from Mr. DAY himself, in
which, while he 'forbears at present to make any comments on the conduct
of the Messrs. LONGMAN,' he proves beyond a doubt that 'the Count D'ORSAY
is _not_ the writer of the 'Hints on Etiquette,' but that he himself is
'the real, true author,' past all peradventure. . . . A FRIEND lately
returned from the west, relates among other matters the following
anecdote: 'On board of one of the steam-boats on the Mississippi, I
encountered a deck-hand, who went by the name of BARNEY. Like many of his
class, he was a drinking, reckless fellow, but warm-hearted, good-natured,
and generous to a fault. In early life he was in easy circumstances; was a
husband, and the father of several children. But one night during a
violent storm the house in which he resided was struck by lightning, and
the whole family, save himself, were instantly killed. His own escape was
considered a miracle at the time, not even a hair of his head having been
singed. From that time, however, he took to drinking, and so sank lower
and lower until he became what I found him. When I had heard his story, I
felt somewhat interested in the man, and one day managed to draw him into
conversation. He told me his early history with much natural pathos; and
finding him in the 'melting mood' I endeavored to lead him to some serious
thoughts upon the subject of his misfortunes, and especially of that one
which had bereft him in so awful a manner of his wife and children.
'BARNEY,' said I, 'don't you think it was a signal mercy that you alone
should have escaped unharmed from the bolt which destroyed all else you
loved upon earth? Was there not at least something _singular_ in the
fact?' 'That's what I said myself,' replied BARNEY, in a tremulous voice;
'I always thought it was _very_ sing'lar. But the fact I suppose was this,
Mr. WHITEHAT. The lightning, you see, was afraid of _a man_, and so like a
d----d sneak, it went twisting about to scorch women and little children!'
. . . BLACKWOOD has proclaimed in a late number, the '_Characteristics of
English Society_,' in language of truth and soberness, which goes
explicitly to confirm the reports of nearly all American and other
'foreigners' who have visited England. We subjoin an extract contrasting
English with French society:

'WE should indeed be sorry if our demeanor in those vast crowds,
where English people flock together, rather, as it would seem,
to assert a right, than to grat