1865.] ous sizes, fixed on a wooden frame with when falling or rolling." They are also four legs. Sometimes these gongs are very fond of a more cruel sport, that of of enormous size, and might be used" deadly combats between wild animals." When heard The sensational scene on such occasions comfortably for a bath. close at hand, their tone is noisy and is the fight between the tiger and the deafening, but at a distance it is sweet buffalo. Their hunting is of a very cowand lulling. They are struck "according ardly order. "The sportsmen are perched to the fancy of the player, each produc- up in little huts, secured to the upper ing a different tone." Another instru- part of the trunk of some large tree, ment is something like a rude violoncello, where they wait in readiness to pull the "about four feet long, with an oval back trigger on the appearance of any bird or -the finger-board, tail-piece, and pegs beast, frightened to the spot by a large being of ivory." Two wires compose number of the regent's men, who surthe strings, which on being tightly drawn round the forest, and by their loud shouts, produce sounds far from pleasing. The yells, and cries, startle the animals from drum is essential to a native orchestra; their lairs, compelling them to run, in a it is oblong in shape, and played with state of excitement and distraction, into the hands instead of drum-sticks, the the very teeth of danger." player sitting cross-legged on the ground, with the instrument on his lap. There is also a sort of hybrid fiddle, which the natives call rabup, the sounds of which are so faint, that when Mr. D'Almeida stood near and watched the fiddler attentively, as he bent his head "to the motions of the fiddlestick, apparently rapt in enchantment," he could not catch a single note, harmonious or otherwise. However much the Javanese fail in fiddles, they are the first nation in the world for gongs, the tone of which has been pronounced by one of the most eminent English musicians peculiarly sweet and deep. They are exceedingly fond of dancing spectacles. Whenever a company of dancers appears, a crowd is sure to be attracted. Á danseuse, whom Mr. D'Almeida saw, exhibited some natural grace in her movements. "In one hand she held a Chinese fan, which in the dance she coquetted with as well as a Spanish donna might have done; whilst in some stages of the performance she concealed her face beneath a frightful mask, removing it occasionally with the unemployed hand." The performance does not seem to have captivated Mr. D'Almeida, though it was evidently appreciated by the natives, who clapped their hands, and gave utterance to hearty cheers. In more athletic sports the Javanese are very far behind the natives of India. The game of football, however, is a national sport, which the natives enter into with great enthusiasm. "The ball is made of basket-work, with many apertures, so that it may be easily caught NEW SERIES-VOL. I., No. 1. The Javanese are very polite. Their etiquette is strict and elaborate. Whenever a stranger approaches a native who happens to be riding on horseback, the latter immediately dismounts, and waits until the traveller has passed by, bowing continually. Peasants leading horses, on catching sight of strangers, "suddenly check their animals, lead them off the main road, and, with hat in hand, stand uncovered" until the travellers have passed. Their respect for office is unbounded; it amounts to positive devotion. "A young chief, son of the regent, was following close upon a deer, when a huntsman, in the act of plunging his kriss into the animal, accidentally inflicted a slight wound in the leg of the young As the only alternative left, in man. order to expiate what in the eyes of the natives is regarded as a dreadful crime, the huntsman immediately withdrew and committed suicide; thus averting, as they believe, the vengeance of Allah from the heads of his family and relatives." They have a system of social visiting which more than atones for many of their national eccentricities. Visits are always paid in an evening; and if the inmates of any house wish to avoid seeing callers, "the front verandah or reception-room is not lighted, in which case the visit of any but the most intimate friends would be considered an intrusion." This custom, however, applies mainly to the Dutch colonists; and it might be imitated with great advantage in the homes of Europe. As in all eastern lands, the marriage ceremony is protracted and imposing. 3 Mr. D'Almeida took advantage of an opportunity that was offered him of witnessing a wedding in one of the native villages. His presence was welcomed by the family as a lucky omen. In the reception room, sitting cross-legged upon white mats, were "the elders of the village, priests, relations, and acquaintances." Cups of tea, à la Chinoise, betel nuts, and various native delicacies, were served up to the guests. In another room, which contained a low bed, with curtains "of white calico, ornamented with lace, gold, silver, beads, and colored bits of silk," there was a platform raised at the foot of the bed, on which were spread several bronze trays laden with cakes. On the arrival of the bride, the attendants poured water upon her feet, and an elderly man, a relative, " carried her in his arms to the inner room, and placed her on the platform," at the left hand of the bridegroom. Her dress was simple, consisting only of a long