able. We went to the grand opera together, and witnessed the performance of an extraordinary ballet, which is now all the rage in Berlin. Our young friend stands very high here in diplomatic circles, and is destined to be a prominent man in our State. Success to him, for he is as clever a fellow as ever lived.

For many years Berlin has been the residence of many men of great scientific attainments. Among them were the celebrated Alexander von Humboldt, a name known in every land, and honored by all. Kings and emperors were proud to have him as an associate, while this truly great man looked with contempt on all the honors they showered upon him. He died very recently, and lies buried a few miles from the city. His grave is visited by all lovers of science, and his memory is revered by prince and people.

Adieu. I leave to-morrow for Dresden.

Very truly yours,

H. W. A.

LETTER NO. XX.

EDITORS ADVOCATE :

VICTORIA HOTEL, DRESDEN, SAXONY,

Sept. 15, 1859.

I reached this old but very interesting city in six hours from Berlin-distance 116 miles-fare 110 silbergroshens, or about $3. Saxony has for many years played a very important part in the history of the world, and its capital was often the scene of terrible conflicts of contending armies. During the Seven Years' War, Frederick the Great besieged this city, and in later times Napoleon I. came to its relief, while surrounded by the troops of the Allies. It was on this memorable occasion that Gen. Moreau was killed. This great general, who had immortalized himself at the battle of Hohenlinden, was now with the allied sovereigns. The beleaguering forces extended all round the old town, from the barrier of Pirna on the Elbe, to the marsh of Preisnitz. Near the small village of Racknitz stood a group of mounted officers, on the

27th day of August, 1813. At the command of Napoleon they were fired on, he saying "that he suspected there were some small generals among them." The first shot took effect-Moreau fell. Both legs, which were cut off by a cannon ball, are buried here. A large square block of granite, surmounted by a helmet, has been erected on the spot where he received his mortal wound, with this inscription: "Moreau, the hero, fell here, by the side of Alexander, 27th August, 1813." His body was conveyed to St. Petersburg, and buried there in great state. The distance of the shot was so great, that Napoleon had it accurately measured, and found it to be exactly 2,000 yards-about a mile and a quarter. Napoleon III. did much better shooting than that at the battle of Solferino. At three miles he did good work with his rifle cannon.

Dresden is situated on the Elbe, a clear and romantic stream, about two or three hundred yards wide. It has been called the "German Florence." Its delightful situation, its fine collection of rare and elegant paintings, its statuary and its jewels, I should think would make it compare favorably with the great Italian city. I find many Americans here, with their children at school. They tell me that in music and the modern languages, Dresden has great advantages. For ages, the china of this place has been in much demand. Its porcelain manufactories are still carried on to a great extent, while the painting on china seems to have taken rank among the lovers of "high art."

But the pride of Dresden is her gallery of paintings. This alone brings thousands to Saxony, from all parts of the world. When the great Napoleon robbed all Europe of its paintings, not even excepting the Vatican at Rome, he spared this gallery, and seemed to take a great delight in visiting it. Frederick, while bombarding the city, ordered his engineers to save the gallery of paintings. He battered down walls, and churches, and palaces. He entered Dresden as a conqueror, but asked permission of the captive monarch to visit this gallery as a stranger, so much did he esteem these paintings. Among the 2,000 paintings exhibited here, I have not room to describe but two or three. The first in the gallery, and perhaps the best painting out of Italy, is the celebrated "Madonna di San Sisto," by Raphael. The sainted Pope Sixtus, from whom the picture is named, is represented on the one side, gazing with pious and trembling awe upon the figure of the Virgin, who is soaring up to heaven, in all the majesty with which the Roman Catholic religion has surrounded her, bearing in her arms the divine Child. The head of the Virgin is perhaps nearer the perfection of female beauty than any thing on canvas. It is truly impressive and beautiful. Opposite to the pope kneels St. Barbara; her youthful beauty and fervor contrast most admirably with his aged form. Below this group are two angelic children, their countenances beaming with intelligence and pure innocence. With eyes upturned to the central figures

of the picture, they are the happiest effort of the great artist. This picture was purchased from a convent at Piacenza for 17,000 ducats, about $40,000, and is now considered more valuable than all the jewels in "the crown the Bourbon lost." An elegant apartment is appropriated to this great painting, and there you may recline on the sofas from morning till night, with nothing to interrupt the pleasant reverie produced by a close study of this great work of art. There is, perhaps, no painting more generally copied, and more numerously distributed through the Christian world. In the world of art it ranks only second to "The Transfiguration," in the Vatican at Rome.

The next great painting is the "La Notte," by Correggio. This is considered the master-piece of this great Italian, and all the powers of his art are here united to make it a perfect work. It is a representation of the Madonna and Child, and is called "Notte," (night,) because it represents the Mother and Child in a dark room, and the only light produced is from the supernatural halo emitted from the infant Saviour. The effect is truly astonishing. The Virgin mother, who bends over the Infant, is undazzled, while another female draws back, veiling her eyes with her hand, as if unable to endure the radiance. Far off through the gloom of night we see the morning just breaking along the eastern horizon, emblem of the "Day-spring from on high." Correggio did not, like Rembrandt, in these effects attempt to give the color of lamp-light. The emit