decided, and universal public opinion has lifted its voice against them. There is, then, as I believe, a good, and reasonable, and strong hope for us. But our hope, let us never forget, stands in virtue, in morality, in Christianity. Ay, in Christianity. Grant it were an instrument formed by the powers of darkness, it is the only instrument that can work our country's well-being. But no, - beneficence comes not from hell. The most beneficent of religions—that religion on obedience to which the true happiness of unnumbered millions depends - could have come only from the Father of lights and of mercies. May that religion be our nation's defence, and strength, and prosperity!

Away! away! In tangled wreaths
The rock-weed dashes by,

And every swell that round us seethes,
Grows greener as we fly.

Hail! graceful garlands of the deep,

Hail! waves of emerald hue,

Long has it been our lot to sweep

The vast, unchequered blue;

To scorch where cloudless skies expand

In torrid climes afar,

Unblest by grasp of friendly hand,

Or voice of love, so soft and bland:

But hark that shout! What see'st thou?' 'Land!'

That land is Home! Hurrah!

New-York, January 16, 1836.

M.

ROUGE ET NOIR:

A PENCIL SKETCH OF A NIGHT SCENE IN LONDON.

THE motives which induced me, in the year 18-, to embark in the good ship Thunderbolt, Captain Driver, bound from New-Orleans to London, as they in no way bear upon what I have to relate, would be of little interest to the reader. To detail the occurrences of the voyage, would be supererogatory, as well as irrelevant for the regular routine of squalls, calms, and head winds—the heaving of the vessel, and the corresponding and sympathetic heavings of the passenger's diaphragms the glories of a marine sunset-the scintillating magnificence of Ocean's constellated mirror, when, on a calm, moonlight, and starlight night, the tall bark, with her drooping drapery unstirred by a single zephyr, seemed as if floating on an inverted firmament, with all its gems unfixed and quivering the various devices for expelling sea ennui - the first sight of land, and the last sight of water—are they not all written' in the journal of- every emigrating individual who has committed the sin of print?

Referring the reader, therefore, who is fond of sentimental yarns, and cockney descriptions, to the pages of such journalists, I beg he will substitute their reminiscences for mine, and do me the favor to make his first acquaintance with me on solid land.

I do not recollect precisely the time I had been in London - probably about a fortnight—when one night, on returning from the King's Theatre, where I had been to witness the opera of Der Freischutz, I found, on entering the little parlor of my snug lodgings in Northampton Square, a late number of an English Magazine lying upon the table. Not feeling bedward inclined, I took it up, and finding it contained an article entitled 'Hells of London,' which had caused a considerable sensation, but which I had not before seen, I revivified the fire, (it was in November,) snuffed the candles, swung the back of my old-fashioned easy chair against the wall, in the manner deprecated by Mrs. Trollope, and placing my feet on one corner of the brass-rimmed fender, luxuriously commenced its perusal. It is impossible for me to say how long I had been thus occupied - for I was too much absorbed in my subject to take note of time when I was interrupted by a light, hesitating tap at the door of my room. Supposing that my landlady, who occasionally called to have a chat and a glass of brandy toddy with me as she 'progressed' to her dormitory in the fourth story, was doubtfully speculating on the possibility of my being awake, and the contingency of the brandy toddy, I immediately responded with a loud sonorous Come in!' Straightway the latch was noiselessly turned, the hinges, guiltless of their usual discordant creak, oleaginously revolved, and slowly entered not my bustling landlady, nor, alas! any other ladybut a tall, pale, elegant elderly man, with hat in hand, and that perfect self-possession and consummate tact of manner, which enable a man of the world to cloak the most infernal impudence of act, with the semblance of polite and friendly attention. More interesting particulars, connected with this individual, have blotted from my memory all reminiscence of the minutiae of his costume. I can only partially enlighten the curious in such matters, by stating, that it was either

black, or invisible green, and as decidedly recherche and tonnish, as if Baron Stultz had turned out the coat, and that noble and fashionable artiste, the Earl of Harrington, had shaped' the unspeakables. Advancing to the table near which I sat, the stranger bowed gracefully, and in a voice whose tones were indescribably musical and insinuating, observed:

'I believe I have the pleasure of seeing Major Goëthe Mysticott, of the United States Army?

