The New York Herald Newspaper, October 17, 1873, Page 4

4 HE UKASE. The Herald Correspondent at Zu- rich Tete-a-Tete with a Hunga- rian Countess Studying with the Russian Students. PERSONAL NARRATIVE Description of the Flower of the University. THE LADIES “AT HOME.” Their Own Statement of Their Wrongs. SINS OF THE FEW. Wit, Wisdom, Beauty; Dulness, Ignorance, Ugliness. PERSONNEL OF THE COTERIE. Vehement Expressions of That Rarest of the Hungarian Noblesse. “HUSBANDS BORES.” Alluvial Appearance of the Countenances of the Russian Demoorata, ‘THE FEMALE PHILOSOPHER. “The Flower of the University Makes a Favorable Impression on Our Correspondent,” SURGERY AND MEDICINE. Excellence of the Students in Comparative Anatomy. A LADY FROM MOSCOW. She Prescribes for Our Corre- spondent’s Lungs. “MELEZ, DONNEZ, SOIGNEZ!” The Countess ‘‘Erupts” a Vehement Chapter of Philosophy. HER SINGULAR ADIEU. “Forteresse Qui Parle, Femme Qui Eroute; VUne et Autre va se Rendre.” SWISS MORALITY. ZURICH, Sept. 3, 1873. Finding that there was a certain countess on the ‘books of the University of Zurica bearing the name ofsome Hungarian noblemen with whom I had been formerly acquainted when I was at Vienna, I thought that I might venture to pay her a visit without being guilty of impertinence. I inquired for her address of the University pedell or beadle and was directed to the house No,9 in the new Plattenstrasse, Fluntern. The house was not par- ticularly well kept, and all the servants (if there ‘were Were any servants employed by the proprie- tor, which seemed doubtiul) must have gone out, for I was obliged to wander from door to door ask- ing for the Countess and could get no answer. At last, when I had blundered up to the third story, my hesitating rap at @ side door was followed by the abrupt appearance of a young lady, about twenty years old, dressed with extreme plainness. “Entrez” (come in), said the young lady, briefy, and even sternly. I entered her apartment and found myself in a bedroom meanly furnished and uucarpeted, In one corner was an uncomfortable bed, tl made and not unlike the plan of a moun- tainous country, hastily modelled in plaster of Paris for military purposes, A cotton dress and a Swiss hat hung together on a peg or nail behind the door. Upon a ricketty table was a book on anatomy; half ® dozen more books were on & ricketty shelf placed against the wall. Tworicketty chairs and a ricketty sofa completed the furniture of the apartment; but there was a cupboard in it which might conceal unsuspected treasures, and the open window diaclosed rather asad view of the distant Alps. THE MISTRESS of this abode was a thin, nervous person, wasted almost to a shadow, and with that unhealthy color in her cheeks which betokens heart disease, The skin of her nose nad 4 metallic glaze, Her eye- brows and eyelashes were imper(ectly formed, and ber round, black eyes had that meaningless ex- pression which I have often observed in very obsti- nate people. Her hair, which was of arich, nut brown color, and curled naturally, was closely cropped and was roughly dressed, like the hair of man who does not care for appearances. Perhaps comb had been passed through it that morning, perhaps @ spoon. Yet she must once have been beautifal. Her features were regular and refined, her figure was upright and graceful, her hands and feet small, She was very modestly dressed in a blue cotton gown, mounting high up to her throat, She bad not @ vestige of ornament or the least taint of coquetry in her manuers, Indeed, they were precisely the manuers of an ordinary medi- id the Countess, after] had introduced myself, resting her elbows on the table and her chin in ber hands, “lam tne countess you inquire for—at least 60 they call me here; but that is my husband’s name, and I will not acknowledge it, I have carned @ title for myself, It is that of a medi- cal student at Zurich, and itis all my own, My maiden name is.here on my card, with my title of Medical student beneath it (Stud-med), and I will answer to no other.” She looxed straight in my face, with her bard, lack-lustre eyes, as she spoke, and met my interrogatories without the least em. barrassment, “Yea, [have been married,” she said, bi “and did not Uke it. Tiers dao bat eae oe NEW YORK WERALD, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 18 fhusband and son behind me. Tam here to tm- prove my mind. [come from Pand, in Hungary, where there are no means of improving the mind, I have been already a year in Zurich; have matri- culated tm the winter session of 1872 I am quite happy. All I desire is to be lett in peace with my books. When a woman i@ unloved she should try to make herself aseful. She has no otuer career before her. I am quite alone, I live here by myself because I cannot bear tne re- straint of residing with @ family, and I will not suffer any iterruption to my studies. It is impossible to study unless one can feel sure of privacy; and if any one teazes me with talk my mind is unhinged for the day. Of course I know the other female students, though I do not associate with them. I will go with you now and see them, if you like. Do not thank me. I would do the same thing for a street boy. My idea of duty is to make myself useful.” She rose, put on her hat, and with THE NATURAL INSTINCT OF A LADY, which she could not forget, or I think she would have done 60, she took @ pair of new gloves from her cupboard, and then was ready to accompany me, though the rain poured down in torrents. “I see you have got a carriage,’ she observed, indifferently, as we stood at the street Joor. “So much the better; you will do your business more quickly." 1 heid my umbrella respectfully over her head while she stepped into the carriage, and when she was seated she turned sharply round and faced me, Then, for the first time, I saw something like a returning dawn of her youth's blighted summer steal back into her face, and it suddenly dimpled all over with laughter. ‘You must treat me as @ comrade,” she said. “I will have no nonsense about holding up umbrellas. I @m not a lady; I ama medical student. Let us be ‘hail fellow well met,’ or 1 will have nothing to say woyou.” Then the bard expression settled once more into her face, aud she went on talking in a flerce, captious, desuitory manner. Presently the carriage stopped before a low, bare, cheeriess building iu the suburb, “This ia THE RUSSIAN STUDENTS! HOUSE,"? remarked tne Countess, walking in before me with @ resolute step, We were met by a slouching, dirty fellow, Wio was lounging on the staircase in an idle way. My companion tackled him at once, as though she were commanding a troop of horse. “Are any of the female students here now ?” she asked, peremptorily. The dirty man got up and scratched his head to collect his thoughts, which were possibly not the only things he collected. “Yes,” he drawied out when he had done so. “Show me in to them,” said the Countess.