judgment, will now pass away. Go, go, Henry-return soon, and bless me with the news that you are happy, and in this way."

Philosopher as Sedley was, we cannot allow him to philosophize too far. We will not, therefore, pretend that he again walked forth coolly to consider over his mother's advice. No, cynic or not, human nature is very powerful at twenty-four. On the contrary, we are constrained to admit that he flew to the house of Dr. Sandford with most unphilosophical speed, being urged by a feeling which sets cool reason at defiance.

Why should we dwell upon an interview, which though gratifying in the highest degree, to the parties concerned, has always been deemed insipid in the eyes of the lookers on? Why repeat the particulars of a tetea-tete, which, while it reflected honor, candor, and manly feeling on the one party, neither detracted from the feminine delicacy and refined feelings of the other, nor subjected her to the charge of coquetry and heartlessness? Sedley obtained permission to seek her father's consent, which was given with dignified frankness, and with the independent air of approbation which was worthy of such a father.

In the meanwhile, very different were the feelings and the cogitations of Hanbury. A humiliating sense of the duplicity which might have been practised upon him, came with appalling weight over his recollection. It is remarkable, that however quiescent we may be under an imputation derogatory to the moral character, an insinuation, or even a thought against our wisdom, will provoke our indignation. So was it with Frank Hanbury. The idea that a parcel of fellows, whom he now began to despise, should have made him the tool of their necessities, and, probably, the butt of their mirth and scorn, stung him to the quick. His resolution was soon made up; for, notwithstanding the bias of his friend's mind, and his general prejudices against society, Hanbury knew that he had well read the human character; and, from the number and pertinence of his inquiries, he suspected that his friend knew more, both of his affairs and the persons connected with them, than he did himself.

He was not long allowed to remain in doubt, for on his return home an unusual scene awaited him. His father required his attendance in a private room, where, without circumlocution, he drew forth a letter and bade him read it. It was as if a basilisk had met his eyes.-It was from the executors of Joseph de Barre, lately deceased, demanding payment of the sum of six thousand dollars, with legal interest on the same. The letter itself had come inclosed in one to the elder Mr. Hanbury, whose anger upon receipt of it was beyond control.

"So, sir," exclaimed he, as his son refolded the letter,—"so, sir, not content with draining my purse to the very dregs,-not satisfied with casting away a liberal allowance, which has always, and too readily, been overpaid,—you must resort to paltry, spendthrift means like this, to raise money for your extravagances. How is this, sir,-how dare you for a moment to imagine such conduct will meet pardon, to say nothing of sanction, from me?"

"My dear sir, "replied Frank," I confess this looks unfavorably towards me, but let me explain, dear father, and you will find”—

"Explain, sir,--what explanation-unfavorably-how else should it look? It looks vilely-look here, sir,---look at the date of the bond, this wretched ran saction has taken place, since you knew my strongest sentiments with

regard to your extravagance,—since, wretched boy, since. But you and they, your abettors in this nefarious act, shall find that my kindness has a limit-and, though you are my only child-nay, though you were my only eye-I would pluck you forth and cast you from me, if you involve yourself in disgrace and dishonor."

"Sir," replied Frank, firmly but respectfully, "I have neither incurred disgrace nor dishonor. You, sir, have a right to use what terms you please in your remonstrances, and I submit to them with respect; but let I have been no one else dare to insinuate the words as applied to me. guilty of indiscretion, sir,-I have suffered myself, I fear, to be abused-grossly abused-and probably have been subjecting myself both to inconvenience and misrepresentation for those who care only for their own advantage; but believe me, sir, there is nothing even in this last and worst affair, that attaches a stain upon either my morals or my integrity."

"Do not tell me, young man---don't tell me---can any one touch pitch and not be defiled? Can your necessities---yours Frank, have been such, that you, an only son, an indulged, beloved son--could neither ask your father nor your friend to advise you, or assist you-but a rascally money-lender must be your resort? And what a sum too---but of that I say nothing---the principle, the principle, is the thing. O that I should have lived to see the day, that the pride of my heart-the staff which I proposed for my declining years---should thus miserably deceive every hope, and become an associate with gamblers, money-lenders, the very off-scouring of society."-"But I will never pay it sir," added he hastily, "your sins and follies be on your own head---try your associates now,---see if among them you will find an equivalent for the friends you cast behind you. I will never pay it--never, never." "My dear father," replied Frank, "again and again, I assure you, that you mistake the character of this transaction. Weak, foolish it is, I admit. It has involved me in distress, and which is worse, it has given pain to your heart, sir,--but I repeat that it was indiscretion, not vice, that brought me to it.

