into excuses for Up to the present moment, I am sorry to self-torture and self-contempt. That is say, she remains obstinate against leaving why I have ventured on a confession of her vineyards at La Roquette to ripen sins which may perhaps make it clearer to without the help of her watching. This you than your humility would otherwise s all preliminary to the real object of my allow, on whose shoulders the blame of letter, which I find must after all be en- our spoilt spring memories falls. When tered upon bluntly, if entered upon at all. the shadow has quite passed away from I am guilty towards you in another matter them, we shall meet on the friendly old than that of the long unanswered letter, footing. Meanwhile I have had a long and I have reflected that since, if I had letter from my friend Casabianca, and Î injured or misled a man in a small thing or am glad to find that he has sensible views a great, I should owe it to him to acknowl- upon the rabbit-warrens at Leigh, and conedge my fault in so many words, I owe the siders that next Christmas holidays will be same openness to you, though in matters a suitable season for his introduction to of feeling between men and women such their numerous population; we shall peroutspokenness is not, I believe, usual. Ihaps be able to persuade your mother to think it ought to be. If I blunder in writing this and make my fault worse, forgive It is written in utter reverence for your sincerity and purity of nature; from a conviction that with such as you, truth never rankles as does falsehood or misunderstanding. Let us face the truth together then. I made a mistake last spring me. journey northwards earlier than that. You see I count so certainly on your forgiveness that I look forward to being received as a useful cousin by all the members of your family by-and-by. 66 Always yours, "WYNYARD ANSTICE." THE BLACK MILDEW OF WALLS. of an observation by Professor Paley regarding the cause of the blackness of St. Paul's, which he attributed mainly to the growth of a lichen, Professor Leidy recently stated to the Philadelphia Academy that his attention was called a number of years ago to a similar black appearance on the brick walls and granite work of houses in narrow, shaded streets, especially in the vicinity of the Delaware River. Noticing a similar blackness on the bricks above the windows of a brewery, from which there was a constant escape of watery vapor, in a more central portion of the city, he was led to suspect it was of vegetable nature. On examination, the black mildew proved to be an alga, closely allied to what he supposed Apropos | to be the Protococcus viridis, which gives the bright green color to the trunks of trees, fences, and walls, mostly on the more shaded and northern side, everywhere in that neighborhood. Professor Leidy thinks it may be the same plant in a different state, but, until proved to be so, he proposes to distinguish it by the name of Protecoccus lugubris. It consists of minute round or oval cells, isolated or in pairs, or in groups of four, the result of division; or it occurs in short irregular chains of four or more cells up to a dozen, occasion. ally with a lateral offset of two or more cells. The cells by transmitted light seem of a brownish or olive-brownish hue. In mass, the alga appears to the naked eye as an intensely black powder. LET all the fish that swim the sea, Salmon and turbot, cod and ling, Bow down the head and bend the knee SONNETS. I. IF by the meaner measures we would prove How light our chances of success! O love The secret soul of truth's reality, Of what we seek to prove, we see Alone in thy light clearly, for in thee We stand at centre, and our gaze is true. All outer proofs live in the mystery, To Herring their king, to Herring their That, touching all things softly, adds the hue king. Sing, "Hugamar féin an sowra ling: "Tis we have brought the summer in." 'Twas in with the sails, and away to shore, With the rise and swing, the rise and swing Of two stout lads at each smoking oar, After Herring our king, Herring our king. Sing, "Hugamar féin an sowra ling: " "Tis we have brought the summer in." The Manx and the Cornish raised the shout, And joined the chase, and joined the chase; But their fleets they fouled, as they went about, And we won the race, we won the race. Sing, "Hugamar féin an sowra ling: "Tis we have brought the summer in." Whose presence postulates truth's fairest light; So that the seeker and the sought are such Companions, in the mystic circle of His might, Who made truth nature's friend, that when they touch, They know each other, in God's light indeed; Nor any stranger's introduction need. On the wise lip, and in this mood begin To measure out the half of self, and call The weak result the truth? Does not our need That clamors most for the Unknown, which Paul That, by its strong demand, its tears and