Subscribers enjoy higher page view limit, downloads, and exclusive features.
“RICHARD WAGNER, The Home of the Ger- | man Master. The Poetic and Musical Develop- ment of Wagner. The “Ring of the Nibelungers” | Quadrilogy. SKETCH OF WAGNER'S MUSICAL DRAMA BAYREUTH, Bavaria, May 15, 1874. Bayreuth, the bome of Richard Wagner, is a quiet little city of 20,000 souls, Protestants, in the midst of Catholic populations all round, situate away up in the northeastern corner of Bavaria, at the foot of the Fichtelgebirge, which Jean Paul loved and wrote about. A hundred and fifty years ago, when the Margraves of Brandenburg resided here, Bayreuth had a period of great splendor, The peopie are a kind-hearted and hospitable race, simple in taste, the ladies beautiful of feature, charming in manner. Wagner himself styled the city “a soil undefiled by modern culture, a virginal ground for true art’’—that is to say, the modern French drawa and opera are unknown here, ana the popular taste is therefore as healthy as can be expected when fed on natural old fashioned drama and opera. The first edifice seen by the traveller from the railroad coupé as he approaches Bayreuth is the Nibelungen Theatre, wherein Wagner pro- poses to give the highest possible artistic exposi- | tion to his great music drama, she “Ring of the | Nidelungers,”” a work founded on Scandinavian mythology and the ‘Nibelungeniied,’’ or the German “TIiiad,” as people sometimes | love to style their old epos, I think it will be im- | possible for your readers to comprehend the ne- cessity for the erection of this new theatre, un- less they know the grandeur and extent of the music and drama whitch are to be performedin it, With the exception of “Rienzi,” all Wagner's | Operas treat of mythological and theretore deeply | symbolical subjects. We refer especially to bis | bess known works, “The Flying Dutchman,” “Tannhduser,” “Lohengrin,” and “Tristan and Isolde.’ In ‘*Meistersinger’’ Wagner leaves legend for a while to give us pictures of old German Ife. I wilt give you a synopsis of the musical dramatic quadrillion, “The Ring of the Nibelun- | gers,” as sketched by Wagner bimself. To any one | uwnderstan ling mythology the drama is a won- | derfal structure. “RHEINGOLD” —RHINEGOLD. The world is peopled with dwarfs, giants and the gods. The race of the Nibelungs (Nibeiungers) | live in the earth, in clefts and caves, and meit, re- | fine and work the hard metals. Alberich makes | himself King of the Nibelungs, In the first scene of | “Rheingold” we see beneath the Rhine three mer- | Maids swimming and diving, and suddenly sur- | prised by the appearance of Alberich. The maid- ens tease the dwarf, who endeavors to catch each in turn. Tired of the chase, the Nibelung seats himself on a rock of the river's bed, whiie the maidens swim gracefully around the pinnacle of a high rock, just as the first rays of the sun light Up with great brilliancy aclump of gold therein. | The maidens still tease Albericn, and tell him that | they are the guardians of the Rhine gold, and tell him the wonders and powers of this treas- — ury—nameiy, ‘Whoever should get = pos- | session of the Rhinegold and from it weld a ring, would thereby attain to unlimited power.” Alberich, already enraged at | ‘his ill-success in chasing the mermaids, suddenly clambers up the rocks, seizes the glittering treas- | ure while the mermaids are floating about and | makes off withit. Alberich returns to Nibelheim | (Nebelneim, home of the mist or gloom—night), | and weids himself a ring out of the gold, through whore virtues he becomes Lord or King of the | Nibelungs. Thencetorward he compoticu all the other Nibelungs to work for him; to gather the subterranean treasures together for him. This | treasure is the Nibelungeu Hort (the treasure of | une Nibelungers), the greatest treasure of which | was the “Tarnhelm,” or helmet, which he had forced his brother Mime to weld for him, the | virtue of which was \o render the possessor invis- | ible at pleasure. This vorsptel constitutes the root | } { from which the tragedy of the ‘Ring’ 1s devel | and telis her that the child she will bear will some | day weid it together again, and that he shall be | oped. With the introduction of gold come murder | and death into the world of dwarfs, giants and gods, AMONG THE TEUTONIC GODS. The scenery changes slowly. We appear to as- | cend from the depths of the Rhine up to the earth's surface, It is still morning, and a heavy dew fils the valley of the Kuine. The rising sun gradually dispels the mist, and by and by illumines with wonderful brilliancy a large burg, witn glowing pinnacles, erected on the mountain in the back- ground. Toone side of the valley we discover Odin, the god, and his consort, the goadess Fricka, slumbering amid flowers. They awake, and gaze in astonishment at the grandeur of the edifice be- fore them; but the goddess is terrified at the thought of the price at which the burg has been built—the price of herself, the goddess, The burg has been built by the giants Fasolt and Fasner, who now importune Odin for payment. The gous, who had gained supremacy on earth, nad deter- mined to build a burg whence they could with ease regulate the affairs of the world. The council of the gods consisted of Odin, Thor, Frob and Loki; the goddesses Fricka, Freya and Erda By Loki’s advice the gods made a contract to give Freya to the giants as soon as the burg should be finished. The giants wili hear of no postponement; they seize Freya, and attempt to carry her of. The gods, who still wish to pay the giants, discuss together, and offer to give the giants the abled Niblung treasure in payment in- | Stead of the goddess. The giants agree to tis, but persist in taking Freya with them asa pledge, | until the treasure shall be forthcoming. The | giants had ong suffered from the cunning of the | Nibelung, who could wield swords and weapous for their destruction, and were glad enough to accept the proposition of the gods. The giants disappear from the scene with Freya; mist and gloom fill the valley, the gods have a ghastiy and | tired appearance, for Freya, tne possessor of the apple of eternal youth, has been taken from them, The gods immediately descend to Nibel- | heim in order to secure the treasure. The scene | changes to | THE CAVES BENEATH THE RHINR, | Alberich, armed with a whip, drives the Nibe- | lungs beiore him. They bear the treasures of the | earth and deposit them ina large ylittering beap. Odin and Loki appear, and Odin permits the latter to exercise his canning, Loki converses ‘with Alberich, the Nibelung, and especially avout the heimet which renders its wearer invisible, or ‘whose virtues enable him to assume other forms, | Loki asks Alberich to suow them specimens of his | transformatory skill. Alberich assumes the shape — of @ tortoise, and while in this form Odin places his foot on him while Loki secures the magical helmet. | ‘The scene changes tothe Rhine banks. Alberich has assumed