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"That's gist the case with English travellers; instead of lookin' all round and seein' into things first, and then comin' to an opinion, they make up their minds afore they come, and then look for facts to support their views. First comes a great high tory, and a republic smells so bad in his nostrils, he's got his nose curl'd up like a pug-nose dog all thro' his journey. He sees no established church, and he swears there's no religion; and he sees no livery helps, and he says it's all vulgar; and if he sees a citizen spit, he jumps a one side as scared as if it wor a rifle agoin' off. Then comes a radical, (and them English radicals are cantankerouslookin' critters-that's a fact-as sour as vinegar, and lookin' as cross and as hungry as a bear gist starved out in the spring,) and they say we have the slavery of opinion here; that our preachers want moral courage, and that our great cities are cursed with the aristocracy of wealth. There is no pleasin' either on 'em. Then come what minister used to call the Optimists, a set of folks who talk you deef about the perfectibility of human natur'; that men, like caterpillars, will all turn into beautiful critters with wings like butterflies-a sort of grub angels;--that our great nation is a paradise, and our folks gist gettin' out o' the chrysolis state into something divine. I seldom or never talk to none o' them, unless it be to bam 'em. They think they know everything, and all they got to do is, to up Hudson like a shot, into the lakes full split, off to Mississippi and down to New Orleens full chisel, back to New York and up Killock, and home in a liner, and write a book. They have a whole stock of notes. Spittin-gougin'-lynchin'-burnin' alive-steam boats blowed up-snags-slavery-stealin'-Texas-state prisons-men talk slowwomen talk loud-both walk fast-chat in steam boats and stage coaches -anecdotes-and so on. Then out comes a book. If it's a tory writes it, then the tory paper says it's the best pictur' they have seen;-lively, interestin', intelligent. If a radical, then radical papers say it's a very philosophical work, (whenever a feller gets over his head in it, and cruel unintelligible, he's deep in philosophy, that chap,) statesman-like view, able work, throws great light on the politics of the day. I would'nt give a chaw of tobackey for the books of all of 'em tied up and put into a meal bag together.

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Captain Aul (Hall), as he called himself, for I never seed an Englishman yet that spoke good English, said he hadn't one mite or morsel of prejudice, and yet in all his three volumes of travels through the U-nited States (the greatest nation it's ginerally allowed atween the Poles), only found two things to praise, the kindness of our folks to him, and the State prisons."

Then as to English jealousy of their transatlantic brethren

"The superiority of the Americans, he replied; it does seem to grig 'em, there's no denyin' it; it does somehow or another seem to go agin their grain to admit it most consumedly; nothin' a'most ryles them so much as that. But their sun has set in darkness and sorrow, never again to peer above the horizon. They will be blotted out of the list of nations. Their glory has departed across the Atlantic to fix her everlastin' abode in the U-nited States. Yes, man to man- baganut to baganut-ship to ship-by land or by sea-fair fight, or rough and tumble-we've whipped

'em, that's a fact, deny it who can; and we'll whip 'em agin' to all etarnity. We average more physical, moral, and intellectual force than any people on the face of the airth; we are a right-minded, strong-minded, sound-minded, and high-minded people, I hope I may be shot if we ain't.”

It will be very readily believed, after reading these extracts, that Sam has strong prejudices, that his pictures are often very extravagant, and that his political opinions generally require misrepresentation and caricature for their support and illustration. Still he uniformly enforces with great plainness and tact his meaning, though in a most peculiar style, interspersing his superabundance of controversy, too, with such striking, apt, and descriptive observations, as evince an extraordinary insight, with regard to character, national and individual. Just observe how the 'Squire, the English colloquist, whom the writer introduces, to create spirit and variety, and to infuse some degree of dramatic effect into the whole of these Sayings and Doings, brings out the circumstances and features of prematurity so observable in America.

