FROM OUR PARIS CORRESPONDENT. PARIS, MARCH, 1850. to this day the preservation of certain species of the mushroom is an unsolved problem. Rapidity of desiccation is an essential condition in the preparation of plants. In dry and warm climates it suffices to place the specimens between sheets of paper and suspend them where Of the recent sittings of the French Academy they will be exposed to a current of air. But in of Sciences, I think that is likely to be of most in- most climates this process is of no avail. Life terest to the generality of your readers, in which remains in the plant for several days, and the M. Decaisne rendered to the Academy a report slow desiccation results ordinarily in the alterawhich he was charged to prepare, concerning tion of color, the fall of leaves, and the deformathe new mode of preserving plants, and forming tion of the floral organs. Some persons acceleherbariums, recently invented by M. Gannal. rate the drying of the plant by passing a hot iron M. Gannal is known every where as the inventor over the paper; others plunge them either in alof a new process for embalming dead bodies, by cohol or boiling water, Sometimes the plants which they are preserved for a great length of in paper are laid in or on a stove. This last time, in marvellous, and I may say, beautiful mode, by which it is intended instantly to kill the freshness. I have seen a body embalmed by plant, is attended with several inconveniences, of him exposed at the Morgue for several months which the least is to render the plant brittle and together, in order that it might be recognized by disorganize certain parts of a delicate structure. friends, and the mystery of its death, which was the effect of a crime, made clear. The body preserved to the last, the beauty, the freshness, the colour of life. One would have said that the subject was yet living and in the enjoyment of a healthful ordinary sleep. His mode of embalming plants is a much more recent invention. These various processes, whatever be the imperfection which characterizes them, are not to be despised, since it is to them that science is indebted for those precious collections, the study of which has introduced into descriptive botany the high degree of precision it has already attained. But for them science would not now possess the The art of making herbariums, (horti sicci) collections made in the sixteenth century by says the report, has for a long period occupied Rauwolf and by G. Bauhin: and perseverance the attention of botanists. The most faithful in the use of them during now near two hundred engravings, the most exact descriptions always years, has endowed the museum of Paris, the leave something to be desired by one who would richest at the present day in Europe, with speciintimately know a plant. No art can supply the mens of nearly every known species of the vegplace of the plant itself. The botanist would etable kingdom. actually touch and handle that which is the subject But let me now describe the new process of of his investigations. Hence the necessity of M. Gannal from which such interesting resu! s herbariums which, since the nineteenth century, are anticipated. have rendered to botany such signal services. He places his plants between strips of brown An herbarium should be a collection of twigs paper, which immediately absorb any rain water dried at the moment of flowering and fructification or dew which may have fallen upon them. In with sufficient care to preserve their forms, col- this state the plants may be kept twenty-four our, and as far as possible their natural port hours without any alteration. The next day he or bearing. The desiccation to be successful changes the paper, putting other dry sheets in its should be prompt and easy. There are certain stead, and places them in an apparatus of his inplants, of which desiccation, and compression, vention, where they are perfectly dried in from by the ordinary modes, however skilfully per- twenty-four to thirty hours, without affecting, in formed, destroy the form, and certain characters any perceptible degree, the colour of the leaves, which it is highly important to preserve. There or the brilliancy and fresh appearance of the are entire families, those for instance of the Or- flowers. The apparatus consists of a cylindrical chis and Cactus, of a soft and aqueous tissue, of which, in the process of drying. the organs become so glued together as to be quite unrecognizable. Others lose almost instantly their leaves and flowers, leaving nothing but the naked stem in the botanist's hand. The thickness of the floral envelope in some cases, and its thinness in others present serious difficulties. How difficult is the preservation of the Nymphaea, the Magnolia, the Iris, and all liliaceous plants. Up VOL. XVI-37 copper vase, 20 inches deep, with diameter of 26 Then a vacuum is produced in the vase by means | ventor, is now attracting considerable attention. of an air-pump fitted to a cock in the corner. It consists in the introduction, during the clariAfter pumping occasionally during two or three fying operations, of a current of carbonic acid hours, the whole is left undisturbed for twenty-gas, which produces, if accounts are to be relied four or thirty hours longer. At the end of this upon, a