cries, Too near ourselves for proof He ever lies? SONNET J. H. SUGGESTED BY THE PICTURE OF THE ANNUNCIATION, BY E. BURNE JONES. WOMAN, whose lot hath alway been to bear Love's load beneath the heart, set there to hold It high, and keep it resolute and bold To clasp God's feet, and hang on to the fair Wide skirts of light, thy sealed sense can spare The open vision, thou being called to fold From time's mischance, and from the sea son's cold, The wonder in thy breast, and nurse it there. What though thy travail hath been long and sore, Love being borne in so great heaviness, Through loss and labor, joy shall be the more Of love that living shall the nations bless: Love that shall set man's bounden spirit free, The "holy thing" that still is born of thee. Fraser's Magazine. EMILY PFEIFFER. From The Quarterly Review. COUNT CAVOUR.* THE lives, memoirs, and biographical notices of Count Cavour, emulously hurried out soon after his death, were inevitably and confessedly incomplete. The author of one of the best, Mr. E. Dicey, expressed the common sentiment when he said that "many long years had yet to pass before either friends or foes could judge fairly of the statesman's memory: " that "the fame of the architect rests ultimately not so much on the gorgeousness of his edifice as on the stability of his structure." The so-called edifice was in a most unsatisfactory state: the added parts had to be brought into harmony with the main building the scaffolding was still standing: the foundation lines of the complete structure he meditated were hardly traced when he died. Or his position might be compared to that of the prophet on Mount Pisgah: The barren wilderness he passed, Did on the very border stand Of the bless'd promised land genial atmosphere of the north. United Italy, with Rome for its capital, was the prototype of united Germany, with Prussia for its head. The fire of nationality, which fused and moulded the jarring states of the German confederation into an empire, was kindled at Italian altars; and there was a connecting link, an associating chord, between the two greatest men of our generation which may be illustrated by the striking metaphor of Burke: "Even then, before this splendid orb (Chatham) was entirely set, and while the western horizon was in a blaze with his descending glory, on the opposite quarter of the heaven arose another luminary (Charles Townshend), and for his hour became lord of the ascendant." The liv ing career of the regenerator of Italy was closed in June, 1861: the regenerator of Germany became lord of the ascendant in September, 1862; and the prolonged influence of the descending orb upon the course of the rising luminary may be compared to that which the moon exercises over the And from the mountain-top of his exalted wit tides; although, perhaps, each of them Saw it himself and shew'd us it.t The promised land was reached, and fully realized the expectations he had raised of it: his mantle fell upon successors who comprehended him: his spirit survived and spread; and the grandest of his conceptions, which even the southern imagination was slow to grasp, was caught up and realized in the colder and less con 1. Cavour. A Memoir. By Edward Dicey, author of "Rome in 1860." London, 1861. 2. Le Comte de Cavour. Récits et Souvenirs. Par W. de la Rive. Paris, 1862. 3. Euvre Parlementaire du Comte de Cavour. Traduite et annotée par J. Artom et Albert Blanc. Paris, 1862. 4. Henry d'Ideville. Journal d'un Diplomate en Italie. Notes intimes pour servir à l'Histoire du Second Empire. Turin, 1859-1862; Paris, 1872. 5. A Discourse on the Life, Character, and Policy of Count Cavour. By Vincenzo Botta, Ph.D., Pro fessor, etc. New York, 1862. 6. Bismarck et Cavour. L'Unité de l'Allemagne et l'Unité de l'Italie. Par M. N. Reyntiens, Membre du Sénat Belge. Bruxelles, 1875. 7. The Life of Cavour. From the French of M. Charles de Mazade. London, 1877. 8. Life of Victor Emanuel II., First King of Italy. By G. S. Godkin. In Two Volumes. London, 1879. 9. Pie IX. et Victor Emmanuel. Histoire Contemporaine de l'Italie (1846-1878). Par Jules Zeller, Membre de l'Institut. Paris, 1879. ↑ Cowley-referring to Lord Bacon, would be best typified by the comet "with fear of change perplexing nations." To facilitate the just appreciation of both, to bring the distinctive qualities of these two master minds into broad relief by contrast, we propose to place a careful study of Count Cavour alongside the sketch which we recently hazarded of Prince Bismarck. Quite independently of other considerations, the accumulation of valuable materials since we last approached the subject * forms an ample justification for resuming it. The The Italian, like the German statesman, came of a noble and ancient race. original name was Benso, and the real name (abbreviated in common parlance) became Benso de Cavour on the elevation of the head