You have, Sir', I replied, wondering where the deuce he got his information: pray, may I inquire whom I have the pleasure of addressing?'

Oh! I am a very obscure individual,' said he, with an odd sort of emphasis on the word 'obscure,' 'my name is of little consequence.'

In the Church, I presume?' said I, glancing at the clerical color of his garments, and thinking him for the moment some religious enthusiast, on a crusade against the depravity of the age.

'Ahem! - why not exactly, though I feel a warm interest in some of its affairs the collection of tithes, for instance.'

Ah! In the law perhaps?' suggested I, imagining from the significance of his last observation that he came to serve a tithe process on my hostess.

No, I never take, though I have been accused of sometimes giving a retaining fee.'

Of my own profession?'

'No, Sir; but I can well appreciate the glowing ardor of the spirit that burns for glory,' returned the stranger, with a slight twitching of the corners of his mouth.

Will you permit me to ask you what is your profession?' I inquired, tartly, for I felt nettled at the manner in which he evaded my 'leading questions,' and determined to assume the tone peremptory.

'I'm Surveyor-General,' said the stranger, with a quiet smile. 'Do you wish to see Mrs. ?' (my landlady.)

No, Sir.'

I presume you have business with some of my fellow lodgers?' 'Yes, Sir.'

'May I inquire with whom?'

With all, Sir.'

'Well, have the goodness to despatch any you may have with me, as expeditiously as possible.'

Humph!

few people who deal with me are in such a hurry, Major Mysticott; but you'll perhaps not be so impatient, when you know

me better.'

'I say, stranger,' exclaimed I, waxing wroth at his cool, imperturbable, though still courteous demeanor; I suppose you think it's a devilish fine joke to walk into a gentleman's private apartment, at this hour of the night, without stating who you are, or where you come from.' 'Devilish fine.'

'You do, hey? Well, then, if you don't enlighten me on those two points, within as many minutes, I shall take the liberty of kicking you down stairs.'

'Where do I come from? I think you said, Major: now don't you think you could guess?'

'D

n! Sir.'

You are perfectly correct,' said the stranger, calmly laying his hand on my arm, as, uttering the above elegant expletive, I was about to seize the poker you are perfectly correct.'

Then leaning over the table, he whispered in my ear—no matter what it was sufficient.

Reader, have you ever been much at sea? If you have, you probably understand the meaning of the term 'taken aback,' and are aware that the predicament it denotes, is caused by a sudden and directly retrograde change of wind, which sends the vessel, with a startling revulsion, on her haunches, as it were, while every sail, beam, plank, spar, and rope in her fabric, is quivering beneath the sudden shock of the counteracting impulses. I was in a similar situation, on receiving the stranger's whispered information, and sat for some moments with every nerve and sinew paralyzed, - every artery beating like the hammer of a fulling mill, and each particular hair' twisting like a young black-snake, with exquisite horror. The bland tones of the intruder's voice, however, soon, in some measure, re-assured me; and I ventured to steal a look toward his lower extremities, in order to ascertain if his feet had any little peculiarities' about them.

6

The D, I mean the stranger - laughed, as he observed the direction of my eyes, and tapping his exquisitely-polished boots with a long, tapering, flexible black cane, which he held in his hand, exclaimed:

Pshaw!-you'll see nothing of that. Hoby made these Wellingtons. I asked him, when he was measuring me, if he could hide the deformity of a club-foot. Yes,' said the fashionable artiste, with confident nonchalance, though it was the D-l's own.' He little thought — but no matter. The boots are sans reproche.

'That's a neat cane you have,' said I, in a tremulous semi-tone, more for the sake of trying if my tongue would perform its office, than any thing else.

Yes,' he replied, handing me the before-mentioned long, black, flexible, tapering riding-rod: but, Yankee as you are - I mean no disrespect I don't think you'll ever guess what it's made of.'

