conceptions of grace, which a favored moment of inspiration ever suggested to the imagination of an artist. The figure is the perfection of soft, feminine, beauty— withnone of the unreal pomp of a Goddess— reclining in the voluptuous graces, and the flowing loveliness of a simple, but noble form. The marble seems, from the exquisite truth of execution, to be imbued with the warmth of life-and the contours of the figure have all the melting roundness and softness, which charm us in the females of Titian. The Tiger is a majestic animal, not unworthy of the lovely burthen he bears. The statue stands on a pedestal turning on a pivot, for the convenience of viewing it in various lights. A rose-coloured window is also contrived, the light through which, when raised, is intended to shed on the marble the warm hue of flesh; but the effect is rather that of salmon-colour-and the natural light is far preferable.-Danekker had this admirable work fifteen years in hand. He composed it for M. Bethmann, and received one thousand guineas for his inimitable labours. M. B. has, I understand, since been offered for it nearly

three times the sum. The artist is now employed for him on another work as a pendant to it.

Society at Frankfort is divided into the circles of the Diet and those of the citizens, who, with the exception of rencontres at the public assemblies, keep pretty scrupulously apart. At the balls dreadful altercations for precedence have sometimes taken place between the wives and daughters of their Excellencies the Ministers, and of their Worships the Civic Magistrates but their opposing claims are, I believe, now adjusted in favor of the latter. The rich bankers, some of whom eclipse in their establishments the most splendid of the Plenipotentiaries, are, as you may suppose, often convenient friends for the Diplomatists; and their smart wives and daughters, no disagreeable resources to the young nobles who study diplomacy in the ambassador's bureaux. A gay young Count, attached to a Legation, is the acknowledged cavaliere servente of a pretty banker's wife-and a young merchant of my acquaintance was indebted for a welcome reception at the Diplomatic balls—

solely to the dexterity of his heels. The line of demarcation between the edel leute and the kauf leute is in this way frequently broken through, and becomes every day less exclusive-and indeed it is one of the complaints of the opposition class of citizens, that the Burgomasters and Senators are apt to be contaminated with aristocratic ideas, in their intercourse with the Representatives of Sovereigns. The Merchants generally live in a handsome hospitable style.

The Diet, which has done so little, and has so much to do, is held at the residence of the President, the Ambassador of Austria a stately gloomy mansion-perhaps not without its influence on the character of its proceedings.-A sketch of the composition of the Assembly may throw light on your political acquaintance with Germany in its present state. There are seventeen votes; eleven of which are enjoyed by eleven Powers, considered important enough to possess a whole vote to themselves. These are Austria, Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, Hanover, Wurtemburg, Baden, Electoral Hesse, the Grand Duchy

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of Hesse, Denmark for. her German Province of Holstein, and the Netherlands for that of Luxembourg.-Then follow about twenty, of Toλ Principalities, who, with the free cities, divide among them the remaining six votes-the Houses of Saxony possessing one amongst them, of which the King of Prussia comes in for his quota as Duke of Saxony.-Brunswick shares one with Nassau; and Mecklenburg Strelitz and Mecklenburg Schwerin are loving cousins and copartners. Then comes the respectable firm of Anhalt, Oldenburg, and Schwartzburg—the first of which is subdivided into Anhalt Bernburg, and Anhalt Cöthen. Hohenzollern is at the head of another joint Stock Company, of five or six tiny proprietors; and by a singular disregard of proportion, the four free Cities of Hamburg, Lubec, Bremen, and Frankfort, each, containing perhaps, a score Merchants, of greater opulence and consequence than any of the smaller reigning princes, are put off with one vote amongst them.

Thus the Diet is ordinarily composed of seventeen Plenipotentiaries-besides which,

most of the great Powers of Europe have a Minister at Frankfort accredited to the Diet, as the supreme Power of Germany.On occasions of unusual moment, or matters affecting the basis of the confederation, the Assembly will expand itself into sixty-nine votes -The kingly powers, of which Wurtemburg is the last, will then enjoy four Votes; Baden, Electoral Hesse, and the Grand Duchy of Hesse threeand so in proportion: on these occasions a question must be carried by three-fourths of the votes--on ordinary occasions by a simple majority.-The Powers are bound not to make war on each other, but to submit to the pacific arbitration of their disputes by the Assembly.- Commerce among the States is declared free, and emigrations and transfers of property, which were formerly prohibited or taxed, are freely permitted.-They engage early to occupy themselves with general regulations for securing the freedom of the press, and the restoration of the representative states to every Principality.

The deliberations take place in the German language, and of course are private.