sarong, which, passing under both arms, covered her chest, and reached nearly to her ankles, being confined round the waist by a silver pinding. Her face, neck, shoulders, and arms were dyed yellow-a disfigurement which concealed her blushes, but did not enhance her beauty. A coronet of beads and flowers completed her costume. The bridegroom was also yellow-washed, and naked to the waist. Round his waist his sarong was fastened "by a bright silk scarf, through the folds of which glittered the gilt hilt of a kriss." On the top of his head, from which his hair fell in long thick masses upon his back, was a conical-shaped hat, "made of some material resembling patent leather." The picture of the bridesmaid is not fascinating: "On the left side of the girl sat an old haggard-looking woman, the waksie, or bridesmaid, on whose shoulders, according to the wedding etiquette of the Javanese, rests no small share of responsibility. Before the marriage is arranged, she acts as a go-between, to settle matters for all parties, though it does not always follow that she becomes the bridesmaid on the occasion; but as the natives have a superstitious belief that ill-luck will surely fall upon the young pair, unless everything is done with becoming propriety, a woman of this profession is very frequently selected to act as waksie." Her functions are numerous; she has not only to superintend the bride's toilet, so as to make her attractive to the bridegroom and guests, but to overlook the arrangements of the entire wedding, and, above all, to see that the bride gets plenty of betel nut. The bridegroom has also his waksie, who is a boy dressed generally like himself. The language of the Javanese has three dialects, the vulgar, the polite, and the learned. The structure of each is simple. Their literature is abundant, and is generally metrical in its form. It is made up mainly of traditions and romances, but possesses little of the spirit of poetry. There is little originative power in the Javanese mind. Intellectually the people are below the oriental level, as, indeed, the Mohammedans generally are. There is a curious story connected with the Javanese alphabet, which may have some foundation in fact, but which seems to have been devised "to impress the letters on the minds of juvenile pupils." A priest, walking through a forest, lost his kriss. Feeling too fatigued to return for it, he dispatched a woodman to seek it for him, while he and his servant sat down to refresh themselves. As the woodman did not return, the priest sent his servant in quest of him. He soon found him, and the two quarrelled so violently that both were killed. This story 66 serves as a sort of mnemonic aid to the young Javanese learning their letters: Ho no tjo ro ko-He sent them both. geous. Mo go bo tho ngo-Both were killed." We have not space to go into the question of the relation of Java to the kingdom of Holland. The Dutch have only acquired their possession by prolonged struggles and a vast outlay. They have yet to reap the harvest. Java provides them with little but the glory of conquest, and an outlet for mercantile enterprise. The country is capable of improvement, but it is too densely populated to hold out the prospect of large remuneration. The temporary occupation of the island by the British between 1811 and 1816 was of incalculable advantage to it. The policy of Sir Stamford Raffles led to many improvements in labor and trade, though his scheme of taxation is open to objection. The rule of the Dutch has been in the main enlightened and salutary. They have a vast responsibility, and one to which they are equal. With the immense resources at their disposal, and with their natural industry, the Javanese ought to rise to the level of European civilization; and with the many facilities which it offers, Java ought to become one of the most fertile fields of travel, and of mercantile labor. As the sphere of a yet grander toil, it should command the holiest sympathies of the church. The true secret of its future prosperity and glory lies in the raising, through the length and breadth of the land, of the standard of the Cross. Cornhill Magazine. THE PRIVATE LIFE OF KANT. KANT lived in a modest and retired house, in a quiet street behind the old palace. Every morning, winter and summer, the old soldier who was his servant came into his bedroom at five, and said, "It is time." The philosopher rose instantly, dressed with wonderful rapidity, and by five was seated at his breakfasttable, where he drank one or two cups of tea-nothing more-smoked a pipe, and collected his ideas for the work of the day. At seven he went out for his lectures, and on returning set to work till a quarter to one. Precisely at the quarter he dressed for dinner, took a glass of wine to incite his appetite, and was ready for the guests whom he had invited. He never dined alone, and always breakfasted alone. Dinner was the time when he liked to receive his friends. At his breakfast he was so much accustomed to solitude that when once a friend dropped in at that hour and asked to share his meal, Kant was embarrassed, and ended by asking his friend to sit where he could not see him, saying that for more than half a century he had never seen a soul near him while he drank his tea in the morning. But at dinner he could not bear to be left to himself. He always took care to invite some of his His friends beforehand; and one day, when