I am told it is entirely characteristic; that she is in
heart and thought, what you behold in her
countenance--happy, but not gay; serious but not sad;
devout, yet not a devotee.

* * * * *

In the "Salem Gazette" of 1815 is the following curious information
about Scott's novels, which shows how easy it is for people to be
mistaken.

William Erskine, Esq. is said to be the author of the new
and interesting Novel, "_Guy Mannering_."--Walter Scott had
been pronounced the author.

WAVERLY.--It is not yet decided to whom this very
interesting novel belongs. It came into the world with all
the advantage that the name of Walter Scott could give it;
but Guy Mannering's appearance seems to have dissolved that
connection. An article in our first page attributes the work
to Wm. Erskine; but in the last North-American Review we
read the following:--"An English Magazine says, the author
of Waverly and Guy Mannering is a young gentleman of the
name of FORBES, the son of a Scotch baronet." The Review
remarks, that the extract in the title page of the latter,
from the _Lay of the Last Minstrel_, was a delicate way of
informing the public that they were under a mistake in
attributing the former to Walter Scott.

* * * * *

On the 16th June, 1806, there was a total eclipse of the sun. The
following is all the "Salem Gazette" of the 17th has to say of such a
remarkable event.

Yesterday the great Solar Eclipse took place, agreeably to
the calculations which had been made. The day was very
favourable to viewing it. The air was remarkably clear, and
there was not a cloud in the hemisphere. As the sun shut
in, the stars appeared, and many were visible at the time of
total darkness. A considerable alteration in the temperature
of the atmosphere was felt during the continuance of the
Eclipse.

* * * * *

In the "Boston Palladium" of 1819, copied from a London paper, is Lord
Mansfield's opinion about a word in Johnson's Dictionary. In the
original editions of this work are to be found many very curious
definitions, some of which bore so hard upon the government as to be
construed into libel.

FROM A LONDON PAPER.

_EXCISE._

The following curious little document