of any previous composer, are all combined in this masterly work, which seemed to open a distant and unknown perspective in musical science.

The progressive advancement which stamps the labours of every true ́artist, is distinctly marked in Mendelssohn's works. "St. Paul," wondrous in the grandeur of its originality and beauty, was surpassed by "Elijah," the first performance of which took place at the Birmingham Musical Festival, in August 1846. In the Townhall of Birmingham six thousand persons assembled to witness the performance of this sublime work. The composer himself conducted the orchestra, and from the beginning to the conclusion of the performance a feeling of enthusiasm pervaded the numerous auditory. The bold originality, the sustained grandeur and power, and the mastery over all the resources of art, manifested in " Elijah," excited as much astonishment as though "St. Paul" had never been heard.

The Sacred Harmonic Society of London invited the composer to direct four performances of "Elijah" at Exeter Hall; and for this purpose Mendelssohn had engaged to return to England next year. It has been conjectured, and possibly not without reason, that the labour and excitement preceding and attending his last great triumph may have had their influence in producing the attack which terminated so fatally. Be that as it may, some of his friends observed on his departure from England last spring that he was labouring under a certain depression. This was regarded merely as the consequence of a close and anxious occupation; and it was hoped that rest and recreation would speedily work a cure. Unfortunately, whilst he was suffering from this languid state of health, a severe domestic affliction plunged him into the deepest sorrow. He had a sister to whom he was greatly attached; she was an excellent musician, and Mendelssohn's English friends have often heard him speak with affectionate pride of her talents and amiable qualities. This accomplished lady, herself the author of many beautiful musical compositions, was the wife of Professor Hensel, a distinguished German artist. Prior to his last departure from England, Mendelssohn was aware of his sister's illness, and he proposed to pass a few months with her in Switzerland. Whilst proceeding homeward with the view of carrying this design into effect, he received a letter informing him of the death of his beloved sister, who fell a victim to a cerebral attack of a nature similar to that which terminated the life of the lamented composer.

Mendelssohn repaired with his family to Interlachen, with a positive admonition from his medical advisers to abstain wholly from study. But this admonition was unavailingly addressed to one who could not exist without occupation. He set about composing an opera, the libretto for which had been sent to him from Paris; and to this task he applied himself with so much assiduity, that there is little doubt the labour had some share in accelerating his death.

After remaining a few weeks at Interlachen, he returned to his home in Leipsic. On his arrival there, on the 8th of October, he shewed such symptoms of convalescence, as induced a confident hope of his recovery. This hope, however, was speedily blighted, On the 28th of October, he had an attack, which is stated to have been paralysis of the brain, and which terminated fatally on the 4th inst.*

It has been mentioned that an autograph letter from the King of Prussia, addressed to Mendelssohn, and expressing the pleasure his majesty had received in hearing the Oratorio of "Elijah," reached Leipsic the day after the composer's death,

The funeral obsequies of the eminent composer were celebrated, with great solemnity, in the church of the University of Leipsic, on the 6th of November. The ceremony was attended by all the professors and students of the University, the professors and pupils of the Conservatory of Music, with all the artists and persons of distinction in Leipsic. The service commenced with an organ prelude, by Sebastian Bach, followed by the chorale from "St. Paul," Dir Herr-Dir will ich mich ergeben (To thee, O Lord, I yield my spirit). Next was performed the chorus also from "St. Paul:" Siehe wir preisen Selig (How happy and blessed are they!); and after the oration the final chorus from Sebastian Bach's "Passione" closed the solemn ceremony.

At ten at night the coffin was closed, and, escorted by the students of the University and the pupils of the Conservatory of Music, it was conveyed through the principal streets of Leipsic, to the station of the rail-road to Berlin; the mournful procession being accompanied by upwards of two thousand persons, most of them bearing torches. At every station on the line, between Leipsic and Berlin, marked honours were rendered to the remains of the illustrious deceased. An affecting incident occurred on the arrival of the train at Dessau, where it was met by the venerable Capell-Meister Schneider. At half-past two in the morning, this aged man left his house and proceeded slowly through the streets, his grey head uncovered, and exposed to the chill night air, whilst, followed by his choir, he chanted a hymn which he had composed for the sad occasion,-an almost improvised effusion poured forth in the fulness of heart-felt grief. Alas! for the uncertainty of human life! The veteran Schneider had won crowns of glory before the birth-time of the young composer, whose remains he was now following on the way to their last resting place.

