requiring only thirty miles of excavation, with ever the British government may require such a locks at the termini, and artificial harbors to ad- formidable flotilla for warlike purposes. mit vessels of large size.

Strange to say, however, the practicability of These vessels are perhaps as thoroughly equipsuch a work is in the inverse ratio of the short-ped and as admirably managed as any not enness of the distances. The estimates of the tirely under the "rules and regulations" for the Spanish and English engineers, though not ac- Navy. Each ship of the larger class carries, becurate, are sufficiently exact to warrant the belief sides the captain and crew (amounting to nearly that works of far greater magnitude and cost have been constructed in various regions of Europe and America. But the obstacles to this enterprise are not so much the cost of material and labor as the circumstances of the country and the insalubrity of the climate.

The "Royal Mail Steam Packet Company" owns eleven steamers, of eighteen hundred tons Every body knows that John Bull has a great burthen, and five hundred horse power each, to penchant for the good things of this world, and say nothing of such small affairs as the " Great that whether at home or abroad, on shore or Western" and four others' of 300 horse power afloat, he is not apt to neglect the "obedientia each, besides packet schooners and sail vessels. ventri." Accordingly the steward's department These ships are available for armed service when-on board these steamers is replete with the most

recherché wines, liquors, &c., &c. Passengers their own countrymen since the government of who appreciate such luxuries are supplied at pri- the Viceroys. ces which, compared to those usual in our best hotels, are exceedingly low; and that no deception may be practised in the article furnished, the corks are drawn, if required, in the presence of the purchaser.

But in no respect is the good management more apparent than in the care and control of the mails. As remarked, they are under the charge of the admiralty agent, who is responsible that the laws appertaining to his trust are duly observed. On reaching port, he is furnished with a cutter and men for the exclusive purpose of landing the mail bags, and whilst in the course of transfer and transportation, he is bound to give them his personal attention.

They "order those matters" better, however, in Peru. That beautiful country, the last to relinquish allegiance to the Spanish crown, is still the land of the ancient highwayman. Achievements worthy the narrative of Le Sage are yet performed even within sight of the capital, the city of Kings. The Peruvian strives to accomplish his purpose by practising upon the terror, without violating the person of his victim. Indeed, it is now generally understood in that country, that robbers will be very courteous if their demands are cheerfully granted.

Many anecdotes are told of adventures on the road from Callao to Lima, which, though only six miles long, is to this day haunted by robbers. These steamers have apparatus for the con- Some years ago, it is said that two Englishmen version of salt water into fresh, and for all pur-travelled it after dark, and were, of course, wayposes except drinking, it is found to be satisfac- laid and stripped of every thing, even to their tory.

V.

clothing. Whilst parleying, however, with the robbers upon their unreasonable demands, sounds of approaching footsteps attracted the party in a different direction. Leaving a guard with the pris

The exploits of highwaymen have latterly lost ouers and booty, they hurried to meet the new the romantic interest which they formerly pos-comers, but were scarcely out of sight when the sessed, and indeed the theatres of such perfor-guard was seized and gagged, and the two genmances have been changed from Europe to Mex-tlemen not only recovered their own property, ico and South America. but the entire plunder which was left in the cus

Englishmen who were thought expert in such tody of the robber. matters, were content with emptying the pockets An American gentleman, many years a resiof travellers without knocking out their brains, dent of that country, and latterly connected with whilst across the channel" the "argumentum the Consulate, was tempted last autumn by his ad hominem" was generally in the shape of a fondness for field sports, to an excursion on horseblunderbuss or a stiletto. But in these matters, back in quest of game. After a ride of several as in all others, fashion is capricious. The pro-hours, he returned to the vicinity of this road and fession has dwindled into knavery. Chevaliers dismounted for the purpose of breaking his fast. d' Industrie have superseded "Knights of the Whilst in the act of unfolding his haversack, a road." Secret villainy and sanguinary murder rustling of the adjacent bushes attracted his nohave succeeded open robbery and daring enter- tice, and looking in the direction of the noise, prise. his eye met the muzzle of his own double-barIn former times clever things were said and relled gun pointed directly at his heart. With adeven gallant deeds performed by gentlemen of mirable presence of mind and a bonhommie for the highway—they "reduced the superfluities of which our countryman is remarkable, he instantthe rich in order to alleviate the necessities of ly shouted "Señor mio, muy buenos dias." Much the poor”—now-a-days, philanthropy is disavow-pleasantry followed, and the conversation closed ed and every graceless villain pleads unblushingly by the robber regretting that his business requithe lack of moral principle, or the malign influ- red a despatch which would not allow him the ence of the devil in the shape of alcohol.

It is not then to be wondered at that the system of robbery has become more diabolical as it has become more summary.

pleasure of a prolonged interview. Our countryman was divested of his purse, watch, gun, and clothing, and even breakfast. But his misfortunes were not ended for the day-they bound him hand and foot to prevent information to the police and left him, wishing him "better luck next time."