magical effect. But enough of M. Roustime, upon opening the vase the plants are dis-seau. I may recur to him if his invention proves, covered, dried, embalmed, in a state to be pre- which I doubt, in spite of the puffs of which it is served forever. The herbarium of M. Gannal is the object, to be worth the record of a column of beautiful, admirable, wonderful to see. His col- the Messenger. lection of mushrooms particularly is very striking. I feel strongly tempted, however, to enterOne would think they had been just brought in tain your readers with a notice of an English from the meadows or the forest. He has an or- scientific invention-Phillips' Annihilator-for chis in which even the odour of vanilla is dis- the extinction of fire without water, by the prompt tinctly preserved. At a late sitting of the Acad- and copious production of a certain gas, which emy this was exhibited to the celebrated English is directed upon the fire to be extinguished, with botanist Lindley. "What a beautiful plant!" instant effect. But before giving it place in my he exclaimed, “and what a pity that in drying it letters, I will let experience prove that Mr. Philone must destroy its form and colour!" He lips, as well as M. Rousseau, has produced could scarcely believe his eyes when told that it something more than an ingenious and pretty had already been subjected to the desiccating scientific toy. process of M. Gannal, and was perfectly dry. The Academic Committee acknowledges that the process of M. Gannal is destined to render essential service to science, hopes that he will be able to make it more generally useful by making it more portable and proposes that the thanks of the Academy be tendered to him. So much for the scientific consequences of the Gannal process of desiccation. A word now upon its more practical and utilitarian results. The Academic commission suggested to Mr. G. the application of his process to the preservation of kitchen vegetables. Experiments were promptly made and attended with the most encouraging success. Cabbages, cauliflowers, carrots, celery, were desiccated and reduced to a condition in which they might be kept without injury for many years. Then, put into a vessel of water, they swelled out, assumed their original appearance, and a stranger would have sup posed that they had just been taken from the gardener's basket. Experiments upon table vegetables have as yet been confined to the cabinet and laboratory, but it is hoped that the process may be largely utilized for ship use, and the collection of naval and military stores. On Monday last the Academy of Sciences held its solemn annual session. The celebrated Professor Velpeau of the Hospital La Charité, who is perhaps at the present moment the first surgeon in the world, read a note upon etherization. Upon this occasion the annual prizes were distributed. The grand mathematical prize of of 1843 adjourned to 1846, for the amendment of the theory of the planetary preturbations, was awarded to M. Hansen, director of the observaastronomical medal of 1846, founded by Lalande, tory of Seeberg, near Gotha, in Germany. The was awarded to M. Galle, of the Prussian observatory at Berlin, for his discovery, upon the indications of Leverrier, of the planet Neptune, 20th September, 1846. At the same time two other medals were awarded; one to the English astronomer Hind, who discovered the planets Iris and Flora; the other to M. Hencke, of Driessen (Prussia), who discovered Astroea and Hebe. These four planets or asteroids, with a fisth, Metis, and it is said a sixth not yet named, have, you are aware, been recently added to the four ultra-zodiacal planets, which circulate between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. I report these scientific proceedings to you as In the musical world the grand event of the in duty bound, but since the Melsens-process for day is the re-appearance upon the stage in Paris making loaf sugar, which was made the burden of Mme. Sontag, known in social life and in the of one of my letters several months ago, I have saloons of the great, as the Countess de Rossi. become less sanguine of the practically useful She is giving here at the Conservatoire de Muresults of scientific discoveries announced before sique a series of concerts under the direction of being thoroughly tested, with such large expense an English manager, Mr. Lumley. In spite of of trumpets. The famous Melsens-process, it the fraternity which figures so largely upon the would seem from experiments made upon the ensigns of the Republic, a certain portion of the last crop, is abandoned already as incapable of public has been sadly scandalized that the Minuseful application in the grand production of su-ister of the Interior should have placed a public gar for the world's consumption. Another pro- establishment like the Conservatoire at the discess, called after the name of Rousseau, its in-position of an Englishman, suffering him to pro duce there musical entertainments which cannot | the most illustrious models: pure, correct, with fail to tell with disastrous effect upon the lyric irreproachable talents, limpid and crystalline as theatres of the Capital, which already, it is pre-water from the rock, self-possessed, replete with tended, are in a most languishing condition. An