his old form, but the gods have bound him fast. Now they compel nim to use the | virtue of the ring for their benefit. He 1s forced to | order the Nibelungs to carry up the treasures, and | when this is done Odin demands the magical ring. | Alberich strives to retain it, but the gods take it from him. Alberich cuises the ring, “it shall bring destruction to ail who possess it.” From the distance come the giants with Freya, from the other side Fricka, Thor and Fro. The giants re- ceive the treasure. Odin wishes to keep the ring, but the appearance of the goddess Erda from the ground to warn him of the destruction it Will bring to its possessor induces him to give it up. The giants quarrel over it@ possession, and one is slain. The other takes the treasure and the | ring and places it in a cave guarded by & monster dragon. Through the loss of the ring the Nibe- Wones and Alberich remain in serfdom; but the | | knows that only the hero who should xoring | sustaining Sieglinda on her arm, she approaches giants do mot understand how to they now possess tn the wonderful ring. their midst. They gaze on the glowing pinnacles of Walhalla, whose halls are prepared for their re- ception, Thor swings his hammer and evokes | with it a rainbow bridge, spanning the valley to | the burg, on which the divine family proceed to | Walhalla. The curtain falis on tuis brilliant scene. | nil The | ‘This, in brief, is the sketch of “Rheingold.” drama proper commences on the following even- ing with “THE VALKYR." From the Palace of Walhalla the gods rule the world, regulate the elements by wise laws and | take care of the human race, But the gods are conscious of having attained their power through fraud and injustice; they deprived the Nibelungs of power and freedom, and the ring and the hoard lie use- jess in the dragon's cave. They wish to do pen- ance for the sin, and to this end will give some of their power to mankind. Mighty races bave sprung up, descendants of the gods; in confict and battle they gain strength. Odin’s wish- maidens the Valkyrs protect them as shield-maid- ens, and bear the dead braves home to Walhalla, where, in Udin's presence, they live on a glorious life. The nero is not yet born, however, for the purposes of the gods, He is to spring from the race of the Waelsungs. Finally twins are born— Siegmund and Steglinda (brother and sister)— direct descendants of Odin. Siegmund takes a wile, and Siegiinda marries Hunding. Both mar- riage are unfruitful. Itis the “will of the gods that the Waelsung blood be kept pure, Stegmund and Sieglinda love, and Siegiried, the dragon destroyer, is born. The scene in “Die Walkuere’ shows us the interior of 4 primitive dwelling, in the middie of which rises a giant ash whose branches spread over the roof, Outside the storm is raging. A storm-beaten traveller enters the house. It is Stegmund. Sieglinda shows him great kindness, not knowing him to be her brother. Hunding arrives, moody and jealous, and he learns from the stranger that he isa Waeisung. Brother and Sister know each other. Sieglinda sighs for re- lease from the despotism of her husband, and Siegmund, knowing the old prophesy of a good hero who should spring from pure Waelsung blood, greets her “as bride and sister mine.” He escapes with ber, and Hunding lollows to take revenge. BRUNNHILDA, THE VALKYR, In the second act the scene is a wild mountainous region, where Udin, clad as for battle, and Brunn- -huda, bis favorite Valkyr, also fully armed, appear. Odin bids her give victory to Siegmund, theretore to prepare and ride to the conflict. Just as she is about to depart, however, Fricka_ approaches in her wagon drawn by two rams. She, a3 the pro- tectress of marriage, dewands that Hund- ing be revenged and Siegmund and Sieglinda punished. At first Odin refuses; but be finally and unwiilingly gives way. {he next scene is between Odin and Brunnhilda, and ts of great im- portance. Odin 1s feariul of tlie approaching end to the glories of the gods. He i3 desirous that the Ting should be obtained from the giants, and he Siegmuna and Sieglinda can do this, jut be obeys the wish of Fricka, and bids Brunnhiida go and give Hunding the victory, The next scene 1s the most powerful of the evening. mund and Sieglinda tired and weary from the fight. In the distance they hear the horn of Hunaing. Brunnhilda appears and announces to Stegmund Odin’s decision. Siegmund despises the lories of Walhalla, unless Sieglinda Taay accompany thither. Hunding appears in the background. Siegmund hastens to meet him. They engage in combat. Amid jblending light Brunnbilda appears protecting Slegmuna with her shield, in disobe- dience of Odin's commands. She knows the heart's wisn of Odin is that Siegmund be preserved; but the old god has, nevertheless, a sense of justice. Just as Siegmund is about to strike Hunding a deadly blow, a glowing red glare breaks through the clouds ‘toat have gathered about the combat. | Fl00my, | ants. Odin sryeess standing over esis and with his spear breaks Siegmund’s sword. The fenceless Waelsung is killed by Hunding. Brunu- biida 1g terrified at the sight of Odin, She rushes to Sieglinda and bids her flee with her. She takes her in her arms, and both disappear. ness on the slain Siegmund. He turns to Hunding and bids him tell Fricka that Odin's spear has re- vengea the sin. Hunding sinks to the ground. Odin then turns in wrath to look for Brunnhilda, The scene closes. THE VALKYRS SPEEDING TO WALHALLA. In the opening scene of the third act we see in @ mountain region a number of Valkyrs at rest. They gaze over the landscape awaiting their sis. ters. Presently we see, one by one, the rest ca- reening through the clouds, each bearing a falien Warrior on their saddies. They are on the way to Walhalla with their pooty. Seven ote, phere fle Bs wesaih Et awe Bread yo Ba Oping uhrough the air: bat, inst of @ dead warrior, she bears with her a female form—Sieglinda. Dismounting trom her steed, tue group of her sisters and asks them to give her @ fresh steed, for Odin is pursuing her; but her sis- ters, fearing Odin’s displeasure, refuse. Sieglinda pleads to be killed by the hand of Brunnhilda; but the Valkyr tells her that she bears within bera | “trne Waelsung.” Sieglinda gains courage and strength on hearing these words, and prepares to flee. But whither? Brannhilda tells her to go there where the giant Pafner guards the hoard and the ring—lor that 1s the only place which Odin avoids, She gives her Siegmund's broken sword, named Siegiried, and rejoice in victory. thanks the Valkyr and departs, THE APPROACH OF ODIN. Thunder is heard. The trees bend before the force of the raging storm. Odin appears. Brunn- hilda, conscious of her disobedience, falls at his feet, saying, “Here, father, utter my sentence.” Odin abnounces her fate. society of the gods. Her powers as Walkuere are taken from her. The other Vaikyrs leave the scene and Odin and Brunnhiida are alone. Odin pronounces the sentence. ‘‘Here, on this