But of all countries Mexico seems to have most suffered by the atrocities of highwaymen. There it is impossible to pass many consecutive miles of a public road, without seeing the carcasses of victims, and it is even doubtful whether that country has lost, in the late war, as many citizens as Few persons are aware of the vast superiority have fallen on the highways, by the hands of of the climate of Florida. Ill-fated since the

VOL. XV-6

VI.

very discovery of the continent, that beautiful | characteristic of the Indian war, terminated his peninsula has been slow to develop its inherent existence-and with it the labors of years. It and peculiar advantages. In reputation at the was, we believe, in the summer of 1840, that the north, it stands, perhaps, in every respect, below Seminoles, after scattering desolation and distress every portion of the southern country; and in no throughout the length and breadth of Florida, acparticular has it been more unjustly denounced, tually left their fastnesses in the Everglades, and than in regard to climate-and yet, there are liv- trying their fortune upon a new and hitherto foring in every state north of Maryland, individuals bidden element, with canoes for their transports, who are indebted to the climate of Florida for paddled fifteen miles from the main land, and at the prolonged existence which they now enjoy. the dead hour of night sacked and burnt Indian These persons either undervalue the "blessings of Key. This island had been unmolested during health," or are criminally remiss in withholding the whole war, and being the rendezvous of vesfrom their fellow creatures the information which sels along the coast and within cannon shot of a they may have acquired by a winter in Florida. detachment of seamen on an adjacent key, was It is true that newspapers in every section of the the residence of Dr. Perrine and many of the Union have published statements in relation to enterprising navigators of these waters. Alas! the climate, productions, &c., of Florida, and this for human calculations-this little island repowas especially the case during the late Seminole sing in fancied security upon the bosom of the war, but so contradictory were these statements, ocean and decorated with beautiful cottages and that they have lost all credence with the intelligent gardens, became a smouldering heap of ruins and community. It is for this reason, independent the funeral pile of the devoted Perrine. As usual, of others, that the votaries of science, no less the savages showed no mercy, and every human than the friends of humanity, should deplore the untimely fate of Leitner and Perrine; either of whom had he lived, might have given to the world information as valuable as any derived from the researches of botanists.

being, save some few who escaped in boats, perished either in sanguinary conflict, or by the flames of his own house.

Since that period few, if any persons qualified for the purpose have undertaken the botanical examination of Florida, and it is now generally regarded as the spot of all others best adapted to the haunts of Indians and runaway negroes.

It is somewhat remarkable that both of these gentlemen, (the only really scientific individuals who explored that region of country after its annexation to the United States,) should have per- So far, however, as the health of the human ished in the sanguinary retribution inflicted by race may be influenced by the character of clithe Seminoles upon their perfidious invaders. mate, there are abundant proofs in support of the The former whilst prosecuting his researches, salubrity of the sea-board of Florida. Meteounder the protection of an exploring party of the rological tables carefully compiled by the medical U. S. Navy, was severely wounded and fell into staff of the army, show that the temperature of the hands of the Indians, who ascertaining the the southern seaboard is more uniform and less nature of his vocation, were disposed to spare his subject to violent changes than any portion of life, and for several days actually bestowed every the Atlantic coast within the latitudes of the “vaattention upon his case. But this good fortune riables." During the summer months, the colwas speedily terminated by the ferocity of a sav-lateral zephyrs of the "trades" make their diurage, who in strict compliance with Indian law, revenged upon Leitner the death of one of his tribe.

nal visits, and they may be expected with as much regularity as the ebb and flow of the tides. Nor is the winter season accompanied by the piercing Dr. Perrine, after travelling through every por- blasts and chilling rains which characterize a more tion of the United States and Mexico, passed the northern region. Tempered by the warmth of last few years of his life on the coast of Florida. the Gulf Stream, the easterly winds are divested The liberality of Congress had granted him a of their harshness, and as the configuration of thousand acres of land in the vicinity of the sea- the land presents no formidable barrier to the diboard, for the purpose of cultivating tropical rection of different currents of air, the rigors of plants and fruits. With this view he had cleared the weather are readily interpreted by those faone or two of those luxuriant little islands denom- miliar with such observations. inated keys, and had formed extensive nurseries One peculiarity of the climate is the short duof rare and valuable plants, many of which were ration of cloudy or misty weather. Not as on known only to himself. Thus retired from the the Pacific coast where uniformity seems interworld and devoted to the quiet pursuits of botan- minable, and where fogs and clouds envelop the ical science, he accumulated a fund of interesting earth for weeks and months; nor yet resembling facts, and but waited an opportunity to give them" those northern climes obscurely bright," whose to the world, when one of those tragic events gloomy skies are seldom lighted by the smiles of

"living light”—nor yet resembling those favored regions which poets speak of, "where the flowers ever blossom, the beams ever shine."

