posed to yield from an enlightened confidence in his is by way of interference and interruption, and such urbanity, firmness, extraordinary knowledge, and unti- meddling is always odious. The fruit of idleness in ring devotedness to the interests of the institution, one man, it renders unproductive another's labor. Then which he and they believed to be identical with the in- you may concern yourself in your neighbor's affairs, by terests of the country. It has been even said that one way of admonition and advice, though seldom with point of policy to which Mr. Biddle has owed much of much chance of thanks, even where the favor has been his popularity as president, has been the forbearance solicited. But advice is not often asked of seeming with which he has allowed directors to be really direc-idlers: it is most common to interrupt the busy by such tors, and cashiers actually cashiers, without interfering at all with their appropriate functions; a policy unhappily not duly appreciated by his predecessor.

requests; and naturally enough, since those who attend most carefully to their own concerns, are generally thought best qualified, by experience, to judge for others. Mere gratuitous counsel is always frowned upon, unless it meet a very submissive temper. It is in man's nature to despise what is given gratis. It is galling enough to most men, to think, that all they have is the free gift of heaven: they would not increase their debt of gratitude, by the receipt of human bounty; and, as they cannot but receive, the mind is eased by undervaluing each gift. Besides, the tone of advice usually asserts a superiority in him that gives it; and, as we cannot brook a favor, that seems but to imply our own inferiority, in any respect, however trifling, much less can we bear an open claim of pre-eminence.

Looking at him outside of the walls of the bank, it remains for us to say that he finds time still to be active in all useful projects of public improvement; to be hospitable, social, literary, and beneficent. As trustee of the university, commissioner for the Girard college, and member of numerous charitable and literary associations, he lends not merely his name, but his faithful attention to all the most elevated interests of society. Some of the English papers, by some strange misapprehension, have said he is a Quaker-meaning, doubt less, one of the Society of Friends ;-but, in truth, there is as little as possible of the Quaker, in any sense of the word, about him. He is, in respect to religious faith, an Episcopalian, and a regular attendant upon the public worship of the church. Entirely amiable in domestic relations, no one attaches friends more warmly; and as the turmoil of politics into which he has been thrown, has failed to affect his temper or his spirits, so neither has his early relish for polite letters, in which he is an accomplished scholar, been spoiled by long devotion to the musæ severiores of finance and commerce. While, therefore, he is at the morning council the wisest among the wise, he is often to be seen in the evening circle the gayest of the gay. Happy in family ties, in the attachment of friends, the esteem of the community, and an official station which confers much power of doing good; he is yet happier in the recollection of a life, already past its meridian, spent hitherto in the untiring application of a cultivated mind and ardent feelings to varied objects of utility or refinement; and in the reflection that if he were obliged to write a faith-upon; note down their remarks upon men's good quali ful history of his career, the record would contain

There is another class of Busy-Bodies-the name which they have received, who, idlers in domestic concerns, are always ready for foreign service—and a very clever class, that are always at hand to render assistance, when really needed. You have but to cry for Hercules, and one of these kind friends hastens to put a shoulder to the wheel, and help you out of difficulty. Such, it is true, are the rarest kind of idlers: their very virtues become, frequently, matter for ridicule; and, too often, they are repaid only by impositions and witticisms upon their good nature.

The last class which I shall mention needs a generic appellation, as it embraces several species. It is composed of those who, standing aloof from any direct interference in other people's business, look at all mankind, or that part, at least, which comes under their own notice, in the aggregate; make deductions from every thing they see and hear, and reflections there

ties and foibles, virtues and vices, and give them to the public, that each one may apply them or not, use or abuse them, as he prefers. These examples and precepts, though drawn, frequently, from particular cases, are not applied, directly to these cases, by way of reproof or encouragement, unless, indeed, some individual recognise his own likeness, and himself claim the picture. Persons of this class give advice; but, then, it comes in such a way as seldom to appear obtrusive, seldom even gratuitous. Besides, advice is out of place, only when it is professedly or clearly. personal. We are not very sensible of any favor received, when we gather, it may be, at some expense of money, time, or labor, from a stock thrown open to all: the receipt of such a benefit, therefore, is not irksome. Under this class, which, as I have already remarked, is very comprehensive, may be ranked those literary idlers, who deluge the world with moral essays, didactic poems, remarks upon men and manners, and other such trifles-trifles in appearance, at least; sometimes, perhaps most frequently, trifles in reality. Here may be grouped Tatlers and Spectators, Guardians and Ramblers, with many humbler personages, among

whom, in the far back-ground, I would respectfully | ride, or that I prefer walking, it is not necessary to introduce myself as a Busy-Body.