‘ Here 1s a gentleman come to look at them.’ Some filthy looking fellows, who looked like the sons of newly emancipated serfs, now opened the doors of a row of rooms opening on to a corridor. “Those are Russian students,” said the Countess, as she might have said, “Those are the wild beasts.” Tnere was little diference indeed be- tween them and some of the lower animals, save that they asserted their brotherhood with men by | clothes, They were gross, clumsy, thickset, low- browed, truculent creatures, unkempt and un- shorn. They wore heavy boots, outside their trou- sers, and had a furtive, hang-dog look about them. When they had examined us they shut themselves into their dens again. They evidently did not itke our appearance. Perhaps they thought I was an- other inquimtive Russian general come to look into their affairs, “Will you wait in the library?’ inquired the dirty man, to whom the Countess had first spoken, and he showed us the way to a large, white-washed room, floored with plain deal boards. On the table were half a dozen newspapers, and on some shelves were perhaps 100 books. An abominably dirty lout sat smoking at a table near the window, It was a bleak, desolate place, and the two dirty men in it stared at us silently. “You have bought this house, haven't you?” a the Countess sharply; “what did you give for e977 The dirty Mau who was smoking rose and strag. gied towards us. The Uvuntess cuughed as the cloud of rank tobacco smoke which preceded him lke a rolling fog began to envelop her, “aye, aye” (Ja, ja/), replied this dirty man, for the conversation went on in corrupt German, “we have bought the house, because we wanted to be free from spies. We paid 83,000 francs for it, We like to be independent. The ukase says we bought it to practise the doctrines of free love. That isa calumny.” Here the dirty man leered at the Coun- tess, and again she coughed. “Are none of the female students at home?’ she asked again. Tne dirty men slouched towards the door with- out answering. She followed them and motioned to me to accompany her. Then the dirty men stood irresolutely at the door, and one leered, while the other looked doggedly down at his heavy boots and put on an air of resolute stupidity which Thave often observed in Russian peasants when driven to bay by an authority which they will neither resist nor obey. “I Want to see one of the female students,” re- peated the Countess in a sharp, commanding voice, She mentioned the name of a student, and at last one of the dirty men—it was the man who leered— moved beavily cown the corridor, and, stopring at the last door on the leit knocked loudly and bawied ‘There was no answer for some minntes, but at last the door opened just wide cnongh to admit the passage of another horribly dirty man’s head. This dirty an stared sulkily at us ior a minute, and then closed the door without speaking. But the dirty man who leered now took up our cause as his own, and battered away flercely at the door, shouting as he did so. Nobody answered him. “Let us go.’ said the Countess, as the leering man loomed again towards her through his own private fog. “They will not let usin, and 1 am almost stifled with bad smells.” “Look here” (sehen sie), growled the man who leered, with @ look half familiar aud balf asuamed; “sne has had a misfortune.’ “Pagh i” exciaimed the Countess, when we got again into the carriage, and she tried to waft away the fetid alr oj that fithy place, Which seemed to cling to us. We drove next to the ane of a student of philosophy, and found her in a small bedroom, to- ether with another female student and two mei ney were taiking about the ukase, and smoking. Miss L—— is a young Lai ng ae! under twenty years of age, anda pretiy, fair, innocent lookin; girl, Who received me with asweet smile when was introduced to her. Then 8 hetstood up, leaned against the wall, and answered my questions with agreeable frankness. “1 was born,” she said, “at Fon eed in Russia. I came here in the winter of 1872.” She would have said more, but one of the men present—a fair, beardiess youngster about nineteen years old— broke into the conversation. He was @ stolid, ag- gressive person, evidently full of crude ideas about freedom, and his manners were obstructive. “She has seen the ukase,” he said, stubbornly, “and you may see if you like. I can get it for you. It ts printed inan old newspaper under my bed, She ig going away; they are ail going away. I have heard this morning that if she makes a peti- ton to somebody at St. Petersburg she may stop, She shan’t make a petition. What’s the use of a petition? It is humiliating to make petitions,” added the obstructive young man, picking his nails nervousiy, and sneering. The other as Arig an untidy fellow of five and twenty, with a ragged black beard, who bounced upon the sofa from which the young lad: had risen, now put up one of his legs and yawned, The other female student appeared to be Kg witha dimMonity, in the shape of some bread an: sausage ES pag) which she was trying to hide by Rolding it In one hand stretched out as far as possible under the table, while the other hand was thrust into her hair with an assumption of negil- gence. A bottle, which had been hastily stowed a 1 Was pein ype her dreas, ome," sa! ie Countess, curty, and we went away, Miss L taking leave ef un ite her pretty smile and more politeness than is, l believe, com- mon among female students of philosophy, Then we went to see Miss Lydia S, a very favorable specimen of a female philoso hical std. dent, and a lady held in high esteem by the author- ities, She herself was not at home; but her sister, 8 tall, well-made gir! ef twenty, received og in & cordial and lady like manner. ‘rhe sisters had only one room between them, and it was a bedroom; but it was exquisitely clean, and kept in the very perfection of order. The Countess explained the purport of my visit, and although the rain contin- ued to pour down unceasingly, the female philoso no sister put on her hat in 8 moment, and tel- ng us that Lydia was in the college laboratory, Making some experiments in chewistry, trip, goou naturedly off to fetch her, ‘Take the carriage et least,” said the Connters, “No,” answered the girl, ina blunt, sensible tone, but without radeness; “I shall go quicker on foo! and I bave an umbrella.” Indeed she returne ip rt surprisingly short Wme With her sister, ‘ PEMALE PHILOSOPHER Bie eran een ee Tae hed gre oF character and devormination In its 6x) but. p0t too much. She wore tad wok epec' Gregsed very plain; but she ry id not ook Ifke a blue stock! ora pedant, Her dress was iresb, weil made and well puton. she looked neat, clean and comfortable, and was, 1 think, one of the most agrecabie and clever women | have seen here, “Icome from Wiborg, in Finnland.” she said, With easy, good breeding. ‘My mother lives in Lely Lentered at the University of Zurich in 1 and have been here nearly four years, At first | was quite alone; lately my sister has been with me. 1 shall not pay any attention to the ukase, because I expect to take my Segre ma few mouths and am unwilling to give up the result of my studies. [am a single woman—at present."’ Here she cast down her oyes, not nnbeoam aly. and I thought her sister glanced demurely at the female phuosopher; but this may have been fancy, or not. One thing only is certain, that there was potiieg, wrong or sly about Lydia, aud ter hus- band, if she chooses one, will be a lucky fellow. “My sister is also unmarried," she continued, “but she is not a member of this University. There are, however, many married ladies among us, Some of them study with their husbands, and that is a very nice arrangement, especially when both take their degrees together. Some oi our female students live a sort Of gypsy life, and have brought discredit upon us. Idono; know any of them. have passeG my time very happily here. I have made many iriends, and everybody has been good and kind tome. Ihave never been annoyed or in- sulted. I have lived myown quiet life and am content with it. My prospects are hopeful. I shall return to Russia when my education is com- plete, andi donot think1 shall be all-received, Our government is not troublesome to peopie who do not interiere with politics. Some of friends have been driven away by the ukase, but ¢! were received by the University of Leipsig and will only jose the cost of their journey. I shall make a rep resentation of my case to tlie Ri authorities- and | have the satisiaction of being able to seud goot testimonials from the projessors here in sup- portof it. have no doubt of the result.” I thought as listened to this reasonable Woman, with her steady voice and sel{-possessed manners, that there would be few candid ovpe- nents of women's rigits if all female philosophers Were as wise, as amiable, as well brea. She took leave of us With a stately, yet winning courtesy wich would have well become @ doctor of divinity; and I should not be surprised to hear her name mentioned hereafter with as much reapect as that of Miss Edgeworth, Miss Martineau or Mrs. Somerville. One of the professor’ told me subsequently that sha Was a scientific chemist of the firat urder; and . Meyers’ face brightened when J spoke of ber. he is,’’ said he, with a grave smile, “Tuk FLOWER OF OUR UNIVERSITY," and the Doctor bowed with involuntary homage as he pronounced her name, A few minutes after we had left this encouraging sample of a female philosopher we arrived atthe lodgings of three femaie students of medicine, as to whose names Iam net guite eure, as the Coun- tess Apenoun oes. them hastily , and 1 was obliged to refresh my memory by subsequent reference to the University books, and in applying their names I may have made some blunder, These three ladies were all Russians, They were engaged in drinking tea with lemon juice in it out of tumbiers, alter the custom of their country, when we entered their apartment, bat a maid servant attached to their establisbment put their glasses away when we entered, and Miss K. led tle way irom the bedrooms, where they had been sitting, to the sitting room adjoming, which commanded @ pretty view. Some ends of cigarettes in an ash tray revealed the truth that one of these female medical students had been smoking, and she lady, whom [ taok to be Mra. L., comfeased at once to theimpeacument. She even lit another cigarette, though she said with truth that her tobacco was not good; but shesmoked from the open window that sle might not anuoy her companions, The face of this lady attracted me very strongly. She was a stout, thick set woman, about thirty years old, and inarried. Her figure was clumsy and awk. ward; her biack merino dress was carelessly put on, aud | doubt if she had a proper reverence for soap and water; her sbort hair, too, was tangled and untidy; but I have seldom seen a more intelit- gent countenance. Biack, heavy eyebrows met over her large, thoughtiul eyes, which had a kin wise light imthem. Her mouth was well cut an firnfly ciosed, though large and full, as that of one not indifferent to good cheer, yet not devoted over much toit, When she bad finished her cigarette she took up @ remarkably white and weil-polished skull which was standing on @ large writing table against which she leant carelessly, “It is the skull ofa negro,” she said, in reply to & question from the Countess. “itis neatly prepared, is it not?’ All four ladies now gathered together and exam- ined the skull, commenting on it proiessionali: with apparent satisfaction. Their remarks showe: considerable study, and I, thought, still more ob- servation. Their knowledge of COMPARATIVE ANATOMY Struck me as especially deserving of note, and Miss K——, to whom the skull belonged, let tall con- siderable information on the subject, in an easy, collogual tone, as though sbe was discussing the divers notes of a piano, “1 do not believe we shall have to go away,” said alady, ‘The local authorities at Zurich have forwarded @ protest against the ukase,’’to the Council of phe High Swiss Confederation at Berne, who will transmit it to the Russian Envoy, if they have not done so already ; for we have been told this Rorning that if we petition the Minister of Public orsnip at St, Petersburg we shall be allowed to remain. We Were vonanitin, when you came in. Of cour: tition, Why sould we not do so? students who really wish to —i4 at Znrich, or who have is reason [or staying. i make petitions. Yea, I like my profession. e all like it, are much wanted in Russia, and we hope to have a good practice. Most of the doctors now at St. Pe tersburg (whence Mrs, L. bails) are Germans or French, and they cannot understand the language ol the lower orders. “Ou, yes,” added the dark-browed lady, with a frank simile, “I speak Russian, though J am aware and I dare say you are aware that many Russian women do not speak their own tongue. I have been here some time, and hope soon to take my degree.’ This would not be the case with Mrs, L., 80 that perhaps it may have been ANOTHER LADY OF MOSCOW who spoke with me. “To be sure I will prescribe for yon if you like,” continued the dark-browed lady. “You want a prescription for a cough, Here is one; and drawing the writing materials towards her she wrote as follows:— about our petition We oball Make & po- All the female 8.8. Rpe. morphii muriatiet bei UN Tee od gum amygd. ainar. it'b 5° 0.05 in a ciear, distinct hand. The name signed to the prescription 13 not on the books of the University of Zurich, where this lady is a medical student; bat they seem to use thelr marriage names and ee here arteat beelitmel pee indiscriminately, “What do the letters at the top of your presc! tion, the letters ‘s. S.,’ signify?’ I asked. <j te z “They Signily ‘spirito Sancto,’” replied the dark-browed lady, “and imply a short prayer that the prescription mare you gooa,”” “And the letters ‘M, D. 5, 177? “Melez, donnez, soignez.” ‘MIX and use care- fully,’’ replied the dark-browed lady. “And Low am | to use the medicine “You must inhale it,” said sue, “through a tube, Which you can buy at any apothecary’s shop. This is the Kind of thing; it was Invented avout three years ago,” and sie drew a rapid sketch uf the in- Btrument in question, Miss Katherine was a tall, slim, lady-like young woman, Wita rather an over-excited look about the eyes and @ calmness Of manner which seemed forced and unnatural. Her complexion was pale, her nose belonged to no particular order of beaut! and her lips were colorless. A thoughtiul physi- cian might have had many opinions about her, and would probably have decided that her case was one which required MOKE EXERCISE AND LESS TRA, but her behavior was pleasing, and even refined, “I come from Moscow,” sie said; “my mother brought me here; placed me uncer the care of a professor known to us, and I have now studied Medicine for a year, like it very well, I was Induced to study medicine by the scarcity of doc- tors in the villages round Moscow. [ shall petition the Russian government to permit me to remain here, Some of my friends bave gone away. The: have gone to Leipsig, Berne, Leyden and Paris. { shall not go away. I am not frightened by the — @nd I think that all will come right in the end, The other young lady, who bore a familiar Eng- lish name, said:—“T am a medicakstudent. I was born at Jeroslau, in Rnasia, and [entered at the University of Zurich in 1871, I could not bear to see the sufferings around me at Jerosiau, for want of medical aid, aud, therefore, I came to study here. I shall petition the Rassian government vo let me Boe 1 like the piace and the people.’ She was a large-boned, angular young woman, un- ay in ber dress and restiess in manner. Her face looked "erage cept pe i el Ithink Miss was the only lemaie student re fect heaith. tiene “Come,” said the Countess again, with her nsaal brevity and decision, as 1 was preparing to resume my conversation with these ladies who had inter- ested me, “Come!” and J went She took me then to Mra, K—— P—_, who was receiving a lesson in medical jurisprudence from & pale young ol two or three and twenty years old. In com, ny with ber were two young ladies. “I come,” said the first lady, from Moscow, in Russia.I am 2 married woman. My husband is not With me. The medical profession interests me jit 19. means of making an independent living.” Hero 8! Loe with unfriendly eyes at the Countess, and | saw that there was war between them, Mrs, P— seemed about yer noes old; her room had Astufly air of shut up gentility about it, and seemed like @ place which held secrets. There was a tawdry lamp on the table and @ fine cheap cover, with @ carpet of many colois under our feet. It was rather like THE PRIVATE APARTMENT OP A STTERIPP'S OPPICER, Mrs, P—, @ forid and somewhat over-dressed wo might have been the Sherifi'’s officer's wile, e of the young ladies, @ dark, diminutive young woman, with an expression ‘of deeision Hot isagon Shit dat Uown on Whe gotuer of be vole mn the beareat my hai iS corner of the a ¢ said, “1 am a Native of Kieff, in Russia. ie Poles say Kiev should belong to them; but it is one Of the oldest and most Russian of all’ the Russisn Fie ane cradle of our monarchy and of our faith, rying anxionsly to make a good doctor. been ali here, and I hope su an going to petition the Russian HIDeRe tins I may pty Sores ces ae feaiaed which branch of the medicai shall choose, bat am at present inclined ¥o tain that I may be able to treat the DISEASES OF WOMEN AND CHTLDREN ‘Most snocessiully, 1 have also pad much atten- tion to diseases of the eyes and teeth. Most of the ladies here direct their studies chiefly towards the diseases of women and children, or diseases of the skin, eyes and teeth. The study of optics has a great ination for me." She may haye been nineteen or twenty years ola. She was far more Bieiieens and seif-possessed than boys of the me age. So also was the other young lady who told me she was @ Moscow lady, and looked like it. She had bee: dying medicine for & ngs and liked it. She intended to petition the Ri government, and hoped to be allowed to stay in Zurich, “Those women all hate we. I am very good to take you about to people who hate mo," said the Countess, when we had returned to the carriage, “I wanted you to see all the types of female students. Now you have seen enough and I shall © home. 1 do not kuow what you are to do ‘urich has no amusements, 1 came here to im- paw my mind and do not want amusements, jobody does, very one ought to suffer, I suffer. You persist in treating me aga lady. I have told you not to do #0. am not a lady. I have re- nounced my sex. Yow are a fool. ALL MEN ARE FOOLS. Why don’t you contradict me? I want to be con- tradicted, A man who does not contradict a wo- man is an {diot, He insults her by his silly polite- ness, and should be despised. You treat women worse than aOR, dogs and horses, then you make grimaces them, Imust govern husband, guide him, inspire him—be ali and all to him or nothing. 