nations. It is with no slight hesitation, and with a deep sense of difficulty, that we approach the subject with which we shall conclude this article. There are certain eternal and immutable moral laws which are the basis of the social system, its life and lifeblood, and its spiritual organization. For no purpose whatsoever must those laws be disregarded, or set aside. Therefore, for the interests of society, it is right to record an abstract condemnation of what, in a moral point of view, can never be defended. The reader's own mind will supply all that we would say, but which is better left unwritten, on this part of the subject. The ostensible position of the parties to whom we refer is one which has not been seen in England during the last two reigns. But a new agent appeared upon the stage-dent member of the great German family of Lola Montez. It is impossible to say whether this lady came to Munich with a definite political object or not. There are two stories on the subject, which, as usual, contradict each other. The gossip, in some of the scandal-loving coteries of Munich, is, that there were persons of great political power, not Bavarians, but having an interest in Bavarian affairs, who desired to see the influence of Austria overturned in that kingdom; that, knowing how much the King of Bavaria was accustomed to subject himself to female influence, they looked about for a fit instrument to displace at once, and for a permanency, the influence employed on the opposite side, and to carry out by a grand coup the revolution they meditated. The story built upon this is, that a nobleman, an intelligent agent of these intriguers, discovered in the present Countess of Landsfelt the exact person they wanted; that he himself brought her to Munich, and was the medium of her introduction to the king. We must, however, take the facts as we find them; and without seeking to palliate what admits of no justification, go on to describe, without partiality or favor, the results to which they appear to have led. The opposite story accounts for her presence in a very different and in a more natural man- The popular notion of Lola Montez, judgner. It is said, that this now so celebrated per- ing from newspaper paragraphs, presents her sonage, having a singular independence of char- as a beautiful specimen of an embodied fury. acter, and not conceiving herself bound by the Her past public career is supposed to have rules of conduct self-imposed, or imposed by consisted of several attempts to dance at difsociety, upon others, had long been in the habit ferent opera-houses, where, not being sufficientof travelling from city to city, seeking, by the ly admired, she vented her disappointment on employment of talents which she supposed her- the audience, by indulging in expressions and self to possess, to augment the income she already gestures only to be heard or seen at Billingsenjoyed, and so enable herself to support those gate, or in the purlieus of Covent Garden.— habits of luxury and expense to which she had Passing over the asseverations, from personal been accustomed. It is further said, that after observation, of mutually contradicting scandalhaving been to several places — where sometimes mongers, as to her birth, parentage, and educashe essayed her talents and failed, and sometimes tion, she is generally regarded as a person who she merely lived upon her means, as, for instance, has led a very scandalous and dissipated life; at Baden-Baden, where for a long time she was who has been mixed up with English roues and an object of attraction to a gay society - she French littérateurs; who has figured in public came to Munich, where she obtained the oppor- trials; and who has altogether denuded herself tunity of dancing at the theatre; but, of course, of the privileges of her sex, by having lived the failed to make an impression, except that which life more of a man than of a woman. So much her beauty and distinguished manners invariably for her antecedents. As to her present position, created for her. Here, it is added, she attracted the popular idea is that she has acquired a perthe notice of the king, who, first struck by her nicious ascendency over the King of Bavaria, personal attractions, soon became still more whom she holds in subjection by a low influence. enamoured of her originality of character, her For her way and manner of life, it is supposed mental powers, and, above all, of those bold and that she walks about Munich with a large and novel political views which she fearlessly and ferocious bull-dog, whom she deliberately sets frankly laid before him. A total revolution soon upon those persons whom she has not herself the after took place in the Bavarian system of gov- physical power to beat. This dog, it seems, has ernment; the existing ministry received their a peculiar instinct for worrying Jesuit priests; congé, a new and more liberal ministry was ap- and so sagacious is he, that, even now that the pointed pro tem., and the King of Bavaria, from Jesuits are ostensibly expelled, he can detect the that time forth, reverted to his former maxims abhorred principles under the most profound of and principles of government: what was called clerical disguises. Further, it appears that the Austrian influence was flung off, and the foun-chief occupation of Lola Montez is to stir up the dation was laid for making Bavaria an indepen- disaffected and demoralized population against the constituted authorities; that she seizes every occasion to outrage public decency, as, for instance, by going to the Opera, or by walking for