LETTER III.

New York,

Dear Sir, I have delayed replying to your letter of the ult. until I could find time to make the necessary inquiries about the circumstances to which you allude. I am sorry to inform you that these inquiries have been altogether fruitless, and that I am consequently unable, at present, to give you the desired information. If, hereafter, any thing shall come to light which may aid you in your researches, it will give me great pleasure to communicate with you upon the subject. I am, Dear Sir, your friend and servant,

It is due from me to advise you that the communication of the ult. addressed by you to myself involves some error. It is evident that you have mistaken me for some other person of the same surname, as I am altogether ignorant of the circumstances to which you refer. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

LETTER V.

St. Mark's Place, New York, Dear Sir,-Your obliging letter of the was received in due course of mail, and I am gratified by your good opinion. At the same time my numerous engagements will render it out of my power to send you any communication for your valuable Magazine, "The Humdrum,' for some months to come at least. Wishing you all success, and with many thanks for your attention. I remain, sir, your humble servant,

JOSEPH E. MILLer, Esq.

I. Faumere Cooper

Mr. Cooper's MS. is bad-very bad. There is no | the letter to Mr. Miller, the MS. is of a petite and distinctive character about it, and it appears to be unformed. The writing will probably be different in other letters. Upon reference we find this to be the fact. In

New York,

finicky appearance, and looks as if scratched with a steel pen-the lines are crooked. The paper is fine, and of a bluish tint. A wafer is used.

LETTER VI.

My Dear Sir, I owe you a very humble apology for not answering sooner your flatterult. The truth is, being from home when your letter reached my residence, my reply fell into the ever open grave of deferred duties.

ing epistle of the

As regards the information you desire I regret that it is out of my power to aid you. My studies and pursuits

have been directed, of late years, in so very different a channel, that I am by no means au fait on the particular subject you mention. Believe me, with earnest wishes for your success, Very respectfully yours,

JOSEPH F. MILLER, ESQ.

The penmanship of Miss Sedgwick is excellent. The characters are well-sized, distinct, elegantly, but not ostentatiously formed; and, with perfect freedom of manner, are still sufficiently feminine. The hair strokes of the pen differ little in thickness from the other parts of the MS.-which has thus a uniform ap

Cettisedgwich

pearance it might not otherwise have. Strong common sense, and a scorn of superfluous ornament, one might suppose, from Miss Sedgwick's hand writing, to be the characteristics of her literary style. The paper is very good, blue in tint, and ruled by machine. The seal of red wax, plain.

LETTER VII.

New York,

Dear Sir, I have received your favor of the The report to which it alludes was entirely without foun dation. I have never had, and have not now, any intention of editing a Magazine. The Bookseller's statement on this subject originated in a misunderstanding.

Your Poem on "Things in General," I have not had the pleasure of seeing. I have not, however, the least doubt of its-of its-that is to say, of its extreme delicacy of sentiment, and highly original style of thinkingto say nothing at present of that-of that extraordinary and felicitous manner of expression which so particularly characterizes all that-that I have seen of your writings. I shall endeavor, sir, to procure your Poem, and anticipate much pleasure in its perusal. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOSEPH G. MILLER, Esq.

Mr. Halleck's is a free, mercantile hand, and evinces ensemble is pleasing. Mr. H.'s letter is probably written a love for the graceful rather than for the picturesque.currente calamo-but without hurry. The paper is very There is some force, too, in its expression. The tout good, and bluish-the seal of red wax.

Dear Sir,-Your polite letter of the is before me, and the view which you present of the estimation in which you hold my poor labors is every way gratifying. It would afford me great pleasure to send you a few trifles for the Hum-drum, which I have no doubt will prove a very useful periodical if its design is well carried out-but the truth is my time is entirely occupied.

JOSEPH H. MILLER, ESQ.

The writing in this letter has a fidgetty appearance, and would seem to indicate a mind without settled aims-restless and full of activity. Few of the characters are written twice in the same manner, and their direction varies continually. Sometimes the words lie perpendicularly on the page-then slope to the right

Yours,

Simothy Whit

then, with a jerk, fly off in an opposite way. The thickness, also, of the MS. is changeable-sometimes the letters are very light and fine-sometimes excessively heavy. Upon a casual glance at Mr. F.'s epistle, one might mistake it for an imitation of a written letter by a child.. The paper is bad-and wafered. LETTER IX.