mention: one thing is very certain-that this mode of It has not been without consideration that I have locomotion is most favorable to the free and satisfactory chosen the profession of an idler. I early set my heart employ of both eyes and ears. They, who hurry upon a liberal profession, and was educated for one. through the world in a coach and four, at full gallop, For the pulpit I never thought myself fitted. I entered not only lose the benefit of clear observation, while on a lawyer's office, but soon grew weary of the rays let in the road, but, also, can make little improvement of from Sir Edward Coke's "windows of the law:" they temporary stops and sojourns, their sight having beseemed to illuminate nothing but black-letter folios, come unsteady from the rapid succession of passing digests, pandects, year-books, and commentaries. The objects, and their ears stunned by the bustle and din of "gladsome light of jurisprudence" dimmed my eyes: the way. It is true that the pedestrian's field of obserI turned my back upon it. With sorrow I remem-vation, must, necessarily be small; but, therefore, each ber this now, for law is a noble study-"a science object in that field comes immediately under his notice: which distinguishes the criterions of right and wrong; which teaches to establish the one, and prevent, punish or redress the other; which employs in its theory the noblest faculties of the soul, and exerts in its practice the cardinal virtues of the heart; a science universal in its use and extent, accommodated to each individual, yet comprehending the whole community." He who toils, with patient perseverance, through its rugged course, will reach an honorable goal-will win a golden prize.

Next, I tried medicine, and with no better success. It seemed to me that dry, senseless, crumbling ruins of humanity were but an indifferent subject of study, compared with the form of life-the flesh and bones quick with the warm principle of being, and covered with the divine drapery of their Creator. The sight of bodies diseased and disfigured-corrupted in their very substance, by "wounds and bruises and putrifying sores"-of flesh, pallid, bloated, ulcerated, mortified, gangrened, sickened me, when I remembered the bright eye, the full, blushing cheek, the fair skin, and the warm, tingling blood of youth, health, and beauty. Could I study the body, even in its prime of health and strength, and in its proudest symmetry, and forget the soul-the spirit of life within? I turned away in disgust, and remember, that, as I hurried home from the doctor's office, to the seclusion of my chamber, every person that I met seemed to have a deathlike countenance, a hump upon his shoulder, an ulcer on his lip, cancer, gangrene, putrefaction, in every part! Here, again, I may have done wrong, but, now, do not feel the same regret, when I hear a skeleton rattling in its box, as when I take up old Littleton, or Coke, or their modern transcript, Blackstone, and find passages that bring back pleasant recollections.

he can regard almost the whole, at a glance, and examine, carefully, the different parts in detail. And when we consider, that however extensive may be our range, we meet with no features of human character, at least, which might not all have been found within a very narrow compass; the advantages of careful observation seem to overbalance, greatly, those peculiar to an extensive sphere.

The pedestrian moves humbly along the surface of the earth, leaving the higher regions of ether to those who are elevated on wheels, or borne away sublime in the balloon. Of course, he is chiefly conversant with things of earth, and is not subject to those airy flights of the imagination, which are common with such as breathe a more elevated and a lighter atmosphere. Now, though I shall not attempt to decry the brilliant fancies of the latter, I must be indulged in the opinion, that more close and practical views of sublunary things are sometimes necessary; and must caution the reader against expecting to meet here with many beautiful figures and highly wrought fictions. My observations, and I go not beyond their limits, have been directed, entirely, to what some might call common-place matters; that is, to such every-day objects as are presented to our ordinary senses.

