"I beg a thousand pardons," he answered, "I am Doctor Eck, from Frankfort. I have for a long time had in consideration the peculiar procreation of mankind, and at last have succeeded in the formation of a brilliant theory, that I intend to promulgate in a series of lectures; and I would therefore solicit"

"I am sorry," interrupted the merchant, "but I am opposed to all theories that cannot be promptly applied to the concerns of life. Away with your air-castles, fog-projects and chimeras! I am very sorry."

The poor doctor perspired with anxiety; and scarcely able to speak, he looked pitiably at the subscription list in his hand, and stammered out something of patrons and down-trodden sons of Minerva; but his voice faded into an indistinguishable murmur. The merchant regarded him for a moment with a sarcastic smile, then took the list and wrote a line. It must have been a very important line, for the face of the doctor brightened with a heartfelt laugh as he busied himself to lay more papers upon the desk. The merchant motioned him away, saying, "No matter! It is a pleasure to me when my signature can be of use to a meritorious and learned man, even if personally I derive no profit from his talents. Your theory and my practice are very different; an interchange of ideas that are so directly opposed, leads only to endless confusion. Farewell!"

The doctor retired, and made room for a man who pressed close up, and without further ceremony began: "Mr. Mohrfeld, your 'Fortuna' is quite ready, and can be launched at any moment. I wish to know what time you will appoint?"

"Monday morning, Mr. Reich," answered the merchant. "I am well pleased with your prompt and efficient mode of business. Now, as young beginners should be encouraged, you may lay the keel of a new ship on my account. Try yourself at that. I passed your yard yesterday, and observed the order and industry with which it is conducted. Persevere in that manner. Well! remember Monday morning. Farewell! Who are you?"

This was addressed to a poorly-clad woman, with pallid cheeks and eyes red with weeping, who now stood before him. At this nearly harsh address of the merchant, she looked anxiously up, and answered, "I am the wife of Bodmer, the man who was so unfortunate as to fall from the loft and break his leg."

"Shocking! very shocking! I am very sorry for Bodmer; he was an orderly man, and ever cheerfully performed his duties. But my surgeon visited him; what did he say?"

"He gives the best hope of saving my husband's life, but it will be a tedious sickness; and who knows if the poor man will ever again be able to work? What, then, shall we, with our five poor children, do ?"

"Have confidence in the man in whose service you have met the misfortune," answered the merchant. "What the patient needs of wine and strengthening food, shall be furnished from my kitchen. The weekly wages you will receive regularly on Saturday. Now go home, and remember me to your husband, whom I will soon visit."

The woman through her tears rendered speechless thanks, and the merchant began reading my letter.

"Your letter has rather an old date," said he suddenly; "I have long expected it. Your circumscribed time has probably prevented an earlier call ?"

I stammered out a lie, something about my indisposition to disturb so active a business man, and that at the moment I was in great necessity. He did not let me finish, but went on.

"You are here highly recommended to me. If I can do anything for you, speak freely. Persons away from home, frequently stand in need of aid." This was the moment to speak of the deep ebb of my purse; but oh! the false shame-the words would not leave my lips.

"Nothing?" he proceeded. "Well, on another occasion, perhaps. Come, however, on Sunday to my cottage before the Damn Door, and take a spoonful of soup with me. Men of business have on week-days but small leisure to bestow on mere conversation."

Here was my dismissal; but without money, however, I could not go. I was completely cleaned out, and must travel. At this moment there came to my rescue a clerk, who handed between the desk and myself a letter brought by an express, addressed to Mr. Mohrfeld. It was instantly opened and read, and was probably of a favorable nature, as a pleasing smile played round the lips of the merchant; but suddenly, as if betraying a weakness, it again vanished, and he laid the letter with accustomed unconcern on one side. As he did so, his glance again fell on me. "Anything further to command, sir?"

Now must I speak, cost what it will. I stepped close to his chair, bowed my lips to his ear, and poured forth a multitude of words, among which the most emphatic were, "want of money." To an elegant construction of sentences at such a moment, would even Demosthenes have given no thought. The merchant stared at me with wondering eyes, then took my letter in hand and again read it through with close attention; after which, he wrote a line under it and handed it to me, saying, "Here, sir, have the goodness to hand this to my cashier. I shall depend on seeing you at my table on Sunday; for the present you will excuse me.”

I bowed silently, and soon stood before the man surrounded with iron chests. He took the letter, and said, "You have to receive one hundred marks courrant. Will you please give a receipt? Here is the money.'

