EVERY NUMBER EMBELLISHED WITH A STEEL ENGRAVING. THREE DOLLARS A YEAR. This Wilson good hit was one of his standing quots Hona nier bis return to America. I heard him soply it he quently, both in New-York and Washington, whenever he d given an intentional res similar to that just related. Mr. Rondolph had a thorough and critical knowledge of the English language, and his modesty never restrained him from boasting of it. He used to say that be understood it as well as he did the game of chess, and that any one who caught him making a false move was welcome to checkinte him. He often deplored the great want of attention on the part of our pubho inen in their chip of langung La said that the speeches to which he was obliged rent in was, Mr. Randolph never forgot Congress would disgrace schoolboys, (with some brightes sens, And www.subsequently. It had, how. ceptious.) Such bad gramione, involved dey, when, two months after. epily chosen words, were most grating to dhe recalled it to my re ear, and became the more disgusting owing He and I were invited to teet taste. By way of sharing the principe the house of a distinguished his times, he kept a record of the hote mate friend and corres,cies, with the dates and the subject Alexander of Russin, During at related an anecdote of the hp, from some canse or other, opinion of his ninjesty's character, rossing our hosts "I am astonished and disgusted, sir, to find that this mighty autocrat of a semi-barbarous nation has so completely gulled the good people of London. Believe me, sir, he is a humbug; a spurious philanthropist, who cares for nought beyond the extension of his own power, sir. Why, sir, he is chief robber of those modern Goths and EVERY NUMBER EMBELLISHED WITH A STEEL ENGRAVING. THREE DOLLARS A YEAR. VOLUME I. OFFICE OF PUBLICATION, ANN-STREET, NEAR BROADWAY. SOLITUDE. A charming Engraving, done for the Mirror by Bennett. PAYABLE IN ADVANCE. NUMBER 24. Vandals, who, having just tasted the good things of civi lized Europe, want to over-run, if they dare, the fertile HERE is a spot to people from your dreams, dear reader-plains of the south, like a cloud of locusts, sir. Look at as fit a home for a sweet reverie about yourself and one other, as a Gothic arch for a spider's cobweb. Spin you that web while we go on and make up the Mirror for you, against you have done. (COMMUNICATED.) RECOLLECTIONS OF JOHN RANDOLPH, Poland, sir; verily, the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel ay, and if you be wise, look in time to France and to England, sir. Beware of his friendship! I trust him not. Timeo Danaos et dona ferentis!" He preaches Christianity, to be sure, but 'tis all lip-service!" The company listened to this denunciation with a curious attention, as every one present, save the orator, knew full well the intimacy which subsisted between the emperour and our esteemed host, than whom a purer man lived not in MR. RANDOLPH frequently made what he used to term England. With great good taste, nobody gave any expla. “unintentional hits ;” sometimes they were severely satiri-nation; and our host simply gave one or two anecdotes, for OF ROANOKE. cal, at other times only amusing. One morning he came on deck rather later than usual, and, soon after he was seated, he observed that the companionway and wooden benches had been freshly painted, and not in the most artist-like manner. He called the mate (who was a great favourite) and said: 66 Pray, Mr. Wilson, who has been thus exhibiting his great ignorance of the brush? I never beheld such vile daubing before! My man Juba would have painted in much better style, sir. Why, this fellow would never earn his bread in a western village, sir. Only tell me who has disfigured the ship in this way, and I shall get the captain to break him." the purpose of showing that there must be, at least, some good traits in the emperour's character. On our way home, I said to Randolph : "What on earth possessed you to-day to make such a terrible blunder? Don't you know that Mr. A. is the personal friend and correspondent of the emperour, and that he has been on a visit to him at St. Petersburgh ?" "God forgive me, sir," exclaimed he, "for telling the truth at an improper time! I was not aware that he even knew the emperour. Why, sir, I assure you, upon my honour as a Virginian, I no more suspected it than that Mr. Wilson painted the ship! But it must pass, sir; it was one of my unintentional good hits. I must request you, Mr. Wilson, who was holding his sides with laughter all however, to set me right with Mr. A. when you see him the time, at length replied: "It was I, sir." "I really beg your pardon, Mr. Wilson," replied Randolph; "I had not the most distant suspicion it was you, sir, and would not hurt your feelings for the world." 'Oh, sir," rejoined Wilson, still laughing, "I'm not in the least offended. I am a sailor and not a painter, sir; and was only amusing myself this morning during the calm before breakfast." "You're a sensible man, sir," exclaimed Randolph, "not to take offence where none was intended. I esteem you the more, sir, for it; and I repeat to your face what I have said behind your back, sir, that what you do understand, you know thoroughly, sir. I hope to see you a captain, sir, before very long." Trifling as this incident was, Mr. Randolph never forgot it, as I had occasion to know subsequently. It had, how. ever, passed from my memory, when, two months afterwards, I met him in London, and he recalled it to my recollection in the following way. He and I were invited to dine with a large party at the house of a distinguished philanthropist, who was the intimate friend and corres. pondent of the Emperour Alexander of Russia. During the dinner a gentleman present related an anecdote of the emperour. Randolph, who, from some cause or other, had formed a very bad opinion of his majesty's character, immediately said, addressing our host: "I am astonished and disgusted, sir, to find that this mighty autocrat of a semi-barbarous nation has so completely gulled the good people of London. Believe me, sir, he is a humbug; a spurious philanthropist, who cares for nought beyond the extension of his own power, sir. Why, sir, he is chief robber of those modern Goths and next, sir. I prize his friendship, sir, too highly, and he must not think that I would knowingly insult even his prejudices, sir." This "Wilson good hit" was one of his standing quotations after his return to America. I heard him apply it fre quently, both in New-York and Washington, whenever he had given an unintentional rap similar to that just related. Mr. Randolph had a thorough and critical knowledge of the English language, and his modesty never restrained him from boasting of it. He used to say that he understood it as well as he did the game of chess, and that any one who caught him "making a false move was welcome to checkmate him." He often deplored the great want of attention on the part of our public men in their choice of language. He said that the speeches to which he was obliged to listen in Congress would disgrace schoolboys, (with some bright exceptions.) Such bad grammar, involved sentences, and inaptly chosen words, were most grating to his susceptible ear, and became the more disgusting owing to his own correct taste. By way of shaming the principal speakers of his times, he kept a record of their blunders and inelegancies, with the dates and the subject-matter of debate, and this he held "in terrorem" over them. He gave me a copy of this singular memorandum; but, as some of the gentle. men whom he caught tripping are still "before the people," I shall not expose their contempt of "Lindley Murray" and "Johnson." As they have grown older, no doubt they have grown wiser. One morning he told me the following anecdote: "You are aware, sir, that I pride myself upon my thorough knowledge of our mother tongue; if there be one sub. ject which I understand better than another, it is the English language. I never, therefore, give up to any man, be |