divers bail pieces, subpoenas, and the like, floating calmly on the waves, and a waterproof hat slowly descending (happily without a head in it) to the graceful sea weeds and beautiful coral groves which, as I have neither the opportunity nor the intention of investigating the subject, may or may not decorate the bottom of the stream. He came into the boat dripping like a Newfoundland dog, but rather more out of spirits than one of that latter class of "our fellow mortals" would appear after a similar circumstance. Indeed, on the whole, the captain made for land with a degree of perseverance not extraordinary, considering his condition; and on disembarking from the treacherous element, although he said nothing, he looked as if he were engaged in his own nind in solemnly renouncing all species of practical navigation for the future, and in resolving to devote himself exclusively to his profession.

Your venerable friend K. has fallen-in love. And with whom think you? You know he "is written down old with all the characters of age. He hath a moist eye, a dry hand, a yellow cheek, a white beard, and a decreasing leg. His voice is broken, his chin is double, his wit single, and every part about him blasted with antiquity." And yet hath he fallen in love! Now run over in your imagination all the damsels on the wrong side of forty, who would be content to take the old gentleman in consideration of his amiable disposition and his hundred thousand dollars, and then understand that it is with the little — you know who! whom we admired so much one night at B.'s. Would you not as soon expect to see the old reprobate reaching forth his withered and tremulous hand to catch the evening star, as dreaming of that young, fresh, and happy being? I have seen more of her since you went away-she is perfectly beautiful. She has all the charm of firm and glowing health, in addition to the most graceful features in the world. While serious, you deem "nature's own sweet and cunning hand” could not form a mouth more rich and expressive-when she smiles, it surpasses itself. If she rests her eyes upon you, they absolutely make you tremble. If time, and thought, and gloomy disappointment, and weary and protracted care had not given me a kind of reckless contempt for any thing on

earth that seems like happiness, I should have sunk into a very Benedict. Ten years ago if I had met such a Hebe-but no matter. As it is, she is no more to me than a fair landscape-a rose in the morning just burst from it's bud-or a beautiful shell-or a piece of sweet music or a rainbow. She is too old for a child, and yet she is scarcely a woman. I should like to have seen old K. when he broke his tender secret-and would it not have been worth while to have watched her, when the crimson came over her face at the idea of being bought like a slave "for cankered heaps of strange-achieved gold,” and her deeply shaded eyes looked up flashingly, partly with scorn, partly with mirth? By yea and nay, I would not have been in his place to have saved myself from ' hanging.

FROM THE DIARY OF AN EDITOR.

THE REVIEWER.

IT is scarcely possible to satisfy even an individual in all his moods of mind. His tastes will differ from yours in many instances; and when they are alike, the same subject, viewed from different positions, whence one sees the existence of much which the other does not suspect, will produce an infinite variety of opinions. How difficult, then, is the task of catering for the huge, cápricious creature called the public. A monster with despotic power-responsible to no one-guided by no law-constructed of heterogeneous materials-gifted with desires and appetites inconsistent with each other— demanding today what he will loathe tomorrow-with power to blight with a glance, yet so thoughtless and destitute of that sort of prudénce which an individual applies to the proper administration of his own affairs, that the weakest hand may sometimes lead him astray, far he has a great propensity to plunge into excesses. In truth the poor editor has a dire time of it, whose business it is to wait on this mighty monster, to soothe

his rage, to please his variable taste, to pat him softly on the back, and put him in a good humor with himself.

It is not, however, the public alone with whom the editor has to deal. There is a vast variety of under machinery, against which he must work his way.

I was sitting in my elbow chair, profoundly engaged in the duties of my avocation, surrounded with various new publications and piles of newspapers. I was interrupted by a timid knock at the door, which presently opened to admit a tall, gaunt gentleman, with spectacles and a cane. Although apparently young, he moved with a staid air of wisdom. His face was lean and intellectual, and he entered upon my acquaintance with the formality of one on excellent terms with himself.

"Sir, I have taken the liberty to call on you. I am connected with the Cahawba Democrat, and wish to hand you a short review of Mr. Thompson's Travels in Kamschatka. I think myself that it is one of my happiest efforts. Your paper is well established, and I believe has a pretty wide circulation, so I concluded to let you have it."