moun- tain, I banish thee; in detenceless sleep I close thine eves. The man who finds thee on the way can wake thee, and thou art bis.’’ sinks to the ground aghast. She raises her head Sieglinda such ponishment, She feels free irom guilt. Did first | | fell on his breast, in sorrow he said, “Werebut the from | de- | The clouds | in the background divide. Odin gazes with sad- | She is expelled the | of the Gibichungs on the Rhine, the home of Gun- Shee. and his Sister Gutrune and their natural ay ot Ragen, @ child of Alberich (the Nibelung) and rimhild. “The gods, as we have seen, place thetr hopes for the recovering of the ring in Sieg- fried; Alberich, however, the original possessor, m bis natural ‘son Hageh. Albericn had taught Hagen in childhood the value of the ring and how that his brother Mime had endeavored to get por session of it th h Siegfried in vain. He must snpiby consis, ‘agen tells Gunther, of Brava- '@, that she is the most glorious of maidens, eca excites him to wish her for hts wife, Tuis is aboat the thine that Siegiried arrives at the Court of Sur- gundy in his quest for adventures. Siegfried ila Hagen his payeninre with Brunnhilda. Gutmne, the sister of Gunther, is deeply in love with sieg- fried, and at Hageo’s instigation she hands im @ draught—the draught of forgetfulness—by viich he loses all memory of the past. Siegfrie¢ asks the hand of Gutrune, which Gunther will grint on one condition, name’ » Pate he aid bim to git pos- session of Brunnhil The two, Guuthe and Slegiried, Proceed by boat down the Rhim, aud BRUNNHILDA'S ROCKY BURG, Gunther remains in the ship, while Sifgfried, making use of the tarnKappe, assumes Guither’s form, ponseraies the circle of flames and iecures Brunnhiida, He renders her docile by takng the ring frou her finger. He compels her to seep by his side, but places his sword between ‘hem to witness nis loyalty to Gunther. He tates her with him down to the boat, and skiliully moages toallow the real Gunther to assume his place, while he, with the aid of bis magical cap, {i trans- ported to Worms and the arms of Ghtune. 1 have omitted to mention that before Segfried arrives 1D his false form at the fire rock Brunn- nilda is visited by one of her aister Valkyrs, sent by Odin to secure the ring {rom her. Brunnnilda at first imagines thit All- Vater has sent to release her from banisiment. But Waltraute has no such message. Ste says that Walhalla is gloomy since Brunnniide’s loss. Odin does not send out the Valkyri to battle; he avoids the heroes assembied in Walhalla’s heaven, and wandered long without rest alone on earth. Then he returned. He sat among his herees pale and speechless. But one day, when Wiitraute ring given back to the Rhine daughters, ieleased were God and the world from the load of the curse.” Waltraute asks Brunnbjilda for tne ring im vain, Siegtried’s horn is heard and Wiltraute returns to Walhalla, BRUNNHILDA ARRIVES AT WORMS. The second scene reveals the rivers bank before the halls of the Gidichungen. It 1s night, and Al- berich and Hagen plan deceit, Alter they have lett Siegiried returns. In early morning Hagen biows one horn of danger from tne castie walls. From hill and mountain come the foliowers of th a Hagen tells them he has called thein together to give welcome to Gunther and nis bride, Brunnhilda, The bark comes down the Rhine, the men spring into the river and draw it to the shore, and when Gunther and Brunnhilda have landed the assembled men give them welcome in shouts of joy. Then follows that well known scene in the “Nivelungenlied.” Brunnhilda sees Siegiried. She is antonistied and indignant to find him mar- ried to Gutrune. She sees the ring on his finger, and though thinking of the de- ception that has been practised upon her, | demands its possession, since the ring belongs to | | spoiled it from the | but his T We see Sieg- | | | | | | Brunnhilda | she not do What he, the God, wished in his own | heart? She had understood only to love what he had loved. Odia’s inner conflict is great, but he | dang! to Odin and asks if her sin is so great as to deserve | {hou Me to give him the dranght, Gunther. She asks Gunther to make Siegiried give up possession. Gunther is confused and de- lays, Brunuhiida asks uim, “Didat thou give the ring to Siegiried?’’ Siegfried says that he de- dragon. Hagen whispers to Brunuhtida to reveal the deception practised. Brunnhilda, blind with wrath, tells Gunther that Siegfried had already conquered her, ‘Not thine am.’ Siegiried, not remembering the | first visit, calls to her mind the witness of his sword that he did not play false to Guntner’s honor. But Siegfried is doomed, Hagen and Brunnhilda press Guntner to revenge iis honor. Gunther refuses for a time. Hagen offers to murder him if Brunnhiida | will tell him the place where the hero was vuiner- | able. “In the back alone,” she answered, “for when I made him invulnerable I knew that he never turn- ed nis baok to an enemy, and did not apply the charm | thereto.’ The three plan bis death. He is out | hunting with Gunther, Hagen and their jollowers. He approaches the Rnine, where the three Rhine hers, from whom Alberich snatched the gold, plead that he give them oack the ring, warning im of the curse that attaches to its possession. SIEGFRIED'S DEATH. He does not heed them. The party sit down to refresh themselves. Gunther is silent and and Hagen to liven Gunther, and his youth, He tells him of his adventures with Mime, the slaving of the dragon, how ne came to understand the birds, how they tola him to seek Brunnhilda. Then he tells how he passed through the flames, awaked Brunnhilda and 08- sessed her. Memory returns to him. Two ravens hover above him. “What do these ravens say to thee?’ asks Hagen of Siegfried. Siegfried starts up aghast, and Hagen, with the words, “{ understand them; they hasten to an- nounce thy coming to Odin," plunges his spear in Siegfried’s back, before Gunther can interiere. | Siegiried raises his shield with both hands to crusn his assassin ; but his strength fails him, and he sinks to the ground exhausted. Hagen slinks away. Gunther, convinced of Siegfried’s mnocence of intentiohal deception, kneels at the dying. hero's side, wile the fa {QWoeautitul song to Bronnhilda, slugs ww and expires. The followers bear the corpse on tueir shields, Gunther lollow: The mgon breaks through the clouds an@ shines on mourntul procession. Then the mist ascends the Rhine and the procession is lost to view. A siight trans- jormation, and we are on the banks of the Rbiue. MOONLIGHT—THE HALLS OF THE GIBICHUNGS. Gutrune enters the halls from her apartment. She hears horns in the distance. Wnile she listens Hagen's voice is heard, ‘Light! light! Booty bring we home!” She sees lights and torches borne by the followers. Hagen tells her it is the corpse of Siegfried. She rushes out and embraces the boay. She charges her brother with the murder, bat he ints to Hagen. ‘Well, then,” he answers defiantly, “1 have slain him, since no other dared; so what was his is my fair booty. The ring is mine.” Gun- ther :—“Shameless one, mines the ring, for Brann- hilda intended it for me. Ye all heardher!” Hagen and Gunther engage in combat, Gunther falls. Hagen ts aboat to seize the ring when the hand of the dead is raised threatcningly, and he retires aghast. Brunnhilda approaches from the back- ound. ‘Silence your plainings, your idle dl ere stands his wife, which ye all betrayed! Now | Ldemand my right, ior what was to take place is done.”’ “Ah, misfortane-bringer, thou has bro! us all destruction,” mourns Gutrune, Brunnhilda answers:—‘Silence, unfortunate. Thou wert but his paramour. I am the wife to whom he ave his trota!” ‘Woe is me! answers utrune, ‘“Accursed Hagen, ad advisedst iow, I know that through {t he forgot Brunnhiida!” Brunnhilda—‘0, be was pure! Never was oath kept more sacred than by him. And Hagen has not slain him; for Odin had already selected him ior hisown. Now,]I, too, am released; pure and cannot retract the sentence, But, at Brunn- . hia’ picwaing, vaew promues’ to “giver ner | eam. tor he, ine gierous nero, diane om protection im her sleep, to surround her rocky | Bie’ °nias the men erect. a woodpile on couch with fire, so that only the bravest hero can awaken ber, The leave taking of Ali-Vater Odin from his javorite Valkyr is a beautiful and even affecting scene, Deeply moved, Odin kisses both her eyes. which sink together; he leads her to a mossy hillock, avove which a@ broad-pranched pine 8, and er it he places his burden. Once more lie ga; ull of sorrow, upon her, closes her helmet ana covers her with the steel shield of the Vaikyri. Then, turning away, he invokes the fire god to surround Brannhiida’s couch with protect- ing fames, Oi leaves the scene slowly, and as hilda the curtain fails. of the ‘‘King.”? I have seen tnese two music dramas performed. The two following have not been put on the boards. In the two foregoing evenings we are introduced ‘Thus ends the second day the “Nibeiungeniied.’’ Without this introduction the Stegfried legend would be fragmentary and in- comprehensible. A mythological symbolical charm 1s lent to the entire “Ring” by the scenes we have attempted to describe. 1 shail endeavor to tell the story of the two following portions as briefly as is possible and yet do justice to the subject. SIEGPRIKD (THE THIRD DAY). In the opening act o! the tuird day Siegfried ap- | the assembled pears—a youthial, heroic form. Siegiinda reached | Janeral pile. the smithy of Mime Alberich’s brotner, and died, | atter siegiried’s birth, first committing to Mime | the care of her son. Siegfried is wonderfully | and Brunnhilda, | sin upon himselt. | the flames shoot up around the sleeping Brunn- | the banks of the river to burn the body of the dead hero. No serf shall be sacrifice with him; she alone will offer on his honor her life to the goas. She takes possession of the tarnhelm, which she will burn with her, anu then of the ring, Wich she places on her own fiuger, gazing on it mourne ly. “Hear me, ye gods,"’ she exclaims, “your injus- tice is effaced. Thank him, the hero who took your The ring he gave to me to com- leve the work. Released from servitude are the Nibelungs—the ring shall bind them no more. For to you, daughters of the Rhine, I give it; the fre that consumes me shall purify the ring; ye sball dissolve it and preserve it as the Rheingold that | was taken away Irom you to weld the ring of ser- | to the ‘‘Siegiried,” Whose adventures are told in | vitude and misfortune. Then alone, All-Vahter, reign gy That thy might is eternal, I bring him to thee; receive him, for he is worthy!” She | bids the two ravens circling over the pile return | telis the end of Walhalia:— | aii is approaching so cast {the brand in Wal- a strong and can break with ease every sword that | Mime makes. Only one, if welded vogether (Sieg- muna’ will be not be able to break. ime teaches young Siegfried his art, tells him of the death of hia father and brings him the two pieces of the broken sword, from which Siegiried makes @ new one so good and stron; he cuts the anvil in two. His first deed Is to re- venge bis father’s death by slaying Hunding, his Second to siay the dragon that guarded the Nibel- ungen hoard, che rii at Mime’s wisn, the dwarf thinking that afterwards he can possess himself of the ring and supreme powe: Blood from the slain mar spurts over his hand, Me puts hi inger suddenly endowed with the gilt of understanding the song of birds. They Poe Stegfried’s bri deed, tell him to beware of treachery, for Mime bas induced him to slay the dragon that he (the dwarf) may reap the benefit. Then siegfried slays Mime. The birds then teli pt of the magic heim and the ring, and advise him to win the glorious maiden Bruonhilda, who sieeps enchanted amid the circle of fire. Siegfried goes in ques her with his glowing embraces, Brunnhiida recognizes the true hero of the race of the Waeisungs, and gives herself up to him, and he marries her with the ring which he found in the that with one blow | My most sacred knowledge. ig and the magic helmet, | Blessed in in his mouth to cool it, when he is | bound leaps on the blazing pile. t of Brunnhilda, finds her and awakens | home in the dept to Walhalla, WALMALLA’S END. Casting the firebrand in the wood pile she fore- ‘For the end of the a's giorious burg.’ Amid solemn chanting of ‘opie Brunnhilda approaches the he turns round once more, and bids adieu to the world in beautiful words:— “Mark well. See ye the lames consume Siegfried | See ye the Rhine daughters take the ring to the depths; then look to the North through the night. Giances there on the heavens cy aa Know ye all that ye have seon the end of Walhalla. Gone like a breath the race of the gods; left all uncared for the world here below. But to the world Lleave the treasure of Not js Dor gold nor grandeur sublime, not house nor court nor lordly display, not the gloomy contracts of bonds leceptive nor Td ges Custom’s hard law. | joy and pain, let love alone be.” Two young men bring Brunnhilda the steed she gave areitiients She addresses him, and iD jos fag ure at the prospect of accom 4 fred she springs on back aad wien ‘one The flames rise pence than before, filling the entire space. hen the pile crumbles together, # dense cloud of “smoke” arises and in the midst a brilliant glow js seen, revealing Brunnhilda, armed and clad as Walkuere, mounted on her steed and taking Bieg- oung hero of the treasures | fried with her through space to Waihalla, At the same time the waves of the Rnine pave flooded over the burning pile and the three Rhine daugh- | ters Secure the ring and plunge again to their | is, Hagen, seeing the ring dis- In Stegiried | appear, plunges madly aiter them, in order to ge- cure it, Two of the Khine daughters seize him and take him to the deptus, while the ovher swums | before them, hoiding in triumph the glittering cave of the aragons. The curtain falls, The last img. The northern heavens are covered with evening is devoted to | Gone lights, announcing the fulfliment of SIEGFRIBD’S DEATH—GOTTERDAMMERCNG, | Brunnhilda’s prophecy. Walhalla is destroyed; where we come to better known ground soribed so fily, but unskilfully, in the - belungenlied.’ Two scenes prelace the even- ing. The three Norns spin tne goiden thread of fate, and announce in horrid song the decay of the world ash and the threatened destruction of the gods A second scene fol- lows. Siegiried and Brunnhilda emerge at early morning from the rock apartment, he In jull armor, she jeading her steed Grane, which, since she can no longer ride through the air on her mission to take the dead warriors to Walhalla, she gt to is the Siegiried. They take leave. Siegiried lead: steed down the rocks. Brunnhilda gazes long | and sadly at the retreating form of the hero. Then the scene changes to burgundy, to the balls | the gods are no more. It is two years since the foundation stone of the Nibelungen Theatre was laid, when 2,000 singers and musicians assembled in Bayreuth to do honor | to Wagner and to give him support; and they sun | a8 the stone was put in its piace that beantuul chorus from “The Mastersinger of Nuremberg,” which seemed at the time to express so well the composer's confidence tn the future t— Awake! the dawn of day is near. Amid the coppice green [ hear A trousthroated nightingale Pour forth ney hill and date, The night sinks to the Ovcident, The day nts rom th And morning's purple From out the realms oi Onent, ries loom falgivt and gloom. NEW YORK HERALD, SUNDAY, JUNE 7 use the power The goda and goddesses rejoice at seciug Freya again in ; ton, but will make him detested by those who | , 1874.-QUADRUPL E SHEET, | SWINBURNE’S NEW POEM. Lonpon, May 20, 1874, T have received an early copy of Mr. Swinburne’s neW poem, “Bothwell,” but in order to catch the mall I have no time to enter into elaborate critical detail, and can only give you a skeleton notion of the work and certain extracts from It. Mary, Queen of Scots, is, according to Mr. Swine burne’s idea, an embodiment of ail that ts evil—a fierce lover, a bitter hater, politico in her manipulation of those about her, but blinded by passion, Pace, Mr. Swinburne, there 18 no doubt of her love for Bothwell or of her con- cern in Darnley’s death. The poem is infive acts, It commences with Darnley plotiing Rizzio’s death, and concludes with Mary’s flignt to Eng- tand, aiter her escape from Loch Leven Castle. ‘The dramatic force of the poem 1s intense, and in his love scenes Mr. Swinburne is as impassioned and, one may say, as repulsive as ever. There are fine passages on every page, the diction ts severe and simple, and never dull. Here are some eX- tracts, Mary has been ill at Jedburgh, and the Bishop of Ross has come to confess her, She says:— 4 I would have absolution ere I die, But of what sins { have not strength to say Nor hardly to rememver. Ido think Lhave done some service, holding fast await Faiub, and ay haces fear; ane Bare ave wel His name and burden secon me To bear His part in the eye of this thwart world, and Ate, of Hits «1 st nny paw aelt ¥ tas a servant withor Save ot tis Lord love's gift; I have sinned in pride, Perchance, to be his servant first and fixht, In face of all men’s hate and might, alone Here, sitting single-sceptred, and compel For all its many mouthed inveteracy The world with bit and bridie like a beast Brought back to serve him, and bound down to me Whose hand should take and hale it by the mane And bend its head to worship as I bade, Karas Hi Pag ahaa nd foolishly ; tor I was % ‘And now, behold, T am tn God’s sight and man’s Nothing ;'but though | have not so much grace ‘To bind again this people fast to God, 1 hare ete rman haue Ware Whol jave borne him witness Bisuor oy Ross—Thereiore sball He forget not in your hour. Not for his child reject you; and shal! make The weight and color of your sins on earth More white and light than woo! may be or snow. ex—Yea, so iny trustis of Him; though as now Scarce haying in me breath or spirit of spece I make not long contession, and ny Through faintness of my flesh, lack form; yet, pray you, ‘Think It but sickness and my body's tault ahah gaaae between me ce Bay wall aonaee ‘ould have your eye look on my And read what writing there should be washed out. With mine own heart's tears ‘and with God’s dear blood, Who sees me tor His penitent; for surely My sins of wrath and of light-mindedness, ‘And waste of wanton will and wandering eyes, Jail oa me with dumb tongnes for penitence, Which, [ beseceh you, let not God reject For lack of words that I lack strength to say; For here, as J repent and put from me. In vertect hope of pardon ail ili thoughts, So I remit all iaults against me done, Forgive all evil toward me of all men, Deed or device to hurt me; yea, I would not There were one heart unreconciled with mine When mine is cold; 1 will not take death's hand With any soil of hate or wrath or wrong About mie, but being friends with this past world, Pass trom it in the general peace of love. One of her outbursts against Darnley :— By heaven, I had rather death had leave than he What comes he tor t to vex me quick or dead With hus lewd eves and sodden sidelong tace That 1 may die again with loathing of hint By God, a3 God shall look upon my soul, will notsee him. Bid him away, and keep Far off as Edinburgh may hold him hence Among his fellows of the herded swine That not for need but love he wallows with To expenz his patrimony of breath and blood In the dear service ot dishonoring days. Darnley’s dream :— I dreamed this bed here was a boat adi ift Wherein one sat with me who played and sang, Yet of his cittern I could hear no hote Nor in what speech he sang inaudibly, But waiched hus working fingers and quick lips ‘As with a passionate and loathing fear, ‘And could not speak nor stnite him ; and methought That this was David; and he knew iny heart, How tain I would have sinitten him, and laughed ‘As 'twere to mock my helpless hands and hate. So drove we toward a rock whereon one sat Singing, that all te highest alr of heaven ndied into light therewith, and shone As with a double dawn: stars east and west Lightened with love to hear her, and the sky Brake i red bloom as leat buds break in spring, But these bore fires tor biossoms; then awhile My heart, too, kindled and sprang up and sang Aid made sweet music in me, to keep me With that switt singing; then as fire drops down Dropped, and was quenched, and in joy’s stead 1 felt Fear ache in me like hunger, and I saw ‘These were not stars nor overhead was h Buta blind vauit more thick and gross th ‘The nether firmament that roots in hell, And those hot lights were of lost souls, and this ‘The sea of tears and fire below the world That still must wash and cleanse not of one curse ‘The far foul strands with all its wandering brine; ‘And as we drove I felt the shaliop’s sides, Sapped by the burning water, plank from, Severing; and tain | would