ke to predict
that a century must elapse before even New York can sustain a permanent
operatic establishment.

JOURNAL CONTINUED.

NEW YEAR'S DAY IN NEW YORK.

With an unclouded sky, and a sun as bright and genial as we would desire
on a May morning, the first day of January 1834 makes its bow to the New
York public; and in no place does this same day meet heartier welcome,
or witness better cheer.

On this day, from an early hour, every door in New York is open, and all
the good things possessed by the inmates paraded in lavish profusion.
The shops and banks alone are closed: Mammon for this day sees his
altars in one spot on earth deserted. Meantime every sort of vehicle is
put in requisition; and if a man owns but a single acquaintance in the
wide city, he on this day sets forth in kind heart to seek and shake him
by the hand.

On this day all family bickerings are made up; fancied or real wrongs
admitted, explained, and forgiven. The first twenty-four hours of the
new year in New York is a right _Treve de Dieu_, during which foes
cease from strife, the long divided are re-united, and friendly compacts
renewed and drawn closer: even Avarice, more wary of approach than the
hare, on this day forgets to bolt his door, or calculate the cost of
bidding welcome to his visitor.

The stranger is also made sensible of the benevolent influence of this
kindly day, if I may draw any inference from my own case. At an early
hour a gentleman of whom I had a slight knowledge entered my room,
accompanied by an elderly person I had never before seen, and who, on
being named, excused himself for adopting such a frank mode of making my
acquaintance, which he was pleased to add he much desired, and at once
requested me to fall in with the custom of the day, whose privilege he
had thus availed himself of, and accompany him on a visit to his family.

I was the last man on earth likely to decline an offer made in such a
spirit; so, entering his carriage which was in waiting, we drove to his
house in Broadway, where, after being presented to a very amiable lady,
his wife, and a pretty, gentle-looking young girl, his daughter, I
partook of a sumptuous luncheon, drank a glass of champagne, and, on
the arrival of other visitors, made my bow, well pleased with my visit.

My host now begged me to make a few calls with him, explaining, as we
drove along, the strict observances paid to this day throughout the
State, and tracing the