Philadelphia,

compliments to Mr. Miller. She has no knowledge of the person spoken of in Mr. Miller's note, and is quite certain there must be some mistake in the statement alluded to.

MS.) that Miss L. regards rather the effect of her writings as a whole than the polishing of their constituent parts, The penmanship is rotund, and the words are always finished with an inward twirl. The paper tolerable—

Several persons of our acquaintance, between whose | We might, also, by straining a point, imagine (from the mental character and that of Miss Leslie we have fancied a strong similitude, write a hand almost identical with this lady's-yet we are unable to point out much in the MS. itself according with the literary peculiarities of Miss L. Neatness and finish, without over-cffemi- and wafered. nacy, are, perhaps, the only features of resemblance.

LETTER X.

Boston,

Dear Sir,-I have your favor of the For the present I must decline replying to the queries you have propounded. Be pleased to accept my thanks for the flattering manner in which you speak of my Lecture. Dear Sir, very faithfully, yours,

JOSEPH K. MILLER, ESQ.

I am,

Edward Everett.

Here is a noble MS. It has an air of deliberate pre- | judgment or otherwise. We may venture to say, howcision about it emblematic of the statesman; and a ever, that he will not attain the loftiest pinnacles of mingled solidity and grace speaking the scholar. Noth- renown. The paper is excellent-stout yet soft-with ing can be more legible. The words are at proper in- gilt edges. The seal of red wax, with an oval device tervals-the lines also are at proper intervals, and per- bearing the initials E. E. and surrounded with a scroll, fectly straight. There are no superfluous flourishes. on which are legible only the word cum and the letters The man who writes thus will never grossly err in c. o. r. d. a.

LETTER XI.

New York,

My Dear Sir,-I must be pardoned for refusing your request touching your MS. "Treatise on Pigs." I was obliged, some years ago, to come to the resolution not to express opinions of works sent to me. A candid opinion of those whose merit seemed to me small, gave offence, and I found it the best way to avoid a judgment in any case. I hope this will be satisfactory. I am, my Dear Sir, very respectfully yours,

JOSEPH L. MILLER, ESQ.

Machenglin Irving

due sense of the picturesque. There may be something, however, in the circumstance that the epistle to Mr. Miller is evidently written in a desperate hurry. Paper very indifferent, and wafered.

Mr. Irving's hand writing is common-place. There | ance, showing (strange to say)-an eye deficient in a is nothing indicative of genius about it. Neither could any one suspect, from such penmanship, a high finish in the author's compositions. This style of writing is more frequently met with than any other. It is a very usual clerk's hand-scratchy and tapering in appear

LETTER XII.

Boston,

Sir,-In reply to your note of the in which you demand if I am "the author of a certain scurrilous attack upon Joseph M. Miller, in the Daily Polyglot of the ult." I have to say that I am happy in knowing nothing about the attack, the Polyglot, or yourself.

LETTER XIII.

Dear Sir, I have received your note of the ult. and its contents puzzle me no little. I fear it will be impossible to give a definitive reply to an epistle so enigmatically worded. Please write again.

JOSEPH N. MILLER, Esq.

This is our beau ideal of penmanship. Its prevailing pose Mr. Kennedy to have the eye of a painter, more character is picturesque. This appearance is given by terminating every letter abruptly, without tapering, and by using no perfect angles, and none at all which are not spherical. Great uniformity is preserved in the whole air of the MS.-with great variety in the constituent parts. Every character has the clearness and blackness of a bold wood-cut, and appears to be placed upon the paper with singular precision. The long letters do not rise or fall in an undue degree above the line. From this specimen of his hand writing, we should sup

especially in regard to the picturesque-to have refined tastes generally-to be exquisitely alive to the proprieties of life-to possess energy, decision, and great talent-to have a penchant also for the bizarre. The paper is very fine, clear and white, with gilt edges--the seal neat and much in keeping with the MS. Just sufficient wax, and no more than sufficient, is used for the impression, which is nearly square, with a lion's head in full alto relievo, surrounded by the motto "il parle par tout."

LETTER XIV.

Philadelphia,

Dear Sir,-Enclosed is your letter of the ult. addressed to Dr. Robert M. Bird, Philadelphia. From the contents of the note it is evidently not intended for myself. There is, I believe, a Dr. Robert Bird, who resides somewhere in the Northern Liberties-also several Robert Birds in different parts of the city. Very respectfully, your obedient, humble servant,

JOSEPH O. MILLER, ESQ.

