MISCELLANEOUS.

CATHARINE HAYES.

PRECEDED by a brilliant European reputation, and recommended by the most flattering testimonials, Catharine Hayes arrived in this country on Sunday, September 14th, and on Tuesday evening, the 23d, gave her first public concert at Tripler Hall. Long before the hour announced, the spacious and elegant hall was filled to overflowing, and thousands left the doors unable to obtain admittance. The performances were opened with the grand overture to Guillaume Tell, by a large and efficient orchestra, after which Herr Mengis and Mr. A. Braham sang the Quando di sangue tinto, from Belisario, and Bertucca Maretzek played upon the harp the celebrated Dance des fees. The appearance of Miss Hayes upon the stage was the signal for the most vociferous applause; she was greeted with round after round of cheers, and almost lost in a shower of boquets. When quiet was somewhat restored, she sang the difficult "Ah! Mon Fils," from Meyerbeer's Prophete; at first a little tremulousness was visible, but her voice came out finely in the end, and she was rapturously encored. Her other songs during the evening were, Wallace's ballad," Why Do I Weep for Thee," " Kathleen Mavourneen," and" Ah! Non Giunge," the grand rondo finale from La Sonnambula. We will not attempt an extended criticism, but rest content after giving a few remarks suggested by her singing. Her voice is a soprano, exquisitely modulated, full, sweet, and of great power and depth; it seems to sirk upon the hearts of her auditors by touching the responsive chords which ever vibrate to soulful melody; and we cannot wonder at the enthusiasm which she has created. She sings without any apparent effort, executing the most difficult passages without those signs of laborious exertion which make us forget the music in our sympathy for the woman. We do not remember any artist who has succeeded in throwing so much of feeling into her performances as has Miss Hayes: concerted pieces do not afford the same scope for this as operas; and while we concede to Miss Hayes the supremacy as an English ballad singer, we have no doubt that her operatic triumphs would be equally great; indeed, judging from her Ah! Non Giunge, which was rendered with a thorough appreciation of the music, we may say she would shine still brighter. The reception gives earnest of the future, and Miss Hayes may depend upon achieving in this country a series of triumphs fully equal to those already gained in the old world. We have no monarchs to take her by the hand, to feast her in palaces, or load her with diamonds; but we have a sovereign people, warm in their attachments and earnest in their zeal, by whom she will be encouraged and applauded as an artist, respected and loved as a woman.

Herr Mengis and Mr. A. Braham acquitted themselves in a very creditable manner; but our extended remarks concerning them must be reserved to some other time.

ITALIAN OPERA, CASTLE GARDEN.

The opera season is over; Castle Garden is deserted, and it is generally understood that we are to have no opera during the winter. This will be a sad deprivation to the people who have lately acquired so great a love and taste for music. We cannot take leave of Maretzek and his excellent company, without a few remarks, and the

Empresario himself demands the first notice; he has manifested the proper spirit, in casting aside the favor of the aristocratic few, who have heretofore resorted to Astor Place, and bringing his artistes before the only just tribunal-the people. He has triumphed over giant obstacles, and, if he has not reaped fortune, has maintained himself in a field where others have failed ingloriously; he has been liberal and openhanded, in engaging such performers as never before sang to American audiences; and, what deserves still more credit, has preserved order and good feeling among them, by such a distribution of parts as seemed best calculated to show their capacities to advantage. Bosio is fairly entitled to the first notice; she has won a high position in the hearts of our public, both by her superior artistic merit, and lady-like deportment; her voice is a soprano, clear, full and flexible, powerful without harshness, and deep without the least obscurity. Music seems a part of her being, and she wakes in her auditors the same spirit by which she herself is inspired. She has, during the season, appeared as Lucia, Lucrezia, Amina, Elvira, and Zerlina. Mme. Rose De Vries, a prima donna, new to this city, although she has only appeared in Norma, has given proof of the possession of high musical capabilities. Her voice wants softness in the medium notes, but in the higher and lower notes she stands alone. Her superiority lies in a thorough command over her voice; where others run wild, she preserves all the power and grace of the music. Her triumph in Norma commenced with the recitative preceding the Casta Diva, and only heightened as the finale approached. Signora Bertucca Maretzek pleases us better with her instrumental than her vocal music; while we acknowledge her Rosina in Il Barbieri di Seviglia to have been a spirited performance, we must express our partiality for the Nocturne Espagnol, so beautifully played upon the harp. Truffi-Benedetti has added no new laurels to her wreath; in fact, the only thing worthy of notice, has been Queen Elizabeth in Roberto Devereaux; her other performances have been listlessly and in many instances carelessly given. Her pure, soft voice, and pleasing appearance, might have been turned to better account, and we regret that one once so popular with our audiences, should have dwindled away into nothingness. Vietti, the contralto, has maintained her well-earned popularity. A grand trio is formed by Marini, Badiali, and Bettini; the former is, in our opinion, the greatest basso ever in this country; his voice has the remarkable quality of power and softness. Critics have assailed him as an actor; he has been called a buffoon because he made merry in Leporello; and accused of a want of taste, because he picked up a few boquets while Basio was singing in I'Puritani. The latter was, perhaps, a little out of the way, but we would gently suggest that his Leporello was a natural and life like performance, with no more buffoonery than the part demanded. His grand duet in Marino Faliero with Beneventano, and the Suoni la tromba, with Badiali, in I'Putitani, demanded the full volume of his powerful voice, and called forth immense plaudits. Badiali has likewise given great satisfaction; he has voice unusually rich and full, and a style both natural and effective; his Malatesta did not please us, but we were amply repaid by his Figaro and Sir Richard Forth. Bettini wants only cultivation to become one of the first tenors of the age; he has a great manly voice, and this constitutes his title to superiority over Salvi, who though deservedly a favorite, is evidently falling off; Salvi's manner is a mixture of threatening where he should be pathetic, and quietness where strength is required. Bettini wants some little in point of expres sion, but his errors are never glaring; the prison aria in Roberto, and Spirito gentil in Favorita, were great triumphs. We would speak at greater length of Beneventano, Lorini, Colletti, and others, did our limits allow; but, as it is, we can only conclude by saying that, to one and all we are indebted for many of our happiest hours during the past season, and that while we wish Maretzek all success in his southern tour, we trust he will soon return to enliven our city with performances, which in his absence will ever be remembered.