Differing from all these, the climate of Florida is ever attended with an agreeable succession of sunshine and shade. We say nothing of spicy breezes, aromatic odors, and balmy zephyrs, which regale the traveller through the inland country, nor dilate upon the vegetation and gorgeous foliage of the prairies and groves which are scattered in wild and magnificent profusion through the length and breadth of the peninsula-all these are unsuited to our practical race and this matter-of-fact age.

nacy. Both, as it seems to me, overlook, or no- | ting manner.

Not that he is to seek them only

tice less than they deserve, his true excellencies. in high places-but that, in the low, he is to I shall not attempt to assign to Mr. Longfel-choose what is natural, not vulgar merely. I low his exact place among poets-even among feel, however, that I am fast getting beyond my American poets. Our Western Parnassus has depth in this direction, and, with your leave, I not escaped the democratic tendencies of the will make for shallow water. clime. The right of every "native" to aspire to In the best poems of our author, we are often the highest honors in poesy, as in politics, is as- delighted with beautiful thoughts, pure sentiserted and proven by the countless "originals" ments, and warm emotions, poured out with an which are met with in all our papers and period- eloquence and pathos, which make their way to icals, from the Slab-town Genius of Liberty," our inmost heart. His "Autumn," and his "Spiup to the imposing pages of the established Re-rit of Poetry," are worthy of Bryant, and indeed views. Far be it from me, to plot any treason of any body else. His "Flowers" almost, or against "the spirit of our free institutions." I perhaps quite, equal that exquisite Hymn to the desire not to elevate any man to throne or prin- Flowers" of Horace Smith. In the "Footsteps cipality-still less to degrade any unfettered son of Angels," there is so perfect an example of of the Muses below his brethren. I will only that which I am trying to describe, that I cannot suggest some arrangement, analogous to that of do better than quote a few stanzas of it—

66

our Federal Government-a temporary organization, to be renewed and altered every two or three years. And in that view, I do not hesitate to say, I would vote for William Cullen Bryant to be the first President of our Literary Republic, and Henry W. Longfellow should certainly have a seat in the Senate.

The latter gentleman, however, would receive my support, much more on account of his former efforts, than his recent ones. He seems, like Carlyle, to have perverted a good natural taste, into one that is artificial and morbid. The language of his earlier productions is easy and expressive, the measure well chosen and familiar. In the later poems, he has been led away by that ignis fatuus, which pedants call rhythm, and goes halting and stumbling, over outlandish ground, with constant inversions and transpositions, among dactyls and spondees, trochees and iambuses, anapæsts and what not-whose intricate feet will trip and overthrow any plain English biped, at every step of his progress.

"Then the forms of the departed

Enter at the open door;
The beloved, the true hearted,
Come to visit me once more;

"And, with them, the Being Beauteous,
Who unto my youth was given;
More than all things else to love me,
And is now a saint in Heaven.

"With a slow and noiseless footstep,
Comes the messenger divine,
Takes the vacant chair beside me,

Lays her gentle hand in mine,

"And she sits and gazes at me

With those deep and tender eyes,
Like the stars, so still and saint like,

Looking downward from the skies."

But it would be impossible-and I rejoice that
it is impossible—in the limits of a desultory sketch
like this, even to name all of his productions,
which deserve to live. From the Spanish Stu-
dent, in which occur many such, I quote one
beautiful passage, which shall be the last-
"She lies asleep,

And, from her parted lips, her gentle breath
Comes, like the fragrance from the lips of flowers.
Her tender limbs are still, and, on her breast,
The cross she prayed to, ere she fell asleep,
Rises and falls with the soft tide of dreams,
Like a light barge safe moored."

Nor is this his only deterioration. He has gone sadly astray in his search after simplicity. He has adopted the Wordsworthian dogma, that one object in nature or art is as poetical as another: and, in illustrating this theory, he has, like his great contemporary, fallen into some very puerile and absurd platitudes. It is true that a sword, and the coulter of a plough, are both pieces of iron; and that the interest of a combat depends on the tragic issue, that may await one or both of the parties. But is the reader of Scott's romances conscious of the same feelings-when he watches, with 'bated breath, the encounter of Richard and Saladin, by the Diamond of the Desert-and when he bursts into a hearty "guf- It is time now to adduce some proofs of the faw," as he beholds Bailie Nicol Jarvie, singe- faults which I have laid to our poet's charge. I ing the plaid of the dismayed Highlander? The almost regret that they are so easily to be protrue office of the poet is to select the materials cured: for I shall go no further than this late fit for his purpose, and to combine them in a fit-'poem, Evangeline.

Reader! if you ever saw a picture like that, you must recognize its fidelity in verse. If you never did-rely upon the word of those who have seen it.