1 had @ husband once, and I was nothin, tohim. I threw him away. I was in the wrong’ Pooh! Don't look at me in that way. I tell youl was in the wrong. I was wicked. I am wicked. How do you know I have not committed some dreadiul crime? Iteli youI have. Icould not be happy at home, andl am here, This is the best place for me. Iam happy with my books. I im- prove my mind, Stuff and nonsense. Don't thank me for driving about with you. I would do the same thing for anybody else, It is my duty. Why don’t you treat me more roughly? Treat me asa comrade in barracks. No, 1 wont have a cigar. I don’t think ladies ought to smoke, Smoking makes my eyes water. I hope you don’t mean to light that large cigar. i shall stop the carriage if you do, and get out, Yes, this is a pretty hat, isn’titnow? Ishall wear quite a ne dress next year—trousers and a tunic, with a black leather belt and a silver buckle, It will look very well, wont it? aLadies’ dresses are inconven- ient, I mean to set a new fashion; but I am afraid to put on my new dress just now on account of the noise made about the Russian students. I would wear it to-morrow if they were all gone— hatelul things. I ey rape valge deeply with them, You men sympathize with nobody. I have a great many enemies, Those women we have just left are my enemies, and I hate them from the bottom of my heart. I bave come here for peace. Mind you, do not praise the female students when you write about them. Do not say anything good of them; they are not worth it, Give thems sharp lecture on their moral duties, I love Lydia and Kathe- rine. I do not know any ill of them. They are saints, quite saints. I also love mrs. (nameless), She separated from her husband three years ago, and has left three children somewhere in Bohemia, No, I can go up staira by myself. We have met ior the frat and last eae ADIEU. She had sprung out of the carriage as it stopped at her door, and had tripped awayin a moment, I looked alter the restless little body of that ardent little soul, which was burning itself to waste 80 cruelly and fretting its frail sheath to @ shadow; but I saw her face no more! In the evening I went to the Unterhaltangs Con- cert des Tonhalle-Orohesters to see if Icould find any of the female students in their cups. It is a large, dreary building, not unlike a barn, and in- spires thoughts of melancholy rather than pieas- ure, Though it is the only place of entertainment Open in Zurich during the summer months, a tol- erable band plays there every evening; but the music is, by turns, t00 mourniul and too noisy, There is a deal of Wagner init and of Bach’s sym- phony inG. I wonder when musicians will under- Frond that the public love best what the musicians most despise, time and melody. When the fiddlers and trombones of Zurich broke out, seemingly ay accident, into an air trom the “Princess of Treb! zond," everybody seemed to wake up, for Offenbach, the greatest musical satirist who ever lived, was eae fe them in merry notes, which they could understant It is said that the Swiss are Sxcepucnal chaste, though many a Frenchman in and out of history has told a different story. What I saw atthe Town Hall was men and women amusing themselves as they do elsewhere. The men talked and pleaded; the women listened not unwillingly. me red haired female student, who drank beer out of the same glass with her neighbor, looked as if she had already signed articles of capitulation. Most of the Swiss gentlemen present were accompanied by their gentlewomen and seemed to be on sufil- ciently intimate terms with them, I will deal with the diplomatic aspect of the female student question between Russia and the Swiss Confederation in my next letter. THE CATHOLIC PROTECTORY. Seven Hundred Boys and Three Hun- dred and Fifty Girls Confirmed Yes- terday—Interesting Ceremonies—Ad- dress by Archbishop McClosk-z~ Teovdey was & guid day for Tremont, West- chester county, and its entire vicinity. It was known that Archbishop McCloskey would aaminis- ter the sacrament of confirmation to about 700 boys and 350 girls of the New York Catholic Pro- tectory. The ceremonies were of unusual interest. The chapel of the Protectory was exquisitely dec- orated, At about half-past eight a solemn high Mass was celebrated. The music was admirably rendered by the well trained band of the Pro- tectory, assisted by some of the members of the Philharmonic Society. The Rey. Joseph Strumpe, of Melrose, officiated, assisted by the Rev. Father Westermann, the Rev. Father McGurk, of St. Stephen's, and Dr. Schraeder, pastor of the Second street church, and one of the ablest German pul- pit orators of this city. On this occasion some 400 oys received for the first time the Holy Com- munion, having been prepared during a “retreat” of three days by the Rev, Father McGurk. A grand procession was then formed, and 1,300 boys and 450 girls marched out to greet the Arch- bishop, who was expected to arrive at about this time. The procession presented a@ very pictu- resque appearance; the boys all dressed in their best, each wearing @ silk rosette; the girls all in white, with pretty white velis; the gorgeous ban. ners fying, the band of the Protectory playing, and all so cheerful and happy. The procession escorted the Archbishop to the Protectory. Be arrived there at eleven o’clock, accompanied by Father Quinn, Vicar General of New York, and his Secro- bg Father Farley, ie ceremony of confirmation was highly im- preasive, the boys having evidently been taught to appreciate its solemnity and importance. The: listened with profound attention to the brief ad- dress which Archbishop McCloskey delivered when the exercises were concluded In a few eloquent words the Very Reverend Arch- bishop appealed to them to prove themselves worthy of the grace which they had received through this confirmation, God Would expect a return for the favors which he had bestowed upon them. The good Christian Brothers had watched them day and night and prepared them to become sturdy soldiers of Christ and good Christians, who were never to be ashamed of their faith but always to profess it fearlessly and defend it zealously. We then gave them the episcopal benediction. Arch- bishop McUloskey was assisted at the confirmation by the Rey. Father Westermann, Dr. Schraeder, Father Kearney and others, Then followed the confirmation of about 860 girls in the Femaie Protectory. They had been prepared for the p> tion of the sacrament by the Sisters of Charity. They were addressed by Fatner Quinn, wio explained to them the importance of the sacrament whicn they were going to receive, and expressed the hope that they would all strive to become noble women and good Christians, The Archbishop also spoke @ few words to them, to which they listened with great interest, and ina short while left the institution in order to pay visit to the noviciate of the Christian Brothers at Castle Point. ‘The children all had an excellent ha and enjoyed themselves heartily the rest of e day. A visit seronge the Protectory later in the day moe that the institution was in admirable order, The gigantic diningrooms, scrupulously neat; the enormous sleeping apartments, The very picture of brightness and cleanness; the various workshops; the printing establishment, where