"And here, sir, is your receipt," cried I with a lightened heart, as I thrust the fifty-one thalers, nineteen and two-thirds shillings into my pocket, hurried out of the office into the free air of heaven, and turned towards the Alster Hall, in the elegantly-decorated rooms of which I speedily enjoyed a substantial breakfast.

Art. VIII. THE NATIONAL FAIR OF WASHINGTON.

THE national exhibition which was held in the city of Washington, commencing on the twenty-first of May last, and closing on the third of June, for the purpose of displaying to the public the products of the various branches of the industry of the country, exceeded any of a similar kind that has ever been witnessed since the foundation of the government, not only in magnitude, but in the splendor of its decorations. It was, moreover, opened in a place peculiarly appropriate to the occasion. Washington, the political centre of the nation, during the session of the national legislature, constituting at that time the central point of political influence, and the place of assemblage of the two most prominent deliberative bodies gathered from every quarter of the Union, presented advantages for

that particular object, which were extraordinary. It is, emphatically, national ground. It is removed from local prejudices and sectional jealousies in its political position, lying especially within national jurisdiction, and beyond that of any of the states. Whatever may be the effect of such an exhibition of domestic products, it was within the immediate view, and under the cognizance of the constituted legislative power of the country, and it composed within itself a collection whose materials have constituted one of the great topics of national legislation.

Unusual efforts were made, on the part of all concerned, to render it worthy of the occasion. An edifice was erected for this purpose, at an expense of five thousand dollars, and a pavilion two hundred and sixty feet long in one direction, two hundred and forty feet in the other, and sixty feet wide, was completed for the accommodation of the fair. The fabric was provided with spacious sheds, running the whole length, upon each side, for the deposit of articles of large bulk, such as carriages, machinery, agricultural implements, and other objects of similar character. The va riety of the products deposited, and the elegance with which the whole exhibition was invested, rendered it effective and imposing in a high degree. Cloth, of various colors, tastefully displayed, as well as other articles scattered throughout its various parts, decorated the interior, and during the day it was ventilated by a skylight, and at night brilliantly illuminated by gas. The whole collection appeared to the greatest advantage. Thus prepared, the hall was thronged with thousands of gratified spectators from every part of the country, attracted by the novelty of the occasion, or by a desire to behold the actual condition, and progress which had been made throughout the nation, in the various departments of useful industry.

Not only were the several branches of domestic industry here faithfully represented, but the manufacturing and mechanical enterprise and ingenuity of the various parts of the Union. The staple products of the manufacturing establishments and workshops of New England, its cotton and woollen fabrics, were found side by side with those of the extreme South. New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland, brought hither their products. Especially Pennsylvania exhibited the triumphs of its skill, which has a most favorable field for its development in its immense resources of coal and iron; Virginia, which has recently grown to become a state of considerable enterprise and industry in manufactures, brought its offerings, and even the cotton-growing states of North Carolina and Georgia demonstrated, by the products of their manufacturing industry, that they are already laying the foundations of the enterprise which is to work up into useful fabrics a most valuable staple of their plantations. Thus was exhibited, in one complete view, the triumphs of that useful labor which is prosecuted in most of the states of the North and South, and upon a ground which was, in every respect, broad and national.

The various manufactures of woollen, which are beginning to attract considerable attention in the country, were here faithfully represented, and their products were exhibited in such a form as to evince the rapid progress that we have made in this branch of enterprise. The mills of this sort scattered throughout New England, as well as those of Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and even Georgia, contributed products which were gratifying, in a high degree, to the spectators, as well from their excellent quality as their comparatively low price. Worsted stuff

goods, white woollens, Georgia plains and stripes, negro cloth, plaids and checks, cassimeres, felt pilot cloth, felt beaver, fine woollen cloth of va rious colors, mixed cotton and woollen cloths, wool scarfs, table covers, woollen hose, drabs, and various other articles of this particular species, comprised a part of the collection, and induced the conviction that this particular enterprise is beginning to flourish upon a solid basis. The exhibition of the manufactures of cotton constituted a very important part of the collection, for it will be readily admitted that the cotton interest of this nation, regarding both the production of the staple in the cotton-growing states, and its manufacture into wrought fabrics, constitute two of the most prominent enterprises of the country. In order to understand the importance of the cotton-growing interest, we have only to look at the facts as exhibited by the statistics of its production. During the last year, there were exported abroad from our own country, 872,905,996 pounds of cotton, and 60,000,000 of pounds were consumed at home; and it is estimated from the same official authority, that $80,000,000 is the amount of capital invested in cotton factories, and that 100,000 persons were employed during the last year, in the manufacture of cotton alone. Furnishing employment for capital and occupation to industry, as well as staple products for consumption and trade, the magnitude of the interest with us will not be denied. By the recent annexation of Texas to the territory of the Union, the field for the production of this staple is vastly extended, and new markets for the raw material or the manufactured fabric, will soon be required.

