Peabody, the introductory lecture was delivered by Robert Rantoul, Jr. In relation to this lecture, we adopt the following remarks from the Republican:

"Mr Rantoul's discourse was very able and very lucid. The leading topic was the importance of an improved and thorough system of common school education. He regarded this as indispensable to the success of the political experiment, which the United States have entered upon-the establishment of a model government for the world.-Such a system of universal education was the means by which the many, who had wrested the power from the few, could build up a government for their own benefit. The national morality, which would be the result of such a system, would sustain and fortify such a government. He alluded to the movement which is every where going on in favor of diffused intelligence and virtue, and of course of freedom. Our school system needed, he said, great improvement.-The standard of education must be raised; and all must be taught largely and extensively whatever is necessary to a knowledge of their rights and duties, and conducive to the amelioration of their condition. All power belonged to the people; and the people must be intelligent and virtuous. He referred to the establishment of schools for the education of teachers, and asked for them the encouragement and aid of the community, towards the maturing of this experiment.-The address contained a large amount of details and statistics and other views, of which the above is an outline, all of which were expressed with great clearness and evidently interested a large and attentive audience."

The Institute met in the afternoon at 2 o'clock in the Town Hall, where after the transaction of business, at 3 o'clock, a lecture was delivered by Mr Fuller, of Providence, on "the use of libraries in common schools," and other topics connected with this subject. This lecture was delivered in place of an expected lecture from Mr Hitchcock of Andover, who was detained at home by sickness— the only appointment that has failed during the session of the insti

tute.

After this lecture, the Institute had a short recess, and then assembled again at Mr Peabody's church, where a lecture was delivered by Dr Metcalf of Mendon, on physical education, particularly in reference to the functions of the skin. This lecture was full of interesting and instructive remarks of a direct practical character in relation to the physical training of children. His admonitory appeals to females on the injurious and fatal tendencies of certain modes of dress were peculiarly striking and impressive, and we hope will not be unheeded by the fair portion of his hearers. There are facts enough on this subject, one would suppose, of such a startling character as to compel the tyranny of fashion to yield to the imperious demands of health.

In the evening of Thursday, a meeting of the Institute was held in the town hall for discussion, in which all were invited to participate. The subject of Normal Schools was introduced by the Committee of Arrangements, in the form of a resolution approving of their establishment; and the consideration of the same occupied the whole of the evening. The meeting was addressed by Messrs Thayer, Carter and Emerson of Boston, Mr Pettes of Brookline, Mr Mack of

Cambridge, Mr Greenleaf of Brooklyn (N. Y.), Mr James of Philadelphia, Dr Osgood, and Mr Mann. After a full discussion of the advantages of such institutions and the objections urged against them, the resolution was adopted by a vote apparently unanimous.

On Friday morning at 8 o'clock, the Institute met at Mr Peabody's church. An interesting letter was read from Rev. Elipha White of John's Island, S. C. apologizing for his non-attendance. After the transaction of business, at 9 o'clock, a lecture was delivered by the Rev. Emerson Davis, of Westfield, on the mind, and the modes of developing its powers-replete with sound practical instruction to parents, teachers, and all educators of youth.

After a short recess a lecture was delivered at 11 o'clock, by Mr L. B. Lincoln of Deerfield, on the means and benefits of cultivating classical taste in our common schools. At the close of the lecture Mr Thayer, of Boston, made a few remarks on one topic of the lecture, viz :-the planting of shade trees around school houses. He said that in passing from Worcester to Springfield, he was struck with the cheerless appearance in this respect of the school houses by the way. A deficiency which could be so easily supplied, ought not, he said, to be suffered to remain; and he earnestly urged upon parents, school committees, &c. the importance of promptly attending to this subject, both as a matter of taste, and of comfort to the pupils.

The Institute met again in the afternoon at 2 o'clock, in the same place, when the officers for the year were chosen. The Hon. Wm. B. Calhoun was re-elected President.

