ASPIRATION.--A youthful rhymist, inspired by the Derby, wishes to become a Sporting Poet. "'Poet' and 'Prophet,'" he learnedly observes, "meant about the same thing in Homeric times; and, indeed, in most prophecies of coming events on the turf I have generally found more of poetry than of profit." The modest rhymster says, that as he can never hope to be first in the field of poetry, "he may at least become _a second Ossy-'un_." * * * * * OPERATIC NOTES. [Illustration: L'Attaque du Moulin (à poivre)] It strikes me forcibly that the Wagnerian idea has influenced all recent compositions. Nothing is now done without a "motive." It may be a good motive, or a bad motive, or an inadequate motive, or an indifferent motive; but motive there must be with our most modern school of composers, who, adopting the Wagnerian idea, (not in itself a purely original one,) and improving on it, attribute less importance to the "Act" than to the "motive," though by a reflex action the scheme of the Act suggests, organises, and it may be added, orchestrates the "motives." _L'Attaque du Moulin_ is a practical example of this theory. It is not styled an opera but a lyric drama in four acts. It is founded by M. LOUIS GALLET on ZOLA'S story; it is reduced to plain English by Mr. WEATHERLY; the music is by ALFRED BRUNEAU; and for the stage management, which has so largely conduced to its success, Sir AUGUSTUS DRURIOLANUS is responsible. It is not what the sporting papers term "a merry mill," though there is plenty of fighting. There _are_ some songs in it, and there are some melodies--or mill-odies--which may catch on when heard a second or third time; but they certainly do not arrest the attention at a first hearing. The music, I judge only from the one representation, seems lacking in those catching-on airs which, coupled with the admirable acting of the principals, made the fortune, _sur le champ_, of the _Cavalleria Rusticana_. But a "wind-mill" without any "air" can't be expected to "go."