• Whalebone?' 'No.'

Hippopotamus hide?'

'No.'

Your t-t-ta-tail!' stammered I, dropping it with precipitation. 'Yes,' said the narrator of this extraordinary fact, gravely.

Yes: I found it inconvenient in society. Old habits are difficult to eradicate, and I had been so long accustomed to wag it at my ease in my own dominions, that I was unable to resist the propensity here. It had an odd effect in company, and frequently led to unpleasant eclaircissements, so I determined to divest myself of so annoying an appendage. Unwilling, however, to part with an old friend, I had it, as you perceive, mounted with gold, and it really makes a very stylish rattan.'

At this point of the colloquy, St. Paul's clock struck one, and was

1

immediately responded to, in every variety of tone, from the innumerable steeples that seem to take their cue from his patriarchal chime.

It's getting late,' observed the gentleman, and that reminds me of the object of my visit. Do you feel any inclination to see one of the establishments of which you have been reading, in actual operation? If so, it will give me pleasure to be your cicerone.'

'I should like it, of all things,' replied I, hesitatingly: that is, I should I mean, it would give me pleasure but are there any ahem! —any'

-

Oh! make yourself easy,' said my visitor, (who of course every body has by this time discovered to be a branch of the Satanic family,) 'make yourself perfectly easy; there are no conditions, my offer is disinterested quite uninfluenced by any mercenary motives, I assure you. As a 'talented' stranger, coming from a country I respect, (I bowed to the double compliment,) I shall be happy to show you some of the 'happy institutions of this favored land' -to lionize you, in my peculiar department. Now is the time to inspect it to advantage; and if you will accompany me to St. James-street, I will show you how the most bare-faced villany flourishes almost within the precincts of a court.'

During the last few moments, I had been invigorating and bracing my somewhat relaxed courage, with two regular North-westers,' from a decanter of brandy which stood on the table, and I now felt fully primed for any thing.

Allons, stranger,' I exclaimed, as I threw a huge Spanish cloak carelessly over my shoulders, and snatching up my hat, stood ready to attend him, allons, my old boy,' I continued, putting on my chapeau, with an emphasis, and giving it a devil-may-care' slap on the crown, as much as to say, 'Who's afraid?'-d-me, let's go!'

Having reached the street, we proceeded to the nearest hackneycoach station. There was but one vehicle on the stand. It was a miserable, broken-springed affair, to which were attached two shadowy caricatures of horses, whose locomotive power, compared to the vis inertia of the unwieldly, shattered machine behind them, seemed as nothing to infinity. Their heads, divested of bridles, were turned toward the empty seat of the driver, and there was a touching expression of hopeless hunger in their countenances, as they gazed wistfully on the loose hay which formed its cushion: it was a Canaan they might not attain. My companion, however, displayed no sympathy for their sorrows. Hastily slipping on the bridles, he seized the reins, motion

*Few minor peculiarities of the British capital will impress an observing and humane American more forcibly, than the sad appearance of most of the cab, hackney-coach, and omnibus horses. They are indeed most piteous to behold. Whipping into the raw,' is not unfrequently the chief dependence of their cruel owners, for effective locomotion. The 'raw' is a sore place on a horse- an opening in the hide, which leaves the bare flesh and nerves exposed as a mark for the heavy, sweat-saturated lash of the driver. In an examination, not long since, before a committee of Parliament, touching cruelty to animals in the metropolis, the following description of the London mode of getting the work out of a horse' was elicited from the testimony of a learned omnibus driver, on the Paddington road: 'You may take your oath, there's nothing like a raw for getting the go out of a hoss, as long as there 's any in him. You call it cruel, but I'll just take and tell you how it is, now- - and I'll leave you to guess. You buggy gem'men, an' sich, they takes and uses all the 'igh courage out of a hoss, very good. Then they sells him to us, and we flogs the work out of him: but arter a bit he gets whip-hardened, and worked down, as it were, though it's like there's plenty of go in him still, if we could