Perhaps some invidious person, hearing me thus disclaim much assistance from fancy, may, wittily, remind me of the fable of the fox and grapes; but I can assure them, that such an allusion cannot destroy my equanimity, or confidence in the utility of practical observations.

That a maxim has become trite is, generally, conclusive evidence of its truth. Instead, therefore, of making an apology, as is frequently done, for introducing a well worn or proverbial remark, in illustration of a I became, then, from choice, "a poor devil of an subject, a writer might rather congratulate both his author," though without that almost necessary profes-readers and himself, on having luckily met with an apt, sional appurtenance-a garret, which seems to be con- concise, and universally admitted proposition, which sidered the only true laboratory of attic salt.

does not require a long and studied demonstration, nor even a reference to the original authority, since use has, in some measure, made every man a sort of second-hand authority for its truth. Having premised this much, I may remark, that I have always adopted that celebra

"The proper study of mankind in man,"

Having thus disclosed something of my past life, it may be well, or, at least, in accordance with a good example, to describe, briefly, my manner of living. I lounge about upon principle, visit public places, study new features, and, when they can be come at, new ted line, minds and characters. I, frequently, wander away from home-sometimes from the haunts of men, where I am alone with nature and her God. Then I return as a motto, while taking notes of my observations. and write, partly for my own pleasure and profit: Not that I think the study of the subordinate creation, partly at least, I am willing to think so-for the good useless or improper. In my rambles, I have frequently of my readers. The most of these excursions from stopped to admire the wondrous works of Providence, home and some of them are far journies—I make on as seen in the uplifted mountain, the teeming valley. foot. Whether the reason be, that I cannot afford to the sweeping wave, the rushing torrent, the ge

VOL. IV.-45

ed to learn-of the angular and anti-angular, the round and the running, the billet-doux and the counting-house hands was scarcely legible even by himself.

Our room presented some strange evidences of his inventive genius. Being in the habit of sitting before the fire, with his feet somewhat more elevated than his head and resting against the mantel, he became at length too lazy to hold them in that position, and, that he might enjoy the pleasure, without any muscular exertion, nailed up an old shoe, at the proper height, by which, one leg, bearing the other above it, might be supported. I can see him, even now, sitting in this posture, his foot resting in the shoe, and considerably higher than his head; his text-book spread open in his lap; his hands acting, occasionally, as a rear guard, to ward off the heat of the fire; and his eyes perfectly vacant, or watching the smoke that curled upward from his cigar. Thus he would remain, after the labors of the refectory were over, until the recitation bell roused him from his reverie, and reminded him of the book which, before, had lain scarcely noticed.

kept. At a loss to divine the cause of this change, I was led to observe, closely, at least the effect. On being shown into the room which he called his library, I found him sitting in a large arm-chair, surrounded by the greater part of his books, which were spread about the floor, many of them open, as if in immediate use. He rose to welcome me, and his frank, cordial manner was the same as always; but, then he appeared much more alert and active in his movements than ever before. I began, after a little general conversation, to rally him on having grown more brisk and youthful, but could not thus elicit anything that I wished to discover.

On glancing over the books, I found that, with few exceptions, they were on such practical subjects as machinery, manufactures, gardening and husbandry. A great number of little contrivances for various purposes, reminding me strongly of those that graced our college chamber, met my eyes in different parts of the room. But my attention was soon particularly directed to the stove, by its anomalous structure, the coldness of the apartment, and its being an object of constant care to my host. Every few minutes he left his seat, to turn a valve, or open or shut some air-hole, or insert the poker, warily, between the bars of the grate, or to watch the rise and fall of the mercury in a thermometer hanging against the wall. The number of appliances for regulating the draft, and for other purposes, made the stove a most complicated apparatus. I might have

Sometimes he imagined that the reclining posture was most favorable to study; and, as it was tiresome to hold anything before his eyes, while stretched upon the bed, contrived a book-holder for this purpose, consisting of a small wooden frame, suspended over his breast, by a string from the ceiling. How often have I seen him prepare this apparatus for use, get everything conveniently fixed, spread his book open at the proper page, lie down upon the bed, and compose himself-puzzled my head for hours, to discover the uses of the to sleep!

