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always look on servitude as a degradation, and not suffer the term of "servant" to be applied to them, nor call any man "master," because these terms are only known to them as designating owner and slave.

A curious anecdote was related to me by a person who witnessed the fact. An English minister happened not long since to be in New-York on his way to Washington, and behind his carriage there were two footmen dressed in livery. Their appearance first excited the attention, and then gradually increased the numbers of the crowd, till at length shouts and hurras were set up by the boys, who cried out, "Hurra for the Englishmen hurra for the Englishmen! It takes two Englishmen to make one nigger!" meaning that two English footmen were thought necessary to do the duty which they had been always accustomed to see one negro perform.

A great defect in the municipal arrangement is the want of sufficient light in the streets by night. The lamps are so far apart, and so scantily supplied with gas, that it is impossible to distinguish names or numbers on the doors from the carriages, or even on foot, without ascending the steps to examine; and as no uniform plan seems to be laid down for the order in which the numbering of the houses shall be made, the difficulties and delays are vexatious to the most patient. A very simple remedy would remove it all, which would be to have the numbers placed on the glass of the lamps, corresponding to that of the doors nearest to them, which could be seen by all in passing; an arrangement which in the best lighted cities might be worthy of adoption, but in badly lighted ones would be of the greatest utility.

In naming any particular streets, either in writing or in conversation, it is usual to drop the word street altogether, and to give the address of the person as "54 Pine" instead of 54 Pine-street, and to say "corner of Wall and Pearl," or "corner of Spruce and Cedar," or "Broadway and Fulton," leaving "street" to be inferred in each case as a matter of

course.

The public markets in New-York are large, open, airy, and well supplied with everything requisite for the table. Meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, fruits, are all sold in these open markets, of which Fulton is one of the principal ones. There is an entire absence here of the butchers', poulterers', and fishmongers' shops so common in London; and the caterers from the hotels, boarding-houses, and private dwell

NEWYEAR'S DAY IN NEW-YORK.

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ings are all obliged to go very early to market, generally at daylight, to secure a good choice; but at that hour they always find an abundant supply.\

In New-York, as in London, there are chimney-sweepers in great numbers; but, instead of the shrill cry of "sweep, sweep," from tiny little voices as in England, the men who walk the streets here have a peculiar song or tune without words, which they sing, always agreeably, and sometimes melodiously, so as to waken ideas of cheerfulness and content, instead of the painful associations inseparable from the piercing cry of the climbing-boy at home.

Locksmiths and bell-hangers are a class of workmen that also go their rounds, and call at houses to know if there is anything to do in their art or profession. They have no signal or cry that I could discover, but are known by the coils of bell-wire carried over their shoulders, and bunches of keys carried in their hands; and there is no doubt but that, in consequence of their periodical calls, bells are put in order and locks repaired more frequently than they would be if these artisans remained at home until they were sent for. An engraver of brass plates for doors improved upon this idea, and got into an excellent business by the following plan. Instead of losing his time by going round to solicit orders, he noted in his walks the houses that had brass plates on them, with the name of the resident, especially those that were badly done, as well as the houses where no plates existed; and, adapting his style of size and character in the letters and plate to the doorway which needed it, he engraved the requisite name without an order, took it to the house, saw the occupier, told him he did it by way of experiment or speculation, and generally so pleased the party that he had his plate fixed on the door before he left, though, without this step, years might have passed away before the person would have thought of ordering one.

Among the peculiarities in the customs of New-York, none is more worthy of imitation than the manner in which its inhabitants observe the first day of the new year. The custom is derived from the old Dutch settlers who first founded the city, and is thus observed. The day is made a com. plete holyday, and the stores and shops are almost as generally closed as on the Sunday. All the ladies of the family rise early, dress for the day, and immediately after breakfast repair to the drawing-room, to receive the visits of their male friends. Not a lady moves out, either for business or pleasure, health or exercise; and it is the only day in the VOL. I.-U

year, perhaps, in which no lady is seen out, either in carriage or on foot, for none but "friendless ladies” could be spared from home. As early as nine o'clock the visits of the gentlemen commence; and as these are all dressed in their best, the streets and squares present a most animated appearance, by groups of friends ascending and descending the steps of the private houses, while carriages are waiting at the different points for the conveyance of those who require this assistance, though the greater number of the young gentlemen perform their visits on foot.

The Newyear's day of 1838 happened to be a day of the finest possible weather: a sharp, but not a cold air, a bright sun, and a perfect calm; and as it is expected of foreigners that they who approve of the custom should adopt it with their particular friends, I took a carriage for the day, though, in consequence of the increased demand, this was only to be had at about five times the ordinary charge; and, taking my son with me, while Mrs. Buckingham remained at home with the ladies of the house in which we lived, to receive the visits of the gentlemen to whom we had been introduced, I made the circuit of Brooklyn and New-York, in each of which we had some agreeable acquaintances, and between ten and five o'clock we called on fifty-two families, and drove over about ten miles of ground. We met in every house with a most cordial reception; the ladies put forth all their attractions, were well dressed, affable, cheerful, and communicative. In an adjoining room refreshments were provided, of which some of the gentlemen partook; but as it is thought important by those who have a very extensive circle of acquaintance that they should visit them all in the course of the day-we heard of some young men who had nearly a hundred on their list-the great majority were only able to shake hands, wish health and the joys of the season to their fair entertainers, and then retire to pursue their course. Our number being more limited, it afforded us the opportunity of remaining some little time at each house, so that we saw as much of the gentlemen as of the ladies, and met a large number of acquaintances among those who were visiters like ourselves. The clergy and ministers of religion also remain at home, and receive the visits of the members of their congregations; and as we waited on several of these, we found all the Episcopal clergy dressed in full canonicals, and receiving their guests with great courtesy and hospitality. The beneficial effects of this custom are numerous and important. It is a day saved from the toils and cares of

QUAINTNESS OF EXPRESSION.

