And why need such works irritate our entire public _now_? Nay, we believe the period of our extravagant sensibility to foreign opinions must at length be considered as past, and that hereafter we shall be more in peril of excess of recklessness and bravado. The effect of this loss of a national characteristic we shall not here speculate upon. But a brief period will be necessary for its illustration. GONDOLETTAS. A RECOLLECTION OF MENDELSSHON'S "SONGS WITHOUT WORDS." WRITTEN FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MONTHLY MAGAZINE. BY ALICE B. NEAL. THE PARTING. Far out in the moonlight how softly we glide! Scarce knowing, scarce heeding the lapse of the tide. I watch the light shadows steal over thy face, And pillow thy head in a last, long embrace. Thy heart keeps low music still beating to mine, Thy white arms around me I slowly entwine-- I part the wild tresses that shroud thy pale cheek, I kiss thee--I clasp thee--no word dare I speak. Alas! that star-light should fade from the sky! Alas for the parting that draweth so nigh! Glide slowly--ye ripples--flow softly, oh tide! For the silence of _death_, must the living divide. MEMORIES. Again, but alone, I am out on the sea-- I come, where so often I floated with thee; I list for the tones of thy low evening hymn-- But the breeze hath a moan--and the starlight is dim. I think of thee here, of thy deep mournful eyes, That spoke to my own in mute, thrilling replies; Of thy gentle caress, and thy cold brow, so pale, When I pressed that last kiss--but I utter no wail! I garner in silence the memories of years, With yearnings too tender, too hopeless for tears; For down 'neath the stillness and hush of its waves, _The tide of my life, like the sea, hath its graves_! THE DUTCH GOVERNORS OF NEW AMSTERDAM. COMMUNICATED TO THE INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE BY JOHN ROMEYN BRODHEAD.[2] In the year 1649, there appeared in Holland a small anonymous pamphlet of forty-two pages, bearing the imprint of Antwerp, and entitled _Breeden Raedt, aen de Vereenighde Nederlandeche Provintien_, or Plain Counsels to the United Netherlands' Provinces. It is very rare; the only copy I know of, in this country, is the one with which I have been kindly furnished by my friend Mr. Campbell, the Deputy Librarian at the Hague. [2] The substance of this interesting article was read by Mr. Brodhead at the last meeting of the Historical Society.--_Ed. International._