taste, propriety, measure, and of a precision angry discussion took place; many protests were which is never for one moment at fault. But published, but the Minister carried the day. It is the movement, the passions, the mens divina, hy said the English director has been noticed more virtue of which the great artiste becomes at times than once pacing the hall, with a wicked ex-a sibyl, possessed by her divinity, are perhaps pression upon his lips, humming the well known air, Jamais l'Anglais ne regnera en France. the less for that. Everybody remarks the air of elegant distinction with which Mme. Sontag bears herself upon the stage, her exquisite taste in dress, the utter absence of pretension, the quiet, self-possessed, imposing dignity of her manners. Incedit regina. I should not place to her account more than thirty summers, but I saw her "in the beaming light of lamps." Her form is as graceful and elegant as in the days of her youthful glory; her complexion as delicate, her hair as incompatible with such perfect decorum, and this correctness which never violates a rule. These, so accomplished talents, are cold and we are tempted to wish them a little less perfect. It is said that the illustrious singer has signed Mme. Sontag is of that school which is rather an engagement with Mr. Lumley for five years musical than dramatic. But I would not be unat $40,000 per annum. She is to sing when-derstood as meaning that we should admire her ever and wherever he may choose to direct. In a concert especially she is This return to the stage has not been induced She sang with Calzolari, marby an invincible regret on her part of the glory and excitement of her former life of an artiste. duo of Linda di Chamouni; and in some variations of Rode, she performed Her husband's fortune had become seriously embarrassed in the diplomatic service at foreign which like all the music of the old Gluck is to vocal prodigies. In the air Ipheginia in Tauris, courts of his, master, the King of Sardinia. They be rather declaimed than sung, the illustrious vowere no longer able to support the splendor calist did not succeed so well." which the Count's diplomatic character and the exigencies of nobility required. The Count himself had no resource beyond the limits of his meagerly paid functions. His capacities, altogether princely, enabled him only to spend his fortune. He left to his wife the care of repairing and increasing it. That is the secret of her return at this late day to the public life of the stage. The spacious hall of the Conservatoire is filled to overflowing whenever Mme. Sontag is announced. Curiosity, no less, perhaps more, than the wonderful talent of the lady, draws to her the crowd. A great artiste, in the very morning of her beauty and her triumphs, exchanged her crown of theatrical queen for that of a countess. After au absence of twenty years, a reverse of fortune compels her to remount the abandoned throne. The high price of admission (from $1.60 to $10) has hitherto prevented her concerts from being popular; but such is rage to see her, and hear her, that the wealthy and the noble dispute warmly, purse in hand, the very last disposable seat. The Sontag, as la Comptesse de Rossi, must have used with admirable discretion the privileges of her rank. She must have participated very sparingly in the dissipation, and the wearing fashionable vices supposed to characterise the grand monde, else how could twenty years have restored her to us in the full bloom of her personal charms, which are almost unimpaired, with even increased power and charm in that magical voice? One of the most distinguished critics of the capital thus appreciates Mme. Sontag as a singer: free from hateful gray," her smile as gracious, her face almost as fine, her arm as fair and round, as twenty-two years ago. A fine-looking and most elegant, but not beautiful woman, is la Comptesse de Rossi. I could not help asking myself, is this the triumph of art or of nature? I appealed to my opera-glass, the cruel instrument of which so few scenic beauties can bear the criticism, and I had to admit that if art. it was an art that might make nature tremble for her supremacy. But I think there was a little rouge. Yet the Countess of Rossi is now fortyone years of age. She was born of honest German parents at Coblentz, on the Rhine, in January, 1809. Her parents were actors, and from the earliest infancy we find Henrietta upon the stage. At the age of eleven years we find her at Darmstadt, performing "la petite fille du Danube," and attracting much attention by her pretty face and manners, and by her wonderful vocal powers. She soon entered the Conservatory of Music at Prague, where her natural endowments, seconded by diligent study, enabled "She evidently belongs to that generation of her to bear off all prizes and where she laid the which the Catalani and Mdme. Damoreau offer foundation of her future fame. When fourteen king. years of age, she commenced, at the grand opera | a most brilliant circle of savants, literary men, of Prague, her career as prima donna. But she and artists. Humboldt. Meyerbeer, and Menwas then so immature of stature that extraordi- delsohn were among the habitués of her saloons. nary scenic arts had to be resorted to to give her It was the events