exercise, or riding for pleasure, through and about the city, and a variety of other offences against good order; which she occasionally relieves by spitting in the face of a bishop, thrashing a coalheaver, smashing shop-windows, or breaking her parasol over the head and shoulders of some nobleman adverse to her party. These, judging from newspaper paragraphs, are her public actions. In Munich itself, stories of her private conduct are freely circulated, — as, for instance, that she is constantly deceiving the king; that she beats her domestics and friends, or occasionally amuses herself by tearing with her nails the flesh from the face of some one or other of those cavaliers who number themselves in her train of admirers. All these are very shocking habits, and the belief in them is highly complimentary to the taste and good sense of the King of Bavaria, who has allowed, for more than a year, such an original termagant to hold the position of chief councillor in the affairs of his kingdom. For those by whom these stories are circulated do not fail to attribute to the personal influence of their fair enemy every step made by the king towards giving greater political freedom to his subjects. With the first portion of this dainty catalogue it is not necessary to trouble the reader. Whatever may have been the antecedents of Lola Montez, they have nothing to do with her present proceedings. Say, rather, that the worse you can make her out to have been before occupying her present position, the more meritorious is her conduct now, if it be proved that she is turning that position to good account. But on the stories told of her proceedings at Munich, a few words may be said. There is an intangibility about all the charges that are made against her, of grossly violent and improper conduct, which renders it difficult to disprove them. An unfair course was pursued by her political enemies. She would herself have no hesitation in saying that Jesuit were the prime movers in all these cases; and certainly it is true that no gentleman - no man, accountable to society, would have resorted to such unmanly proceedings. Lola Montez has quite faults enough, without being saddled with such monstrous and ridiculous imputations. These stories have usually been sent from Munich to English and French newspapers, the editors of which have inserted them for the sake of their piquancy, to say the least,—unless, indeed, some underhand influence was used. The object of the authors of those stories was palpable enough. Knowing the character of the king, and how, from his mind being of a poetical cast, he not only sees through his imagination, but is also extremely sensitive to any thing coarse or ridiculous, they thought it best to make the character of his fair ally so odious, so disgusting, so unwomanly, in the eyes of the world, that, at last, public opinion would act upon him, and he would become ashamed of the connexion. For let the reader understand that the moral indignation, of which there was so much displayed in these various attacks, is, unfortunately, a sham. Those who have probed Munich society will know what we mean, and those who have not are better kept in ignorance. It was not that the King of Bavaria had a mistress which offended these hypocritical calumniators, but that he happened to have an ally in Lola Montez, who had the courage and the influence to open his eyes to the monstrous iniquities perpetrated in his name, and of which he incurred the odium. A lady, who formerly had the reputation of holding the equivocal position which she now holds, was not only tolerated but patronized for many years, because she made her influence subservient to the then dominant party. The morality of these gentlemen was not then rampant, as now, but kept a steady pace in a golden harness. Of the stories of the proceedings of Lola Montez since she has been in Munich, some are utterly unfounded in fact, and others are ingenious but most gross exaggerations of simple and harmless occurrences. For a long time the authors succeeded in working on the hot temper of the fair Spaniard, till they provoked her into displays of which they made good use; but, from the moment she was warned how she was played upon, her natural good sense and force of character enabled her to control herself, and avoid giving fresh cause of scandal. We repeat, that in the main, and in all respects that would ascribe to Lola Montez low and unwomanly conduct, these stories are untrue. The "bull-dog" is a quiet, affectionate, gentlemanly, English animal, with a magnanimous countenance, and not a bull-dog at all. On the other hand, we believe, that in many cases where she has been grossly insulted by, or by the orders of, men of position, in a manner which the lowest bully in England would consider unworthy of his sex, she has exhibited the natural resentment of a passionate, a very high-spirited woman, but in a manner that would be considered in this country perfectly becoming and justifiable. A love of justice is the Englishman's passion; the popular feeling is embodied in the maxim that you should give even the devil his due. As for the effect of these measures on the king, circumstances place us in a situation to state it in his majesty's own words. We make no apology for giving our readers the poems which we shall interweave in this; article. If he ask how we got them, we regret not to be able to gratify his curiosity. Perhaps they were picked up in the palace- perhaps they found their way to us through an anonymous correspondent-perhaps, any thing, in short. This much we assure