ed with that strange principle of ubiquity' that makes him "here, and there, and everywhere" at the same moment? No matter how, so long as the public reap the benefit; and well may that public apostrophize him in the words of the poet

Long may he live! our city's pride!

Where lives the rogue, but flies before him!
With trusty crabstick by his side,

And staff of office waving o'er him.

3. But it is principally as a literary man that we would speak of Mr. Hays. True, his poetry is "unwritten," as is also his prose; and he has invariably expressed a decided contempt for philosophy, music, rhetoric, the belles-lettres, the fine arts, and in fact all species of composition excepting bailiffs' warrants and bills of indictment: but what of that? The constitution of his mind is, even unknown to himself, decidedly poetical. And here I may be allowed to avail myself of another peculiarity of modern biography, namely, that of describing a man by what he is

not.

4. Mr. Hays has not the graphic power or antiquarian3 lōre of Sir Walter Scott-nor the glittering imagery or voluptuous tenderness of Moore-nor the delicacy and polish of Rogers-nor the spirit of Campbell-nor the sentimentalism of Miss Landon-nor the depth and purity of thought and intimate acquaintance with nature of Bryant-nor the brilliant style and playful humor of Halleck no, he is more in the petit larceny manner of Crabbe, with a slight touch of Byronic power and gloom. He is familarly acquainted with all those in'teresting scenes of vice and poverty so fondly dwelt upon by that reverend chronicler of little villainy, and if ever he can be prevailed upon to publish, there will doubtless be found a remarkable similarity in their works.

5. His height is about five feet seven inches, but who makes his clothes we have as yet been unable to ascertain. His coun

'Ubiquity (yů bik' we ti), existence everywhere at once.- Belles-lettres (bel-let' ter), elegant literature.- An ti quà' ri an, pertaining to antiquity.— Pêt' it lår' ce ny, small thefts. In England, the stealing of any thing of the value of twelve pence, or under that amount; and in New York, under twenty-five dollars.

tenance is strongly marked, and forcibly brings to mind the lines of Byron when describing his Corsair

There was a laughing devil in his sneer
That raised emotions both of hate and fear;
And where his glance of "apprehension" fell,
Hope withering fled, and mercy sigh'd, farewell!

6. Yet with all his great qualities, it is to be doubted wheth er he is much to be envied. His situation certainly has its disadvantages. Pure and blameless as his life is, his society is not courted—no man boasts of his friendship, and few indeed like even to own him for an intimate acquaintance. Wherever he goes his slightest action is watched and criticised; and if he happen carelessly to lay his hand upon a gentleman's shoulder and whisper something in his ear, even that man, as if there were contamination in his touch, is seldom or never seen afterward in decent society. Such things can not fail to prey upon his feelings. But when did ever greatness exist without some penalty attached to it?

7. The first time that ever Hays was pointed out to me, was one summer afternoon, when acting in his official capacity in the City Hall. The room was crowded in every part, and as he entered with a luckless wretch in his gripe, a low suppressed murmur ran through the hall, as if some superior being had alighted in the midst of them. He placed the prisoner at the bar-a poor coatless individual, with scarcely any edging and no roof to his hat to stand his trial for bigamy,' and then, in a loud, authoritative tone, called out for "silence," and there was silence. Again he spoke-"Hats off there!" and the multitude became uncovered; after which he took his handkerchief out of his lefthand coat-pocket, wiped his face, put it back again, looked sternly around, and then sat down.

8. The scene was awful and impressive; but the odor was disagreeable in consequence of the heat acting upon a large quantity of animal matter congregated together. My olfactory organs were always lăm'entably acute: I was obliged to retire,

'Big' a my, the crime of having two wives or two husbands at the same time. Ol fåc' to ry, pertaining to smelling.

and from that time to this, I have seen nothing, though I have heard much of the subject of this brief and imperfect, but, I trust, honest and impartial mèmoir.

9. Health and happiness be with thee, thou prince of constables-thou guardian of innocence-thou terror of evil-doers and little boys! May thy years be many and thy sorrows few-may thy life be like a long and cloudless summer's day, and may thy salary be increased! And when at last the summons comes from which there is no escaping-when the warrant arrives upon which no bail can be put in—when thou thyself, that hast "wanted" so many, art in turn "wanted, and must go,"

Mayst thou fall

Into the grave as softly as the leaves

Of the sweet roses on an autumn eve,

Beneath the small sighs of the western wind,

Drop to the earth!

WILLIAM COX.