none of them could come, he sent his servant into the street to pick up the first passer-by and bring him in to dinner. He could not bear to be kept waiting. For this reason he detested ceremony at table, and his most agreeable guest was the one who took a dish without offering it to others, so that the turn of the host came the more quickly. It must be remembered that Kant had eaten nothing all the morning, and had been working steadily. Dinner lasted two hours or more, and was a very pleasant meal, the great metaphysician talking in a simple and popular style on all subjects of the day, especially on politics, of which he was a diligent reader. passion for them was such that he sometimes flung himself eagerly on the newspapers in the morning, which one would have thought a profanation. For his study was a sanctuary, sacred to intellectual labors, and nothing mundane was ever heard in it. Not till the guests had quitted the study and entered the diningroom did Kant relax his philosophic gravity. After dinner he took his regular walk up and down a small alley of limes, which is called the Philosopher's Alley. His walk was always solitary, except on rainy and threatening days, when his servant followed him "with an umbrella under his arm, and with a restless and vigilant look, an exact image of Providence." Kant had two reasons for walking alone; he wanted to think, and he did not want to open his mouth. He thought that by breathing through his nose the air would be admitted gradually to his lungs, and that he had less risk of taking cold. On coming home he read the papers. In the evening he made notes for lectures the next day, or for his writings, read, and meditated on what he read, writing down any ideas that struck him. At ten he went to bed; a quarter of an hour before retiring he suspended all occupations, and cleared his mind of all thoughts that might prevent him sleeping. His bedroom was never heated; its windows were always kept shut, summer and winter, and the light was as carefully excluded as the air. Bentley's Miscellany. THE TWIN-SISTERS OF MALTA. FROM THE DUTCH OF MADAME BOSBOOM TOUSSAINT.* How pleasantly are not the rocky shores of Malta still reflected on the calm blue surface of the Mediterranean sea, when the golden rays of the evening sun are dancing upon it! tion. The poetical abode of the pious. knights has become the prosaic seat of extensive commerce; it is at once the blessed spot, where with each breath one inhales renovated health, and whither the aristocracy of England, the bonne société of France, and fashionable travwith pleasure. In short, Malta need not ellers from every other nation, resort regret that it has kept pace with the times; it has not lost much of its consequence since it exchanged the white banner for the union jack of Great Britain. far carried away by my reflections, which But I have allowed myself to be too are so little suited to my insignificant tale. I had much better have said a few words about the women of this charm Yet alas! This Malta, with its proud steps of granite, its threatening cannons, and its peaceful industry; with its simple flat roofs, and its fantastic balconies; | with the blood red oranges, and the sweetest grapes in the world; the aged orphan of the old chevaliers, which languishes in eternal minority under English guardianship; this Malta is no long-ing island, those women so entirely pelong-culiar, er what it formerly was. One would be culiar, in whom the fire of the Arab fewronging it to call it the shadow of its males is so intimately blended with the bygone splendor, for the shadow resemcaptivating, languishing manners of bles the original, if even only in uncer- those of Sicily, who, in gracefulness, tain and faint outlines; but Malta has yield precedence to none of their southentirely lost its early forms. Perhaps ern sisters. Above all, they recall to here and there a single rare feature of the observer that Africa is in the rear, its past lustre reminds one that the Malta and that there Europe begins. of the nineteenth century as little resembles that of the time of Iugo de Payens, as the lords of the woolsack resemble the grand masters of old. A totally different life now prevails there. The dreaded enemy of the Mussulman faith, who enthusiastically brandished the Cross against the Crescent, no longer claims tribute from Turk and Pagan; on the contrary, it has become a great custom-house, while English tollgatherers demand tribute from every sail which is hoisted on the wide navigable waters of the Mediterranean sea. The naked rocks, to which each Paladin brought a handful of earth, became a fruitful island, warmed by Africa's sun, and enlightened by European civiliza * Madame Bosboom Toussaint is considered one of the first female writers of the present age in Holland. Her historical tales are much admired for their truthfulness, the power with which her characters are delineated, and the religious and moral tone which pervades them. She has also written several shorter stories, in which she has adopted the light and graceful style so peculiar to France. This accomplished authoress was born at Alkmaar, at which town they are so proud of her that the magistracy have had her works and portrait placed in the archives of the city along with a flattering tribute to her merits. -TRANS, Among these the twin-sisters, Peppa and Magallon, deserved the prize of beauty. Richer