castle with wonderful firmness and intrepidity. The Americans, finding us so strongly fortified, retired in good order about twelve o'clock, leaving only a few black-looking gentlemen to disturb our repose. We retired to bed, with an understanding that, at the slightest noise, we were instantly to muster our forces.

It was about one o'clock, when a terrible cry of murder resounded through all our apartments : it was evidently the voice of an Englishman; for Americans, although they have lately published a work purporting to be a true mode of pronouncing English, have a nasal intonation wonderfully discordant to the musical ears of Englishmen.

In almost naked nature we rushed simultaneously into the street: the gig's crew had been attacked, and we found about a thousand Ame ricans heroically pounding four sailors. The impetuous rush of our party checked the operations

of the enemy; and, after much firing on their side, and fighting on ours, we rescued the crew, and brought two prisoners into our hotel. We instantly assembled a court-martial; and perhaps never was there seen a more ludicrous, and yet a more determined scene, than occurred at that minute. We were only en chemise, the American maids peeping in the room, where we sat round a table, with our prisoners bound; and I, being the youngest, was called upon for my opinion first. I had little to say, excepting a remark upon the cowardly behaviour of our antagonists, who had attacked four innocent men on duty : I therefore adjudged the same criminals to be cobbed-a punishment I will not explain, saving only that a shovel is as good as a besom in some castigations: which being carried unanimously, we forthwith prepared to inflict the sentence upon the culprits. In stripping them,-for I blush to say this operation was requisite, a pair of pocket-pistols

fell from one; they were loaded and primed, and no doubt had been intended for hostile operations: we therefore deferred the punishment, and handed our captives over to the civil power, by which they were shortly released on the payment of one dollar.

GENERAL INVITATIONS.

PRAY do call in an easy way some evening. you and Mrs. Balderstone: we are sure to be at nome, and shall be most happy to see you." Such is the kind of invitation one is apt to get from considerably intimate acquaintances, who, equally resolved against the formality and the expense of a particular entertainment on your account, hope to avoid both evils by making your visit a matter of accident. If you be a man of some experience, you will know that all such attempts to make bread and cheese do that, which is more properly the business of a pair of fowls,

end in disappointment, and you will, therefore, take care to wait till the general invitation becomes a particular one. But there are inexperienced people in this world who think everything as it seems, and are apt to be greatly deceived regarding this accidental mode of visiting. For the sake of these last, I shall relate the following adventure:

I had been remarkably busy one summer, and, consequently, obliged to refuse all kinds of invitations, general and particular. The kind wishes of my friends had accumulated upon me somewhat after the manner of the tunes frozen up in Baron Munchausen's French horn; and it seemed as if a whole month would have been necessary to thaw out and discharge the whole of these obligations. A beginning, however, is always something; and, accordingly, one splashy evening in November, I can't tell how it was, but a desire came simultaneously over myself and Mrs. Bal