At 6 o'clock on the morning of the 8th ult., the mortal remains of Mendelssohn arrived in Berlin, and were conveyed to the cemetery of the Holy Trinity, where a grave was prepared close beside that which so recently received the ashes of his beloved sister. The coffin, decked with branches of oak and a crown of laurel, was placed on a funeral bier, drawn by six horses. Beethoven's "Dead March" (from the Synfonia "Eroica ") being played all the way. At the moment when the procession reached the gates of the cemetery, the first faint rays of the morning sun, glimmering through the scanty foliage of the churchyard trees, shed a pale light over the grave, as if offering a farewell greeting to the departed. The cathedral choir, conducted by Reithard sang the chorale Jesus meine Zuversicht. After the delivery of the funeral oration, the hymn Wie sie so sanft ruhen, was performed in chorus by the members of the Singing Academy of Berlin. At this part of the musical solemnity a singularly impressive effect was produced. The last strains of the chorus dying away in pianissimo were caught up, as it were by a magic echo, and the seraph voices of the cathedral choir swelled forth in Grell's hymn Christus ist der Auferstehung (Christ is the Resurrection). This magnificent composition, in which the voices of the young choristers were accompanied by wind instruments, concluded the solemn scene. The grave was then closed, and of the vast assembled multitude not one departed without rendering a tribute to the memory of Mendelssohn: the men sprinkling earth on the grave, and the women and children strewing it with flowers.

Evening on the Amazon.-Scenery.-The Cocoe-nut Tree.-The Harbour of Para. The City.-Promiscuous Bathing.--Ganhadores.-A Brazilian Dinner.-Singular Spectacles. A beautiful Garden.-Manufacture of India-rubber Shoes.-First Night ashore.

THE shades of evening were gathering fast upon the waters when the little bark, in which we had safely crossed the wide expanse of ocean, now quietly anchored in the mighty river of the Amazon.

Through the dim twilight we were able faintly to discern the white sandy shore, which lay within a short distance from us, skirting a dense forest of perennial luxuriance and beauty. Gentle zephyrs, fraught with the most delightful fragrance from the wilderness of flowers, softly saluted our senses; while occasionally the soft and plaintive voices of southern nightingales came with mellowed sweetness to our ears.

The queenly moon, unobscured by a single cloud, threw an inde scribable charm over the enchanting scene, reflecting her brilliant rays from the placid surface of the river, and shrouding the beautiful foliage of the forest in a drapery of gold. Innumerable stars brightly glittered in the azure firmament, and the "southern cross" gleamed above us, like a diadem!

All around us seemed to be wrapt in the most profound repose. Not a sound disturbed the silence of the interminable solitude save the hushed and mournful notes of evening birds, the distant howling of prowling jaguars, or the rustling of the wind through the forest trees. Nature appeared to us, for the first time, in all her pristine loveliness, and seemed, indeed, to our excited imaginations, to be but dreamy creatures of fairy land.

At an early hour in the morning we again weighed anchor, and with a fresh breeze and strong tide, rapidly moved up the noble river, gliding by the finest scenery that fancy can conceive.

The nearly impenetrable forest which lined the shore was of a deep emerald green, and consisted of exceedingly lofty trees, of remarkably curious and grotesque figures, interlaced together by numerous running vines, the interstices of which were filled up with a magnificent shrubbery.

We observed, towering high above the surrounding trees, many singular species of palms, among which the far-famed cocoa-nut proudly stood pre-eminent. This beautiful tree gives a peculiar witchery to a tropical landscape, which those only who have seen it can possibly realize. The trunk grows up perfectly perpendicular to a great height, when it throws out its curious branches, which bend over as gracefully as ostrich plumes, and quiver in the slightest breeze. Consequently, the general appearance of the tree at a distance is somewhat similar to that of an umbrella.

As we gradually proceeded we now and then caught glimpses of

smiling cottages, with their snug little verandahs and red-tiled roofs peering from amid the foliage of the river's banks, and giving, as it were, a character of sociality and animation to the beauteous scene.

Perhaps the most interesting spot that we noticed was an estate bearing the name of Pinherios, which had been formerly the site of a Carmelite convent, but which has lately been sold to the government for a Hospital dos Lazaros. Here also was an establishment for the manufacture of earthenware tiles, which are very extensively used throughout the Brazilian empire for roofing houses. This estate has a commanding position, and from the water presents a very pleasing appearance, although now in a neglected condition, yet it is fronted by a number of handsome fruit-trees, which were, at the time of our arrival, in full blossom.

So low is the valuation of land in this section of Brazil, that this immense estate, embracing in its limits nearly three thousand acres, and situated, as it is, within twelve miles of the city of Para, was sold for a sum equivalent to about four thousand dollars. This may be taken as a fair standard of the value of real estate in the vicinity of Para. That of the neighbouring islands is comparatively trifling; while there are many thousands of fertile acres wholly unappropriated and unoccupied, offering the richest inducements to all emigrants who may be disposed to direct their fortunes thither.

