The aggregate price of the same articles in 1836, was 357,911, or 10 per cent. higher than now. Some of these articles are quite as high as then, while others fall far below those rates, as for instance, iron, pig, and bar. Pig iron in particular is but $36,00 against $52,50, notwithstanding that it has advanced $11,00 per ton, since October, 1843, when the present duty of $9 came into operation. The iron has consequently risen $2 per ton more than the duty. This iron which sells in New York at $36, sold in England at the latest date at £3,10s. or increase in proportion. During the last year, that is from May, 1844, to March, 1815, the advance in these goods has been as follows: 282.861 312.02 29.15 $16,94 cts. per ton. The New York price is consequently $19,00 more than the foreign price. A large import may therefore be expected. An advance has taken place on all articles during the last six weeks, a result of the small imports of the present year. We have no official returns of the actual amount of imports; but the following statement of the amount of customs received at New York and Boston for the first two months of the year, affords a close approximation to the decline. 3.75 0.05 2.44 4.62 0.66 3.87 0.65 3.75 Jan., Feb., March, 1836. Oct., 33.244 33.31 3.50 0.07 0.50 66.441 0.064 244 4.88 1.69 6.75 9.874 2.62 0.02 0.37 0 061 2.63 4.82 0.66 1.50 7.00 10.25 3.00 0.024 0.37 7.25 0.12 3.25 9.00 1.12 2.12 10.50 29.00 The aggregate prices of these articles, it would appear, underwent a decline of 10 per cent. from October, 1847, to June, 1844,since when they have gradually improved, until they have nearly regained the level at which they stood, October, 1.69 6.50 9.374 2.75 0.024 0.37 32.241 1843, and about 50 per cent. of the prices they commanded in the same month of 1836-1843 1844 1836, the aggregate prices of these articles will compare as follows: 1845 Produce, Oct. Feb. April. May. June. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. March 66,444 33,50 32,574 32,504 31,88 30,5 31,174 30,984 31,814 31,35 32,24 33,24 33,314 Goods, 357,914 282,87 281,934 281,18 232,864 290,42 285,121 283,58 278,281 279,291 288,89 296,76 312,02 The amount of dividends for 1840 was $420,105, and in 1844 it had risen to $1,262,100, an advance in profits evinced by no other occupation in the country, and presenting a strong contrast to the condition of the agriculturists generally. These facts have presented themselves in so significant a manner during the past year, as to excite a considerable degree of attention among that portion of our fellow citizens who have clung to the delusion of a "home market." They begin to consider seriously whether there may not be some mistake in the theory. In 1840, Lowell factory stock yielded as good dividends as test the farms in the country. The tariff has increased those dividends 200 per cent, and has poured into the pockets of the stockholders in hard cash $840,000 more than they before received. If ever a "home market" is to exert its influence for the benefit of the farmer, it should be under such circumstances; but the fact stands out in bold relief, that low as were the prices of farm produce then, they are lower now, with no other hope of an advance, than that arising from the contingency of a foreign demand. 25 per cent. below last year. The result will be a deficit up to July of at least $4,500,000 from diminished customs, showing incontestably that the weight of the present duties is too heavy for a healthy state of trade. The deficit in the revenue will in all probability absorb the whole surplus $7,857,379 which existed July, 1844, before Congress again meets, when a modification of the tariff will become imperative for purposes of revenue. This view of the case is already beginning to exert an influence upon the markets, and in the fall will probably exercise a restrictive influence upon imports. In order to observe the effect which the present duties have had upon those articles of import which are most necessary to the consumers, we annex a table showing the value imported for three years, and the amount of duty collected on each for the two years under the present tariff. IMPORTS AND DUTIES INTO THE UNITED STATES FOR 1842, NINE MONTHS OF 1843 AND THE YEAR ENDING JULY 1, 1844. Dye-woods.. Copper, pigs "sheathing 305,404 821,109 381,197 1843. 1844. Quantity. Value. Quantity. Value. 244,050 688,610 Tea...... 15,692,094 4,527,108 13,866,137 3,849,228 15,353,524 4,075,195 Coffee.....112,764,635 8,931,177 92,295,660 6,346,787 158,332,111 9,594,877 Specie.... Other articles... 4,087,016 11,474,475 35,574,584 responding period of 1842. In those nine months there was nearly as much tea imported as for the whole year 1842, showing the reverse of the operation of dutiable goods. NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. A Chaunt of Life, and other Poems, with 1844. 8vo. pp 32. A little volume, but a very creditable one to the printers, who, we understand, have taken up the publication, solely on their own account, and for the author's benefit. One association of this kind, with some good will and good faith in it, between a printer and an American author, is worth the reputation of a hundred reprints of foreign books snatched from the importer's counter-an honor to the humblest participants in the good work of bringing together the materials for the future American literature. The present volume of thirty-two pages contains at least two poems, very happily hit off, and of enduring merit for the American Anthology. If the same proportions of good poetry were carried out through the multifarious volumes so labelled by the trade, there would be no complaint of the "honey from Mount Hybla." We have seen many quartos, not taken either from the lowest rank of