"There is a strong similarity between the native and his climate; the one is without youth, and the other without spring, and both exhibit the effects of losing that preparatory season. Cultivation is wanting. Neither the mind nor the soil is properly prepared. There is no time. The farmer is compelled to hurry through all his field operations as he best can, so as to commit his grain to the ground in time to insure a crop. Much is unavoidably omitted that ought to be done, and all is performed in a careless and slovenly manner. The same haste is observable in education, and is attended with similar effects; a boy is hurried to school, from school to a profession, and from thence is sent forth into the world before his mind has been duly disciplined or properly cultivated. When I found Mr. Slick at Windsor, I expressed my regret to him that we could not have met earlier in the season; but really, said I, they appear to have no spring in this country. Well, I don't know, said he; I never see'd it in that light afore; I was athinkin' we might stump the whole univarsal world for climate. It's ginerally allowed, our climate in America can't be no better. The spring may be a little short or so, but then it is added to t'other eend, and makes almost an everlastin' fine autumn. Where will you ditto our fall? It whips English weather by a long chalk, none of your hangin', shootin', drownin', throat-cuttin' weather, but a clear sky and a good breeze, rael cheerfulsome. That, said I, is evading the question; I was speaking of the shortness of spring, and not of the comparative merit of your autumn, which I am ready to admit is a very charming portion of the year in America."

Homethrusts, which thin-kinned and prejudiced Yankees will feel, are not wanting in these Sayings. We shall not spend time in searching for what may be the happiest instances of this feature of the work, but conclude with a report of the state of the fine arts in Yankee-land, in which account the smart-hitting humour of Slick is not ineffectively indulged. Our readers are to suppose him engaged

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in his regular business, "abronzin' and gildin' of a clock case," having a pictured device on it, "intended to represent this land of promise, our great country, Amerika," a wonderfully fine allegory, in short, when the Governor of Slickville and the General pop in upon him. Both of these great men prodigiously admire the work; besides, it so happens that they have called upon the Clockmaker on the very subject of pictures and the fine arts. Says the Gover

nor,

"The department of paintin' in our Atheneum,-in this risin' and flourishin' town of Slickville-is placed under the direction of the general and myself, and we propose detailing you to Italy to purchase some originals for our gallery, seein' that you are a native artist yourself, and have more practical experience than most of our citizens. There is a great aspiration among our free and enlightened youth for perfection, whether in the arts or sciences. Your expenses will be paid, and eight dollars a day while absent on this diplomacy. One thing, however, do pray remember,-don't bring any pictur's that will evoke a blush on female cheeks, or cause vartue to stand afore 'em with averted eyes or indignant looks. The statues imported last year we had to clothe, both male and female, from head to foot, for they actilly came stark naked, and were right down ondecent. One of my factory ladies went into fits on seein' 'em, that lasted her a good hour; she took Jupiter for a rael human, and said she thought she had got into a bathin' room, among the men by mistake. Her narves received a heavy shock, poor critter; she said she never would forget what she seed there the longest day she lived. So none o' your Potiphar's wives, or Susannahs, or sleepin' Venuss; such pictur's are repugnant to the high tone o' moral feelin' in this country."

The Governor, after expending a little more of his criticism, such as that a picture" may exhibit great skill and great beauty, and yet display very little flesh beyond the face and hands," gives Sam letters of introduction " to the Eyetalian princes and the pope.' Accordingly we are told, and with which on our part we conclude,—

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Well, off I sot in a vessel to Leghorn, and I laid out there three thousand dollars in pictur's. Rum-lookin' old cocks them saints, some on 'em too, with their long beards, bald heads, and hard featur's, bean't they? but I got a lot of 'em of all sizes. I bought two madonna's I think they call them-beautiful little pictur's they were too, but the child's legs were so naked and ondecent, that to please the governor and his factory galls, I had an artist to paint trousers, and a pair of lace boots on him, and they look quite genteel now. It improved 'em amazin'ly; but the best of the joke was those Macaroni rascals, seein' me a stranger, thought to do me nicely (most infarnal cheats them dealers too,-walk right into you afore you know where you be). The older a pictur' was and the more it was blacked, so you couldn't see the figur's, the more they axed for it; and they talk and jabber away about their Tittyan tints and Guido airs by the hour. How soft we are, ain't we? said I. Catch a weasel asleep will you? Second-hand farniture don't suit our market. We want pictur's,

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and not things that look a plaguy sight more like the shutters of an old smoke-house than paintin's, and I hope I may be shot if I didn't get bran new ones for half the price they axed for their rusty old vetrans. Our folks were well pleased with the shipment, and I ought to be too, for I made a trifle in the discount of fifteen per cent. for comin' down handsom' with the cash on the spot. Our Atheneum is worth seein' I tell you; you won't ditto it easy, I know; it's actilly a sight to behold."

