quintets, quartets, sonatos, masses? The last and most sublime was his "Requiem." A strange story is told in connection with the composition of this work, for the truth of which, however, we cannot vouch. It is said that some years before the work was written, a stranger presented himself to Mozart, and refusing to reveal his name, commissioned him to compose a funeral mass. zart undertook the commission; but as time passed on, and he saw no more of the mysterious stranger, he did

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not execute it, and at length ceased to think of it. A short time before his death, the unknown appeared to him again as he was setting out for Prague, and reminded him of the undertaking. Mozart again promised to undertake the work, and on his return to Vienna, applied himself to the task. The rapid decline of his health warning him of his approaching death, he became impressed with the conviction that the stranger was a visitant from the world of spirits, and that he was composing the requiem for his own funeral. The manner in which this idea wrought upon his imagination contributed to the sublimity of the work, which was scarcely finished when he died, in the thirty-sixth year of his age.

A bronze statue, from the design of Schwanthaler, has been erected to the memory of Mozart at Salzburg, his birthplace. It was inaugurated on the anniversary of his birth, September 5, 1842.

The fete of the inauguration was a splendid and imposing one, worthy of the man thus honoured. The occasion had drawn to Salzburg a great number of foreignersprinces and princesses, counts and countesses, composers, authors, and musicians-admirers of the genius of Mozart; and the musical academies of Naples, Rome, Florence, Milan, Venice, Vienna, Prague, Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Stockholm, St. Petersburg, and Warsaw, were each represented by some of their professors. More than fifty thousand persons were present. When the statue was uncovered, a salvo of twenty pieces of artillery was fired, all the bells in the city rang out a joyous peal, and an orchestra of six hundred performers filled the air with sweet sounds. At night, two thousand persons, professors and amateurs, assembled at the foot of the monument, which was illuminated by Bengal fires, and sang a hymn written for the occasion by Count Ladislaus de Lerker, and set to music by the Chevalier Neukomm. On the following day, at noon, two thousand eight hundred amateurs executed the "Requiem" of Mozart on the same spot.

BRUCE-COOK-FRANKLIN-LIVINGSTONE.

MODERN times have called forth the energies of man in various departments of useful knowledge. While some men have turned their attention to the discovery and application of material forces, and others have extended our manufacturing and commercial interests, there has not been wanting men of the Columbus type, who have gone forth to explore the unknown regions of earth.

First among these we shall mention Bruce, the Abyssinian traveller, who spent so much of his life in seeking for the source of the Nile.

The Nile is celebrated alike for its magnitude and inexhaustible fertility, as well as for those interesting associations of antiquity which are inseparably associated with it. The discovery of its real source was an object of intense curiosity to the ancients, as it still remains to the travellers and geographers of modern days. This unknown source this singular mystery of origin-may have impressed, more than any other circumstance, upon the minds of the ancient Egyptians, the idea that the Nile was an incarnate god-a stream to which divine honour should be paid.

James Bruce, descended from a younger son of the famous Robert Bruce, the Scottish hero, was born on the 14th of December, 1730. He was educated at Harrow, and applied himself to the study of the law, for which, however, he contracted a dislike, and determined to push his fortune in the East Indies. Of his marriage with Miss Allan, nothing need be said beyond the fact that it was one of mutual affection, and that her early death overwhelmed her husband with grief-grief from which he experienced no relief but in study and travel.

Through Spain, through Portugal, he travelled, noting the remains of Saracen art, listening to the strange stories of fierce war and faithful love which belong to the desolate palaces of the Caliphs. He acquired the languages of the Spaniards and the Portuguese, imbued his mind with Arabic literature, sought for ancient manuscripts in the monastic houses wherever monastic liberality permitted of his doing so; finally he determined on a journey of discovery to the far East-to visit the coast of Barbary, to find out the source of the Nile. Memoranda of the project were laid before the King, and Mr. Bruce was appointed to a consulship at Algiers. He arrived at Algiers on the 15th of March, 1762.

More than a year was spent at Algiers in converse with the natives and in preparing for the journey. Bruce then proceeded to Mahur, and from Mahur to Carthage. He next visited Tunis and Tripoli, and travelled over the interior part of these states. At Bengazi he was shipwrecked, lost all his luggage, and almost lost his life, but

he lost nothing of his courage. He thence proceeded to Syria and Palestine, surveyed the famous ruins of Palmyra and Baalbec; lastly he prepared for his grand expedition, the accomplishment of which had ever been nearest his heart, namely, the discovery of the supposed source of the Nile.

In the prosecution of this design he left Sidon on the 15th of June, 1768, and proceeded to Alexandria; from thence to Cairo, thence sailing up the Nile as far as Kennè. From Kennè he proceeded across the desert, and arrived at Jissu. In this locality he remained for some time, but was at length permitted to pursue his journey, and on the 15th of February, 1770, reached Gendar, capital of Abyssinia. Towards the end of October he set out for the sources of Bahr-el-Azrek, then incorrectly supposed to be the principal branch of the Nile. He reached this spot on the 14th of November.

After having remained ten years in Abyssinia, Mr. Bruce became desirous of leaving it; but this he found a still more difficult matter than getting into it, for he had become of importance to the king, who was resolved not to part with him. One day, when the king was in more than ordinary good humour, he told Mr. Bruce that he would grant him anything that he should ask. Mr. Bruce seized the favourable opportunity, and told the king, that as he did not keep his health in that climate, he would be glad to return to his native country.

The king seemed astonished at the request, and was at first in a furious rage; but recollecting himself, he, for his oath's sake, like Herod of old, determined to give up his own inclination. Mr. Bruce had by this time collected a good number of drawings, and a number of Abyssinian MSS. Having packed up his books and papers, and provided camels and servants to attend him on his journey, he departed from the capital of Abyssinia, giving out that he was to travel back to Egypt the way he came; but being justly apprehensive that the king would change his mind after he was gone, and, indeed, having received intelligence that there was a design to seize him, and bring him back, he took quite a different course. Instead of