him-they are genuine. The first we shall quote puts the case in a clear shape. If the reader thinks the king infatuated, he will at least see that he is consistent in his infatuation. And every persecution you endure, The third poem, of those bearing on politics, breathes the same sentiments, but in stronger Here is the poem: the translation is in literal terms. It is entitled, SONNET TO LOLITTA AND LUDWIG. Men strive with restless zeal to separate us; And pervade our existence with enrapturing fire. Two rocks are we, against which constantly are breaking The adversaries' craft, the enemies' open rage; The sanctuary is guarded by trust and faith: In the following sonnet the royal poet does not clearly intimate whether he has renounced the political or the personal rivals of the fair Lolitta: SONNET TO LOLITTA. If, for my sake, thou hast renounced all ties, We do not know the exact meaning of the expressions towards the close of the next poem; but it seems that the fiery and strong-minded Spaniard, from some cause or other-probably, if we are to believe the papers, because she had tried to throw a waiter out of window and failed - had temporarily lost her courage and cheerfulness. The king attributes the change to the persecutions she suffers; but declares, in poetical | tigress, one would think, would scarcely choose style, the more they try to force him from her, the more he won't go: The Evening of the 6th July. TO LOLITTA. A glance of the sun of former days, Thus felt I on that night of gladness, Then was I happy for feeling more deeply Thou hast lost thy cheerfulness, The happiness of thy life is already departed. But the firmer only and more firmly Now, in a few words, we will describe what Lola Montez is, how she lives, and what is her exact social and political position; begging the reader, that he may fairly appreciate, to put off his English moral spectacles, and don, for a few moments, continental ones. so beautiful a den. The smallness of the house precludes much splendor. Its place is supplied by French elegance, Munich art, and English comfort. The walls of the chief room are exquisitely painted by the first artists, from the designs found in Herculaneum or Pompeii, but selected with great taste by Lola Montez. The furniture is not gaudily rich, but elegant enough to harmonize with the decorations. A smaller winter room, adjoining the larger one, is fitted up, quite in the English style, with papered walls, sofas, easy chairs, all of elegant shape. A chimney, with a first-rate grate of English manufacture, and rich thick carpets and rugs, complete the illusion: the walls are hung with pictures: among them a Raphael. There are also some of the best works of modern German painters; a good portrait of the king, and a very bad one of the mistress of the mansion. The rest of the establishment bespeaks equally the exquisite taste of the fair owner. The drawing-rooms and her boudoir are perfect gems. Books, not of a frivolous kind, borrowed from the royal library, lie about, and help to show what are the habits of this modern Amazon. Add to these a piano and a guitar, on both of which she accompanies herself with considerable taste and some skill; and an embroidery-frame, at which she produces works that put to shame the best of those exhibited for sale in England; so that you see she is positively compelled at times to resort to some amusement becoming her sex, as a relief from those more masculine or unworthy occupations in which, according to her reverend enemies, she emulates alternately the example of Peter the Great or Catherine II. The rest of the appointments of the place are in keeping; the coach-house and stabling (her equipages are extremely modest, and her household no more numerous or ostentatious than those of a gentlewoman of means), the culinary offices, and an exquisite bath-room, into which the light comes tinted with rose-color. At the back of the house is a large flower-garden, in which, during the summer, most of the political consultations between the fair countess and her sovereign are held. The house of Lola Montez at Munich presents an elegant contrast to the large, cold, lumbering mansions, which are the greatest defect in the general architecture of the city. It is a bijou, built under her own eye, by her own architect, and is quite unique in its simplicity and lightness. It is of two stories, and, allowing for its plainness, is in the Italian style. Elegant bronze balconies from the upper windows, designed by herself, relieve the plainness of the exterior; and long muslin curtains, slightly tinted, and drawn close, so as to cover the windows, add a transparent, shell-like lightness to the effect. Any English gentleman (Lola has a great respect for England and the English) can, on presenting his card, see the interior; but it is not a "show-lish fashion; drinks little, keeps good hours, rises place." The interior surpasses every thing, even in Munich, where decorative painting and internal fitting has been carried almost to perfection. We are not going to write an upholsterer's catalogue, but, as every thing was done by the immediate choice and under the direction of the fair Lola, the general characteristics of the place will serve to illustrate her character. Such a For her habits of life, they are simple. She eats little, and of plain food cooked in the Eng early, and labors much. The morning, before and after breakfast, is devoted to what we must call semi-public business. The innumerable letters she receives, and affairs she has to arrange, keep herself and her secretary constantly