THE DRAMA.-We have the promise, as the fall season approaches, of more attractive theatricals. The Park Theatre has been embellished and re-fitted, externally and internally -and several European actors of celebrity have been engaged, among whom are MATHEWS, the celebrated comedian, Miss PHILLIPS, an eminent tragic actress, Sheridan KNOWLES-the distinguished author as well as actor-and a Miss S. PHILLIPS, a vocalist of high reputation. Among the other attractions at this Theatre, a new play, by the lamented JOHN AUGUSTUS STONE, Esq., author of 'Metamora,' etc., entitled 'The Knight of the Golden Fleece, or the Yankee in Spain,' is to be immediately produced. It is pronounced, by those the best capable of judging, to be his best effort. It is replete with stirring incident, and amusing character. Mr. G. H. HILL-whose liberality procured it to be written, and to whose eminent merits all who have ever seen him will bear abundant testimony-sustains the part of the Yankee-a part most admirably drawn, and we cannot doubt it will be as admirably enacted. For the last two months, owing to the warm season and the absence of citizens, the theatres have been thinly attended. The Park Theatre commenced a short summer season on the 7th of July. Mr. EATON, a very promising young actor, performed for a few nights early in the month, to small but gratified audiences. The Drama of Gustavus the Third was produced with a splendor of scenery-especially the saloon of the masquerade— which reflects much credit upon the enterprising manager. During the last month the performances were varied by the engagement of Il Diavolo, an astonishing and graceful performer upon the tight rope.

At the Bowery Theatre, during July, Mr. FORREST fulfilled his last engagement prior to his departure for Europe, whither he has gone, not professionally, but for purposes of travel. His parting address was worthy his head and heart, and was most enthusiastically received by the largest audience ever convened within the walls of the theatre. On the 25th of July a public dinner, numerously attended, was given him by several of our first citizens, at the City Hotel. Mr. J. R. Scort, a gentleman of distinguished talent in his profession-and who bids fair to tread closely upon the footsteps of Mr. Forrest-has been performing, in high tragedy, during the month, to respectable audiences at this theatre.

A THOUGHT ON INTEMPERANCE.-Our good philanthropists sometimes complain, and with justice, of the increase of crime in our country. The time has been, and that not a great many years ago, when the perpetration of a murder or a suicide would create a sensation of horror through the country, for many hundred miles in circumference around the scene of the deed. Now such things are almost of daily occurrence in the most enlightened portions of the Union. To what this may be owing, is perhaps hard to decide; but the fact cannot be gainsayed that Intemperance is the grand moving principle in these acts of ignominy and blood. The efforts that are constantly making by the benevolent and the good to check this dreadful scourge, have met, and will meet, with the best results. Only a few years have elapsed since public attention was awakened to the subject; and the progress of opinion against the evil has been steady and strong. The publications issued by the Society have effected an incalculable amount of good, while the personal influence and example of such distinguished citizens as VAN RENSSELAER and VAUX, have inspired thousands to laudable emulation.

One of the best objects to be attended to in the promotion of this good cause, should be, in our opinion, to convince the intemperate, by plain moral suasion, that they seek happiness in the wrong direction when they search for it in the bowl. Convince them once, that the pleasure they chase is counterbalanced by tenfold misery, and the pursuit will soon be abandoned. Nothing will sooner effect this, than a continued exposition of the deleterious properties of spirituous drinks, and their sure destruction to the human system. A regular analysis of the vile gin used by thousands in London, has recently been made by a distinguished scientific gentleman, and submitted to the public. It appears from this, that the liquid is, in

fact, rank poison. Such, exclusive of wines, may be said of many of the liqueurs used in this country. Let those who use them, be convinced that they are poisoning themselves, and they will turn from the draught with loathing. Expositions of this sort have had the happiest effect in England, and we are confident they would have in America. No man would take arsenic, even if it gave him delight for an hour, when he knew that death would follow. Let this parallel be kept in view, and Intemperance will melt before it.

A TRIBUTE TO EMINENT WORTH.-We remark in the journals of the day-with a pleasure that seems widely participated—the presentation,-by several of the oldest and most prominent citizens of Philadelphia,—of a rich service of plate to that distinguished philanthropist and citizen, MATHEW CAREY, Esq., 'as a testimonial of their gratitude for his public services, and their esteem for his private virtues.' In the letter accompanying the testimonial, they observe, that they have long witnessed the unwearied efforts with which every scheme of private benevolence, and plan of public improvement, have found in him a zealous and disinterested advocate: and that they deem his whole career in life an encouraging example, by the imitation of which, without the aid of official station or political power, every private citizen may become a public benefactor. The worthy recipient acknowledged the memorial in a reply, characterized by the modesty which ever attends distinguished merit.

THE FINE ARTS.-We take pleasure in yielding our testimony to an admirable specimen of the Arts, which accompanied the New-York Mirror of the 9th ultimo a plate embracing accurate portraits of all the American Presidents, including the present incumbent. The whole picture represents one end of a room in the capitol of the United States. In the centre is a large mirror, reflecting a statue of the Goddess of Liberty from the opposite side, and surmounted by the American Eagle with banners. Immediately under the mirror is a piertable, of classic and beautiful form, and on each side of this a large vase, standing upon the floor of tesselated marble. The portraits, seven in number, are disposed, each in a chaste but elegant frame, around the mirror, three at each side, and that of Washington at the top. The back-ground is a tapestried wall, indistinctly figured with leaves and flowers. The likenesses are eminent for their faithfulness to the originals, and are engraved with great clearness, yet with a delicate beauty. Three of the portraits-one from the living subject, and the other two from celebrated originals-were painted by DURAND-the remainder are faithful copies by Mr. JOHNSTON, of Boston. The whole is engraved upon steel by Messrs. CASILEar, DuRAND, AND COMPANY. It is a matter of gratulation, that such costly and valuable contribu tions of art are not unappreciated by the public. It evinces an increasing prevalence of a spirit, the absence of which, heretofore, has formed a just cause of complaint, not only from eminent foreign travellers, but from the patriotic and intelligent American citizen.

