Edmund Kean [pp. 216]

216 "A Song in the Night."
The twelfth is in the Manchew language. The
characters in form are similar to the Chinese, and
like them are also written up and down the page.
The passage is the farewell of a Corean deputy
to the Russian mission house at Pekin, and is
written in the usual inflated style of oriental complimentary composition.
The next is a Calmuck extract from a chroni-
cle containing some historical details of the progress of the Calmuck division of the great Mo-
ravian family.
A further account of the Calmucks is contained in the next specimen, in the ordinary writing
of Thibet, which states that there are three principal tribes wandering on the banks of the Wolga, numbering about 25,000 "waggons" or families, and 100,000 men.
A paragraph in the literary language of Thibet follows next in order. It gives some curious
particulars of the religion of the Lama of Thibet. " The communion which his followers receive from his hands delivers from all diseases,
and drives off destructive passions, and the soul
passes into the invisible spirit of God. The
learned Lamaic clergy believe that their religion
will, in time, be extended over the whole earth.
All the followers of the Lama have the doors of
their houses facing to the south."
The sketch, slight as it is, affords much material for useful reflection, which it might not be
amiss to improve; but it is time to close. Mr.
Vattemare has the honor of possessing, in these
autographs, a treasure as unique as it is valuable. They are, however, but a sample of the
immense literary wealth of Asia and the east of
Europe. These countries, for centuries, remarkable chiefly for their valuable natural productions,
and the unprogressive character of their inhabitants, have begun to excite that attention, which
no countries more deserve, or can better repay.
It is gratifying to know that the late Sultan took
infinite pains to introduce Mr. Vattemare's system into his dominions; indeed no monarch in
Christendom is said to have done more for his
people than Mahmoud. There are mines of
rarest literary wealth in Turkey, which will one
day, we trust, be brought to light, for the good of
the world, and, throughout the East, many valuable manuscripts might be found, which the barbarity of former ages failed to destroy. These
would be hailed with enthusiasm by the literati
of Europe, who would gladly give whole libraries in exchange for one relic of ages gone by,
which might shed upon the modern world some
rays of that sacred light, which once gilded with
its glory the cradle of the human race —the birthplace of civilization-the holy land, where the
Saviour lived and died.
"A SONG IN THE NIGHT."
Isaiah xxx: 29.
Written on being asked by an aged lady, who was very
deaf, whether she had heard music in the room below, during the preceding evening-saying she often seemed to
hear sweet music while lying awake at night.
It was no sound of earthly music
Played by one thou boldest dear,
That, as evening shades closed round thee,
Fell upon thy listening ear;
For that ear is sealed by Heaven,
And thou hearest not the sounds
Many-toned, of joy and gladness
With which this fair world abounds.
Yet, though not by day'tis given thee
Earthly strains again to hear;
In the silent'mid-night watches.
Music comes, thy heart to cheer;
Music, far more sweet than earthly *
While around thee all are sleeping,
Sung by low-toned angel voices
Who around thee watch are keeping.
Heavenly harps for thee are ringing
Touohed by spirits hovering near;
While celestial tones are breathing
Angel-anthems to thee here.
"At even-tide there shall be light:"
Still let thine aged heart be strong,
Since even in this thine earthly night
Thy God hath given to thee "a song!"
MATILDA F. DANA..
Boston.
EDMUND KEAN.
Kean is original; but he copies from himself.
His rapid descents from the hyper-tragic to the
infra colloquial, though sometimes productive of
great effect, are often unreasonable. To see him
act, is like reading Shakspeare by flashes of lUghtning.
216
Al A Song in the Night."