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business, and given to innocent and social pleasure; and this, in such a busy and overwrought community, is a great advantage. It enables those who have long neglected their visits to bring up their arrears and begin a new account; and it furnishes those who have been growing cold by absence, or indifferent from some slight or embryo quarrel, to renew their intercourse without concession or without offence. It serves to increase the respect for women by the homage thus paid to female influence, and it brings the ministers of the Gospel and their congregations into happy and agreeable communication. It has all these advantages, and many more, without a single evil that I could discover; for, though some might think it would have too democratic a tendency, by bringing persons of different ranks too nearly on a level, yet, since no gentleman ever presumes to visit a family on Newyear's day who has not been previously introduced to them, and his introduction sanctioned by some reciprocal intercourse, none of the parties who meet are strangers to each other, and no liberties are taken of which the most fastidious could disapprove.

Among the most striking peculiarities of American taste, is a love of quaintness and singularity in their expressions. Many ludicrous instances of this will arrest the attention of the observant stranger every day in his intercourse with society; but this is not confined to conversation in private circles; it extends also to their printed documents, announcements, and paragraphs prepared for the press. The following are two only out of some twenty or thirty announcements that met my eye in the public papers of the day, inserted among the advertisements. The first relates to a convivial society, of Dutch origin, which celebrates its anniversary by a feast of sour-krout; and it carries one back to the age of Diedrick Knickerbocker and Rip Van Winkle, with the legend of "the Sleepy Hollow ;" and the second belongs to a political society, taking the name of an Indian saint, Tammany, for its patron, and preserving the Indian imagery, phraseology, and dates.

"GREAT AND IMPORTANT NEWS.

"Owing to the recent disturbances in Canada, his august majesty, the Grand Krout, has been awakened from his annual nap, which he takes immediately after the holyday feasts: his majesty opened his peepers in the sixteenth hour of his nap. After rubbing, gaping, and stretching for three hours, and eating seven plates of krout, five links of Bologna sausages, drinking four bottles of old hock, and smoking seventeen pipes of tobacco, he was seen to nod, which signifies approbation.

"Now I, the Arch-chancellor, in virtue of my authority, command all the liege krouts in creation to appear at Krout Von Nowland's, unwilted, to partake of the annual feast, on Tuesday, January 16th, 1838. "By order,

"For tickets, apply to

"NICHOLAS RULEF POMPERNACLE,

"Arch-counsellor. "PETER HARMANUS KLOTTERLOFF,

"Krout Von Davis, 45 Pine-street.
"Krout Delavan, 489 Broadway.

"Secretary.

"Krout Meserole, 19 Nassau-street.
"Krout Foote, 204 Front-street.

"Krout Bendernagle, 179 Division-street.
"Krout Cruttenden, City Hotel.

“Krout Nowland, Prospect Hall.”

"TAMMANY Society, or COLUMBIAN ORDER.

"Brothers.-A regular meeting of the Institution will be held in the Council Chamber of the Great Wigwam, on Monday evening, Feb. 5th, at half an hour after the setting of the sun. General and punctual attendance is particularly desired.

"By order of the Grand Sachem,

"JOHN J. BEDIENT, Secretary. "Manhattan, Season of Snows, Second Moon, Year of Discovery 346, of Independence 62, and of the Institution the 49th."

The editorial witticisms of this kind are without end; and the straining after effect in oddities and quaintness, to serve the purpose of the moment, seems to have engendered a permanent relish for such extravagances, as readers appear to enjoy them very heartily; and, so long as this is the case, there will be no want of writers to furnish that description of gratification. The following are three specimens out of many :

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"A Western editor has placed over his marriages a cut representing a large trap, sprung, with this motto, The trap down, another fool caught.'

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Query.-Has not the editor been caught in a marriage trap himself, which, like the clinched teeth of the steel trap, has pinched him most confoundedly? There is another kind of trap, which is usually placed under a gallows, with a candidate for immortality, with a rope round his neck, upon it, which the galled editor might employ, and which he would find very pertinent to his purpose. Hang it, man, why don't you just try it once?"

"A CATASTROPHE.

"The Boston Post says that an editor down east, in speaking of his own merits, thus concludes:

"I'm a real catastrophe-a small creation; Mount Vesuvius at the top, with red-hot lava pouring out of the crater, and routing nations; my fists are rocky mountains, arms Whig liberty-poles, with iron springs. Every step I take is an earthquake, every blow I strike is a clap of thunder, and every breath I breathe is a tornado; my disposition is Dupont's best, and goes off at a flash; when I blast, there'll

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