various parts, with each of which he seemed perfectly faWe graduated, and parted after mutual promises to miliar. At first, I supposed that he was anxious to raise correspond. Both of us commenced the study of law; the temperature of the room for my comfort; and, really, and he, finding that so long a probation was not required I was beginning to suffer from the cold. But his frein the western states, generally, as in the eastern, quent proximity to the fire, and constant motion in set out, after spending twelve months in a lawyer's regulating it, seemed to keep his own blood quite warm, office, to seek his fortune in the former, and, finally, and, at length he left it with his face flushed, and comsettled down, to practice as an attorney, in Mississippi.plaining of the heat: I was afraid he would propose to Alas! poor Carlisle could not overcome his idle habits. He did not succeed in business, and returned home disappointed, though, still, he had but a lazy way of showing his mortification. I have since conversed with a gentleman, who became quite intimate with him, while spending some months at the same house in Natchez, but had not discovered, in all this time, that he was a lawyer.

Soon after his return he luckily married a country heiress; and, though not acquiring a very large estate by the match, was thereby placed in easy circumstances, and thought little more about his profession. Though a tin sign, with "Henry Carlisle, Attorney at Law," printed upon it in large letters, still graced a front window-shutter, all the neighbors seemed to understand, perfectly, that it remained, as a memento of the practice which he had once pretended to, rather than as a present attraction to clients. In fact he was too lazy to take it down.

throw open a window.

I made some remark about the stove's novel appearance. He was, instantly, ready to explain its construction, and show its good points: it was his own invention. He had been so troubled with other stoves and grates, had found them all so worthless, and to require such continual attention, that he had set about planning an improvement; and he assured me, that the result answered his warmest hopes, appealing to my own observation, to bear witness, that I had never seen any. thing more complete and effectual. I gave a shivering assent, while my teeth were beginning to chatter, and my ears to feel like icicles.

Besides this main contrivance, there were several others in the library, all quite as convenient and no less complete. By pulling a cord, which hung within his reach, he could lock or unlock the door. Another might be used to throw it open; and, by similar means, he could raise and let down the window sashes, close the

It had now been some years since I had seen Car-shutters, or draw the curtains. His very boot-jack, lisle, when, not long ago, on passing through the village which lay in one corner, was a curious product of inwhere he resides, I accepted his invitation, to dine and ventive genius. spend a part of the day at his house. But a few years had made a great alteration in himself and everything about him. The dwelling had been done up, and looked comfortable; the attorney's sign was gone from the shutter, and the grounds seemed to be tolerably well

The dining-room, into which I was soon ushered, exhibited very much the same appearance as the library, as to a multitude of happy contrivances. It was furnished with a stove, the exact counterpart of that just described, but the atmosphere was rather warmer,

Carlisle soon proposed that I should walk out and look at his garden, and a few acres of land, which he called a farm. Anticipating a rich fund for amuse

perhaps, because this fire had been less meddled with. | the exhibition which I had just witnessed, that my My kind host, however, soon perceived, that the room friend's character for ingenuity rose several degrees in was as cold as a barn; was very much afraid I should my estimation. suffer; and declared that the servants were all too dumb, to be made to understand the management of the stove. His wife an amiable, submissive creature-said nothing; but, I thought, looked rather blankment in his out-door arrangements, I consented, and was when he began to twist the valves, and ply the poker. At any rate, the fire soon began visibly to decline, though he left the table, very frequently, to watch its progress, and apply his restoratives.