the cone of the Protectory, which 1s edited by the joys, 18 published; the shoe shop, the tailor shop might all serve as models to institutions of this kind, Brothers Teltow and Adrian and the others in charge of the Proteciory deserve the highest mon “4 the excellent results which they have attained, i" 8AD DROWNING OASUALTY, The body of the young woman found in the river at Bay Ridge, L., 1, on Monday last, which was taken to the Brooklyn Morgue, was identified yes- terday by a relative of the deceased. The name of the woman was Amanda Gumaer. Her husband was the captain of the barge Eddington, who, to- gether with their child, three years old, were drowned in the river off the Elysian Fields, Ho- boken, on Sunday night last. It 4 opt from the statement of the man who identified the body of Mrs, Gumaer, that, on the night in question, the barge Eddington was being towed down the North River and when off the point mamed the tug boat was compelled to alter her course suddenly, bee cause of the approach of @ schooner, in order to avoid collision, The tow lines became slackened and were jerked around with such force as to carry overboard the captain, wife and child. The bodics of the father and chiid have not been found. The remains will be sent to Rondont, N, Y., for inter. ment, a6 her relatives reside at that place, LONG ISLAND SAVINGS BANK ROBBERY, The detectives have not, up to the present, been able to find the thief who stole the $40,000 from the safe of the Long Island Savings Bank, corner of Boerum and Fulton streets, Brooklyn. The bonds tolen cannot bo negotiated now. Mr. See. Seok, the owner of the stolen hae o $2,000 reward for the recovery of the bogus, 73.—TRIPLE. SHEET. THE ARCTIC. Arrival of the Diana at Dundee from Her Search for a Gateway to the Pole. HER CRUISE AMONG THE ICEBERGS. Interview with Mr. Leigh Smith, the Com- mander of the Expedition. SPITZBERGEN. Further Strange Reports About the Death of Captain Hall. DunpgE, Sept, 28, 1873, I was on the point of departing for London when intelligence reached me that stili another bamed Arctic exploring party had reached this town. On making my way to the docks I found that the ves- sel alluded to was the screw steam yacht Diana, of Glasgow, which, under commana of Mr. Leigh Smith, an enthusiastic and wealthy English yachts man, had been cruising all summer in the neigh- borhood of Spitzbergen, in the hope of finding a northeastern passage from that island to the Pole. MR. SMITH’S IDEA. Mr, Smith has made several trips to Spitzbergen in his own yacht, the Samson, and in 1871 he pene- trated as far north,as 81 deg. 24min. From con- versations he has held with Norse fishermen and others he is satisfied that there is land lying to the northeast of Spitzbergen, discovered nearly two centuries ago by an old Dutch commander named Gillies, who named it Gilliesland, Believing that this ultima thule of these Norsemen, if re- discovered, would be a valuable stepping stone to the Pole, he determined in the spring of the present year to equip at his own expense & complete Arctic expedition and go in search of this northeastern territory en route to the Pole, He chartered the Dians, a powerful steam yacht be- longing to a Mr. Lamond, a wealthy land owner in the west of Scotland, and secured a crew of twenty-two able seamen and the services of Cap-~ tain Fairweather, a Dundee whaler of extensive experience, as his sailing master. He was also ac companied by the Rev. A. E, Eaton, who acted as Naturalist; by Mr. H. 0. Chermside, Royal Engi- neers, Who was to undertake the surveys, and by Mr. T. E. Potter,a son of Mr. T. B. Potter, the well known Member of Parliament from Manches- ter, whocanducted the photographic operations. In addition to the Diana, Mr. Smith fitted out his own yacht, the Samson, to act as a tender, placing in her a crew of thirteen men, under command of Captain Walker, also a Dundee whaler of repute, and despatchipg her, with a full supply of storea, to awatt his arrivalinthe Diana at Spitzbergen, I am indebted to Lieutenant Chermside for the fol- lowing notes from his log book:— We left Dundee on the 10th of May and had to put into Lerwick in consequence of foul weather, @ northerly gale prevailing. On the 17th left Ler- wick, and on the 20th experienced a heavy southerly gale, which carried us right up to the ice, which was made on the 23d, a little to the east- ward of the rarely visited JAN MAYEN’S ISLAND. This island bears the name of the Dutch navigator who discovered it in 1611, and it lies several degrees within the Arctic circle, is about sixteen miles long by four broad, surrounded by a usually very stormy sea. On the island isa very curious snow clad conically shaped mountain, which rises to the height of 6,780 feet above tho level of the sea, and is, so far as ia yet known, the most northerly volcano hest point within the North Polar Zone. his point the Diana had to push her through drift ice and heavy floes, she reached the latitude of 75 uvgrees, when she suddenly came upon @& lange open bight of waror, ‘extending about filty miles aoruss, 6Nd leading, as far as could be seen from the masthead, in a southwesterly direction. Alter aconsuitation 1t was resolved not to follow this lead, aw it seemed to diverge from the proper course of the vessel, and accordingly the ship’s head was still kept to the northeast and a passage sought along the shore of the ice pack, A great many seals were seen in this quarter, but they were exceedingly shy. A large sheet of open water was reached in 79 deg. 30 min., and from thence we steamed to Spitzbergen. While making for the island a magnificent fellow of a whale was sighted, the wreck of a small ship's boat and an oar were passed and a number of sad- dle-back seals were slot. The Spitzbergen coast Was made on the 7th, and a Norwegian ‘sea horse- man,” or vessel engaged in hunting walrus, was spoken, and informed the Diana that THE SWEDISH ARCTIO EXPEDITION was lying beset at Mossel Bay and in distress, Steam was made for this quarter directly, and on reaching the edge of the floe at Mossel Bay the Swedish vessels, three in number, were seen lyin; close in shore, fast in the ice, there being betwix! them and the Diana some three and a half miles of fast floe, which in some places was seven feet thick. The Swedes at once made for the Diana, running over the ice with all the celerity of men who haa been on half rations for weeks, with the prospect ahead Of a good square meal, While they made their way over the ice the Diana hung out all her bunting, and sent a deputation to escort the Swedes to the ship. On their arrival they