immediately succeeding the the size required for her röle. In 1824 she was French revolution of '48 that gave the finishing produced upon the stage of Vienna, by the side blow to her husband's decaying fortune, and of Lablache and Rubini. Her debut was tri- determined her to make an effort to repair it. umphal. At Berliu soon after, it excited, says Her first appearance was in London a few months the historian, the most frenetic applause. The ago. after an absence of twenty-years from the lovely and distinguished young artiste was of English boards. You know the sensation she course surrounded by a crowd of wealthy and produced there. noble adorers. She treated them all with the The rival star which has lately risen and coldest indifference (so says the historian), which charmed the world, Jenny Lind, was in Paris a of course only quickened their zeal and exagge-short time since. The most persevering efforts, rated their devotion. One, it is reported of great the most tempting offers were made to induce wealth and most noble family, despairing by any her to accept an engagement in Paris; but in other mode of enjoying the happiness of being vain. She sang in Hanover last week before the near the Sontag, actually disguised himself as a The next day the gallant monarch sent to domestic, entered the service and wore the livery her, in token of his royal satisfaction, a vessel of of his fair one. After several months he was gold filled with emmet's eggs. These eggs are discovered and dismissed. She appeared first the favorite food of nightingales. In Hanover in Paris in 1827 in the character of Desdemona. she was the object of the most flattering attenHer success was complete. It was here she first tion on the part of the Prince royal and his wife, met upon the stage her illustrious rival in song, occupying an apartment in their palace and daily the ill-fated Malibran. The two great artistes dining with them. She is now in Bremen. far from regarding each other with jealousy, contracted mutually a sincere and warm friendship, which ended only with the life of the wife of the violinist Beriot. It was at Paris too that she first saw, met and loved the count Rossi, attached at that time to the Sardinian legation in Paris. The young diplomatist was soon resolved to compass, even by proceeding to the extremity of marriage, the possession of his fair singinggirl. But his noble father, and the whole of his noble family, and his royal master himself, interposed and cried shame! that a scion of the illustrious house of Rossi should ally himself by marriage with the plebeiau singing-girl of Coblentz. The lovers however persisted. While the old man was thinking of his ancestors, the young one was thinking of posterity. There's no knowing how the dispute would have ended (at least one can't be absolutely sure) if the King of Prussia, the young lady's liege sovereign, had not devised and forthwith kindly executed a plan by which One evening since the date of my last, I found all objections were answered, all difficulties myself in front of a comfortable coal fire, en robe smoothed, and the young folks made happy. de chambre, slippers, and rocking chair, (I believe Oh, the privileges of royalty! He sent to Hen- it is the only rocking-chair in Paris,) proposing rietta Sontag a patent of nobility, with the title to spend a pleasant hour or two, looking over the of Mademoiselle de Lauenstein. She married, late numbers of the Messenger. The first artiand renounced the stage. She was well receiv-cle that attracted my attention, was "A Bacheed at court, of which she was the most brilliant lor's Reverie, by Ik. Marvel," in the September ornament; and where she soon made herself be- and October number. I read part first for its title's loved by her amiable manners and disposition. sake, and the author's, and parts second and third She has since resided as Ambassador's lady at the for their own sake. Marvel holds a pen graphic Hague, St. Petersburg and Berlin; at all which as an artist's pencil. His "Bachelor's Reveplaces she has left most flattering souvenirs. At rie," produced another, which I don't mean the latter capital she made herself the centre of to give you. Upon waking, after an hour's lapse, Tamburini, Gardoni. Mario, and Mme. Grisi of the Italian opera, have been spending the winter in St. Petersburg; but we still possess Lablache, Persiani, Ronconi, &c. Mdme. Grassini, a celebrity of the Italian opera in Paris during the Consulate and the Empire, has lately died at a very advanced age in Milan. She was the aunt, the early appreciator and liberal patron of the Grisi (Julia) now in Russia and of Carlotta Grisi, the actual pet of Paris, the successor, perhaps the equal of Taglioni and Fanny Elssler at the French opera. Ole Bull is at present in Bergen (Norway). He has just been putting to music, to be played at the national theatre which he has recently established there, a comic-opera in three acts, called the Fieldstuen. This is the first essay of the illustrious violinist at the composition of dramatic music. to the consciousness of the bachelor's comforts | If you think it worth while to publish them, by which I was actually surrounded, robe de cham- would it not be also well to publish with them, bre, slippers, coal fire, quiet, my