BROADWAY THEATRE.

After an absence from the stage of more than two years, Mr. Forrest has re-appeared, and performed the round of his favorite characters. He has been received in the style to which he is entitled by his high merits as an actor. It must be highly flattering to Mr. Forrest, to find that the public sympathize with him in the domestic persecution to which he has been exposed. Miss Laura Anderson succeeded with equal eclat to this stage, after the conclusion of Mr. Forrest's engagement.

BROUGHAM'S LYCEUM.

The season commenced with but thin houses; but the manager having engaged Miss Cushman, the appearance of the house became somewhat improved. To Miss Cushman, the public voice has accorded the merit of being the first among American actresses but they do not follow up the commendation by their presence. "The great American tragic actor," at the Broadway, draws immense crowds, while the attendance on "the great American tragic actress" is very thin,

NIBLO'S.

The Ravels still perform at this house, but the great feature of the month has been the appearance of Madame Anne Thillon. The public was long expecting her, and on the occasion of her first app arance before an American audience, on the evening of the 18th ult., she was greeted by a full house, which had evidently compacted itself with a disposition to be pleased; and the enthusiasm in her reception, showed that they were prepared to be enthusiastic in the expression of their pleasure. She is very prepos sessing in her face, figure and mien. Her eye has a sparkle, which must reach the heart. Her action is of that lively, naive character, which so specially marks the actress of the French comic school, Her voice is a fine soprano, of fair compass; perfectly educated, but not remarkable for its power. Her execution is the very perfection of the art Everything she does is irreproachably neat and finished, and the whole effect is pleasing. She is undoubtedly destined to become exceedingly popular. She is assisted by Mr. Hudson, the Irish comedian and vocalist, and also by Miss M. Taylor.

NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS.

THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, from the adoption of the Federal Constitution to the end of the XVIth Congress. By Richard Hildreth; in three vols. Vol. second Jefferson and Adams. Harper & Brothers.

This is the second volume of the second series of Mr. Hildreth's work, and forms the fifth of the whole. The events are here brought down to 1807, closing with the "affair" of the Chesapeake. The work of Mr. Hildreth, taken as a whole, is a valuable chronological collection of the facts and events of our history from its earliest colonial state down to the XVIth Congress. But the writer being a warm political partisan, actively engaged in an aimless, disorganizing and mischievous onslaught upon the institutions of which he professes to be the historian, cannot be supposed to be endowed with a frame of mind necessary to the impartial historian. Consequently, the sickly hue of a jaundiced mind tinges all of which he treats. The volumes are valuable, however, as giving the peculiar views of that revived party, which, as shown by Mr. Adams, sought, in 1808, to sever the Union.

ENGLISH LITERATURE OF THE 19TH CENTURY, on the plan of the author's "Compendium of English Literature," and supplementary to it, designed for colleges and alvanced classes in schools, as well as for private reading. By Charles D. Cleveland. E. C. & J. Biddle, Philadelphia.

The Compendium of Literature," so favorably known to the public, brought down the subject to the close of the 18th century, and the present volume continues it to nearly the present time with much ability.

CHAMBERS'S PAPERS FOR THE PEOPLE. J. W. Moore, Philadelphia.

This is a beautiful volume of 260 pages, being the first of a series of twelve volumes, designed to embrace the articles of an elevated character, upon history, archæology, the sciences, and elegant literature generally. He first opens with a paper upon "The Bonaparte Family," followed by The Sepulchres of Etruria," and six others of much merit and interest.

HAND BOOKS of Natural Philosophy and Astronomy. By Dionysius Lardner, D. C. L. Illustrated with 400 engravings. Blanchard & Lea.

