it parlor where the parties were left sitting, may be imagined that by this time all except the two whose arrangements imperatively demanded them to hold a conversation in private, had retired for the night, not, however, without sundry remarks on the part of Miss Julia, questioning the prudence of her future brother-in-law's coming out on such an inclement evening, and evincing an ignorance of the state of his feelings much greater than was her actual condition. The private conversation entered into between the young gentleman and lady, it does not comport with the structure of this narrative to present verbatim as it actually occurred, in the form of a dialogue; nor is it necessary to narrate too faithfully scenes which are every day occurring in actual life, and which all intelligent readers can readily fancy for themselves; no! let us not seek To draw our frailties from their dread abode," and harrow up the feelings of less fortunate individuals with tantalizing visions of deal bliss! Let it suffice to give the result, which was, that Miss Catherine Buckwheat promised to become within a ortnight Mrs. Catherine Bacon, should lothing unforeseen occur in the interim to ender a postponement of the ceremony navoidable. The wheels of time rolled rapidly round uring the ensuing two weeks, and brought t length to the happy pair the day which Il true lovers who have been favored by le accomplishment of their wishes, have rer regarded with the eye of retrospection the most joyful occasion of their lives. he parties were legally contracted, acrding to the laws of the State; and in e merry-making which was commenced d prolonged after the departure of the iciating minister, Miss Julia displayed ch a degree of hilarity as proved irretibly attractive to another young genman, resident in the vicinity, who led r to the hymeneal altar some time in the irse of the following year. his purchase by Mr. P. T. Barnum, proprietor of the American Museum. Harry Bacon is following in the footsteps of his father and father-in-law, and continues by strict attention to business, to rise in the esteem and confidence of all having transactions in his line. He is not an ardent politician, but votes uniformly the regular Whig ticket, and begins already to be spoken of as a candidate for the Assembly; he pertinaciously avoids the cunning schemes and intrigues of miserable, reckless, unprincipled, partisan demagogues, but prefers to be regarded by all who have the pleasure of being personally known to him, either politically or otherwise, as an upright, independent, highminded and honorable man-one of whom his country may be proud, and who is an honor to any party or set of men with whom he is found acting in concert. "There!" exclaimed Higgins, wiping the perspiration from his classic forehead, "I wonder what the public will say to that! Just fifteen pages MS.-three pages type-is fifteen dollars; and worth the money. I knew I could write a story, and now I have. Let the furnishing shops of Maiden Lane rejoice! For what I have done I can do again, and hereafter I will luxuriate in an ocean of linen!" One of Higgins's peculiarities is aversion to cotton cloth, which he fancies has an unpleasant electrical effect upon the body; consequently it was but natural that in the first glow of composition, when all writers flatter themselves that they are successful, he should remember a comfort to which he had long aspired with but a faint hope of ever attaining it. After a moment of indulgence in this pleasing illusion, which Higgins is too well broken in to give way to long, he again took his pen and set himself to the labor of correction and punctuation. In the heat of writing he seldom makes any stops but The two young ladies are now blooming periods; often he leaves out words and trons, and one of them, Mrs. Bacon, is phrases, and of late years he not unfremother of two children, the youngest, quently writes an entirely different word infant, considered such a prodigy of from the one his mind intends--a phenomelth and intellectual precocity that the non for which it has puzzled him exceedhors of his being would probably listeningly to account, unless it be that while hout surpise to an offer to negotiate for the reflective faculties are busy with what is to follow, the mechanical part of the mind, or that which is under the control of habit, is left without the superintendence of reason; hence there is just enough perception to see that a word is wanted, and to supply the want, this being all that is required of that set of faculties. In other words, the mind in its labor has a tendency to divide itself into stops like those of an organ, and thus, while the diapason of the great organ is pealing forth a grand solo, it is accompanied by hundreds of pipes in the swell, to complete the harmony: if now the player be so intent upon his diapasons as to let the harmony fall from his mind, we shall have strange suspensions and anticipations (worse than those of modern composers) in the little organ-analogous to the intending one word while the hand writes quite another. As Higgins turned back to the bold commencement of his story, he was even more satisfied with his work than he had been before. He looked upon it and mentally pronounced it "good." Whether he contemplated the plot, the moral bearing, or the style, it seemed every way admi rable. In