After dinner, Mrs. Carlisle retired, while we remained to discuss a bottle of wine. A few glasses made my friend more communicative, and, without needing much encouragement, he began to explain the causes of the change which I had noticed. For some time after marriage, his habits of indolence had remained in full force, until the house and grounds had fallen into a deplorable state of dilapidation and waste. This mode of life had become, at last, insupportable, and, by a vigorous effort, he had set about reform. Now he had acquired a love for business, and everything about him was tolerably comfortable; his greatest annoyance being, that the neighbors sometimes made themselves merry at his expense, and spoke, rather slightingly, of his various "notions." I could not but agree that there had been a very great improvement in his circumstances; but, certainly, his labor was not of the most productive kind. He did everything after a new fashion; and, though all his inventions were intended to save labor, no man ever worked harder, to so little purpose.

But

not disappointed. The same whimsical genius that governed within, was evidently ruler without. The stable, the pig sty, and the cow shed, all exhibited the fruits of my host's ready invention. Even a few lugubrious looking geese, that waddled about the barn-yard, had yolks of a new fashion, though the poor things did not seem fully to appreciate their advantages. Carlisle mentioned a plan which he had once tried of yolking them together by pairs, like oxen. This, he had thought, would correct habits of vagrancy, and strengthen the social principle. But the unlucky fate of a pair thus connected, which were discovered one morning after the night's rest of the whole family had been disturbed, by certain unearthly sounds, so alarming that none dared, at the time, to investigate their origin--were discovered fairly hung by their yolk, and dangling on either side the top rail of a fence near the house, perfectly lifeless, put an untimely end to his experiment. Whether the poor geese had been placed in that position by some kindly disposed neighbor, or passer-by, in order to exhibit the merits of the invention, under trying circumstances; or whether, one of them having succeeded in getting over, the other remained behind, from want of strength to follow, or, as seemed more probable, from sheer obstinacy, had never been fully A more curious contrivance than any which I had ascertained. A coroner's jury would undoubtedly have yet seen, was exhibited after we retired to the library. returned the mysterious verdict-" Found dead." Carlisle begged me to be seated, remarking that, with I must not detain the reader longer than to describe a my permission, he would change an article of dress, very remarkable chicken coop, to which Carlisle directwhile I might occupy myself in turning over the books. ed my attention. It was divided into a number of small Accordingly, I took up a volume, but could not avoid compartments, each of them intended for a single fowl— an occasional glance at his operations. Loosening his a sort of cell for solitary confinement. The plan had waistcoat, and a few buttons of his breeches, he insert-been found to work admirably. The chickens fattened ed both hands beneath his outer garments, where they seemed busily employed, as if scratching for relief from some cutaneous disorder; which supposition the violent contortions of his body greatly favored. After a while, his uneasiness seemed to be gradually diminishing under this mode of treatment, and his hands were, apparently, working outward, as if there was some difficulty in withdrawing them; but, with them, at length, came out the mouse which had caused such mountain labors. From an unmentionable part of his unmentionables, he drew forth a flannel garment, or, rather, a large piece of flannel, provided with numberless strings, loops, button-holes and buttons. Then commenced an inverse system of operations, for putting on another article of the same construction; but suffice it to say, that, after a half hour's work, my friend rested from his exertions, and resumed his seat, when I perceived that, despite the coldness of the room, a dewy perspiration stood upon his forehead. He was kind enough to explain the wonderful construction of the flannel shirts. By a very simple and elegant contrivance--the skilful | Oh, what can the bulbul or nightingale chant, arrangement of a few strings and buttons only—a great In the climes which they love and the groves which desideratum had been obtained: he could put on and they haunt,

better, when not allowed to jostle each other; and any inveterate disturbers of the public peace, among the breeding fowls, could here be subjected to a sort of prison discipline. Chickens were not just then in season; and the coop's empty cells testified to the excellent state of barn-yard morals.

I could not yield to my host's urgent solicitations, that I should spend another day with him: business hurried me forward. My reflections on his singular character need not be written: they, doubtless, were such as every reader has, already, made for himself.

THE MOCKINGBIRD.

Come, listen-oh hark! to that soft dying strain Of my Mockingbird, up on the house-top again; She comes every night to these old ruined walls, Where, soft as the moonlight, her melody falls.

off these garments, without removing those above. The More thrilling and wild, than the songs I have heard, utility of his invention was so manifest, especially after In the stillness of night, from my sweet Mockingbird?