tattered miscreant; his adversary, from being well practised at the game, throws ten handsfull of dirt for his one, and quickly bespatters him all over, while the few additional pieces that he could send, would never be discerned on his opponent's already soiled and filthy garments. The best way certainly for those who are well enough known to afford it, is to pass all such attacks over in absolute silence. Blackwood's Magazine, whose personality has at least always prostituted humor and ability to make it go off, has never been so enraged by any of the retorts of its adversaries as by the real or affected contempt of the Edinburgh Review. Notwithstanding the virulent abuse that has from time to time been bestowed upon it, the Edinburgh has never, since the commencement of Blackwood, let it appear that it was conscious there was such a journal in existence.

We are not very sanguine in anticipations of any speedy and effectual change for the better in this world of ours; but we do think the time is fast coming when, with a few exceptions, this custom of the present race of public journals in the United States will be regarded with unqualified contempt. There are already symptoms of better things. Most of the city papers in New-York, and indeed in all large towns, have lately amended their ways con

siderably in this respect, though they were never one quarter so bad as their rural brethren; and there are several journals that are respectable and entertaining repositories of news, knowledge, literature, and fashion, while their trifling disputes are conducted in a pleasant and gentlemanly spirit. Clashing interests and party views will always preserve some portion of personality in the world; but it would be more agreeable to all concerned to settle their little affairs of the pen by good-natured raillery, light repartees, and polished sarcasms, such as pass in decent society, in preference to vulgar slang and porter-house figures of rhetoric. Let such contests be carried on like two gentlemen engaged in a bout at foils, in which both exert their utmost skill and ingenuity, in a friendly temper; and when a "palpable hit" is given on either side, let it be courteously acknowledged, and then try it again; and not like a couple of ragamuffins in the street, who fight and tear themselves to pieces for the amusement of the spectators.

MR. LISTON.

"Curse that incorrigible face of yours; though you never suffer a smile to mantle it, yet it is a figure of fun for all the rest of the world.”

Of all the actors I have ever seen, Kean and Liston appear to me to be the greatest, and to have the least in common with others of their species. Of the two, perhaps Liston is the most original. He is the Hogarth of actors; and like that great painter, has been more highly than justly appreciated. Not that either have been too highly thought of" I hold the thing to be impossible”—but the broad, rich humor, which is the distinguishing characteristic of both, has, from its prominence, thrown their minor good properties into the shade. Hogarth, to the qualities peculiarly his own, added the rare merit of being a chaste and skilful colorist, (the most difficult thing to be attained in painting, considering it purely as an art,) and was, moreover— however generally such an opinion may be entertained-not the least of a caricaturist. Neither is

evidently shows that the view of the place of punishment before him has not made any impression on the mind of the speaker in regard to his own ulterior prospects. If the stage at present actually shows "the very age and body of the time, its form and pressure," the millenium is much further off than many people suppose.

EDITORIAL COURTESIES.

"I must speak in a passion, and I will do it in King Cymbyses' vein."-Shakspeare.

IF Socrates, or any other sensible ancient, could be resuscitated, and have half-a-dozen flaming rhapsodies on the benefits and blessings of the "press," put into his hands, what a glorious and mighty change would he suppose had taken place in the ordering of public affairs, since the time when the Athenian rabble were led by the nose by every noisy demagogue who chose to spout nonsense to them in their market-places. How the good man's heart would be filled with rejoicing as he read glowing descriptions of the tremendous capabilities of this mighty engine, wielded solely for the benefit of mankind, and of its unwearied exertions to disseminate useful information and correct knowledge of political events to the meanest citizen of the state! He would suppose, that with this almost