structure, what could more perfectly resemble a Greek tragedy? Here were no perplexing incidents, none of those thrilling occurrences that draw so severely on the vital energy. There was no scene, like those in some recent novels, intended to recall the sensation one feels who dreams that he is hanging by his fingers' ends to the eaves of a four-story house and no feather-beds underneath! Yet the storm scene was boldly drawn; the colors seemed to be laid on with a master hand, and he felt confident would be thought "strikingly effective." And from that opening to the conclusion, with what rapidity did the action hurry to the denouement! "The course of true love never did run smooth," -ordinarily through obstacles and interruptions, but here its only roughness was the joyful raging of a headlong torrent. Headlong, but not rash, for the love is evidently based on prudence, and the marriage meets the entire approbation of the natural guardians of the fortunate lovers. Herein (he thought) consider the moral effect of the tale. How much more for the happiness of mankind would it be all young persons would imitate the example of these two, and fall in love with each other in the best manner for their pecuniary interest, and so as to gratify the wishes of their legal protectors. What a paradise would this world be if the young would but couple themselves off in every instance so as to please the old! When Higgins reflected thus, he felt sure of the success of his tale. It opened a new field. Hitherto stories had been written to conform to the narrow views of youth; here was one for the aged and wise, for elderly ladies, old-woman courting divines, and fathers of families. Eyerything went on rollers. Buckwheat and Bacon came together as naturally as they ever did at a breakfast table, and eggs with them of course. Alas, how must the Reverend Doctor BAGOWIND, or any other Circassian parent, regret that it is not always so in real life! How must they love to cherish and encourage a writer who could so well present their views of social perfection! And the style also-if here was not an eloquence adapted to the nature of the subject, then Higgins felt he would like to know what could be. How sustained, fu harmonious, increasing in fervor as the interest heightens; and at last rolling fort with all the sonorousness, ponderosity, an novelty of expression characterizing a tre mendous political leader! The man wh could command such a style as that, He gins was sure, would be deemed by tiunanimous voice of the respectable pubs an individual to make sinners trembl They would delight to honor him. Th would elevate him to some station whe he might have enlarged means of use. ness, and greater ability to advocate Sacredness of Labor, and the claims suffering Humanity-to say nothing fine linen, a luxury unknown to some our apostles of Ignorance. In short, o manding such a style, he felt confident public would admit his competency write the LEADING EDITORIALS in any Whig newspaper in this commer metropolis. No wonder he felt jo he no longer need suffer anxiety in sei opportunity to earn his daily bread. The study of Foreign Corresponder an admirable school for style, and, if had the time to devote to it, no deal would be found extremely profitable. i instance, take an extract from a morning paper : "It will be recollected that for some weeks past, the momentous question of extinguishing both existing bodies, and of erecting from their materials a thorough national brotherhood, under the designation of the Irish League,' had occupied the attentive consideration of the leaders on both sides, such proposed 'League' to embrace within its comprehensive compass all parties desirous of achieving a national independence and the arguments, as well for a universal reconciliation, as for a more combined direction of national arms, had so far proceeded that a programme or sketch of the proposed terms had been prepared, and so far as the preliminaries had been disclosed, they have a fair token of a satisfactory effectuation. This synopsis of the future mode of action, has especial regard to relative prejudices and scruples, but reserves the unquestionable right of an appeal to arms should the pacific intentions of the proposed body, and the acts of the council of Three Hundred, be obstructed by force on the part of the Government; and it was further required by the Confederation, that pending the election of the Council, the people should be organized and armed, as auxiliary to the enforcement of its decrees, and for the purpose of effectually resisting its certain proscription by the Lord Lieutenant." My friend Smith says this affects him like hearing the air of Yankee Doodle played upon an ophiclide, or seeing the car of Tom Thumb drawn by a weak-kneed elephant. For my own part, I confess my inability to appreciate all the forms of art; my nerves are not strong enough to sustain great oneration, and I do not willingly approach such ponderous masses of language. Higgins would probably have considered this a model extract. For he went on with unstinted admiration, pointing and perfecting his work, till he came to the last page, when he was surprised to hear a little Ha-ha! close at his ear. Lifting his green eye-shade, what should he see but his fairy friend, leaning with one leg over the other, on the corner of his inkstand, and holding his sides with his hands as if to keep from bursting with mirth. Higgins, with all his respect for his Princeship, felt that there was something annoying in having his reverie broken by such unseasonable jollity, and drew back, as much as to say, "What do you mean by this?" The Prince waved his hand depreca VOL. II. NO. II. NEW SERIES. 