much prudence, and at the same time, so much enterprise, would always be able to take care of themselves, and of those that depended on them.

C.

Yes, Mary, he did. He said those very words.

M. He said it was a man's duty to expose his mind for its own good, to the collisions of real business, just as he ought to expose his face to the north wind sometimes for his health sake.

C. Yes, and he compared a man living idle on his income to one that sat stewing by a fire all winter, and became an invalid. Some people he said stewed their souls.

Mrs. Campion. That is like him. He is very droll sometimes.

Minetta. But what did Hay and Hartington say all this time?

C. Very little. They alluded to their loss. Papa said a fig for the loss. They would win in the long run; they had shown that they understood their game.

Mrs. D. Here come the gentlemen.

(Enter OLD HOLY BUSH, JACOB, DUPERU, GLUMLY, VANSITTART, HAY, and HARTINGTON.

Old H. Can you give us some tea and coffee, daughters?

C. Yes, Papa, bye and bye. (Old H. sits down in an arm chair.)

G.

This is the most remarkable dinner I was ever at.

G. I dined last week with a set of men, all gentlemen of fortune but one or two, in one of the best houses in New-York, and they talked wine, wine, wine, three mortal hours together.

J. H. And yet that is less the case now than it used to be.

G. I cannot imagine how it can have been worse.

J. H. It was worse. They sat longer, got drunk and talked louder, and

more foolishly. When the wine's in the wit's out, you know.

G. And in the matter of conversation, when the wit is in the wine is out. D. Some of our elder men do that from habit. But among the younger

ones I think only a few fools talk wine now.

J. H. After all, it's better than politics.

D. And better than trade. I can take you to a house where you will hear nothing but cotton and freight, and the rate of exchange.

G. And I can show you a place where all the talk is magazines and newspapers, and police reports, and libel suits, and black-mail.

Miss D. Very interesting, indeed.

G. Yes, very-to the speakers. Every man likes to talk of what he thinks

he understands.

Miss D What do you like to talk about?

G. I like to talk about you.

Miss D. Do you think you understand me?

V. That's a poser. He dares not say yes, but I'll say it for him.

Miss D. He thinks he understands me?

V. Yes, certainly.

Miss D. What abominable presumption. I'll cast him off directly.

Mrs. D. No, no! He has had trouble enough to-day about Mr. Barbow : let him rest now.

J. H. The course of true love never did run smooth. But I suppose if their's has been troubled once, it will satisfy the law.

Mrs. D. Ah, Mr. Hollybush! It ought to be troubled once then, ought it? Then we must contrive some trouble for you.

M. That's true : uncle Jacob and Minetta have'nt had a bit.
H'n. I propose that we manufacture them some at once.

Hay. Let's organize a court and bring them before it.

V. I nominate Mr. Hartington for judge.

J. H. I object. He has had a deal of trouble, and he will be for revenging it all on me. He is not impartial.

V. Mr. Duperu, then.

J. H. Very well. Get a high chair.

Mrs. C. Put a chair on this divan, here.

J. H. So. Now Mr. Duperu.

C. He ought to have robes of office, and a wig.

Minetta. Send for my cloak—that will make him a robe.

sends for the cloak.)

(C. rings and

Minetta. Now, Mr. Duperu (puts it on him.) Now we want a wig.
Mrs. D. Is there a mop in the house?

G. It would not match his eyebrows. Couldn't you cut a wig out of the entry mat?

Minetta. I have a muff.

G. What colour?

Minetta. Martin.

G. That comes near enough. The eyebrows are foxy. We will call him a mufti.

Mrs. D. If it were not for spoiling that joke a tippet would make a better turban.

G. That will do. He shall be a Grand Lama.

Hay. Of Thibet?

G. Yes. The pun is mine.

Hay. You lost it by being slow of speech. Now judge. (The tippet is brought and wound round Duperu's head.)

D.

Where be the offenders?

