going to church; and as I have allowed her to make her own choice-to consult her own taste and fancies altogether in the matter, she has requested I would arrange the affair with you with as little delay as possible.

Our friend, who was rather uninstructed in the ways and mysteries of fashionable life, or the incidents or secrets of American society, was rather dull to comprehend, and who, good easy man, never for a moment contemplated, that immorality, or improprieties of any kind, were intended to grow out of this arrangement, betrayed some anxiety that his American visitant, should come more immediately to the point, by a full disclosure of his object; and who encouraged by the earnestness with which the request was made, at once explained-that unfortunately, Mrs. (his wife) and he, did not live quite as harmoniously or contented in their situation, as married folks were generally wont to do; their intimacy was irksome-their temper and tastes dissimilar their society disagreeable to each other, and in short, that they had both determined upon an immediate and final separation. A divorce, Sira divorce, (raising his voice to a higher pitch), nothing else, Mr. D-, can ever satisfy us.

Mr. D- looked, as he felt, unusually serious :his general good sense-the portion of worldly prudence for which he was remarkable, at once pointed out the impropriety of an interference in the most thorny and intricate of all questions-the quarrels of married life:-yet, he thought as he

was thus appealed to, he might venture a few words of friendly admonition; and pointing out the evil consequences of disunion, urged his friend to return immediately to his wife; to endeavour by a kind and generous forgiveness, and the practice of a mutual forbearance for the future, to end, or at least to mitigate the evils of which he complained, and thereby supersede the necessity of any legal interposition in the settlement of their disputes. His visitor, however, was not quite so easily put aside. It required something more of philosophy, and a more convincing argument than our friend could call to his assistance, to dissuade him from a purpose so near to his heart. His mind, he said, as also his wife's, were fully made up upon the subject -their entire future course already marked out, and nothing-nothing short of a divorce-an absolute separation would ever satisfy either. Mr. D- had nothing further to add, beyond his extreme regret, that there had been any cause he had conceived, sufficient to justify any such proceeding as he now contemplated. Cause-any cause to justify!--rejoined the American. No, no; there's the difficulty-the perplexing position in which we are both placed. There is as yet no cause at least, no legal cause, to warrant an application of the kind. I saw the difficulty-my wife saw the vexatious and perplexing dilemma in which we were both placed, and for that reason am I now here on a special mission to you, Mr. D—, hoping you may obviate it. It is now in your

power to make us both supremely happy; and concluded this strange recital of his woes and suffering, by a pressing invitation to Mr. D-, to pay both D—, him and his wife an early visit.

The mist that at the outset had clouded our friend's perception, gave way to a more intelligible solution of his very unexpected position, and who having at length suspected the project, in which it was intended he should assume a principal part, rose from his seat, indignant at the insult offered to his character and virtue; and inquired from this consistent and considerate husband, if it were really possible he could be aware of the nature of the proposition he had thus addressed to him-or of the fact, that should have exempted him from insult that he was himself a married man, with a wife and several children. Certainly-most certainly, explained his new acquaintance. I am aware of all this-so is my wife.

Nay!-it was on this very account, above all others, that she first mentioned you to me, being sure of your discretion, in not taking any advantage of this proposition, beyond what is now offered to you. Our friend could restrain himself no longer, but advancing a few paces, beckoned his visitant to the door, through where he was making his exit, muttering to himself -and complaining of the unreasonable and unneighbourly conduct of Mr. D—, as we were about to enter. It is needless to say that our friend's vanity was neither flattered, nor his self-respect in any manner increased by this very extraordinary interview.

Marriages, contracted in England by parties who afterwards emigrate to the United States, are sometimes made subject to inconvenience, if disavowed by either on their landing; the laws generally in force throughout the Republic, requiring under such circumstances a legal attestation of such marriage, under the seal of the Archdiocese of Canterbury, before that they will enforce its obligations. Of this, many heartless and unprincipled individuals take advantage, and who cannot, without such evidence, be charged with the crime of bigamy, in the event of fraudulently contracting any other, or second marriage.

Drunkenness is a vice with which the American can scarcely be charged, though generally speaking, a much larger quantity of spirits of all kinds, in proportion to the population, is used, than in the United Kingdom, or perhaps by any other people in the world. The child scarcely quits his mother's breast in the United States, than he finds a congenial substitute, either in the raw material, or in some of the nauseating compounds of "mint julaps"brandy, or gin sling" eggnog," and the variety of " cocktails," of which ardent spirits form the principal ingredient. The great variation in the climate-the excessive and debilitating heat of summer, with the extreme severity of the winter months, in the middle and northern States, no doubt encourages this general inclination of the American to continue tippling, which he usually commences at his first rising, and to which he recurs

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at frequent intervals of the day, until the hour of his retiring to rest. Every inn-every hotel, or public house every grocer's store, which are generally located at the corner of every streetevery place of public resort, whether for business, or amusement, has a bar-room in some way attached, and well supplied with foreign and domestic spirits of every description, wines, &c., for which there is at all times, and at all hours of the day, a demand. Notwithstanding, but few drunken men are ever met with in the streets, or public ways, while seldom any irregularity or breach of the public peace owes its origin to this abasing and demoralising indulgence. The fact is, that the American is of all others the most selfish in his potations, and has not even the pretext, or apology of a social tendency or nature, to palliate or excuse him. His vice in this respect, is a lonely-a solitary and debasing one, indulged in secret, and very often by stealth.

Wines are not in such general request as the nature of the climate, and the necessity of a generous mode of living would possibly imply. There are comparatively but few convivial parties to incite or encourage its use, except perhaps amongst foreigners, who may be unwilling to abandon or throw aside all former habits in this respect.

The estimated value of foreign spirits, which is usually of a very low priced kind, imported into the United States, averaged for each of the three years ending 1840, 1,769,968 dollars. But besides