dulness, with far less that is acceptable in them. The two poems to which we allude, are entitled "Snow," and the "World for Sale." In the former there is a naturalness and simplicity of description which has some touches in common with Burns. There is something of the good old music of the days long past, when verse needed no trick or affectation or gloss of novelty, to be listened to, but dropped its meaning simply upon the ear, quietly into the heart. Words, words, words have well nigh spoilt our literature. Mr. Hoyt, to his honor, is brief. He can do well, and what seems sometimes as difficult-he can let well alone. There is a vile species of diluted blank verse for the most part appropriated to matters of descriptionsmall beer with the spigot out-which should be every reader's aversion who has ever looked into Shakspeare, or seen a classic author. If there is one general characteristic which runs through good literature, it is this-a great respect for Time by a corresponding conciseness and brevity. The art to put in three words what a common writer puts in a hundred constitutes a great part of the difference between an author and a brainless hack. Mr. Hoyt's poetry shows an appreciation of this truth-in many a trace of the light, quick, vanishing, fairy-footed step of the Muse. There is something to us very felicitous in this description of a snow storm. Maria brings the water-pail,But where's the well! Like magic of a fairy tale, Most strange to tell, All vanished,-curb, and crank and rail ;- The rest is as good, and there is a delightful interior of an American country farmhouse. The close we have heard noticed, in the reading of the poem, as very happy -bringing up the whole with a sharp frosty word partaking of the atmosphere of the whole piece "So cheerful-tranquil-snowy-fair,- The "World for Sale" has great energy -and a strong dash in it of wayward melancholy, which is usually bought dear, -paid for to the Shylocks out of the ruddy currency of the heart. Who bids ?-who'll buy the Splendid Tear! Wealth, Love, and Friendship are sold at their price 'tis an honest auctioneer, as it needs ought to be, for the pulpit is his box, his purchasers are the congregation, and his hammer" the sword of the spirit which is the word of God!" Wealth and the broad estate dwindle to a burial place; love to a plumeless dying bird; friendship, a broken staff. There was but a faint whisper at that last sale. The auctioneer of all earth's treasures catches a breath of enthusiasm, and sounds the trumpet of Fame. FAME! hold the brilliant meteor high; Ye millions, now's the time to buy! How much for Fame! How much for Fame! Hear how it thunders !-would you stand On high Olympus, far renowned,Now purchase, and a world command!— And be with a world's curses crowned. All are sold, but three treasures remain "more sure than life or breath," his Faith, his Bible and his God. The Chaunt of Life, of which the first canto only is given, appears a record of personal history, and will be valued by those who can listen to the simple-minded talk of a man who has been a pilgrim on the earth, finding much sad but nothing barren. The Rev. Ralph Hoyt is a man in middle age, a Clergyman of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and a portion of his face, chiefly about the eye, reminds us very much of Dr. Hawks. There is that in the countenance of each to which a man may attach himself-the something which Kent saw in the countenance of Lear, and called "Authority !"-something that prompts allegiance. We were led by a newspaper announcement two Sundays since to hear Mr. Hoyt preach before the French congregation (the evening service is in English) in the brick building, in the rear of Dr. Spring's Church. The sermon was direct and full of feeling, with that use of poetic language which sounds as it were a musical requiem over the nothingness of life. We have been thus personal, because we think very little can be communicated in generalities; because these personalities to us are everything, and we believe the reader cannot be so easily interested in any other way. We desire that the reader shall enter upon the perusal of the original poem "New" in another column, with the best disposition to enjoyso we have told him what we could of the author. Mary Schweidler, the Amber Witch, the most interesting trial for Witchcraft ever known, printed from an imperfect Manuscript by her father, Abraham Schweidler, the pastor of Coserow, in the Island of Usedom. Edited by W. MEINHOLD, Doctor of Theology, and Pastor, etc., translated from the German by Lady Duff Gordon. New York: Wiley & Putnam. 16mo. pp. 192. This forms the second volume of Wiley and Putnam's Library of Choice Reading, of which Eōthen was the first. It is one of the very few works of fiction of late years which bears about it the unmistakable marks of classicality. It was a memorable work in the original, and has been already adopted by acclamation in the English library, where we may suppose the Vicar of Wakefield shaking hands with its good, simple-hearted pastor, and De Foe nodding approval to the excessive probabilities, the vraisemblance of the style. The critics of Dr. Meinhold were fairly taken in by his Art stepping so exactly in the footprints of Nature. The little plot and counter plot of the story become of excessive interest, and will be very likely to cheat midnight of several of its hours of slumber; but the anxiety we feel is excited by the character evolved in the leading personages quite as much as by the incidents. We have a relish of the latter after the story is "ravelled out," and can read the book again and again. There is just that mixture of folly and infirmity which nothing but the courage of genius would think of attributing to a hero and heroine, |