13 tingly, and as soon as he could speak—“I beg your pardon," said he, "Higgins, you must excuse me, but really, it was so droll. Now don't be offended, my dear fellow, don't indeed. I will make amends for my rudeness if you will not." The brilliant in his cap gleamed as he spoke like the Cuba lantern fly, and Higgins saw the gilt-leaved Shakspeare sticking out of the side-pocket of his doublet. "Offended!" said Higgins, "by no means. I am but too glad your Highness has allowed me to pay my respects to you again only your coming was rather unexpected, and-in short-happening just at that moment, I fancied you might be laughing at my writing." 66 So I was,' said Prince Hobok, with truly royal frankness; "how could I help it? you intended it to be funny, did you not?" "Will your Highness be so good as to show me wherein the wit consists ?" asked Timothy, a little piqued. "I flattered myself that I had written an interesting domestic tale, cheerful in character, it is true, but not laughable. The incidents are certainly pleasing, and, for the style, I have imitated, nay, daguerreotyped, a kind of writing which must be popular with the public, since they require so much of it." "That is the very thing," replied Hobok.“ "I see nothing funny in your incidents, such as they are. There might have been more of them, but then your piece is not long. It is your notion of narrating them in such a way, that makes the whole seem to me so ludicrous. You appear to think that if you can only keep up a certain pompous oscillation of your sentences, it is no matter whether there be anything in them or not. "This will do very well, Higgins, for newspaper articles, foreign letters, political addresses, resolutions, and such stuff; in those things, words do not seem to have any distinct individual force; people read them in clauses, and with indefinite ideas; they are intended to affect more by sound than by sense. Hence the first rule in such writing is to keep up the swing; to accomplish this, the second is to never say anything directly, but always wrapped in periphrasis. Impress on your mind that you have paper enough, and ink and quills enough; if you can imagine so many columns to fill, more or less, it is, as I need not inform a Foreign Correspondent, a great assistance. But the chief secret is, keep up your dignity. Place yourself in the attitude of a superior intelligence, and speak condescendingly; image the whole Power of the Press embodied in yourself; behold mighty ones shrinking beneath your majestic periods; think you see oceans of heads, nodding approval, or cringing awe beneath your avalanchine paragraphs. Then you will do it. "But, Higgins, (continued the miniature critic,) I doubt whether such a style be so popular as you imagine. Newspapers among you depend but a little for their success upon good writing. Hence they require less literary ability than business tact. I rather suspect that unless you have extensive machinery for forcing your stories upon the public, and an unlimited power of production, you will not find it for your profit to make the journalist style your model. You will pardon my frankness, Higgins, but really, I think you would do better by taking almost any other." Timothy was a good deal chagrined to find his dream vanishing, but he is accustomed to disappointment, and he could not but feel that there was truth in all this, which was better known soon than too late. "But what am I to do?" said he; "must I write correspondence to the end of my days, and never know the luxury of linen? I have a terribly active fancy. The gates of business are shut against me. Must I turn hack writer, and sell my soul (under favor) to the devil? Not while there are oysters to be opened! Not while I have fingers and can steal!" No danger of your coming to that," said the fairy Prince, smiling at his perplexity. "Be resolute, and read your Shakspeare. When you write, never assume any style but that which is born of sincerity. Leave the affectations to those that pawn truth before all other goods, to procure surplus capital. Go on easily, in the path of common sense. Do not be sentimental. Study your art, and avoid philosophy, which is art turned wrong side out. Permit those who cannot manage you to call you ill-tempered, without letting it make you so. It is the first instinct of lit 'Meanwhile, Higgins, to put care out of your mind, and reward you for your patience in listening to this advice, what say you for a frolic?" Semper paratus!" exclaimed our friend, who is worthy to be companion of a prince, inasmuch as he is a prince of good fellows; "it jumps with my humor; I'm tired of this writing, and all that concerns it. But what shall we do? You are not Goliath. Shall I carry you on the brim of my hat to see the Opera House? You have nothing more delightful, I dare say, in your own dominions." Would you like to see ?" said the Prince. "There is a fête to-night, given by the Lord of Tillietudlem, to celebrate the marriage of his son with a mountain fairy from the Highlands of Paterson. I am