employed during some hours. At breakfast she holds a sort of levée of persons of all sorts,ministers in esse or in posse, professors, artists, English strangers, and foreigners from all parts | sight into the manœuvres of diplomatists and statesmen which she now turns to advantage in her new sphere of action. On foreign politics she seems to have very clear ideas; and her novel and powerful mode of expressing them has a great charm for the king, who has himself a comprehensive mind. On the internal politics of Bavaria she has the good sense not to rely upon her own judgment, but to consult those whose studies and occupations qualify them to afford information. For the rest, she is treated by the political men of the country as a substantive power; and, however much they may se of the world. As is usual with women of an active mind, she is a great talker; but, although an egotist, and with her full share of the vanity of her sex, she understands the art of conversation sufficiently never to be wearisome. Indeed, although capable of violent but evanescent passions, of deep, but not revengeful animosities, and occasionally of trivialities and weaknesses, very often found in persons suddenly raised to great power, she can be, and almost always is, a very charming person, and a delightful companion. Her manners are distinguished, she is a graceful and hospitable hostess, and she under-cretly rebel against her influence, they at least stands the art of dressing to perfection. The fair despot is passionately fond of homage. She is merciless in her man-killing propensities, and those gentlemen attending her levées or her soirées, who are, perhaps, too much absorbed in politics or art to be enamoured of her personal charms, willingly pay respect to her mental attractions and conversational powers. On the other hand, Lola Montez has many of the faults which history has recorded of others in like situations. She loves power for its own sake; she is too hasty, and too steadfast in her dislikes; she has not sufficiently learnt to curb the passion which seems natural to her Spanish blood; she is capricious, and quite capable, when her temper is inflamed, of rudeness, which, however, she is the first to regret and to apologize for. One absorbing idea she has which poisons her peace. She has devoted her life to the extirpation of the Jesuits, root and branch, from Bavaria. She is too ready to believe in their active influence, and too easily overlooks their passive influence. Every one whom she does not like, her prejudice transforms into a Jesuit. Jesuits stare at her in the streets, and peep out from the corners of her rooms. All the world, adverse to herself, are puppets, moved to mock and annoy her by these dark and invisible agents. At the same time, she has, doubtless, had good cause for her animosity; but these restless suspicions are a weakness quite incompatible with the strength of mind, the force of character, and determination of purpose, she exhibits in other respects. As a political character, she holds an important position in Bavaria, besides having agents and correspondents in various courts of Europe. The king generally visits her in the morning, from eleven to twelve, or one o'clock: sometimes she is summoned to the palace to consult with him, or with the ministers, on state affairs. It is probable, that during her habits of intimacy with some of the principal political writers in Paris, she acquired that knowledge of politics and in find it good policy to acknowledge it. The last change of ministry, which placed Prince Wallenstein as foreign minister at the head of affairs, and Mr. Berx as minister of the interior, was her act. Whatever indiscretions she may, in other respects, commit, she always keeps state secrets; and can, therefore, be consulted, with perfect safety, in cases where her original habits of thought render her of invaluable service. Acting under advice, which entirely accords with the king's own general principles, his majesty has pledged himself to a course of steady but gradual improvement, which is calculated to increase both the political freedom and the material prosperity of his kingdom, without risking that unity of power which, in the present state of European affairs, is essential to its protection and advancement. One thing in her praise is, that although she really wields so much power, she never uses it either for the promotion of unworthy persons, or, as other favorites have done, for corrupt purposes. During her early career, long before her influence or her position became consolidated, the most enormous and tempting offers were made to her to quit the country and leave the field open to the displaced party. These were rejected with disdain; and there is good reason to believe that political feeling influences her, not sordid considerations. Her creation as Countess of Landsfelt, which has alienated from her some of her most honest liberal supporters, who wished her still to continue, in rank as well as in purposes, one of the people; while it has exasperated against her the powerless, because impoverished nobility; was the unsolicited act of the king, legally effected with the consent of the crown-prince. Without entrenching too far upon a delicate subject, it may be added, that she is not regarded with contempt or detestation by either the male or the female members of the royal family. She is regarded by them rather as a political personage, than as the king's favorite. Her title of Countess is accompanied by an estate of the same name, with certain feudal privileges and rights over |