It was near mid-day when our good vessel anchored in the commodious harbour of Para. The atmosphere was exceedingly moist, and the thermometer standing at about eighty-five in the shade.

A number of English, American, and French vessels were in the harbour, together with several Brazilian men-of-war, and a variety of small Indian crafts, of singular construction, from the little montaria, simply composed of the trunk of a tree hewn out, to the fantastically built sloops which are used in trading up the Amazon.

The harbour itself is quite safe, and eminently picturesque and beautiful. The river, being at the city almost four miles in width, is thickly studded with little islands all covered with the most luxuriant verdure, thus presenting the appearance of a fairy lake.

The city of Para is delightfully situated on the southern branch of the Amazon, called, for the sake of distinction "The Para River." It is the principal city of the province of the same name,-an immense territory, which has very appropriately been styled "The Paradise of Brazil." The general aspect of the place, with its low and venerable-looking buildings of solid stone, its massive churches and moss-grown ruins, its red-tiled roofs and dingy-white walls, the beautiful trees of its gardens, and groups of tall banana plants peeping up here and there among the houses, constituted certainly a scene of novelty, if not of richness and beauty.

The first spectacle that arrested our attention on landing was that of a number of persons of both sexes and all ages, bathing indiscriminately together in the waters of the river in a state of entire nudity. We observed among them several finely formed Indian girls of exceeding beauty dashing about in the water like a troop of happy mermaids. The heat of the sun was so intense, that we ourselves were almost tempted to seek relief from its overpowering influence by plunging precipitately amid the joyous throng of swimmers. But we forbore!

The natives of Para are very cleanly, and indulge in daily ablutions; nor do they confine their baths to the dusky hours of evening, but may

be seen swimming about the public wharves at all hours of the day. The government has made several feeble efforts to put a restraint upon these public exposures; but at the time of our departure all rules and regulations on the subject were totally disregarded by the natives. The city is laid out with considerable taste and regularity; but the streets are very narrow, and miserably paved with large and uneven stones.

The buildings generally are but of one story in height, and are, with few exceptions, entirely destitute of glass windows; a kind of latticed blind is substituted, which is so constructed that it affords the person within an opportunity of seeing whatever takes place in the street, without being observed in return. This lattice opens towards the street, and thus affords great facilities to the beaux and gentlemen of gallantry; who, by stepping under this covering, can have an agreeable tête-à-tête with their fair mistresses, as secretly almost as if they were in a trellised arbour together. Many are the honeyed words which are spoken, and sweet kisses which are taken, under the security of these ingenious blinds;-how many thanks, then, are due to their fortunate inventor!

There are three public squares in the city, which are severally called the "Largo de Palacio," the "Largo de Quartel," and the "Largo da Polvora.' In addition to these, there are several smaller areas fronting the different churches and convents.

"

The stranger always sees much to interest him on these squares,— people of all kinds, ages, colours, and occupations; vendors of fruit marching about, with huge baskets on their heads, filled with luscious oranges, bananas, mangoes, pine apples, and other choice fruits of the tropics; groups of blacks carrying immense burdens in the same manner; invalids taking the air in their hammocks, or ladies riding in their gay-covered palanquins, supported on men's shoulders; water-carriers moving along by the side of their heavily-laden horses; and a variety of other sights, which it is not necessary for us to mention now.

In walking through the city, we met with a party of some thirty or forty blacks, each one of them bearing a large basket of tapioca on their heads. They were perfectly naked to their waists, and wore only a pair of pantaloons of very coarse material. They marched along at a slow and measured pace, chanting at the same time a singularly monotonous air, with which they beat time with their hands. It was to us an extraordinary spectacle, as well as a highly entertaining one.

We learned that they were free blacks, and called themselves "Ganhadores." Their business was that of loading and unloading vessels; horses and carts being but little used in Para. They are under the direction of a leader or captain, who furnishes, on application, any number of men that may be required. In loading vessels, they frequently wade out into the water until their heads and the boxes thereon are alone visible above the surface. They then deposit their several burdens in a species of lighter, or flat-bottomed boat, which conveys them immediately to the larger vessels lying at anchor in the stream.

Arriving at length at the hospitable mansion of James Campbell, Esq., to whom we had introductory letters, we were invited to make his house our home. The American and Scotch merchants at Para are extremely kind to strangers; and, as there is not a single hôtel of any description in the place, one is obliged to throw himself upon the kindness and generosity of the inhabitants; yet, if he has good letters of introduction, he will have no difficulty in securing a residence,-ay, more, a home.

It was just three o'clock when we sat down to our first dinner in