priv ileged to invite a guest. Shakspeare has made me a lover of humanity, and I have studied the secret arts of transformation.” "Is there no risk in it?" asked Higgins "Not the least. Only you must be careful about our young ladies; they-” "Nay, if that is all, never fear me; I am ice-granite--adamant!" Well, then," said Hobok, "bolt your door, blow out your light, and compose your mountain of a head on your elbows so that it may rest easy while you are gone, and we'll be off in a twinkling. Higgins did so, and then Hobok standing on the top of the inkstand, reached u and cried in a loud voice in his ear:"Boskos thromuldo, Boskos vauvado, Kerelybonto!" In a moment Higgins found himse transformed into a fairy gentleman, making his obeisance to the Prince, on the cover a his Ainsworth's Dictionary. He too la wings, and a gem in his cap, not as b liant as the other, but very bright; togeth er they made the room quite light, and Higgins jumped down from the dictionary and walked round his own head, dealing several heavy blows at his nose (now sno- | ring tremendously) without producing the slightest effect-much to the Prince's amusement. "But come," said he, presently, "try your wings, Egino; we must be off." Higgins leaped boldly from the table, and alighted on the carpet. Again spreading his tiny pinions, with a very slight exertion of his dorsal and pectoral muscles, he found himself upon the table. He then made several short excursions round the apartment; hovered for an instant, like a humming-bird, before the dial of his watch, and saw that it was almost eleven o'clock; darted up and down, and to and fro, until he felt sure of his powers, and could have leaped off Table Rock as indifferently as a lady steps from a carriage. Then the Prince taking him by the hand, the two sailed swiftly from the open window, and flew up Broadway. The Prince judged it best, on account of Higgins's inexperience in volitation, to take the course of the telegraph wires in crossing the river, in order that, if need were, they might halt and rest themselves. The distance was nothing; for fairies, we know, fly faster than rifle bullets. They found the wires crowded with others who had taken the same precaution, hundreds and hundreds, many of whom recognized the Prince's brilliant, and saluted him by placing the backs of their hands to their foreheads. Higgins got on without the least fatigue; but the event still showed the Prince's judgment, for, when they were little more than half over, a nighthawk made a plunge very near them, which terrible noise so frightened Higgins that they were obliged to cling for a few moments to the wire before he could recover his nerve. With all this interruption, however, it was not probably five minutes after leaving the chamber before they stood at the entrance of a grotto in the hilly ledge above Tillietudlem. "Here we are," said the Prince, "safe and sound. I trembled a little for you when that swarm of gnats came so near us, and was half minded to send for Zakra, my minister of war; but I held my hand over my cap, and they did not see us. Otherwise we should have had fifty thousand of them pitching against our foreheads, and should never have got through the crowd till after dewfall.” While he said this, they had passed within the rock, through a dark rift which gradually opened into an imbowered walk, that in turn, as they went on, opened into numerous others, and finally into wide lawns and spaces where were fountains and arbors, and thickets of roses. Myriads of dainty creatures thronged these beautiful gardens, and walked, and chatted, and flitted gracefully to and fro; some dancing to the music of diminutive harps; some sitting apart and whispering softly in the | cups of water-lilies; some reading alone, or in groups, from poets known to scholars from him that dreamed beneath "the medlar tree," down to some whose living voices Higgins has heard, as well as I, and hopes to hear again. All among the trees and flowering shrubs, moved innumerable lights, differing in brilliance, but whose splendor gave infinite variety to the scene. For wherever were gathered thick groups and bevies of spirits, there it was very light; while in other places the presence of one or two threw only a richness upon the dark green foliage. As they went on, the numbers that surrounded them increased, and the light became brighter than that of day. The walks were in some places quite thronged; but the Prince seemed universally known, and the revellers everywhere made way for him with gestures of respect, which he graciously acknowledged by waving his hand. Presently they came in sight of the royal palace, and could see its spires and roof blazing with light, which proceeded from seventeen great vases of fire arranged along its front. Ascending a slight rise in the pathway, they beheld its grand façade of columns and porticos, and a noble sight it was. The columns were Persian, twisted and fluted, and they had Corinthian capitals, and architraves of garlands of flowers, and friezes of bas reliefs; and they were composed of porphyry and jasper; and the garlands and bas reliefs were colored like nature. The walls of the palace were of white marble, and it was surmounted by many fantastic domes. As they drew near, they saw in front of the palace a great throne erected, whereon, the Lord of Tillietudlem was seated, sup |