WILLIAM COX, author of two volumes, entitled "Crayon Sketches," published in New York, in 1833, an Englishman by birth, came to America at an early age to practice his calling of a printer. He was employed on the "Mirror," conducted by General MORRIS, and gained a literary reputation by contributing a series of essays to its columns. These, in a happy vein of humor and criticism, satirizing the literary infirmities of the times, pleased men of taste and good sense. The above sketch, "written during an awful prevalence of biographies," gained great celebrity at the time. His "Crayon Sketches" are full of originality, pleasantry, and wit, alternately reminding the reader of the poetical eloquence of Hazlitt, and the quaint humor and eccentric tastes of Charles Lamb. After writing a number of years for the Mirror, he returned to England, where he died in 1851.

1.

29. A MODEST WIT.

A SUPERCILIOUS' nabob' of the East

Haughty, being great-purse-proud, being rich

A governor, or general, at the least,

I have forgotten which

Had in his family a humble youth,

Who went from England in his patron's suite,

'Supercilious (su per sil' yus), haughty; lofty with pride. Nå' bob, a deputy or prince in India; a rich man.

An unassuming boy, and in truth

A lad of decent parts, and good repute.

2. This youth had sense and spirit;
But yet, with all his sense,

Excessive diffidence

Obscured his merit.

3. One day, at table, flush'd with pride and wine,
His honor, proudly free, severely merry,
Conceived it would be vastly fine

To crack a joke upon his secretary.

4. "Young man," he said, "by what art, craft, or trade,
Did your good father gain a livelihood ?”–

"He was a saddler, sir," Modestus said,
And in his time was reckon'd good."

5. "A saddler, eh! and taught you Greek,
Instead of teaching you to sew!
Pray, why did not your father make
A saddler, sir, of you?"

6. Each parasite,' then, as in duty bound,
The joke applauded, and the laugh went round.
At length Modestus, bowing low,

Said (craving pardon, if too free he made),
"Sir, by your leave, I fain would know

Your father's trade!"

7. "My father's trade! by heaven, that's too bad!
My father's trade? Why, blockhead, are you mad?
My father, sir, did never stoop so low-
He was a gentleman, I'd have you know."

8. "Excuse the liberty I take,"

66

Modestus said, with archness on his brow, 'Pray, why did not your father make

A gentleman of you?"

ANON.

'Pår' a site, an eater with; a hanger-on; one who fawns on the rich In botany, a plant that grows and lives on another.

30. THE USES OF HISTORY.

OW vain, how fleeting, how uncertain are all those gaudy bubbles after which we are panting and toiling in this world of fair delusion! The wealth which the miser has amassed with so many weary days, so many sleepless nights, a spendthrift heir may squander away in joyless prodigality. The noblest monuments which pride has ever reared to perpetuate a name, the hand of time will shortly tumble into ruins-and even the brightest laurels, gained by feats of arms, may wither and be forever blighted by the chilling neglect of mankind.

2. "How many illustrious heroes," says the good Boëthius,' "who were once the pride and glory of the age, hath the silence of historians buried in eternal oblivion!" And this it was that induced the Spartans, when they went to battle, solemnly to sacrifice to the Muses, supplicating that their achievements should be worthily recorded. Had not Homer3 tuned his lofty lyre, observes the elegant Cicero, the valor of Achilles' had remained unsung. And such, too, after all the toils and perils he had braved, after all the gallant actions he had achieved, such too had nearly been the fate of the chivalric Peter Stuyvesant,' but that I fortunately stepped in and engraved his name on the indelible tablet of history, just as the caitiff Time was silently brushing it away forever.

'BO E' THI US, a Latin statesman, philosopher, and writer, was born at Rome, of a rich and noble family, about 470. His writings are numerous, and on a variety of subjects, the most famous work, "De Consolatione Philosophiæ," being written in prison, where he was unjustly beheaded, October 23, 526.- Muses (mu' zez), in mythology, the nine sister goddesses presiding over the liberal arts.- HOMER, the most distinguished of poets, called the "Father of Song." He is supposed to have been an Asiatic Greek, though his birth-place, and the period in which he lived, are not known.- MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO, Consul of Rome, a distinguished orator, writer, rhetorician, and philosopher, born at Arpinum, in B. c. 106, beheaded B. c. 43.- ACHILLES (a kil' lèz), the bravest of the Grecian princes, described by Homer in the Iliad, and his death in the 24th book of the Odyssey. Chival.ic (shivʼal rik).— 'PETER STUYVESANT, the last Dutch governor of New York, appointed in 1647, born in Holland. He remained in New York after it fell into the hands of the English, and died there.- Cài' tiff, a base fellow; a villain.