have cried on en, plank ut that the rank air took me by the throa B = am ‘ail tne reets were white With’ bones of men whose souls were turned to fire; And it she were or were not what | thought, Meseemed we drew not near enough to kuow ; For ere we came to split upon that reef ‘The sundering plauks opened, and throngn their breach | Swarmed in the dense surf of the dolorous sea With hands that piucked and tongues thrust out at us, Ani fastened on ine flame-like, that my Sesh : Was moiten as with earthly fire, and dropped From naked bone and sinew; bat mine eyes The hot surt seared not, nor put out uy sense; For [ beheld and heard’out of the surge Voices that shrieked and heads that rose, and knew Whose all they were, and whence their wrath at me; For all these cried upon me that mine ears Rang, and my brain was itke as beaten brass, Vibrating ; and the froth of that foul tide Was as their spittle shot in my full tace That burnt it; and with breast and flanks distent 1 sirained myself to curse them back, and lacked Breath; the sore surge throttled my tongueless speech, Though its weight buoyed my dipping chin, t No lower than where my Hps were burnt with brine And my throat clenched fast of the strangling sea, ‘Tin T swam short with sick strokes, as one might Whose hands were maimed; then imine iil spirit of sleep Shiited, and showed me as a d, Wherein I stood naked, a shipwrecked man, 0 Stunned yet and staggered from the sea, With all the weed and scurf of the gross wave Whose breach h st me broken on that shore: od in woman's fi me fruit within nd gendered ; and she gave me wine, she sai and I did drink, And sicken en came one wit! ur on hee! Red from his ‘erridden, smeared with dust, And took my hand to lead meas to rest, Being bruised Fag from the sea breach ; and his hand Was as of molten iron wherein mine Was as a brand in fire; and at his feet The earth split, and [ saw within the gulf, Asin clear water. mine own writhen face, Baten of worms and living; then I woke. Jobn Knox inveighs against the Queen:— Leg A then in God's name, If that talse word fell untulflied of mine, Heed ye not now nor hear me when I say That for this woman’s sake shall God cut off The hand that spares her as the hana that shields, ree ee bed take part with her 3 their's who sto: tor Ba jeinst the Lord With Ahab’s daughter. la “Bothwell” will raise Mr, Swinburne’s reputa- | As red 4s fire, That crawled espoused Queen Mary’s cause. LITERARY CHIT-CHAT, Mr. F. J. Engelhardt’s Rowing Almanac for this year bua passed into a second edition. This neat publication 1s full of matter interesting to boating men, and, besides: containing a record of all past important races, has in full the regatta rules of the association of amateur oarsmen and of Amer- ican colleges, together with maps of the Saratoga, Troy, Harlem and Springfield courses. Tue First CoMPLETE Basque dictionary has been published in Paris, by W. J. Van Eys. Tux New ,EpiTion of that charming book, ‘White’s ‘Natural History Of Selborne,” will be brought out in the same sumptuous style as the two volumes of “Holland House,” Dr. ScHMiIpt’s “Shakespeare’s Lexicon" ts fin- ished to the letter L, and volume one will shortly appear in Lonaon. It ts @ most learned and ex- haustive treatise on the English of Shakespeare. Tue LEARNED Kanest M. RENAN was recently re- jected as a correspohding member of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences by @ vote of four yeas to six Days. ONE OF THE MosT AMUSING recent contributions to French literature 18 Jules Janin’s “Paris et Versailles t| ya Cent Ans.” He describes social, literary and royal life in the most charming sty! NEW PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. From Harper & Brothers:—“M y Mother and J.” Anovel. By Miss Mulock. From B. B. Russell, Boston:—‘The Life and Times of Charles Samner.” By Eliza Nason. From D. & J. Saditer & Co, :—'Sin and Its Conse- quences.” By Heury Edward, Archbishop of Westminster. From Dodd & Mead:—‘The Winter of the Heart and Other Poems.’ By Lavarr Wilmshurst. From Sheldon & Co, :—‘‘Tempest Tossed.” A ro- mance. By Theodore Tilton, ‘Across America; or, The Great West and the Pacific Coast.” By General James P. Rusling. From George W. Carleton & Co, Ballads.” By Edward L. Anderson, “The Log of Commodore Roilingpin.”’” By Jonn HH, Carter, | “True to Him Ever.’ A novel, By FP. W. R. From P. O'Shea:—"The Pioneer.” Apoem. By Wiliam Seton. “Rosemary: a Tale of thé Fire of | London.’ By Lady Georgiana Falierton. “Tales | of Truth and Trust,’ By Lady Fullerton, “The “Northern Neptune Outward Bound.’ By Winnie Rover, CREMATION IN GERMANY. Must the End Be Dust or Ashes ? THE ITALIAN AND GERMAN SYSTEMS. How the Body May Be Reduced to a Hendful of Snow-White Ashes for 82. THE DISCUSSION ON THE CONTINENT. FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAIN, May 16, 1874. The question whether in future the dead are to be burned or not is exciting just now in Germany & large share of attention, and the discussions thereon are of considerable scientific interest. Scarcely ® week passes but the papers announce the constituting of new cremation societies, whose members, with the weal of future generations at heart, have taken a solemn oath that alter death their bodies shall be subjected to the process of cremation instead of being deposited in cemeteries or churchyards, where they would be allowed to decompose themselves letsurely, and, as they think, disseminate epidemics and miasmas so long aga particie of them remained. Germany, Swit- zeriand, Austria and Italy have each several such societies. In Germany, Dresden, Vienna and Breslau; and in Switzerland, Zurich, have taken the lead. It is reported that in a few weeks the first cremation oven will be ready in Dresden. The architect Fredrich Siemens is engaged in con- structing it, according to the plan of Dr. Reclam, and the communes of both Dresden and Leipsic have declared their READINESS TO ADOPT THE SYSTEM of cremation if the triats shall prove satisfactory. The Cremation Society “Urn of Vienna is about to build a cremation institution on the plan of Profes= sor Reclam, In Zurich a number of popular meet- ings have been held in the St. Peter’s church for the purpose of discussing the subject, and doctors and theologians, scientists and laymen seemed to agree in the necessity of burtal reform tn order to prevent the spread of epidemics. Pastor Lang did not find that the new system would hurt nis religious feelings, and Professor Kinkel spoke of tne project entertainingly from the wsthetic and artistic points of consideration. The Medical Society of Vienna discussed, in February, the supject of “cremation as a means of preventing the poison- ing of drinking water and infectious diseases.” A committee was elected to examine the systems and results of cremation and to report thereon. Cremation makes rapid progress in Italy, where Professor Poili, of Milan; Professor Brunetti, in Padta, and Professor Gorini, in