This very morning, my friend Sedley convinced me, when I confessed to him this folly, that I had incurred it, for worthless objects,—and I had resolved before this interview, to struggle through the difficulty which now environs me in the best manner I might be able, without allowing your peace to be disturbed; and, never to implicate myself again either in such a manner, or for such persons."

"So, then, Frank, Mr. Sedley knows of this affair."

"I confessed it to him this morning, sir, and it is to him that I am indebted for opening my eyes. I cannot enough regret my folly, in having involved myself, to serve the selfish. Whichever way, I turn, I meet subjects of mortification to my vanity, and Sedley, was indeed right, when he said my worst fault was my incapacity to say no to a scoundrel.”

The anger of this indulgent father, was short-lived, and as he looked upon his darling son,---as he saw him with unblenching cheek, but with modest firmness, enter upon his extenuation---he felt that there could be but little to lament for him, beyond the payment of a pecuniary debt-a payment too, which might be attended with consequences of the most valuable and important description, to the future mind and conduct of his son. He, therefore, gradually resumed his wonted tone of affection. Young Hanbury detailed to his father, the series of difficulties into which his too VOL. I.

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facile disposition had plunged him, and it was concluded that all should be cleared off, and forgotten, retaining only the blessed fruits of experience, and the new strength, which there was every probability, the high minded well principled young man would exert.

One thing only the old gentleman stipulated, and indeed insisted upon; that actions should be commenced against the parties for the recovery of the several debts. "Not," said Mr. Hanbury, "that you want the money, Frank, but we must not commit such an injury to society, as to allow juggling and swindling to get off successfully. Such would be but offering premiums to fresh attempts."

Frank was obliged to submit to this arrangement. In fact it was one of which Sedley approved most cordially. Dighton, however, saved him much trouble on that head, for, two mornings after these arrangements he received the following note:-"DEAR FRANK, I have received from home a most urgent summons, my father wishes to send me to Europe upon some especial business, and I am obliged to depart instantly from New-York; as soon as I reach Charleston, I will arrange with my father the little matter between us. I regret that time would not allow me to make my adieu personally,--but I trust we shall hear from each other, from time to time; meanwhile, believe me, &c." Hanbury, handed the note over to his father, who, after reading it, said in a jocular tone, "we are very much obliged to the gentleman; Frank, we may save our powder and shot at the least. I suppose the death of your good friend and banker has given him alarms. But there is more in it than I yet see."

The time now drew near for the nuptials of Sedley and his Ellen, when one morning Frank was summoned by his friend to accompany them to the house, which had been prepared for their reception, particularly to examine a splendid library which was just finished and furnished. What was the surprise of Hanbury on seeing the whole of the beautiful Summerfield collection, cases and all, occupying a place in that library, and the remaining compartments fitted up to match with them. He stared with astonishment, as his friend smiled upon him. "Ah!" said he at length, "little did I deem Harry, that you knew so well the history of my follies, when you broke in with so many awkward questions upon me; but how is this? I certainly did believe that Dighton had bought these books, in very truth; why should the fellow's duplicity carry him so very far into the depths of shameless falsehood?" "You are yourself the cause, my dear Frank,-you have given such facilities to imposture by your easy credulity, that nothing has been too barefaced to be set before you. Dighton knew you would neither know nor inquire further after any tale which a friend should tell; hence the library story was one of the most plausible that he could fabricate. Little did I suspect into whose hands they would come at last; would I had known the truth in time; but it was the nefarious trick of that man, which set me upon the look out for the rest of your harpies. Well, well,” replied Hanbury, "all is well now, the rascals have been the cause of goodly lessons to us both, for I think, neither of us have spared the other. However, you are the greater gainer;-for" bowing towards Ellen, "you have gained a treasure, and lost a heart-burning. I have only gained experience;-and you henceforth-don't frown at the word, will view the world more, and I less— Couleur de Rose."

STEAM AND ITS EFFECTS.

"Who would have imagined that a little turned-up nose, would have overthrown the laws of an empire ?" MARMONTEL.

SUCH are the words which were put into the mouth of the officer of the Grand Seignior, the unreflecting slave of sensual pleasure. How forcibly and how strongly may we paraphrase it by exclaiming, "who would have imagined that the boiling of a man's pot would be able to change the condition of a world." The supposition is now hardly absurd, however the idea may make us smile, that, presently every man may take a ride out upon his own teakettle. Certain it is, that when the Marquis of Worcester pleased himself with the idea of having discovered a new power, in the vapor that escaped from his boiling vessel,--though his capacious mind fore. saw that an important assistant to human labor would arise from it, yet never in his wildest dreams did he dare to imagine the extensive, the almost contradictory uses to which it has since been made subservient.