rocking-chair, in parallel columns, the original French? It and the "Messenger," as a ‘thank God' escaped will thus be seen at a glance how very closely my lips, my eye fell upon the musical tribute of the translation follows the French. Another Sigma to one of our most charming young coun- consideration. You will thus enregister in the trywomen. It would have infallibly set me to Messenger, a most fitting depository, a complete musing again, had I not stumbled, at the very and correct copy of this celebrated composition, next line, upon the court-house and its docket! which stirred so marvellously the passions of I was a lawyer once-(that is, I was upon the men fifty years ago, and for which a future is list of attorneys)" Court of Common Pleas. perhaps reserved not less marvellous. It is still Kimersley vs. Knott!" horresco referens: I shut a living, pressing actuality, telling every day upon my eyes, turned over two leaves at a time, and government and people. A century or two must fell upon "The Marseilles Hymn, a translation, elapse ere it may be classed with "Scots wha by J. E. Leigh." A la bonne heure! that's more ha wi' Wallace bled!" as an historical relic, inviting. I had long wished to see a good Eng- among the curiosities of literature. I have belish translation of that famous poem, having fore me four several copies of the original. No never been able to accept as a translation the two are exactly alike. Some differ materially spirited lines usually sung with that air in the from the others. The copy herewith sent, is United States. I had heard Rachel chant La that which, after careful collation, I believe to Marseillaise at the Theatre Francais, in April, be the best and most perfect. One of the co1848; and the terrible idea haunted me for months pies before me is an illustrated edition, published afterwards. It is not too much to say, now that since the Revolution, with a portrait of Rouget the generation which sang it in '93 and '94 has de l'Isle, from a bust by David (d'Angers,) and a passed away, that no one who has not witnessed biographical and critical sketch by Felix Pyat. the chant of Rachel, can fully comprehend the Pyat you probably know from reputation. He sublime and terrible passion of the Marseilles is one of the most talented and brilliant of the Hymn. The lines of Mr. Leigh are spirited, and literary men of France: but eccentric and exrender with tolerable accuracy the ideas of the travagant at times, even to the ridiculous. Since original. It is rare to see a poetical translation the Revolution he has turned politician. A memmore, or even equally, faithful. The original, ber of the Constituent Assembly, and afterwards however, consists of seven stanzas: Mr. Leigh of the Legislative, he is a Montagnard of the gives you but six. "Allons!" said I to myself, reddest dye. Implicated with Ledru Rollin and warmed by the perusal, and by the memory ever their thirty colleagues, in the insurrection of June fresh of Rachel, “I used to dabble in rhyme, in last, he fled, was convicted last fall by the High my younger days—the Messenger itself (it isn't Court at Versailles, and is now living, a political necessary to say how many years ago)—has even refugee, in Switzerland, whence he hopes ere published some of my specimens-let's see if I long to return, to hail the triumph in France of cannot supply it now with the missing stauza of the democratic and social republic. His biothe Marseillaise. So I laid down the Messen-graphic and literary sketch accompanying the ger, leaned back in my rocking-chair, locked my illustrated edition of the Marseilles Hymn, is a hands over my head, and looked steadfastly into characteristic article. I transcribe a portion of it. my coal fire, for the space of an hour and a half. At the end of that time I was enabled to engross fairly upon paper, the fifth stanza as you have it below. "Bravo! bravo!" said I to myself, and mustered courage to attack the fourth stanza; for it was evident my fifth would not follow Mr. L's fourth. In fact, Mr. Leigh's fourth, though "Such was Joseph Rouget de l'Isle; poet and by no means the least poetical, is the most musician, born 10th March, 1760, at Lous-lefaulty of his six, as a translation. The seventh Sauluier, department of the Jura, an officer of and eighth lines in particular, convey an idea the engineer corps at the opening of the French which is not to be found in the original. In Revolution, which he served with his liberty, due time my fourth was produced. In for a with his sword, and with his lyre. Imprisoned penny, in for a pound. The sixth, seventh, first, during the tempest, soldier at Quiberon, and ausecond, and third followed. If they lack the thor of the Marseillaise! He was moreover a vigor and polish of Mr. Leigh's translation. they good citizen as well as great poet. He never are at least a faithful, rigorous, almost literal received and never solicited the favors of any translation of the French of Rouget de l'Isle. government. In disgrace during the Empire, "There are," says Felix Pyat, in the notice alluded to, "harmonious men-true statues of Memnon, whom the breath of their epoch, whom the thoughts of their time, smites, warms, and inspires: sonorous like those suspended harps which the winds in their passage make melodious. |