and darker hair seldom adorned brows of more delicate transparlike bright cut steel, and between their ency. Their blue-black eyes sparkled lips, whose redness reminded one of fresh pomegranates, glittered teeth as white as the purest pearls of Coromandel. Their features bespoke oriental excitability, tempered by mildness, which, added to the tone of true amiability that pervaded their whole manner, lent a singular charm to their words and movements. Education and practice had made them both familiar with the first European languages, yet they preferred to speak the Maltese-Arabic, which still exists among the people, the agreeable sound of which, and the power of its expressions, cause one to forget that it is entirely wanting in literary cultivation. It would be difficult to say which of the twin-sisters was the handsomer, or in what Peppa's beauty differed from Magallon's. In form, face, voice, gait, and movement, they were entirely alike; and this resemblance was much increased by their dress being exactly the same. They wore the Maltese ouella, which was fastened to a little satin hat inter woven with gold thread, thus greatly heightening the shining blackness of their hair. Both wore bodices of cher ry-colored velvet, richly - embroidered, and light blue over-skirts of slight gauzy texture. Their sleeves, of Venetian silver gauze, by no means hid their beautiful rounded arms, with the delicate little hands, which played with fans the same in color and size. Peppa, however, had a bunch of flowers in her hat, without which precaution her own father, the worthy Paolo Paterno, would not have been able to distinguish the first-born from her sister. The same education, the same fate, always being together (they had never yet been separated for longer than an hour or so), could not fail to have effect upon their feelings and actions; and even their nurse declared that she had never met with exterior resemblance joined to such perfect similarity of disposition. They were sisters in every sense of the word. Good Paolo Paterno, who had lost his wife in the bloom of her youth, and could never reconcile himself to a second marriage, found his only comfort in his lovely daughters, who but seldom caused him to regret that they were not sons, to whom he could have bequeathed his name and brigantine. He was owner of a merchantman, which, after performing for several years successful voyages, had made him one of the most wealthy inhabitants of La Valetta. When Peppa and Magallon had attained their fourteenth year, the thoughts of his successor occupied Paolo more and more. He therefore took into his house the son of an only brother, who had fallen under Napoleon, and, although still very young, Matteo was betrothed to Peppa. Another and more brilliant match had offered for Magallon, the nephew and partner of one of the richest merchants in Malta, who was a Greek by birth, a Maltese by necessity, and a merchant with all his heart and soul. The two damsels had not hesitated a moment to consent to their union with the gentlemen selected for them, and, without further thought, they calmly looked forward to the coming event, which each day brought nearer. One day Paolo, who was accustomed every year to take some excursion, accompanied by his children, proposed to them that they should go with him once more before their marriages on a trip to Algiers, which place, under the hands of its French conqueror, was undergoing such wonderful reforms. The beautiful twins wished for nothing better, and they soon set out on their voyage. But in the way in which they took leave of their lovers, and in the manner in which they greeted them on their return, there was too striking a difference to escape the notice of the young men. Peppa treated Matteo more coldly and formally than she had ever done before, and Magallon's proud lover had to bear whims and violence of which he had never suspected her capable. The former bore it patiently, as one who was painfully familiar with misfortune and suffering; the Greek, on the contrary, became irritated and suspicious. Notwithstanding that the father saw this change with great sorrow, he could not imagine what could be its cause; he could not understand what had so suddenly transformed his lively, gay daughters into such whimsical, morose girls; why these gentle dear ones were so capricious and cruel to those who had claims upon their love. The honest cap-, tain possessed, it is true, plenty of natural common-sense for every-day life, but he understood nothing of the fine shades of the female heart, and he was not capable of discovering what lay behind the caprices which he daily encountered; this was beyond his power. The truth was, however, that the twenty days spent by the two damsels, apparently so indifferently and monotonously, within the walls of the house of quarantine, after their return from Africa, had been rich in events and experience, which had suddenly made them much older and more knowing, if not more sensible. For those in good health the house of quarantine at Malta is no gloomy invalid's prison, full of privations and oppressive constraint; the only constraint that one meets with there is that it cannot be quitted at one's pleasure, and that there is no communication with the outer world. But it is a roomy, airy dwelling, with which every one would be pleased if it only bore another name; where every one can choose his own |