What bold hand indeed could engage to enumerate, not the extent, but the mere number of the advantages to be derived from this all-important auxiliary. By its aid we thresh our grain and winnow it, we grind it; we convey our produce from one extremity of a territory to another by it in the most expeditious manner; we spin, we weave, we even make boots and shoes, we pump, we excavate, we lift the greatest weights, we warm the house, we wash,---we also dry, we travel by land and by water, we fight the enemy, we almost speak,---at least we print--nay we roast as well as boil,---bring our provisions to the table, and take them away-these are advantages, "cum multis aliis," which we owe to improvements in steam machinery,-yet nothing is more true than that "steam is yet in its infancy." If these and hundreds more are the benefits we already receive from this powerful auxiliary,--to what a height of imagination may we not soar without being censured for extravagance,-seeing that every day produces new lights, and that hardly a project is attempted which does not succeed to even more than the hopes of the projectors.

In no countries of the world are these advantages more manifest than in those of Great Britain and America. The former, partly on account of her immense commerce, and partly from her enormous taxation, has found it incumbent to improve her manufactures, and to keep down the expense of producing them in every possible way. Hence, there is not a species of manufactured article, except those produced here and there by a poor artizan without a capital, not a single ponderous work, either within or without doors, of any magnitude, but it is performed by the agency of the steam engine. The latter, possessing unexampled facilities for interior water-carriage, has, by joining communications by means of rail-roads or of canals, made communication by water as easy and as diverse as the post roads of the old world, and as she abounds in forests, and therefore possesses abundance of fuel, and as all her rivers communicate directly with some grand emporium of commerce, so by applying her steam power to boats of great burden, she is enabled to transmit the produce of her soil in any quantity for hundreds of miles, as easily as the European farmer conveys his poor cartload of grain to the next market town.

But not only is the condition of mankind altered by the introduction of this wonderful agent;---but the political destinies of a whole world may also be essentially affected by it. A late writer on the subject has shown that the application of steam at sea, as well as in rivers, may be extensively and importantly effected. Of that we are aware, having ourselves made larger experiments upon the subject, than any other nation in the world; but its applicabilities in general naval warfare, is as yet but a theory amongst us, notwithstanding we boast of having had steam frigates on the lakes. That experiment was in a confined space, and on a comparatively smooth surface ;but Mr. Paixhans, the writer to whom we allude, has shown that in general fights by sea, we may in future find it the principal operative.

Now, fortunately for the peace of the community in this our happy couniry, we are too far removed from the belligerents who trouble the earth, to be seriously affected by the squabbles in which they are continually involved; and our own political maxim being, never to be engaged ourselves, in a war of pure aggression,-it may be said that the prospect of change or improvement in warlike operations cannot interest us in the degree that they should the pugnacious citizens of Europe. But this would be a mistake. The love of peace, which is so pervading a feeling with us, is itself a reason for studying the art of war in all its branches; for it is notorious that there is no more efficacious mode of preserving peace than that of showing ourselves ready and fit for war. Few persons molest the dog, that has sharp teeth, and that now and then exhibits them to the teazing way-farer.

To be supine or careless in such a matter, would argue not only bad policy, but also ignorance of human nature. Ambition, and the love of conquest are powerful motives of action; and though mankind may be inclined to respect the non-resisting principles of a certain denomination of Christians, as a moral characteristic,—they will have no remorse in attacking the same principle when applied to politics. To be either unable, therefore, or unwilling to enter the lists with the children of tumult is to provoke their hostility, whilst on the contrary, a prepared front, with an equal degree of improvement in tactics, is a sure safeguard from licentious aggression.

We are besides, a maritime nation ;---second to none on the face of the earth unless we allow that palm to our ancient mother, whose commercial relations are the accumulation of centuries,-improved by the political principle of the British nation, that in commerce and nautical superiority her strength is best founded. In this principle we as a nation coincide, and this it must be our best policy to defend. Steam vessels of war then, must be ours, as certainly as they will be those of other civilized nations, and as superiority is in the ratio of skill and experience, we should do wisely in giving a serious consideration towards an art, which in itself has a tendency to level all superiority,-and by making ourselves masters of its present powers, and thereby opening to ourselves new lights in this theory, enable ourselves to preserve the superiority which we now enjoy.

Thus much by way of introduction. It is proposed upon early future occasions to enlarge farther on the subject of steam, both as applied to arts and commerce, and to war. We do not fear its proving a dull subject, save as it may be handled in an imperfect manner,-as the universal admission of its importance will be likely to keep awake public attention.