Sir," said I, gradually unbending the expression of severity with which I had at first received him as an intruder, you are very welcome, sir. Pray take a seat I am happy to make your acquaintance."

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"You are very good, sir," he replied, placing the manuscript in my hands; "I have read your journal with much interest, and should be happy to be considered as one of your contributors."

"Sir, you are very kind. It would give me pleasure, sir, to publish your communications. I suppose, if I should wish, in overlooking the article, if I should wish -wish to retouch-to revise-to-"

66

Oh, sir, any alteration you are perfectly welcome to make which your experience dictates."

"I have no idea that any will be necessary."

"Whatever you please, sir. The piece is so-so-no great things-but I think it will make some talk. Do not let me interrupt you, sir, you appear to be engaged. I wish you good morning, sir."

"Good morning, sir," said I, fairly rising out of my

capacious elbow chair, a thing which I never do except on very particular occasions, "good morning, sir.'

He gathered up his cloak, adjusted his spectacles, suffered a slight disposition toward the angular to intrude upon the elegant perpendicularity of his person, and made his exit.

"A very agreeable, well behaved, intelligent young man, I declare,” said I, "very much of a gentleman. I am fortunate this morning." Let us see.

66 6

'Delightful delineations of life and manners'-' discovers the finest natural taste, highly cultivated by study' would bear a comparison with the highest flights of genius among the ancients'-' bids fair to become the most extraordinary writer of his age.'

Fine sentences these-fair, clear hand-excellent grammar. Here, Peter-tell Mr. MacNiven to leave out the "important statement respecting a young and unprotected female," and I shall have a review, under the head of polite literature."

"The men are waiting for copy," said Peter; "they've got the unprotected female almost set up."

"Can't help it, Peter. I must look over this manuscript and point it. The deuce take the people! They don't know a comma from a note of interrogation. Here's an essay on the importance of instilling virtuous principles into the young-very short-and let me see: The importance of virtuous principles-comma-instilled into youth-comma-future happiness-welfare in life; it's all pointed. Take it up. I'll just look over this review, and have it ready in ten minutes."

And at it I went. The article I found to be tolerably well written; but the praise awarded to Mr. Thompson's travels became so fulsome, and his production was placed so far above every other publication of this or any other century, that I found it necessary to strike out, alter, and moderate, with considerable freedom.

It was then put into the hands of the compositor, and in the afternoon, I had just spread out a clean proof on the table, when the erudite reviewer again made his appearance, as lean, perpendicular, and intellectual as

ever.

“Good evening to you, sir," he exclaimed. "As I

was casually passing this way, it struck me that I would ask the favor of a proof of my review."

"Certainly, sir. You will perceive, however, that I have availed myself of your polite permission to-tothat is-to-"

"To what?" asked perpendicular, with a stare of surprise and expectation.

I perceived his face darken a little, and a pair of very reasonably large greenish looking eyes peered at me above the spectacles. I am a modest man, and can never summon up energy even to vindicate, with any degree of success, my own rights, unless I get slightly warmed in the argument. His stare and sententiousness combined, rather embarrassed me.

"Why, the fact is, my dear sir, you are—that is, you must be indeed, it is impossible but that you should be-aware that the greatest authors-the most renowned-and-so forth-in the hurry of writing-in

the-"

"The glow of composition," he gravely interrupted. "Exactly so, sir-in the glow of composition, they

sometimes”

“ Oh, yes, I understand some trivial error in grammar-I hope you have carefully corrected any thing of that kind."

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Why, the truth is, my dear sir, your article is really-but-but-in one or two trivial circumstances I' thought that you a little over did the matter, and—” "Sir?"

The crisis had arrived I had got along so far tolera- * bly well, so I buttoned my coat, took a pinch of snuff, and was preparing to go at it again; when the learned reviewer, who had been looking over the proof, exclaimed, with an expression something similar to that of Hamlet, when he perceived the ghost of the old gentleman,

"Why, thunder and lightning, sir! what's all this? why, you've ruined the article for ever! the very best passages, those I had set iny heart on, are cut out!"

"I am sorry, sir, that you are dissatisfied with " "Dissatisfied, sir? I am dissatisfied, sir! I am offended, sir! I am insulted, sir! You have put words in my mouth which I never used. I won't have this pub