Lodi, are its earn- est advocates. Indeed, the subject will soon be discussed beiore the Italian Parliament, a bill hav- ing been proposed to accept cremation asa proper metnod of “burial.’” REASONS FOR BURNING THE DEAD. The cremation mania does not appear in Ger- many now for the first time. The subject was hotly discussed in the sixth decade of the present century and @ number of cremation societies were then formed. The question was again permitted to subside, though not until some important author- ities had given their opinions thereon. But cities nave developed largely since then, and epidemics and cholera have troubled the learned professors, who have come to the opinion that graveyards poison the ground for large distances around; that water the people drink becomes thereby poi- goned, and people get the cholera and die; and, again, that the obnoxious gases developed by decomposition pass through the porous crust of earth above the putrid masses, and thus vitiate the air we breathe to an extent but Iittie dreamed of by most of us innocent human sufferers, Some- body has made the interesting calculation that at the time when the graveyards were used within the city of London some 2,500,000 cubic feet of carbonic acid gas was annually developed trom decaying corpses and distributed in the air. The fout gases developed in the process ef putrefac- tion are much more injurious, as has been 80 frequently proved in the removal and opening up of disused graveyards. Proofs may be found in the works of Tardieu in France and Parkes in England. They show that in over- crowded graveyards products are developed by which the number of diseases and deaths among the surrounding populations 1s increased, in some cases through the poisoning of the drinking water, 1m others through rendering the air impure. Typhus epidemics have irequently followed the opening of grave flelds—instanee, in the Riom, in the Au- vergne, in the past century, and only a few decades ago the epidemic among the inhabitants of the Marché des Innocents, in Paris, when, in 1830, the corpses which had been temporarily placed there were again dug up. The German, Ruecke, records an interesting case. In a village in the Kingdom of Wtrtemberg the community had erected, from motives of economy, tie school- house on an old unused churchyard; but when, in winter, the heat in the schoolroom attracted the air from the soil beneath it, sickness became 80 prevalent among the sciolare and teachers that the school had to be closed. But all these are facts so generally known that 1¢ may seem a presumption to repeat them here. That putrefying human corpses disseminate death-bringing pestilence was Proved by Hannibal’s warriors betore Syracuse, when, a8 a taunt (Rohn) to the beleaguered, they opened the graveyards about the city and cast the corpses about the open feld, and lost their own lives for their pains. CREMATION IN ITALY. The incitement to the present revived discussion comes from Italy, where, in 1872, the Lombard Academy offered a prize of 1,000 francs for | the best thesis on the best method of cremation to take the place of the present form of burial. The plans of Professor Poll, of Milan; Brunetti, of Padua, and Gorin, of Lodi, have since then at- tracted much attention. Professor Polli’s plan is to place the corpse in a receptacle of stone ware and to allow a stream of ordinary ourning gas to pass through the vessel. The corpse is quickly | the calcined | charred, and the ashes and bones remain over. The operation lasts about an hour, and what remains is, perhaps, the twelfth part of the original human being. The system 1s nevertheless too costly and unrefined for adoption. A system of flames has to bo intro- duced at the point of exit for the gases in order to consume the obnoxions products. A more practi- cal system is that of Professor Brunetti, whose models and plans excited much interest when ex- hibited last year at the Vienna Exposition. In one of the galleries occupied by Italia there wasa Glass case with the inscription, “Indocte vetitum mens renovata petit,” and a series of glasses con- taining specimens of cremated bodies. Professor Brunetti bad made five experiments, His system is as follows :— BRUNETTI’S SYSTEM. In an oven made of fire bricks and provided with Openings to regulate the circulation of the air the corpse is placed upon an iron plate ana fastened firmly in its place by means of strong iron wire. The consumption 1s produced by the agency of a ‘Wood fire, and the heat 1s concentrated as much 48 possible by two arched iron plates, which are made to close immediately over the body. An intense heat is thus produced and the corpse burns with fearful rapidity, and in about two hours is completely cnarred. Then the arched plates are opened, the charred remains are raked together and the fire is renewed. The flesh Portions are then changed completely into ashes and the bones calcined, 80 that all that remains 1s about three pounds and a half, This resul? «@ Wrought at an expense of 140 to 16° peuads of wood. The process is, nevertheless, primitive and abhorrent in comparison wen German systems, Even Projessor Brunet# admits that the process had filled him witb awe, “So long,” he says, “as I could discern the human form and the soft por- tions are seized by the Names the astonishment ts indescribable; but when the form disavvears and eae, Sees ts RRsat Es fll is charred there follows on us » deep depres sion.” Professor Brunetti does not succeed in res ducing the corpse completely to ashes. =. Professor Gorini’s method 14 at present a secrete We know so much, however, that he uses & cast iron receptacle two metres in length, sevonty centimetres wide and forty centimetres high, aud that he assumes to know of a substance by WLICNs| heated to an extremely high temperature, the corpse 18 dissolved in @ very (ew moments, even te the very last particle, into @ fluid matter. At am experiment the body, after the mysterious subs stance was poured over it, burned up rapidly and noiselessly, and no Offensive gases were produced by the operation. Professor Gorini uses a bricle oven, fed with coals, for the purpose of heating the mysterious substance, He says that by dispose ing of ten bodies together in this manner the cost is reduced to about six france per corpse, Thes@ are the noteworthy Italian methods of cremation, THE GBRMAN MBTHOD. In Germany the system proposed by Professom Reclam, of Leipsic, promises to be successful to = degree not anticipated by the Italians. Reciam’s method is an adaptation for cremation purposes of @ system of heating by means of gas, first, n= vented by 0. W. and Fr. Siemens, of Berlin. Pro- fessor Keclam wrote an interesting letter some \ime ago to the Augsburger Aligemeiner Zetfung, Which we will follow. The regenerative system (by O. W. and Fr, Siemens) is 8 method of heating by means of ordinary gas, and consists of three parte—First, the generator; second, the regen- erator, and third, the place