Have we not sometimes reflected with pleasing won...der on the speed and facility with which we made a new acquaintance? A few hours' conversation has created a freedom and confidence as entire as if it had been the work of many years; so that it seemed like a dream that we had been, until that day, utter strangers to each other. Such is the powerful effect of a lively sympathy of minds; of that coincidence which I have mentioned, in thought, feeling, and language. In other instances, we have found the acquisition of acquaintance impracticable. This has frequently been a grievance to me in the progress of life. I have wished to form a friendship with a person, of whom I not, only had heard a good character, but in whom I saw much to esteem. Yetmy efforts have been ineffectual. We lacked sympathy. Our ideas would not combine with sufficient readiness; nor could our sensibilities be made to tally and coalesce. Weeks and months might pass away in often and repeated communication; but an unfortunate something was perpetually interposing to keep us strangers, in spite of our mutual endeavours to know and love one another. Our esteem might grow, but tenderness would not grow in any thing like the same measure. This I take to be the meaning of a familiar saying which we frequently hear; "I respect the man highly, but I do not like his ways."

What has been said leads us, if I do not mistake, to the reason why some worthy pairs enjoy but little happiness in the married state. Their minds we may suppose to be strong, and well cultivated; their hearts warm, and enriched with excellent dispositions. To the ears of other people, their souls, considered separately, "discourse sweet music;" yet they fail to produce perfect harmony between themselves. They do not completely understand each other; nor are they qualified for that spontaneous, full correspondency of sentiments and emotions which blends two kindred beings into one. In forming this relation, there

fore, it is necessary to ascertain not only a general respectability of character, but likewise a similarity of tastes, a sympathy that shall readily transmit from heart to heart every vibration of feeling. Of such a union, attended with the blessing of Heaven, I know not any language sufficiently energetic to express the felicity. How thankful ought I to be to the God of all goodness that I can say this, as the husband of my Amanda, from my own experience! I may add, however, and it is a delightful truth, that when amiable persons marry in early life, and without a very great disagreement of tastes at the outset, there is always a tendency, and not a weak one, toward that degree of assimilation which is desirable.

AMONG the vices which infest society, scarcely any one is so common, or does so much mischief, as that of detraction. It is the more readily exercised by malevolent people as it seldom meets with the punishment it deserves. My observation has taught me that this detestable practice is not confined to any class of mankind, but may be traced through all classes and conditions. Almost every where competition exists, of one kind or other; and competitors are always under temptation to detract from each other's merits. Too frequently, alas, the temptation prevails; and plain, upright men are duped by the influence of ingenious slander, without suspecting the fraud which is imposed upon them. The detracter, by an affected unwillingness to pronounce a derogatory opinion of his neighbour, or by extolling him for qualities of little or no worth, not only plays his tricks

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unobserved; but by this refinement in wickedness commends himself to the world as a strict follower of the rule, "give to every man his due."

By way of illustrating the subject, permit me to introduce a character, to whom I shall give the name of Philautos. He was born of reputable parents, and endowed by nature with talents above the ordinary level.

At an early age his father sent him to school, intending to give him all the advantages of a liberal education. But this design was, after a while, frustrated by various reverses of fortune, which it is not material to my purpose to detail. Indigence compelled the parents of this boy to think of putting him out to learn a trade; and convenience rather than inclination made him consent to become an apprentice to a neighbouring bootmaker. It was here that I first became acquainted with Philautos; and to him am I indebted for my first knowledge of the vice of detraction. I was sent to this shop, (in which he was now employed as a journeyman,) with my father's boots, to get them repaired. Taking the boots in his hand, Philautos spent several minutes in looking at their stitches and at me alternately; with an air expressing more strongly than words his disapprobation of the workmanship. At this I was surprised, having heard my father repeatedly praising these boots, as the neatest and best he had ever worn. Upon my asking our journeyman whether he thought them badly executed, he again looked at them, and with a sncer remarked, that he did not like to pass an opinion; but the maker of them was considered very good at half-soaling.'

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An absence during a number of years from my old vicinity precluded a farther personal observation of the conduct of Philautos toward those of his own craft. On my return, I learned that, after trying several other pursuits for a livelihood, he had recently opened a small store in one of our villages. I found that a disposition to injure persons of his own calling had attended him through all his successive changes of bu

siness. And as his behaviour respecting the boots had made an unusual impression upon my mind, by first opening my eyes to an evil of which I have since had ample opportunity to be taught the deplorable prevalence, I resolved with myself that I would mark the propensity of the man in his new occupation as a merchant. Accordingly, a few days after, I called at his store. Philautos recognized me instantly as a former customer; for so tenacious is his memory that he never forgets the person of any one who has dealt with him even to the smallest amount. The usual sa- Jutations having been exchanged, I inquired about his success in merchandise. He told me he had made considerable sales; but the competition was so great as to render the profits trifling. Upon my remark ing that his next-door neighbour was doing very well, he observed that he was accommodating to his customers, but report said that his goods were damaged." Of a second, he insinuated that he had no fixed prices; and of a third, that he kept bad accounts.' Af ter examining a waistcoat pattern which I held in my hand, and getting information of the price I had given for it, he exhibited a variety of others to me, which he affirmed to be of better quality, and at more reduced prices. I could not avoid contrasting, in my thoughts, the conduct of this serpentine being with that of my friend Fairman, a merchant also; whe speaks ill of no one, and well of all so far as he honestly ean; and who rests his hopes of success upon his own integrity and good name, not upon the baseness, whether real or imputed, of his neighbours. Philautos gave me to understand, at parting, that he was weary of retailing small wares behind a counter, and intended to turn his views to physic..

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Strange as it may appear, this purpose was carried into execution. Not many years had passed away, when the very individual whom I had once seen mending my father's boots was sent for to patch up the Bealth of a respectable old gentleman who lived in the

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same town with myself. In one of my daily visits of friendship to the invalide, I met with the doctor. This was what I wished for, with a degree of eagerness; for I must acknowledge that the study of man, and especially of the influence of various professions and pursuits in modifying character, has always been my hobby. And where could a finer subject be presented for this kind of.speculation than Dr. Philautos? Our conversation during the first hour was of a general and amusing nature. Though I know little of the doctrines of Hippocrates, I could perceive that our physician was not unacquainted with the principles of his art; and that he had acquired a handsome fund of in formation upon other topics also. He spoke freely, and rather approvingly, of many medical gentlemen who moved without his own circle of action. when interrogated respecting those within it, his ancient venom again manifested itself; for however me¬ ritorious his rivals might be, he would only reply with ambiguous, disparaging looks and shrugs, or with saying they were very attentive to the sick, or something to the same effect. Filled with indignation at such malignity, I was irresistibly led to the conclusion that liberal pursuits do not always liberalize the character, and that the mind may be expanded with knowledge while the heart is contracted with selfishness. But to proceed with my biography. The doctor went on practising physic, in the full sunshine of popular favour, and with no small improvement of his fortune. At length, as a righteous providence would have it, he met with an overthrow by his own empoisoned weapon, and from a quarter whence he least expected it. The circumstances were these. He had with assiduity, and doubtless with skill too, endeavoured to wrest from the hands of death a young lady of distinction. No skill, however, can achieve what is impossible; the lady grew more disordered and weak every day. Her friends, anxious for her preservation, accepted, at the last stage of the disease, the voluntary P

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