V. Here. (Jacob H. and Minetta are led up.)

D. Where is the prosecuting witness?

G. Here. (Standing up in a chair.)

D. What do you charge against these prisoners?

G. Conspiracy.

D. To do what?

G. To steal from society two of its brightest ornaments, and stow them away in a certain place called wedlock.

D. Where they would be lost to the said society?

G. Entirely.

D. Witness, this is a grave charge (making note.) Put your hand on your breast, or wherever you think your conscience is. (Glumly puts his hand in his pocket.) Now, say upon your conscience, are married people lost to society in New-York?

G. In a great measure.

D. (looking at his notes.) The witness prevaricates. Just now he said entirely, now he says in a great measure. You may go down, sir. I shall deal with this case myself. (To J. H.) Do you profess to be in love?

J. H. I do, sir.

D.

And you have had no trouble?

J. H. No, sir.

D. I acquit you of conspiracy. But you ought to have some trouble for your own good. What are your motives in addressing Miss Campion?

J. H. My motives, sir.

D. Don't repeat my words. Are they interested motives?

J. H. No, sir.

D. You are discharged. Miss Campion, stand forth. You heard the ad- . mission of the other defendant?

Minetta. What admission, sir?

D. That he did not want your fortune.

Minetta. Yes, sir.

D. It is confiscated to the use of this court.

Minella. That is very hard.

Campion. Am I allowed to say a word?

D. Yes, the court allows you fifty.

Campion. Will the court assign its reasons for this forfeiture?

D. It is an experiment.

Campion. Upon what?

D. Upon the constancy of her love.

Campion. If the court please, Minetta's fortune is in my pocket, and it is Now, if it should be taken from me, the court would thus try

all I possess.

another experiment much more severe than the one intended.

D. What one is that?

Campion. Upon the constancy of Mrs. Campion.

Mrs. C. Oh, you monster! didn't we make a love match?

Campion. But my dear, it was very long ago.

D. The forfeiture is remitted. The court did not know there were doubts

in that quarter. Any more prisoners?

Mrs. D. Yes. Bring up Mr. Glumly and Nancy. (To Vansittart.)
V. (leading them up.) These two.

D. Wherewithal do they stand charged?

V.

Mésalliance.

D. What's that?

V. Mis-matching.

D. In what degree?

V. In the first degree.

D. State your charge. Diffuse it in some sentences, and illustrate it as far as you can by learned quotations, and poetical similes.

V. If the court please, this man and this woman have suborned each other. to commit matrimony, being utterly unsuitable to each other. It is an union, may it please the court, from which all evil may be looked for, and no happiness. It is as if a bird should be brought down to the surface of the water, and as fish should be brought up to it, and the two should be lashed together. They would begin to pull different ways, your honor, as soon as the knot was tied

D. You are no advocate. Go down, sir. Prisoner (to Glumly,) what is your disposition?

G.

Bilious.

D. The lady is sanguine. Your complexion?

Hay. Buff.

V. Orange tawny.

Miss D. Faded tiger.

D. On the whole, yellow. The lady is rosy. Are you poor?

G. Yes, sir.

D. The lady is rich. I sentence you to be married immediately. If you deserve punishment you will get it. If you deserve reward, you will get that. Any more business before this court?

G. Yes, here are two couples to be tried.

V. Yes, let us have them all up now. (They lead up Hay and Mary, and H'n. and C.

D. Where is the accuser?

Minetta. Let me be it.

D. Accusing angel. No, that would not be fair upon the prisoners. Mr. Glumly?

G. Sir.

D. Make out a case against these prisoners.

G. A hard case, sir?

D. No, easy; but put them as much as you can upon the mercy of the

court.

G. I must bring separate charges. I accuse these two (pointing to Hay and H'n.,) of superstitious practices and judicial astrology. They have been studying their fortunes in the stars.

D. What stars?

G. The four stars.

D. Four apiece?

G. No, two here and two there. (Pointing to C. and M.)

D. Specify the stars more particularly.

G. It is not necessary. They are here shining upon the court.

D. It will not do. They must be described in the indictment. Describe them at once and see that you do them justice.

G. Impossible. Language is not up to it.

D. We sit here for justice. Do you refuse to do the justice required?
G. I refuse to attempt it.

D. I dismiss the charge, and turn you out of office. The two ladies will come forward. Do you know these two astrologers?

