some, of singing, what should be praying responses, "meekly kneeling on the knees." This we are bound to say, was not always so.

One most obvious and most embarrassing change, which has แ come over the face of our affairs," is the increased and increasing difficulty of providing acceptable employment for growingup sons of such as aim at what they deem genteel occupation. They find the Bar and medical profession, already surcharged; and if they aim at wholesale stores and business houses, they find them scarce, and few and far between. The result is, that young men are not, and cannot be, prepared for early marriage, and settlement, or else they seek to find fortunes where they should not. Too many are therefore driven to live upon contingencies and chance, and are liable to be seduced into criminal stratagems, at a rate of number never before so witnessed. A time must therefore come, when men of sense will educate and train their surplus sons to husbandry, and others to mechanic arts requiring skill and education. Architecture, for instance, in houses and ship construction, can open many avenues for further employment, and the elaboration of metals can be carried out into many channels of elevated and enlightened mechanicism. Gentlemen, by combination, could so determine to place their sons, and thus elevate the standard of character, just as readily as the same class, could determine recently, to make what was free schools for poor children, common schools to themselves and all other tax prayers. Make it the fashion that young men should be so disposed of, and the object is attained. Men, who by elevation lead society, may in this matter set the example of so disposing of their sons, and not forcibly constrain them into positions where society draws another way, and affects to exclude them. It is not the labour, but the exclusion, which operates on their minds. Our forefathers, when society, was more equalized, experienced no such difficulties in the acceptable disposal of their sons. They found readily places for all positions where their education and training inclined them.

It is thus, by comparing the present and the past, we arrive at some apprehension of what our forefathers did in former times, and at some appreciation of the changes which may be induced in the future. We are thus pleased and satisfied in proportion to the images which can be created for our contemplation-while facts can be educed for consideration, the imagination and the heart must be affected. What the world will come to hereafter, we may all know, as being within the compass of all past history. Society moves in a circle of changes. If we are in pride, pride will bring arrogance and war-War will produce povertyPoverty humiliation and Peace-Humiliation will induce Repentance and Reform-Reform, economy and wealth, as at the beginning, &c.

The Revolutionary Navy.

Where so much has been done for the glory of our country, in the times which tried men's souls-it is desirable to say a few words-to wit.

We have many reasons for believing that the officers of our first, or revolutionary navy, were in many respects different from the present-different, we should say, in dress, manners, and mind. Their habits were simpler-their manners plain, and their intercourse frank and familiar. In their dress, there was little aim at show and grandeur. They wore small cocked hats without lace-hair powdered and cued-coats with ample skirts, and foul-anchor buttons-small clothes-hose and shoes. Their dignity and sternness, when they aimed at any, was not before their countrymen, but before the enemy. In that relation, they showed themselves men of great tact, and of most indomitable spirit and courage. They had all been practical seamen, in the merchants' service and thus came out in their new relation, for the occasion. Indeed our earliest officers for our subsequent navy, which produced officers such as we have seen to earn a fame for themselves and their country by their gallantry, in actions since the revolution, had also been drawn from the mercantile marine.-Such were Bainbridge, Porter, Chauncey, Hull, Perry, Preble, &c. They had not been originally bred for drawing-rooms and courtly display; but they had no deficiency in polished circles, when called to the exercise of their rules and usages.

Army Officers.

The speaking of navy officers above, stimulates me to say a few words of army officers, such as they were down to the year 1800, while the seat of government was at Philadelphia. They were frequently seen abroad in the streets, and always in their uniform. It was less expensive and splendid than now, and thus made an easier affair of daily wear. They arrived, generally from the west, on horseback, with a servant, and their baggage under a bear skin, on another horse. It was gratifying then to the citizens, to see military men thus willing to show their colours-and it gives a hint to similar professional men to do the same now.

American Scenery.

Willis has well told wherein our American scenery differs from European; and since the scenery has been depicted by Bartlett, and put upon steel plates, we cannot but perceive how equally grand and imposing are many of our river and lake scenes, compared with the best of the European--"having no parallel in Europe or on earth." "It strikes the European traveller (says Willis) at the first burst of the scenery of America on his eye, that the new world of VOL. II.-3 V

Columbus is also a new world from the hand of the Creator-the vegetation is so wondrously lavish, and the outlines and minor features are struck out with so bold a freshness. The Minerva. like birth of the republic-its sudden rise to independence, wealth and power, and its continued and marvellous increase in population and prosperity, strike him with the same surprise, and leave the same impression of a new scale of existence, and a fresher and faster law of growth and accomplishment." Travellers, who have exhausted the unchanging countries of Europe, now turn their steps to the novel scenery and evershifting aspects of this, It is in river scenery, however, that America exceeds all other lands; and "here (says Bartlett) the artist's labour is not as in Europe, to embellish and idealize the reality; he finds it difficult to come up to it." Let this concession be considered and remembered by Americans!

The Credit System.