Robt. M.Bird

and an uneasy want of finish seems to have been the consequence. A restless and vivid imagination might be deduced from this MS. It has no little of the pictu resque also. The paper good-wafered and sealed.

Dr. Bird's chirography is by no means bad-still it | the air of not being able to keep pace with the thought, cannot be called good. It is very legible and has force. There is some degree of nervousness about it. It bears a slight resemblance to the writing of Miss Leslie, especially in the curling of the final letters-but is more open, and occupies more space. The characters have

LETTER XV.

Oak Hill,

Dear Sir, I have received your polite letter of the, and will have no objection to aid you in your enterprise by such information as I can afford. There are many others, however, who would be much better able to assist you in this matter than myself. When I get a little leisure you shall hear from me again. I am, Dear Sir, with respect, your obedient,

Marshal

JOSEPH P. MILLER, ESQ.

ning diagonally across the paper. A wide margin is on the left side of the page, with none at all on the right. The whole air of the MS. in its utter simplicity, is strikingly indicative of the man. The paper is a half sheet of coarse foolscap, wafered.

The hand writing of the Chief Justice is not unlike | hair stroke. The lines are exceedingly crooked, runthat of Neal-but much better and more legible. The habit of running two words into one (a habit which we noticed in Neal) is also observable in the Chief Justice. The characters are utterly devoid of ornament or unnecessary flourish, and there is a good deal of abruptness about them. They are heavy and black, with very little

LETTER XVI.

Baltimore, Dear Sir,-I have received your letter of the ult. in which you do me the honor of requesting an autograph." In reply, I have to say, that if this scrawl will answer your purpose it is entirely at your service.

Yours respectfully,

Mr. Wirt's hand writing has a strong resemblance | black, strong, clear, and very neat. It is, upon the to that of his friend John P. Kennedy-it is by no means, however, as good, and has too much tapering about it to be thoroughly picturesque. The writing is

whole, little in accordance with the character of Mr. W.'s compositions. The lines are crooked. The paper bluish and English-wafered.

LETTER XVII.

Washington,

Dear Sir,-In answer to your kind inquiries concerning my health, I am happy to inform you that I was never better in my life. I cannot conceive in what manner the report to which you allude could have originated. Believe me with the highest respect, your much obliged friend and servant,

Judge Story's is a very excellent hand, and has the | MS. is decidedly picturesque. The lines are at equal air of being written with great rapidity and ease. It is rotund, and might be characterized as a rolling hand. The direction of the letters occasionally varies from right to left, and from left to right. The same peculiarity was observable in Mr. Flint's. Judge Story's

distances, but lie diagonally on the page. The paper good, of a bluish tint, and folded to form a marginal line. The seal of red wax, and stamped with a common compting-house stamp.

LETTER XVIII.

New York,

My Dear Sir,-I thank you for the hints you have been so kind as to give me in relation to my next edition of the "Voyage," but as that edition has already gone to press, it will be impossible to avail myself of your attention until the sixth impression. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOSEPH S. MILLER, ESQ.

Mynicas

We are not partial to Mr. Reynolds' style of chiro- | There is much freedom, but no strength about it. The graphy. It is a common mercantile hand, in which the paper good, and wafered. words taper off from their beginning to their end.

LETTER XIX.

Portland, Dear Sir, I have no knowledge of your owing me the small sum sent in your letter of the, and consequently I re-enclose you the amount.. You will no doubt be able to discover and rectify the mistake.

JOSEPH T. MILLER, ESQ.

Very truly yours,

Mr. Brooks writes a very good hand, strong, bold, | rectness of conception. The lines are even-and the and abrupt-highly indicative of the author's peculiar words at proper intervals. The paper good-and features of mind. These are nervous common sense, wafered.

without tinsel or artificiality, and a straight forward di

LETTER XX.

Washington,

Sir,-I shall be better enabled to answer your letter about "certain mysterious occurrences," of which you desire an explanation, when you inform me explicitly (and I request you will do this) what are the mysterious occurrences to which you allude.

JOSEPH V. MILLER, ESQ.

The chirography of the Ex-President is legible- ornament. Black lines seem to have been used. A but has an odd appearance, on account of the wa- margin is preserved to the right and left. The proporvering of the capitals and long letters. The writing tion of the letters is well maintained throughout. The is clear, somewhat heavy, and picturesque-without paper common, and wafered.

in which you complain of my neglect in not replying - ult. I do assure you, sir, that the letters have never come