At 3 o'clock a lecture was delivered by Rev. H. A. Miles of Lowell, on "Natural Theology as a study in our schools."

Resolutions were offered by Mr Thayer, expressive of sentiments of condolence and respect in reference to the late Mr Bailey, who had deceased since the last annual meeting, a member and one of the original founders of the Institute, and who for many years was an eminent teacher of youth in Boston. After a few remarks from Mr Thayer and others, the resolutions were unanimously adopted.

In the evening of Friday, the Institute held a meeting for extemporaneous discussion. The subject proposed was, "the best modes of remedying existing defects in reading and spelling in the community." The subject was thoroughly considered, and the different modes adopted by different teachers were exhibited and compared. A large number of gentlemen took part in the discussion, among whom were Mr Greenleaf, Mr Pettes, Prof. Stowe, Mr Mann, Mr Thayer, and Rev. D. Clarke.

On Saturday morning, at 8 1-2 o'clock, the Institute met at Mr Peabody's church. After the transaction of business, a lecture was delivered at 9 o'clock, by Thomas Cushing Jr. on "the division of labor in the business of instruction." After the lecture, remarks were made on the subject, by Messrs. Pettes, Greenleaf and Mann. Mr Mann said that it was of great importance that such arrangements should be made in our schools as to effect a separation of the younger from the older pupils, on account particularly of the different kinds of discipline, as well as of instruction, applicable to the respective classes. The law relating to the Union of school districts, he said, was specially designed for this purpose.

The Institute had then a short recess and at 11 o'clock a lecture

was delivered by David Mack of Cambridge, on the importance of an adaptation by teachers of their instructions to the progress and exigencies of society.

The Institute met again in the afternoon of Saturday, and at 5 o'clock a lecture was delivered by Mr G. F. Thayer of Boston, on Courtesy or good breeding, as it should be inculcated and practised in our schools, and carried out in the common intercourse of society -a subject which has been too much overlooked and neglected by teachers and others, from a mistaken notion that it is of little importance. The rules and principles of courtesy laid down by the lecturer, if more generally adopted and acted upon, would add much to the enjoyments and smoothness of social life. The lecture was followed by an interesting discussion, in which Prof. Stowe, Mr Mann, Mr Pettes, Mr Greenleaf, and Mr Emerson took part.

On Monday morning, August 26, the Institute met again at Mr Peabody's church for business, and at 10 o'clock adjourned to attend the Common School Convention of the County.

In the evening of Monday, a meeting of the Institute was held at Mr Peabody's Church, when a lecture was delivered by Prof. Stowe, on the reading and study of the Bible, as a means of moral and intellectual improvement.

On Tuesday morning at 9 o'clock, a lecture was delivered by Alexander H. Everett, on the Progress of moral science and its practical application to the concerns of common life during the last three or four centuries.

After a short recess, at 11 o'clock, the last lecture was delivered by T. P. Rodman of Providence, on the importance of a love of learning for its own sake, in reference to intellectual advancement.

With this lecture the literary exercises of the institute were closed -and after passing a few resolutions the meeting was dissolved.

The lectures and discussions of the Institute have been fully attended, and the interest of the occasion well sustained throughout; and our citizens have reason to be grateful to those gentlemen, who have gratuitously afforded them the rich intellectual treat with which they have been favored the past week.-Springfield Gazette.

NOTICES OF BOOKS.

THE LIFE OF HAYDN, in a series of letters written at Vienna; followed by the life of Mozart, with observations on Metastasio, and on the present state of Music in France and Italy, Translated from the French of S. A. C. Bombet; With notes by William Gardiner, author of "the Music of Nature." Boston: J. H. Williams & R. B. Carter. Philadelphia: Thomas, Cowperthwait, & Co. 1839.

"The American publishers," (say they in their preface,) "herewith present the public with a work, in which, &c. the general reader

will find a variety of anecdote, and an elegance of criticism, on all subjects connected with the fine arts, which can scarcely fail to gratify him."