LIFE OF LAFAYETTE.-We perceive that H. L. V. DUCOUDRAY HOLSTEIN, Esq., of Geneva College, in this State, has issued proposals for publishing, by subscription, "Memoirs of GILBERT MOTTIER LAFAYETTE." This work could hardly have fallen into abler hands. It was M. Holstein who, under the fictitious name of Peter Feldmann, contributed to the libe ration of Lafayette from the prison of Olmutz; and his long intimacy and correspondence with his illustrious friend has given him facts and documents of great and varied attraction. We have been favored with a perusal of portions of the work, and can bear cordial testimony to its interest and value.

A GREAT deal has been published on the subject of the police which Buonaparte established in France, and abroad, after he became Consul and Emperor. Among these productions, the following are the principal:

1. The Secret History of the Court of St. Cloud, in two volumes: This book is the fabrication of a poisoned imagination, which speaks of horrors and cruelties, of dungeons, oubliettes, and secret executions, of Josephine and Hortense, etc.; and is one of those English fabrications published in London at a time when party spirit blinded the eyes and clouded the minds of both the French and English. They saw every where through a false medium, and labored under an infatuated prejudice towards each other.

2. The Memoirs of General Sarrazin, in which he speaks much of the tyranny of Buonaparte. Sarrazin is at present a galley-slave at the Bagnios of Toulon. It is perhaps not generally known that he deserted the French imperial camp at Boulogne in a fisher's boat,-came to London and offered his services, which, however, were not accepted, because little reliance was placed in his boastings,-and was suspected as being secretly a French spy. He had a wife and two children in France, living in the greatest misery. In England, he became acquainted with a rich young lady, to whom he paid his addresses. He married her, and lived with her in abundance and even in splendor, without ever mentioning the existence of his first wife. Shortly after the second appearance of Louis XVIII. on the throne of France, he came with his English wife to Paris; and what was her astonishment and grief, when one day her husband was arrested, confronted with his French wife, and convicted of bigamy! The criminal Cour d'Assises condemned him to be publicly exposed in an iron cage for one hour in the Place de Grève, at Paris, and to fourteen years' hard labor in the gallies of Toulon.

3. L'Ambigu, published at London every week, in French, by Charles Pelletier. He was an emigrant, a determined royalist, and a man of that ready wit and vivacity of talent, which is peculiarly calculated for periodical writing. He had opposed the democrats during the early days of the revolution, by a publication termed, Les Actes des

Apôtres, (the Acts of the Apostles,) in which he held up to ridicule and execration the actions, pretensions, and principles of their leaders, with a success which caused Brissot to assert that he had done more harm to the republican cause than all the Allied armies. The columns of L'Ambigu were devoted to the most severe and exaggerated attacks upon Buonaparte and the French government; and as it was widely dispersed and generally read, many well-informed persons believed that M. Pelletier was supported and paid by the English government.

Walter Scott, in his Life of Napoleon, says: "The torrent of satire and abuse poured forth from the English and Anglo-gallican periodical press was calculated deeply to annoy and irritate Napoleon-against whom it was chiefly aimed." These few lines prove sufficiently the excited, hostile feelings, among both nations, at the time.

These three publications were at this period translated and spread throughout Europe and America, and are therefore better known than most others. I will here endeavor to give a few facts, in which I have been to a great degree personally concerned,-which have been hitherto unknown, and may be deeined to possess some interest.

When Buonaparte had overthrown the French government by military violence, he established a central government of a military and despotic character, named two colleagues, pro forma, as Consuls, and reserved all power to himself. He was well aware that he had numerous enemies waiting the propitious moment to overthrow, and even to destroy him; he therefore took the proper means to render their projects vain. He issued attractive proclamations, in which he promised the French people the reign of the golden age; but in proportion as his power became established, as the success of his armies offered him the opportunity of profiting by the enthusiasm with which the French people were filled, he forgot his first promises, set aside the two puppets, Cambaceres and Lebrun, and succeeded by degrees in realizing his most sanguine wishes. One brilliant campaign opened to him the road to the Consulat for life, and to absolute power; another, and the battle of Marengo, made him emperor, afterwards king of Italy, and next protector of the Rhenish Confederacy, by which a dozen kings and other little tyrants were attached to his triumphal car!

Metternich and Dahlberg-two Germans, the former of whom betrayed him became his devoted slaves. Prince Metternich, who had powerfully contributed to his marriage with Maria Louisa, gained by the bloody battle of Wagram, expected a large recompense, was disappointed, turned traitor, and became the instrument of Alexander, who profited so well by his aid that he caused the powerful Austrian army to join the coalition and to overthrow Napoleon,-relying with too great confidence upon the support of his father-in-law. The second was much beloved when Baron de Dahlberg and coadjutor of Mentz. He was an active instrument in the hands of Napoleon, in forming the Rhenish Confederacy and the Concordat, which procured him the favor of his French master, and the curses of the brave Germans.

Buonaparte, by his brilliant successes, became more ambitious. France, large as it was, appeared to him too limited. Italy, Switzerland,