of the house to the Marquisate of Cavour, some three or four generations back. The founder of the family is traditionally said to have settled at Santena, their present seat, in the eleventh century, and M. Artom relates that he asked Cavour how it came to pass that a German device, * Quarterly Review for July, 1861. In going over the same ground, especially as regards facts essential to be kept in mind, we think it better to repeat than refer. "Gott will Recht," made part of his armo- ther Greek nor Latin, recalls Berryer rial bearings. "It is supposed," was the exclaiming, “Moi, qui ne sais ni lire ni reply, "that my family is of Saxon origin, écrire!" In 1816 he was taken by his and that a pilgrim named Benz came to parents to Geneva, on a visit to the De la Piedmont in 1086. Hence the shells which Rives, whose impression of him at this you see in my arms and the motto which period has fortunately been handed down. decorates them. Do you believe this?" "No." "No more do I;" and he burst into a loud peal of laughter. But on the same authority we learn that during a railway journey, towards the close of his life, he suddenly exclaimed to a fellow-traveller, "Do you see that spire yonder, half hidden among the trees? It is the church steeple of Santena, the hereditary seat of my family. It is there I wish to repose after my death." He was the second son of the Marquis de Cavour, who held the office of grand chamberlain under Prince Camillo Borghese, when Piedmont formed part of a French department; and that he came into the world under Napoleonic auspices is commemorated by the fact that he received his Christian name from the prince, and that the Princess Pauline was his godmother. His mother was the daughter of the Comte de Sellon, a noble Genevese, one of three sisters, all highly cultivated and accomplished women. He was born on the first of August, 1810, and bred up in a domestic circle regulated by a kind of patriarchal feeling. So striking indeed were old customs, especially the prerogatives of primogeniture, observed in it, that when Cavour, in the height of his fame, was occupying the town house at Turin with his elder brother, he still retained the position of a cadet, and was obliged to take his place every day at table with the family factor (intendant), whom he detested. "People fancy me very powerful," he remarked one day in the hearing of M. d'Ideville. "Well, I have never been able to get rid of Barnabo. I must endure him whether I like it or not." When he was in his fifth year, his mother writes: "Gustave (the elder brother) is fond of study; Camillo holds it in horror. Tell me if you have much trouble in teaching your Eugene to read; as for my poor Camillo, he can make nothing of it, his sighs are heart-rending." His half-boast ful avowal in after life, that he knew nei He was an arch, roguish little fellow, with a lively physiognomy, indicating decision, a very amusing playfulness, and inexhaustible spirits. He wore a red coat, which gave him a resolute and at the same time agreeable air. On his arrival he was very excited, and told my grandfather that the postmaster of Geneva, having supplied execrable horses, ought to be dismissed. "I demand his dismissal," he repeated. "But," replied my grandfather, “I cannot dismiss the postmaster, it is only the desire an audience of the first syndic." "You first syndic who has this power." "Well, I shall have one to-morrow," replied my grandfather, and he immediately wrote to his friend M. Schmidtmeyer, the first syndic, to announce that he was about to send him a very droll little fellow. The next day he presents himself at the first syndic's, is ceremoniously received, and after three formal bows makes a clear, calm statement of his complaint and demand. On his return, as soon as he caught sight of my grandfather, he called out, "All right, he will be dismissed." He was then hardly six. In his tenth or eleventh year, he left the paternal mansion for the Military Academy of Turin, and at the same time was appointed page to the Prince of Carignan, the heir presumptive to the throne; an honor, due to his birth, which was highly esteemed for the rank and privileges it conferred. He was far from viewing it in that light. When M. de la Rive asked him what was the costume of the pages, "Parbleu!" he replied, in an excited tone, "how would you have us dressed, except as lackeys, which we were. It made me blush with shame." His open contempt for the place, with probably his lax discharge of its duties, led to his speedy dismissal, and left a disagreeable impression on his royal master, who subsequently visited on the officer the offence given by the page. His youthful inaptitude or distaste for the learned languages did not extend to other branches of knowledge. He so distinguished himself in the studies of the academy, especially mathematics, that he left it at six |