The paragraph here cited gives a much more accurate notion of the character of the first two-thirds of this volume, than the title of 'Life of Haydn' by which the writer has seen fit to designate it. It is in truth made up of a variety of anecdote and criticism, on all subjects connected with the fine arts; and the criticism, for aught we know, may be gratifying to the general reader, if by this epithet it is intended to denote one whose reading, to be palatable, must comprise not only a variety but a constant shifting of topics. We are here furnished with an extended list of names of musical composers, with frequent extracts from the words set to their music, with comments and critical remarks upon the compositions, and with discursive observations upon arts and artists generally; in short, with an olla podrida, in which, incidents in Haydn's life, and matters relating to him, are indeed interspersed in greater abundance than any other separate ingredients, but not in such proportion to the whole as to fix the character and name of the mess.

Yet there are found here some facts in relation to this distinguished composer, which if stripped of extraneous tinsel, and compressed into one fourth of their present space, would interest not only the general reader, but even one so particular as to select books from which something useful may be gathered. Perhaps the desultory character of the so-called 'Life' may be partly accounted for from the fact that it appears in the form of 'Letters': at any rate the title is a misnomer; and M. Bombet seems to have written for a class of readers who would accomplish themselves in the small talk of Music; and who desire a simplified mode of attaining the reputation of connoisseurship.

Of the Life of Mozart, M. Bombet says in an introductory letter, "I have enquired for the best memoir of that celebrated man, and have had the patience to translate for you [from the German,] the biographical notice published by M. Schlictegroll. Excuse its simplicity."

Had the writer apologized for his own diffuseness, instead of the simplicity of M. Schlictegroll, he would have shown a much juster notion of the proper end and character of biography. This memoir is to the point without being dry, and condensed without being meagre. The prominent incidents in the life of Mozart, and the analysis of his celebrated compositions, with the critical observations upon them, are given in an order and manner calculated to interest not

only the amateur in Music, but also the philosophical inquirer, who wishes to observe the development of genius in the department of Music.

We think there is a popular sentiment, that genius in Music is more a matter of gift or intuition, than, for example, in Mechanics or Oratory; but we gather from this memoir, that notwithstanding that Mozart, at a very early age, discovered a remarkable sensitiveness to sweet sounds, and a quick perception of concords and discords, yet his assiduous study, commenced almost in infancy, is evidence that his gifts were supported by great acquirements.

To be a composer requires powers of a much higher order than to be a performer, however excellent, of other men's compositions. Self-evident as this remark may seem, it is yet true, that a majority of the lovers of Music accord a very disproportionate share of credit and praise to men who merely read upon instruments the ideas of the composer. To do this it is only necessary to be a musical elocutionist, and the performer who does it well receives from an undiscriminating popular audience much of the applause, which, in other departments of science and art, is given only to original invention. Perhaps even Mozart acquired greater celebrity by the facility with which he read difficult pieces at sight, than by his powers of composition. The performer lives only for his cotemporaries; the composer for them and for posterity.

The Notes to this volume, by the author of "the Music of Nature," lead us to regret, that, so far as the Life of Haydn is concerned, Mr Gardiner did not appear as author instead of annotator.

C.

THIRTEEN HISTORICAL DISCOURSES, on the completion of two hundred years from the beginning of the First Church in New Haven, with an appendix. By Leonard Bacon, Pastor of the First Church in New Haven. pp. 400. 8vo. New Haven: Dunie & Peck. 1829.

These discourses are written with great vigor, and indicate very pains-taking and accurate research. They do not contain a minute narrative of particular facts, yet the narrative is continuous, and is a clear historical development of the principles on which the constitution of church and state, in the New Haven Colony was established. While the civil history of the Colony is not neglected, the religious and ecclesiastical history receive a larger share of the author's attention. The character and conduct of the Fathers of New Haven, in these respects, are truly stated and ably vindicated. That character well merits the admiration of their posterity, and the volume which contains their memorial deserves a hearty welcome from