BY THE AUTHOR OF 'TALBOT AND VERNON, THE GLENNS, TO. 'SPREAD out earth's holiest records here, Of days and deeds to reverence dear: THE shapeless knight-errantry of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, rich as it was in romance and adventure, is not to be compared, in any valuable characteristic, to the noiseless self-devotion of the men who first explored the Western country. The courage of the knight was a part of his savage nature; his confidence was in the strength of his own right arm; and if his ruggedness was ever softened down by gentler thoughts, it was only when he asked forgiveness for his crimes, or melted in sensual idolatry of female beauty. It would be a curious and instructive inquiry, could we institute it with success, how much of the contempt of danger manifested by the wandering knight was referable to genuine valor, and what proportion to the strength of a Milan coat and the temper of a Toledo or Ferrara blade. And it would be still more curious, although perhaps not so instructive, to estimate the purity and fidelity of the heroines of chivalry; to ascertain the amount of true devotion given them by their admirers, without hope of reward.' But without abating its interest by invidious and ungrateful inquiries, we can see quite enough-in its turbulence, its cruelty, arrogance and oppression to make us thank Heaven that 'the days of chivalry are gone.' And from that chaotic scene of rapine, raid and murder, we can turn with pleasure to contemplate the truer, nobler chivalry, the chivalry of love and peace, whose weapons were the kindness of their hearts, the purity of their motives, and the self-denial of their lives. The term 'voyageur'* literally signifies 'traveller;' but by this modest IN common use, this word was restricted so as to indicate only the boatmen; the carriers of that time; but I am writing of a period anterior, by many years, to the existence of the trade which made their occupation. ENTERED, ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS, IN THE YEAR 1852, BY SAMUEL HUESTON, IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW-YORK. JOHN A. GRAY, PRINTER, 97 Cliff, cor. Frankfort Street, New-York. I Dreams: A Sonnet. By 'CLARENCE ELWIN,' 523 EDITOR'S TABLE: E Societies for Ameliorating the Condition of the Rich, 88. Carlyle on Coleridge: a Conversational Bore, 90. Reminiscences of James Montgomery, 91. Anniversary of St. Nicholas, 182. An Intercepted Parisian Epistle, 185. An Epistle to the Editor from the Author of Alban, 275. A pair of Missives from a Grahamite and a Gourmet,278. Some Reminiscences of Poor Power, 369. The Printers' Banquet: Letter from Hon G. C. Verplanck, 372. Intermingled Leaves of Gossip and Travel, 373. Paucum plus Fabularum: A few more Fables, 464. Floral: NewYork Horticultural Society, 466. The Condemned Ship, 556. A Tribute to the American Sea-Serpent, 557. Narrative of the Great Hen-Roost Robbery on Long-Island, 560. Exhibition of the National Academy of Design, 563. Edith: An Authentic Narrative. By FRANCIS 246 Episode (An) in the History of the House of Beblowd, 311 LITERARY NOTICES: L Dream Life: a Fable of the Seasons, 82. Schoolcraft's Memoirs of Western Indian Tribes, 83. Taylor's Indications of the Creator, 84. The Golden Legend, 86. The Land of Bondage, 87. Nicaragua: Its People, Scenery, etc., 174. Confidential Disclosures of Lamartine, 175. The Podesta's Daughter, and other Poems, 177. Memories of the Great Metropolis, 181. Lives of the Governors of New-York, 182. Histories of Herodotus and of Ancient Greece, 269. The Podesta's Daughter, and other Poems (second notice), 270. Put |