ART. II.-Travels in the Western Caucasus, &c. By EDWARD SPENCER,
Esq. 2 vols. London: Colburn. 1838.

MR. Spencer's former publication on Circassia, of which these
volumes are a continuation, our readers will remember was favour-
ably reviewed by us. In the present work, besides furnishing addi-
tional descriptions and details concerning the interesting and inde-
pendent tribes which inhabit the countries referred to, he takes us
homeward with him through certain portions of the Turkish and
Austrian dominions which are not often visited by English travellers.
The parts, however, which will principally engage the reader are
where the bravery of the Circassians, and their national manners
form the subjects, and where their present struggle with Russia
appeals to our feelings. Mr. Spencer's skill as a writer, the vigour
of his mind, his extent of observation over untrodden ground, and
the enthusiasm of his sympathies, have contributed in no ordinary
degree to our excitement and anxiety, while he carries us with him
along or near to the Caucassian chain. It is impossible, in fact, to
peruse either of the publications without having the mind awakened
and rivetted to the fate of a people against whom the whole strength
of Russia has been turned, and is at this very moment more deter-
mined and inveterate than ever.

At first sight one would suppose that the contending parties are very unequal, and that a single campaign backed by all the strategems, wealth, and power of Russia would crush the patriarchal tribes mentioned, or, if the case was deemed to require it, to exterminate them altogether. But semibarbaric mountaineers are for the most part warlike as well as hardy; and the Circassians are particularly skilled in a style of tactics which renders the success of their invaders problematical. Our author has had opportunities of witnessing the effects of their rapid and unlooked-for attacks, and the execution they have done in battle: their horses are remarkably fleet, the horsemen expert, and the rider and his steed maintain an Arab-like community of feeling. The rifle and the sword are, when added, fell weapons. The following is the Circassian cavalry's mode of operations.

Unlike Europeans, they never fight in a line, but in bodies of about twenty or thirty at a time,-their common practice being to fall unawares upon the enemy, and harass them day and night during their march.

After making a charge, they disperse, then rally, and return again to the charge, when their exhausted foe supposes them to have fled, and as they are certain to kill immediately, or wound mortally, those whom they hit, and never fail to avail themselves of a good position, these circumstances combined with their desperate bravery and perseverance, render them, perhaps, the most formidable antagonists to be found in any country."

We quote the account of an illustrative scene which our author witnessed, and when sport and festivity in a twinkling gave way to irresistible fury and sudden onslaught.

"It seemed as if amusement were the only occupation-as if the campaign were already concluded, at least for this year. How delusive was the calm! In the midst of this apparent security, all at once numerous lights gleamed through the dense foliage on the mountain-top with a fiery redness, (prophetic of the approaching struggle,) which was soon followed by a crash of cannon fearfully reverberating from valley to mountain, from glen to hill.. Urus! Urus!-the Russians! the Russians!' burst at once from the immense multitude; and in a few minutes several scouts, on their foaming steeds, galloped down the dizzy height. The Circassians, without waiting to hold a council of war, instantly galloped forth to the assistance of their comrades, some to the valley of the Zemes, and others to the pass of the Bakan, where it was ascertained that the combat had commenced, leaving, however, a strong body of veterans to guard every approach to their villages, in case of surprise."

The Circassians having taken a position in ambush, where a complete and unsuspected command could be maintained of a gorge through which the Russians, it was hoped, would pass, were not allowed to be long idle.

"About day-break the silence was interrupted for a few minutes by the arrival of the scouts, as they burst through the almost impenetrable thickets, with the intelligence that the enemy were already in motion. At this instant the scene was grand and imposing. There was the foaming surge of the mountain stream swelled to a torrent by the late rains,the beetling rocks, in all their varied and grotesque forms, the dark foliage of the gigantic trees, and the summits of the encircling hills crimsoned with the roseate blushes of the rising sun. Nor were the athletic forms of the highlanders, in all their varied and picturesque attitudes, the returning scouts spurring their horses up the almost perpendicular sides of the terrific glen, less striking and novel."

The invaders were obliged to retreat, and to their great embarrassment and loss, having their rear hung upon pertinaciously by the patriots.

There is another formidable feature in the character of these mountaineers, and which has been brought into play during the present and recent conflicts; they are so revengeful and unforgiving if an act of treachery has been cominitted against them, that go