glance at our federal relations in the close; as it hardly falls within the compass of our work. The accompanying documents, as usual, contain a great deal of useful inforination which ought to be duly considered. JENNY LIND'S CONCERT. We must note here that this far-famed songstress, commonly ycleped "the Swedish Nightingale," arrived in this city on Thursday evening the 19th ult., and gave her concert, according to announcement, in the Marshall Theatre, on the following evening, before a large and brilliant audience--the largest and most brilliant, it is said, that was ever assembled in this place. Besides our own citizens, indeed, there were many visiters from the neighboring towns and country, and some from a considerable distance, who had hastened hither, to fill the house. The arrangements for the occasion were all in handsome style, and the order observed was nearly perfect. To crown all, Jenny sang to admiration, and was applauded to the echo. Many of her hearers, indeed, as they tell us themselves, were charmed, transported, and carried away they know not where, by her ecstatic strains. A few, however, we must say, of the more judicious, were perhaps somewhat disappointed in her performance which did not quite come up to their excited expectations; and not a few, we believe, even of the many, thought that they had paid a little too dear for the whistle. The blame, however, of the unreasonable exaction, has been very generally laid entirely upon Barnum, and not at all upon Jenny, "the Queen of Song," who of course could do no wrong, and whose charms and charities together have united all hearts in her praise. me, POWERS THE SCULPTOR. The Enquirer of this city publishes an extract of a letter recently received from this distinguished artist, in which he says: "I must wait for the materials you have so kindly promised before I can give you an idea of the design and the cost of the group. I do not remember the story of Pocahontas well enough to venture upon the subject without more light. I read it many years ago and with great interest, but my memory retains only a dim outline of the particulars. The history of our country affords few subjects so exquisitely adapted to the chisel as this. I am now at work upon two ideal subjects. One I call "AMERICA." The other is not named, though I have a name for her. The subject is American, and hereafter I mean to devote my time and humble abilities to my own glorious country. Why should her artists go to the ancients for subjects, while she affords so many touching themes for the pencil and the chisel? The only reasonable answer is, that America will not buy them. I shall prove whether this be true, at least in my own case." THE DANVILLE RAILROAD. We learn from the Times that this new rail road was formally opened on the 20th ult., when the first train with passengers left Richmond early in the morning with some thirty members and a number of other gentlemen, and made a rapid run to the Coal Pits. There was a handsome collation at the Pit-Head on the occasion. The road so far is said to be admirably constructed with the heavy rail. The enormous quarries of granite laid bare by the excavations for the track along the river were observed with special satisfaction. THE CENTRAL RAILROAD. We understand that this road has recently been completed from the junction to this city, and is now in full operation. The Republican says: "The extension of the Central Railroad to Richmond is an important link in the connection of the metropolis with the West. The traveller may now leave Richmond soon after six in the morning, arrive at Charlottesville at one, and reach Staunton the same night. The facilities which are thus afforded to the agricultural community on the line through which the road passes are obvious, and the benefits thereof to Richmond will be speedily felt. Upon the road between Charlottesville and Staunton, great activity is exhibited, and we hope before a long time to record the extension of the road to Staunton with the exception of the tunnel, a heavy work which will require some years. But even with that gap, travellers will soon be able to reach Staunton at four o'clock on the same day on which they leave Richmond-a great stride in railroad progress." THE CONVENTION. This body which adjourned on the 4th of November last, came together again, on Monday the 6th instant, and will now proceed, no doubt, to its proper business, with all reasonable despatch. VIRGINIA WASHINGTON MONUMENT. In a letter recently received from Rome, the following mention is made of the Virginia Washington Monument. "Crawford is again at work with all his old ardor and euthusiasm, and even carries his labors far into night. One of his sketches for the Washington Monument is already finished. He has taken Patrick Henry as his first subject, and an exquisitely graceful statue has he made of Virginia's great orator.' THE WORLD'S FAIR. We observe that by order of the President, a national ship, the frigate St. Lawrence, will sail for England, on or about the first of next month, to carry out the contributions from all parts of the United States for the World's Fair; and we have no doubt that they will amply maintain the credit of our country in the exhibition. We apprehend, however, we confess, that our own State will not shine in her part of the affair: though we understand that some fine specimens of native ores-some exquisite samples of tobacco-and a few other articles of well-wrought manufacture will be sent to show what Nature has done for us, and to intimate at least what we may hereafter do for ourselves; -but we can hardly expect them to attract much notice amidst all the blaze and prodigality of European art about them. Well -no matter we shall comfort our patriotism as well as we can, by reflecting that if we have not much to send abroad to gratify the eyes of others, we have yet, by the favor of a kind Providence, a great deal of solid and substantial comfort to gladden our own hearts at home. Miscellany. LITERARY MINUTES. THE MIRROR. Plato has left us a pretty little epigrammatic trifle, in the form of a short speech supposed to be spoken by a certain Lais, an antiquated belle of his time, on hanging up her discarded mirror in the temple of Venus, saying: (as Prior has turned the Greek into English,) Venus, take my votive glass; Venus, let me never see. Voltaire also has turned this bagatelle into French, in his way: Je le donne a Venus, puisque elle est tonjours belle: Il redouble trop mes ennuis. Je ne saurois me voir dans ce miroir fidelle, Ni telle que j'etais, ni telle que je suis. That is, (very nearly,) Venus, take my mirror there, FINE WRITERS. Sidney, in his "Defence of Poesy," speaking of the poets and other rhetoricians of his time, says: "For now they cast sugar and spice upon every dish that is served at the table: like those Indians, not content to wear ear-rings at the fit and natural place of the ears, but they will thrust jewels through their nose and lips, because they will be sure to be fine." So Cowley afterwards, in his " Ode on Wit," writes: Yet 'tis not to adorn and gild each part; That shews more cost than art. Jewels at nose and lips but ill appear; Rather than all things wit, let none be there. WITTY QUOTATIONS. It was Dean Swift, who, when a lady had thrown down a Cremona fiddle with a frisk of her Mantua shawl, made the happy quotation: "Mantua væ miseræ nimium vicina Cremona." Hardly, if at all inferior, was the exclamation of Warton, when he snuffed out a candle: Brevis esse laboro: Obscurus fio. THE PRAISE OF LAW. Of Law there can be no less acknowledged than that her seat is in the bosom of God; her voice the harmony of the world; all things in heaven and earth do her homage; the very least as feeling her care, and the greatest as not exempted from her power: both angels and men, and creatures of what condition soever, though each in different sort and manner, yet all with uniform consent, admiring her as the mother of their peace and joy.-Hooker. |