where an object is to be melted or burned, which we may term the “cremation room.” The “generator” is @ kind of bricked feeding oven, in which the firing material (wood, turf or coal) is placed on a gridiron, The ventilation being imperfect or retarded, gas 18 thereby formed. This gas consists for the most part in a mixture of carbon, nitrogen and carburetted hydrogen, and comes irom the “generator” at a temperature of from 160 to 200 degrees Réaumur. It then enters the “regen- erator—tnat is, a dice shaped room, walled with fireproof stone—and is filled with @ parallel, per- pendicuiar and horizontal grate work walling. ‘This grave work of building stone 1s heated by the burning gas, which is then led into the “burning or cremation room,” being led off thence through @ high chimney. Close beside this “cremation room” there 1g (but on the opposite side) another “regenerator,” through the grate work wailing of which the flery air goesto the chimney, or whither at will the burning gas can be directed, so soon as the “regenerator” is heated to a white glow. Thereupon the burning gas and air of a “white glow” temperature can be con~- ducted, separately or together, into the “‘crema- tion room.” By & system of regulation the heat can be increased “‘immeasurably.’” This process seemed to Professor Reclam to be the best means for the rapid burning of the dead. He consulted with teoanical men; «nd tn Septem- ber of the past year Herr Steinmann, of Dresden, constructed for him a model place of cremation. This model was tmproved on in December last by F. Siemens, who uses one regenerator instead of two. Professor Reciam hopes soon to be enabled to record other important improvements. “No other method of cremation,” says Dr. Reclam, “treats the body of the deceased person fn such a simple and pious manner. Before the assembled mourners the corpse (with or without the coffin) 1s lowered into a smoothly walled room, where no other objects are found, Nothing touches the corpse except the air, heated to a white glow intensity, the oxygen of which combines with the atoms of the organic structure. Only the ashes remain, and these can be gathered up unmixed with foreign substances.” The pro- cess of cremation occuples scarcely twenty min- utes, and only a handful of snow white ashes re- mains of whatonce was a human being. The cost | of a single process is but two or three tbaiers, bus from $10,000 to $15,000 13 required for the construc- tion of the buticing and apparatus. The systenr promises to win its way in Germany, and there seems every likelihood that before long it will be in full operation in several German cities, CAUSH OF THE PRESENT AGITATION. Professor Reclam’s project is finding acceptance, as I said, in several large cities of Germany. Be- sides Vienna, where the Medical Society ably dis- cussed the inatter und proposed that cremation be permitted, but not made an obligatory mode of burying the dead, Gratz took up the matter earnestly, and the Communal Council, in special segsion, determined to labor for the introduction of the new process. Very valiant were the burgo- master and five communal councillors of Ober- dobling, near Vienna, who sentin to the Vienna Medical Society a written testament declaring their wish to undergo the process of cremation whenever they shall depart this life. This is all very weil. We know how easy it is to make such bold declarations, but how tew of such deter- minations are carried out when the time comes, Some big, aristocratic personage must first lead the way in this matter before we can expect cre- mation to become popular. You may burn up the poor and the paupers by the score if you will, but the custom of burial will be retained, and the more 80 because ordinary people will be burned up. People are not, perhaps, so clearly convinced of the pernicious infiuencea of graveyards, and we know very well that in well regulated and laid out cemeteries this injurious influence is reduced to a minimum. In times of war and pestilence, however, cremation by @ sci- entiflc process would prove ofimmeasurable ben- efit, We only need to recall the terrible desorip- tions of the battle fleids of Gravelotte and Sedan to be convinced that by the immense numbers of dead caused by our modern art of warfare a thor- ough change in the metnoa of disposing of the dead is necessary. In times of pestilence the cre- mation process would prove benefictal. THE RETURN TO ANTIQUITY. In adopting cremation as a means of disposing of the dead the German peoples of Europe will simply return to a custom which was once com- mon to all Indo-Germanic peoples. This fact has been proved by Professor Unger, of Gdttingen. Tacitus knew of no other method of disposing of the dead among the Germans, and Diodorus of Sicily among the Celts. The custom prevailed among the Sclaves and with the Greeks and Romans, although burial was also custom- ary among these two peoples. The Etruscans | borrowed the custom of burning their dead from | the Romans. Charlemagne found the custom of burning the dead prevalent among the heathen Germans, and wrote several decrees against it to the Christian priests. The religious opposition | against the new movement is not extraordinarily strong in Germany. So many thousands of mar- tyrs, both Catholics and Protestants, have landed safely in the heavenly regions after their bodies had on earth undergone the ordeal of fire, that no fear 1s entertained about cremation coming into conflict with the resurrection theories. It is hardly probable, however, that the Jews will con- sent to burn their dead. Literature on cremation will soon be plentiful, In 1855 @ book was published in Breslau, “Burning the Dead,” by Trusen, The pamphiet by Weg- mann-Ercolani, “Cremation as the Most Rational Method of visposing of our Dead,’ published in Zurich, contains much valuable information, es- pecialy from Italian sources, Goethe, Koerner, Piaten and other German poets have referred to the custom and pleaded for its reintroduction. Goethe styled cremation, “0 wise custom of the ancients.” Platen wrote a pleasant epigram on the subject, in which he begged, “‘O sacred flarz4, return, return, and in future death will bo te fied from its dreaded pestilential breath.” A RING LAWYER'S Pex, An Old Claim Revived. Comptroller Green yesterday received a claim of John H. Starin, Jr., agazgnee of William McKeag, attorney of the ed of Excise from 1867 to 1871, who demoé> payment of the large sam of $453,209, with interest, for services alleged to have bse rendered in sults prosecuted for violation of the Excise laws, This immense claim 1s said to have been unearthed, in consequence of the Con- solidation act, from the recesses of the office of the Board of Supervisors, where the claimant hoped, on some fortunate occasion, for favorable action; but it 18 now Iikely to be resisted at every step in its progress through the courts. [t ts a Specimen of probably many claims which temar | to be brougit into the ugut,