This is a very excellent edition, revised by a gentleman eminent in the scientific world, of the well-known work of Dr. Lardner. It is well and accurately printed.

THE LITERATURE AND LITERARY MEN OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. By Abraham Mills, A. M., author of Lectures on Belles Lettres. Harper & Brothers. These two elegant volumes are divided into forty-six lectures, which divide the subject into as many eras. These have been in course of delivery and revision, for more than twenty years, and are now finally delivered from the press in a very complete state, as a work of literary reference. The two volumes are invaluable, giving, as they do, a sketch of the life of each remarkable writer, with able outlines of his style, and specimens of his writings. There can be no complete library without the work, which is in fact a critical library in itself.

THE BOOK OF THE FARM; detailing the labors of the Farmer, Steward, Plowman' Hedger, Cattleman, Shepherd, Field-worker, and Dairy-maid. By Henry Stephens With four hundred and fifty illustrations. To which are added explanatory notes, etc. By John S. Skinner, Editor of the Farmer's Library. Two vols. C. M. Saxton, Agricultural book publisher, 128 Fulton-street, New-York.

It has been justly said, that agriculture is the only industrial occupation that can be said to possess a literature of its own—a literature at once ancient, varied, extensive, and curious. In the Augustan era, the Romans could number upwards of fifty Greek authors who had contributed to illustrate the practice and science of agriculture; and we know, with much greater precision, how important a niche agriculture occupies in the existing library of ancient Rome. In more modern times, as the science of agriculture progressed under the influence of advancing civilization, and the direction of the sciences to its development, more particularly in England, where laws tended to enrich the land owners at the expense of the citizen, and therefore to place great capital at the service of the farmer, the intellectual position of the employment was developed, and from time to time, valuable works have been published. The catalogues of Mr. Saxton furnishes an admirable list; but none among them is more practically valuable than this new emission, edited and adapted as it is by the late John S. Skinner, editor of the “Plough, Loom, and Anvil." Heterodox as was that gentleman upon the subject of free trade, he did valuable service to the cause of agriculture. It is in two large

volumes, contains over a thousand pages, most substantially and elegantly bound, fully illustrated, and completely indexed, and is a complete manual of every kind of information pertaining to the practical management of a farm. Its style is lucid, its arrangament excellent, its description full, and its directions precise. It is enriched with a great number of explanatory notes, remarks, &c., by the late John S. Skinner. We hazard nothing in endorsing the opinion of the Courier, that this book, if read and profited as it should be by its agricultural purchaser, will soon pay for itself in solid cash a hundred times over.

In our last number, we had occasion to review the same work under the title of the Farmer's Guide, as edited by Professor Norton, of Yale College, and published by Leonard Scott & Co. Both editions are elegantly and accurately illustrated.

ELEMENTS OF THOUGHT; or Concise Explanations of the Principal Terms in the several branches of Intellectual Philosophy. By Isaac Taylor. William Gowans.

This is the second American from the ninth London edition. As a book of reference for the use of those not fully conversant with intellectual philosophy, it is of great value. It is also a very concise yet complete summary of mental science, and particularly serviceable to persons of a literary turn.

MEMOIRS of the Life of Mary, Queen of Scots, with Anecdotes of the Court of Henry II., during her residence in France. By Miss Benger. 2 vols. A. Hart, late Carey

& Hart.

This is a very full and able life of that unfortunate queen, who, perhaps, has elicited more of the public sympathy than any other crowned head. The subject has been ably handled by Miss Benger, who has supplied an account of that portion of the life of the queen spent in France, of which most writers have given but meagre accounts. The volumes are elegantly got up in a style uniform with the Lives of Anne Boleyn and Marie Antoinette, by the same authoress.

A BUDGET OF WILLOW-LANE STORIES, with illustrations. By Uncle Frank. Charles Scribner, 145 Nassau-street.

Mr. Woodworth is one of the most popular writers in America of juvenile literature, and the series of stories from his pen, as published and beautifully illustrated with wood-cuts of a high order, by Mr. Scribner, are a valuable and attractive addition to that branch of literature.

THE NILE BOAT; or, Glimpses of the Land of Egypt. By W. H. Bartlett, author of 40 Days in the Desert. Harper Brothers.

The number of works that have lately appeared upon the subject of Egypt has been large; but the interest which the public feel in that mysterious country, is by no means abated. On the other hand, it seems to be greatly enhanced. Until within about twenty years, all that was known about ancient Egypt was derived from Herodotus and Diodorus. The former went to Egypt 430 years B. C., and the latter 390 years later. The first mentioned person rambled through the country, and composed some notes to read as lectures at the Olympic games. Diodorus copied from Herodotus, and added some gossip of his own, and for 22 centuries these writings were text-books in relation to Egypt. Within the last twenty years the art of decyphering what the Egyptians wrote about themselves, has demonstrated the worthlessness of the old so-called histories. This newly opened source of information is daily yielding up its fruits, and