And were there consumed in a suttee.

G. Vaporized by the heat of the climate.

V. Captured by a Mexican privateer.

D. That is extravagant. What is your name, young lady?
C. Charlotte Hollybush.

D. Take John Hartington's hand. And yours?

M. Mary Hollybush.

D. Take Rupert Hay's hand. Considering what the court have heard of the imprudence and destitution of these young men, I forbid these banns.

H'n.

Is this the final decree?

D. No; there lies an appeal to the supreme court, which sits yonder. This court is now adjourned and dissolved. (Comes down and takes off the robes, &c.) H'n. Let us prosecute the appeal. (They pass to Old H's. chair.) Old H. This jest is turned into earnest. Have you come here my daughters for an old man's blessing in your choice. (Rising and laying his hands on their heads.) It is yours and you have well deserved it. And as for you, young gentlemen, (to Hay and H'n.) remember what I have said to you that you are not to trust to floats in this life, for you may lose them. You must know how to swim. In other words, you can never be secure against want if you don't know how to WORK FOR YOUR LIVING. [Curtain falls.

TO LEUCONOE.

Translation from Horace-Ode XI.

SEEK not to know, Leuconoe-'tis a forbidden lore-
How many days have granted us the Gods; consult no more
The Babylonian numbers; no, await and bear the end,

Whether through many winters more the Gods thy life extend,
Or that this one, whose angry storms now lash the rock-bound seas,
Should prove thy last. Seek wisdom, and decant thy wines, and cease
To waste brief life in endless hopings; while we speak, Time plies
His envious wing. Enjoy to-day, nor trust to-morrow's rise.

NEW NAVIGATION ACTS.

WHOEVER reflects upon the course of political events since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, must be powerfully struck with the fact, that the tendency of the commercial world is to unity. The more powerful the mercantile principle becomes developed in the councils of nations, the more generally are the rights of sovereignty waved in respect of external intercourse. The distinctions of nationality are being lost in the embrace of commerce, which seeks to avail itself of the facilities peculiar to every country, for the development of its aggregate prosperity. The military spirit of the iron ages, by fostering sectional jealousies and individual asperities, caused continual strife between baronial lords, and made the nation a prey to civil dissensions. These were ameliorated by that spirit of improvement which grew out of more extended intercourse, and more enlarged ideas. Greater facilities of communication blended the various interests under a common government, which recognised in internal peace, and in the security of property, the true means of its own greatness, and of popular welfare. This enlightenment did not, however, extend beyond the limits of respective nationalities, and down to our own time national jealousies, and kingly ambitions, have disturbed the world, as formerly nations were torn internally by the pugnacious follies of lesser chiefs. The desire of each nation to extend its own dominions, and bring a larger number of persons within the circle of trade, governed by its own laws, was attended by a wish, equally strong, to lessen the commercial prosperity of their supposed rivals. On the discovery of the new world, each prince strove to plant colonies upon its soil, and while compelling those colonies to trade with their respective mother-countries, sought to cut them off from intercourse with the rest of the world, and from each other. British jurists decided that British laws did not extend to colonies, which, as conquered countries, were governed entirely at the king's pleasure. This rule placed the colonists entirely at the mercy of those leading home-interests, the great influence of which was purchased by the government at the expense of the colonies. The utter violation of natural liberty, manifest in the European colonial policy, originating with the Portuguese, early attracted the attention of writers upon international law, and Vattel brands, with strong reprobation, the attempt of the Portuguese, at the time of their great power in the East Indies, to exclude all other nations from any commerce with the Indians; qualifies it as a pretension no less iniquitous than chimerical; that it was mere matter for derision; and that the nations agreed to consider any acts of violence in support of it as just cause of war. This common right of all nations, he says, is at present acknowledged, under the appellation of freedom of trade.

But this attempt of the Portuguese, iniquitous and absurd as it was, followed as a legitimate corollary from the colonial violence of the age. Spain, England, France, and the Netherlands, as well as Portugal, sent forth adventurous navigators to discover, and enterprising adventurers to take possession of, all that part of the earth not inhabited by Christians. Wherever one of these navigators first landed, he assumed the right of