It has been said that "to the system of bills of credit, Pennsyl vania owed more of her provincial prosperity than to any other cause it gave her a facility in effecting exchanges not otherwise attainable." The mother country opposed this system, and when the colonial assembly had passed acts for such emissions, they were negatived by the crown as soon as the acts permitted-say in two years. To meet this obstacle the assemblies restricted their acts to two years at a time, and thus managed to make the emissions continual. Since then we have often effected great and lasting good by the credit system-accomplishing numerous great enterprises. All this while it was held under wholesome restrictions and restraints. We have also greatly abused it when used as a means of excessive stock-jobbing, and extravagant speculations. Like fire and water, which are so useful and necessary in their legitimate use, they can be mismanaged to a tremendous amount of evil. Benjamin Franklin, in his early days, was the first person in Philadelphia who wrote and published in favour of creating paper money; and he says, that he was strenuously opposed by all the monied men; but they continued to discuss it in the junta, and it carried with the people-and after the first trial in was so liked, as to make calls for more.

FINAL APPENDIX OF THE YEAR 1856.

NOTES AND REFLECTIONS ON SOCIAL CHANGES AND PROGRESS IN

GENERAL

"Now othor men and other manners reign."

Since the publication of the preceding pages, fourteen years ago, (in 1842,) showing the State of Society in Olden time,-and considering now, the wonderful changes continually passing upon men, and things in the course of "Progress," it seems to become a needful comment on the past, to bring up to the notice of the present entering generation, some of the leading changeful features of the present day,-i e "the Progress of Social life"-as said Daniel Webster, "a history of our Firesides and the changes-from age to age of our homes."

We shall therefore aim to present to our readers-by way of contrast, such comparisons of the present and the past, as shall best exhibit the points, in which the measures of change and progress, have been most conspicuously manifested; and which are indeed, so strikingly wonderful, when told, as should,—if duly considered,make us a wonder unto ourselves.

Without such an Expose, we cannot but believe, that, the mass of the people, so familiar and cognisant in every-day things now,could not realise the position from which they have been taken. They are but too prone to think, that the life that now is, is the life that has always been. In these matters, we might say with Sidney Smith, on a like occasion,-" It is some importance at what period a man is born. A young man alive at this period, hardly knows towhat changes, and improvements of human life he has been introduced;"-And with Macauley's recent history say, "We are to consider that the history of such a given past epoch, is no longer the history of the country, as we now see it."

Let us therefore to facts: Such as will be shown under the following heads to wit:

General remarks on our changes.

It is pleasing to see, amidst such passing events, that there is a growing interest in preserving the Annals and Reminiscences of the past. The great changes of the present, compared with the past, adds to their picturesqueness; and from this cause it is, that those who discard the use of all past modes and forms, and who habitually supercede them by new things,-are nevertheless gratified in reading the record of their preservation in books. We have received many written notices of these facts from various correspondents,-and as

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a proof in point, we here extract from one such letter, received from the author of the History of Norwich, Connecticut; —saying, “ A new and fascinating department of literature is growing up amongst us, having for its basis, not merely bare facts and dates of our domestic history, genealogy and biography, but also, all that is instructive, beautiful and shadowy of the past;-for 'posterity (as said John Q. Adams) delights in details;'-such as your Annals have so vividly displayed-Truly, I sympathise with you, and every one, who like you, is engaged in reviving and keeping fresh the deeds and memorials of our forefathers."

What wonderful things do we now behold, "not before dreamt of in our philosophy!" Rail Roads and Cars-annihilating space -Telegraphic wires, conversing at unlimited distances-Steamers traversing every Sea-Steam-Engines and power adapted to all kinds of manufactures-Inventions of machinery (in the Patent office) to supercede almost every kind of former labor-Stereotyping everything on paper-Daguerreotypes cheapening the likenesses of every body. Chemical developments, for the supply of every thing required in the arts, and opening the arcana of nature to the use of all-ascertaining the elements of combinations in natureand so seperating the parts, as to show new sources of power and profit-forecasting the fact, that in time, Water may be used as a Fire! In the mean time, the ingenuity and devices of Crime, becoming more and more apparent-and compeling new efforts of counteraction from all those who regard the progress of Religion and Virtue, in the world. We see too, the great exaltation of the Anglo Saxon race, as a species destined to carry out civilization and christianity, to all the dark corners of the globe-The conquest of Mexico, by us-the opening trade of California and Oregon-the discovery of gold and quick Silver-the Commerce of the Pacific and the access there to China-the opening of a Rail Road across the Isthmus, and a great Rail Road across our Continent, all tend to open some grand developments of Providence, in the coming half Century-they who shall succeed us, shall behold still greater wonders!

The parade and success of Foreign Artistes, become more and more astounding-So much of our money contributed to their reward! All kinds of new devices for making money-It is new to make public readings of Shakespeare, as introduced by Mrs. Fanny Kemble -Operas are now fostered-supplanting natural music-Immodest exposure of female limbs in dancing Polkas, and the like-our mothers and grand mothers, were too modest to behold such thingsCircuses, Menageries, and human Models (libidinous) find favourRiders and Beasts, multiply in all our cities &c.,

Our People are fast changing.

From being once a domestic, quiet people, content to rest in their fireside comforts, and indoor society, they are being all drawn abroad