were forse and seed, and gave their story a8 fol- ows — The expedition was equipped and supported by private enterprise in Sweden, the government. suppiytug ie vessels The expedition vessel was the Pultieens, an iron steamer of 20 tons, accompanied by the sailing brig Gladau and a small steam tender, the Gottenverg. On the 7th of last September they had got beset by the ice in Mossel Bay and so suddenly that every effort to get seaward was futile, They had according to build Winter quarters and set up the observatory, of which they had the pieces with them. Unfortunately for the explorers, a supply ship, freiglited with provisions, had falied to arrive borore they were beset, and during their staie of siege they were considerably ‘pinched for food, ud when rescued by the Diana were ou half rations ‘The total strength of the expedition was sixty, and in the spring of the present year a boat sleigh ‘party was arranged, the programme being to get as near the Polo ‘As possible. Protessor Nordenskiold was at THE HEAD OF THE EXPEDITION, They had four boats with them and succeeded tm get. fing as tar ag Hinlopen straits, on the north shore of Which they lett two of their boats und then made their Yay wards Parry's island. Arrived atthe seven islands they found the feetlelds to the north so hummocky that further sieizhing was out of the question. They leit & bout at Marten’s or Phipps’ Island and a depot of pro- visions at Farry’s Island, and then took a route across the land foe to.the northeast land. Along this they trav- elied on the fast ice, at times tracking over jong, low necks of land. They stili proceeded eastward, taking careful observations at every point and meeting nuine- Fous herds of reindeer and ‘many Tolar bears. From their most eastern point they struck a route across coun- try inland to Hinlopen straits; thence to Shoal Point, Where in the two boats they had lett there they salled to Verlogen Hook, whence ith only twelve miles to Mossel Bay. this Swedish boat sledge excursion occupied ex- actly sixty days and {ts results, when published, will, it 4s said, be of especial interest to naturaliste The arrival of the Diana was ot course & welcome event to the crews of these ice-stald Swedish vessels, and ul sup Bly of provisions, including Hime Juice, tresh po- ta Tum, tobacco and preserves, was at once sent them by Mr. Smith. Towards the middle of June the ice broke up, and the Swedish explorers returned home. ‘The story of their adventurous sledge expedition, With many important’ observations made ey, the Te to published by Professor Nordenskiold, The Diana afterwards made several unsuccessful attempts to steam through Hinlopen Straits, with the view of reaching Wiches Land, out found after they had bt Some thirty miles up that it was {m- possible to proceed on account of the pack ice. They managed to reach as jar north ag 80 deg. 50 min,, in longitude 17 deg. east. All efforts to reach Wiches Land failed. Icebergs of vast size were Met, and at Olga Strait a chain of stranded bergs extending for many miies, After re- tempts to get north the Diana finally gave up her efforts sud made for Scotland, reach- ing Dundee on Saturday, The party have suc- ceeded in obtaining some very fine Bhotographs of nt scenery. The crew are all tolerably certain hat the Pole cannot be reached via spitzbergen, The interview. Downes, Sept. 20, 1973, Thave this evening had a lengthened interview with Mr. Leigh Smith, and have also met Captain Allan Young, R. N., who was out with the Fox ia search of Sir John Franklin, Fairweather, the sailing master of the Diana, was also present, The conversation happening to turn on tho arrival here last week of the Polaris crew. Williamson gave us the following somewhat strange information, He Bald :— When I was at Upernavik last year as mate of the Victor meamsnioe of Dundee, | w ld by the Governor there that Hall and the Polaris had touched there, and that he (the Governor) had then been told that Hall would never return again, and ‘that he had been so told by the Doctor, or @ man called Doctor,” Mr. Leigh Smith mentioned to me as a curious circumstance that his sailing master nad spoken to him on his soining the mana of this very fact and had iarther said, “Mr Smith, I fear, from what T heard, Hall will never como baok.” ‘tm state that Morton, the second mate of the Polaris, while here, said that the Doctor had told two vernors in Disco that Hall would never ‘come From Mr, Leigh smith I obtained the following interesting notes of Apitsbe: the loveness { have Ks tire and ‘siwara re fuinauuie of Switzorincd, or rather what Switzer< would you could k Valleys, Spitzbergen is ee SWITZERLAND UNDER WA’ The changing hues ot the many-colored If ou the mountains of ice give it an air of fairy land. The Pleasure of exploring in these unknown latitudes Where no mortal has over galled beiore, fectly intaxiontng and with me {t has almost be- come amania, The delights of civilization are tame compared with the excitement of polar re- Searches, Spitzbergen is my favorite haunt, be- cause you can got easily to it, aud you do not have to winter over the journey as you ‘do on the Davis Straits route. T by no means claim to be an Arctic explorer. 1am always content with the sport and pleasure of the voyage, and consider our journey a success if we return free from mishap or accident. boeip a iy pesecdy uninhantes Ns is any nation, Former! whaling ships of diferent countries had Bi tay and winter quarters of their own, with their na- tional) fag fying, and many a juabbie ensued over the occupancy of the jand. Now all this, fortunately, ts ended, In sum- mer the snow melts, and flolds of green herbage are seen. Yellow poppies, which our men called primroses, are spre: in Fich profusion over the meadow land and the pink and yellow polentilla lend a richness and warmth of coloriny to what is really a very beautiful picture. The glaciers and icy peacs assume strange, weird-lixe shapes, recall to one’s mind the pictures of the fanes and tem) of the classic period. As the sun Dever sets and as literally in summer “there 41g no night there,’ sometimes very ludicrous mis- takes are made, It is no unusual thing for two separate exploring parties, after having been ab- sent for some time, to meet each other, the one Party about to take supper and the other about prepa (2 high rtrd The yas it these ree gions is ply not to be surp: . indeer we shot in abundance and I have at times seen as 8 hanging round the There was no end of haw ducks, and one owl was killed, We wo yey alw tell in @ fog when were near the land by the cawling and f the ‘birds on shore,’ wing-flapping o: ” J asked Mr, Teigh Smith his opinion as to the route most likely to be the successful one to the Pole and the claas of ship he believed most suitable for the purpose. He replied that the route taken by Hall seemed to bim the most ieasible, and that the kind ofship most serviceable was 6 large, strong vessel of 800 tons or so, with compound engines, working up to 150-horse power. “My friend, Captain Allan Yor ” he said. “be- lle’ in a strong vessel, accompanied by a smal steam launch, and my own opinion is in favor o| an expedition always consisting of more than one vessel It waa A MISTAKE, im connection with the Polaris expedition, that only one vessel was sent. I am in hopes, however, thas the North Pole duMloulty will soon be solved. t wish I saw the English bestir themselves more and Not rest content with sending an expedition once in fifty years or so, But,’’ added Mr. Leigh Smith, “I think when the North Pole is discovered it will be by the enterprise of such @ paper as the New ‘ORK D. If they send an e. ion to the Pole they will find it ‘tial enou; of incident and such an effort would be a worthy enterprise mate with their magnificent rescue of the great: African traveller.’ LITERARY CHIT-CHAT. THE Ortental is the tie ofa new London maga gine, designed to treat of subjects connected with: the East. It is edited by Mr. J, H. Stocqueler. “PORMS BY THE CLAnsawr'’s COUNSEL” ts & fea tureina recent number of the London Mirror, Certain of the poems, bearing on matters con- nected with Dr. Kenoaly’s legal experience, are ex- ceedingly curious, THE FIRST VOLUME of the continuation of “A Cette tury of Birmingham Life,” by Dr. J. A. Langtord, ‘will be published in October, The work is entitled “Modern Birmingham and Its Institutions: A Chronicle of Local Events from 1841 to 1871.” Megs, Epwagpss’ “Vagabond Heroine” simply repeats and exaggerates the ideas and characters in her “Archie Lovell.” A HIGHLY INTERESTING memoir of the late French. novelist, Paul De Kock, by his son, has just been: published in Paris, Miss BRappon’s next novel will be published ia October, and will be entitled “Lucius Davoren; or, Publicans and Sinners.” The new work will: appear simultaneously in France, Germany, America and England, A YEDDO PUBLISHER has brought out a “Life of Washington,” in forty four vulumes, printed in Japanese characters, and profusely illustrated. The Father of his Country is represented in the clothes of the present day, wears a mustache, care ries a cane and is accompanied by a Skye terrier, Tue REV. MR, TYERMAN, who wrote a big, bomi- bastic book about Wesley two years ago, has pub- lished another big, bombastic volume concerning ‘The Oxford Methodists,” Init he declares that. Hervey’s sickly “Meditations Among the Tombs’? 1s still one of the most favorite books of the day, He might as reasonably assert that Hannah More’s “Calebs” is still everywhere popular, or that “Pamela” is a favorite novel among young Indies, MR. LosscuEtD, formerly an inspector of British government schools at Hong Kong, and employed on missions to China, Japan.and America, has pub- shed a very remarkable book under the title, “The Chinese; What They Are and What They are Doing.” Mr, GkonGx Surrt has Just discovered the frag- ments of an ancient Assyrian canon, from the Babylonian copy of which the much contested canon of Berosus was unquestionably derived. The importance of this relic to chronologists can scarcely be over-estimated. THE Rev. GEORGE GILFILLAN is at it again with 8 biography of the Rey. William Anderson,a Scot- tish Presbyterian preacher, as to whom the bi- ographer lays on the colors as thickly as ever. Mr. F. O. ADAMS, @ well-known Washington jour- nalist, has just written a new work entitled “Our Little Monarchy; Who Ruus It and What It Costs,’” Its tone may be judged by the title, put it cannot fail to contain much valuable information. Fills & Co., of Washington, are the publishers, HORSE NOTES, Nantura, by Counterplot as Brawner’s Eclipse), dam Quiz, by Bertrand; second dam Lady Fortune, by Brimmer; third dam Wood- Pecker’s dam, by imported Buzzard; fourth dam the Fawn, by Craig’s Alfred, died on Friday even- ing last at the farm of the owner, John Harper, near Spring Station, Woodford county, Ky. Nan- Tura was the dam of the famous horse Longfellow, and she was in foal, at the time of her death, by Leamington, the sire of that great race horse. For two or three days prior to her death she had been looking bad, Mr. Harper not knowing what was the matter; but Wallace Harper, seeing her the day before her death, pronounced the case teta- nus. Nantura was a source of great profit to Jonn Harper, having foaled all the horses upon which the veteran turfman has made his reputation, Extra, one of her colts, he oid for $10,000, aud he refused thrice that amount for Longtellow. The foilowing are Nantura’s progeny in the order of (generally known by American Eclipse; their age:—Fanny Holton, by Lexington (dead) 5 Ext by Endorser; _ Exchange, o ddorser;” Longfellow, by Leamington Express, by’ Endorser; Extract, — bi En dorser; Excel, by Endorser; @ yearling Gorser! sucking “colt by Piahet, and in foal to Leamington ot the time of her doath. Nantura ‘was one of the finest looking and elegantly prov portioned mares in the country. The only blemish about her 5) Ber Beads which was a trifle coarsé for exquisite beauty. The Hy of Mr, George B. Alley’s trotting stock came off yesterday morning at No. 233 West Twen- tleth street, Major Barker auctioneer, The horses brought very fair prices sor the times, but not near 88 much as they would have sold for In the spring e wagons, harness, &c., however, Much as they were worth. The foi- lowing Is of the horses sold, the prices and hi the pure! eto 556 Bay trottin; ‘mare Viola, by Rysdyk’s Hambl nian, aan oF Seeley Roo’s Abdallah Ohies, 1 hands high, 7 years old; has trotted in 2:35, and ia pa fe wir nies Messenger Duroc, Sold to 8. Ke radiey tor \. AD clogant bay trotting mare, by .ysdyk’s Ham- pType eee mare PE ig in an, ands ears 0 Kicrton’s Wilkins Micawber, full Brother #0 Gaunt let, sold to J. Irving, of th he beautiful bay ma yy dam b: hoe bn ‘01d. 10 foal to Messenger Dur York merchant, who gave the name Of Ls 0. of Boston. % ‘The black mare Sweet Heart, by Messenger, Da». Feijert Bonners ataunon sare, 184 bands High, d r ne’ ears old, archased Dy % Sharples, of Mladelplity tered by Dictator, & full broth Kee old, was Doug! great sale % farm of A. lor, @¢ Highiand Mill On’ ane anore out to Newburg, and near e Turner Sais Sane tena tet Wace weony dona 0 dora persons whe Aohy sonata, ee, (7 manD