The cotton goods which were displayed at the fair were of such a char. acter as to evince marked and decided progress in this department of manufacturing industry. New Hampshire sent bleached and unbleached cotton goods, Rhode Island extra fine shirtings, New Jersey its sheetings, Virginia sheetings and shirtings, Maryland strong India drills; and the extensive manufacturing establishments of Lowell, constituting a principal seat of the manufacturing interest of the Union, were largely represented. Georgia contributed substantial osnaburgs, and Virginia stout cottons from Petersburg and Richmond. Indigo-blue calicoes were sent from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. There were, also, numerous finer fabrics from Lowell, as well as from the mills of Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island, which were exceedingly creditable to the enterprise and skill of those states. To those may be added cotton piece goods from Maryland, excellent specimens of printed goods from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania; cotton yarn and cotton goods from Maryland; superior shirtings from New York; fine goods from New Hampshire; handsome shawls and table covers from New Jersey and Pennsylvania; cotton sheeting from North Carolina; be. sides cotton bed tickings, Cumberland plaids, and cable twists, pilot ducks, tapes and girthings.

The display of carpets and hearth-rugs was very elegant, some of the richest specimens being contributed from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Maryland, and Washington. There was also a rich exhibition of silk goods, consisting of cravats, vestings, ladies' dresses, dress shawls, handkerchiefs, and other articles of great beauty; fine specimens of sewing silk from Massachusetts, and silk tassels from Philadelphia. Virginia exhibited some very fine specimens of the silk manufacture fabricated from silk which was produced in the Ohio valley. Bonnets and

baskets, glass bonnets, upholstery articles, musical instruments, machines and models, clocks, agricultural implements and machines, scales and weights, stoves, machine cards, saddlery, harness and trunks, leather of various kinds, paper, gold and silver pens, books, candelabras, boots and shoes, hats, oil-cloth, and paper hangings, chemicals, military accoutrements, cutlery, coaches, and carriages, were also displayed. Among the articles which attracted peculiar attention, were a copper boat from the Novelty Works in New York, twenty-three feet long and five feet wide, composed of sheets of copper, stamped to its existing shape, by machinery, in forty minutes; and also the magnificent display of household furniture, a complete set for a chamber, the product of the skill of Philadelphia, being composed of rosewood, and the whole valued at eight thousand dollars.

The exhibition of hardware, iron and steel, and other metallic wares, was extensive and interesting. There were included in this department, articles of various sorts, such as card wire, brass and steel wire, cast iron settees, bells, dish covers, and tin-ware, mechanical implements, various manufactures of steel, nails, household articles, and cooking stoves. A cabinet of iron and its manufactures was furnished by Uniontown, Pennsylvania, and numerous specimens of bar and rolled iron, spikes, nails, and other articles, were of great excellence. There were also exhibited samples of the ores and coals of that state. Welded wrought iron tubes, sheet and hoop iron, wire-cloth, sieves, window blinds, and window shades, and various other species of this sort of manufacture, were furnished by the iron works of New England and Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, and Virginia. One of the prominent impres sions furnished by the exhibition, was connected with the ingenuity dis played in the variety of the objects exhibited as models of inventions and improvements in useful implements. It is to this ingenious spirit of our countrymen that we are indebted for many of those conveniences connected with the progress of the useful arts. In order to exhibit the actual measure of this inventive spirit, it is only necessary that we examine the annual report of the commissioner of patents. By this report, which was made on the 24th of February, 1846, for the year 1845, it appears that there were, in 1840, four hundred and seventy-five patents issued. During the year 1841, there were four hundred and ninety-five; in 1842, there were five hundred and forty-five; in 1843, there were five hundred and thirty-one; in 1844, there were five hundred and two; and in 1845, there were five hundred and eleven; thus demonstrating the activity of the human mind in moulding matter into improved forms, which tend to the convenience of man, and the advance of the various arts which are everywhere visible upon the face of the community.

In concluding this description of the national exhibition of the products of useful industry in Washington, we would express our deep conviction that its influence will be attended with beneficial results. If there is any advantage in acquiring a correct knowledge of the actual condition of manufacturing and mechanical industry, or if there be any benefit in ascertaining what progress we have made in that which bears most directly upon the condition of a nation, and constitutes the subject-matter of important legislation, it must be admitted that this national display of those products was the most proper mode of furnishing that information. It will tend to furnish a groundwork on which to legislate respecting those interests, and to show, also, the character of the useful enterprise which is