learning takes a practical cast, and is exercised in enlightening the ignorant, as well as benefitting them, it may as well be enclosed in a nut-shell. Any juggler who happens to recommend an article which effects a cure, will be as highly thought of. We leave subjects, however, to which Dr. Ticknor does ample justice, and turn to another of a delicate nature, and to which, like our author, we shall barely glance. We have a becoming respect for age, and when united with wisdom, yield it all due reverence; but we assert, that this feeling is liable to be abused, and that a practitioner's merits should not rest upon his age, but upon his skill and scientific knowledge. To a physician thus accomplished, whose attention is ever on the alert, and whose mind is regulated by the broadest principles of liberality, every year will bring additional information, and increased tact in the treatment of diseases; and to such a physician, the junior members of the faculty would, I am happy to say, be proud to look up. But it is too often the case, that men who have little beside age to recommend them, make their experience an offset, or more than an offset, to science.

In the country, the prejudice in favor of old doctors is excessive. You can scarcely persuade people that a faithful student in one of our large cities, who has access to alms-house and hospital practice, sees more diversity of practice in one year, than an ordinary country practitioner can possibly do in a whole life time. But it is vain to endeavor to make people believe this. Their idol possesses great experience, while many of the commonest diseases he knows only by name.

For some eight or ten years after graduating, the writer of this article was engaged in country practice, and he became acquainted in that time with instances of the most deplorable ignorance, in men who stood high in favor. A neighboring practitioner, whose veracity is unquestionable, related the following instance, that will be scarcely credited. He mentioned to an old doctor, whose 'experience' was lauded to the skies, that he had used with great success, in a particular case, the prussic acid; and inquired if he had ever made use of the remedy in the same disease. O yes,' was the reply, 'frequently.' In what proportions, doctor, did you administer the acid?' 'In tea-spoonfull doses!' was the ready answer. Now it was evident, that this man of experience was entirely ignorant of the article in question, and his interrogator took the liberty of enlightening him on the subject. A few instances of nearly similar ignorance, fell under the writer's own observation; but this is not the place to notice them, and our design is merely to show the reader that aged ignorance should not be preferred to mature, or even immature, science; that when a physician ceases to improve, and increase his knowledge, and rests entirely on the experience derived from a limited practice, he should retire from the field, to make way for those who have not yet so far approached perfection, as to think that nothing farther can be learned. The new lights in medicine, (botanic and steam doctors,) are calling loudly for reform. In this cry we cheerfully join. There is need of reform; but let this reform be, a greater amount of knowledge, not a less; and let it be diffused among the people, who may know in what hands they place the pre

cious boon of health. Our medical periodicals are not only expensive, but are not adapted for the general reader, who would find but little interest in them; but I most earnestly recommend to the head of every family, a few books, as text-books, if they please, not as 'domestic medicines,' like Buchau's, in which every mother, and even child, may study to their own advantage, the laws that govern and animate their system; the causes of disease, and, it may be, the means of cure. Real knowledge is always modest, and the mother who

learns the frail and delicate nature of the bodies and diseases to which her little ones are liable, will be in no danger, in real disease, of undertaking a cure herself; and the knowledge she will acquire from the following publications, all of which may be purchased for a few dollars, will inform her when such danger exists: Dewees on Children;' Combe's 'Principles of Physiology, applied to the Preservation of Health, and to the Improvement of Physical and Mental Education;' the Constitution of Man,' by the same author, and Ticknor's Philosophy of Living,' and the Exposition of Quackery,' to which we have alluded.

HATTERAS.

FROM SOUTHERN PASSAGES AND PICTURES,' AN UNPUBLISHED VOLUME.

'By these soft breezes, by the odorous breath
From groves of pine, I know that we have past
The stormy cape!' Exclaiming thus, I leapt
From the close cabin to the deck, with speed,
And there, his wrath subdued, his ire at rest,
Lay the fierce god of cloudy Hatteras,
At length, along the deep. Our vessel ran
Beside him, fearless; and the forms that oft
Had trembled at the story of his storms,
Look'd on him without dread. Yet, in his sleep,
The sun down-blazing on his old gray head,
There was a moody murmur of his waves,
That spoke of ruthless power, and bade us fly
To our far homes, with wings of moving fear,
Not less than hope. We might not loiter long,
Like thoughtless birds, improvident of home,
And wand'ring, by the sunlight still seduced,
O'er treacherous billows. No half despot he,
To spare in mercy in his wrathful hour.
A thousand miles, along his sandy couch,
The shores shall feel his wakening, and his lash
Resound in thunder. Brooding by the sea,
He lurks in waiting for the pressing bark,
And every year hath its own chronicle

Of his exactions. Cruel is the tale,

Of the poor maiden shrieking in despair,
Grasped in his rude embrace, and perishing,

Ere yet she lived. Yet love survives his wrath,

And in the night of terror and of storm,

When his fierce winds were howling, when the ship
Was sinking 'neath them, a fond voice was heard,

A husband, by the billows torn away,

That called upon the woman who had lain

Upon his bosom, 'Where art thou, my wife!'

And then the voice grew silent; the rude waves

Stifled the speech; yet not before the wife
Made answer to his ears, a sweet response,
That waken'd them in death: 'I come to thee,
I come to thee, dear husband where art thou?'

She sprang to join him, and the swollen seas
Closed over them in death. It is my prayer,
That, ere he perished, she had wound her arms
About him, and had pressed her lip to his :
And it were fitting that, beneath the waves,
They sleep encircled in the same embrace;
Her cheek upon his bosom, and his arm
Wrapped round her in the holy grasp of love,
Secure from storm, and, best assurance yet,
Secure from separation, evermore.

RANDOM PASSAGES

FROM THE PRIVATE JOURNAL AND CORRESPONDENCE OF THE LATE MRS. SOPHIE MANNING PHILLIPS.

NUMBER THREE.

'25th. — HAD some sport to-day, walking Chesnut street, in company with L speculating, to 'the top of our bent,' as far as such casual glimpses would warrant, on the passing faces of humanity before us. What an irreparable disagreement of different eyes, forms, gaits, noses! Fat people, with the sanguinary flood of life laced up into their cheeks and ears; lean people, with the wadded petticoats of the age and season administered impartially to all parts of the person; men incapable of whiskers, ambuscading the end of their nose in a marshy moustache; those disqualified for the moustache, 'laying a flattering unction' to the turpitude of their whiskers. If all creation did ever absolutely look flimsy to me, the pleasing idea was caught in Chesnut-street.

6

26th. Nothing since last time, except a little snow-storm, vouchsafed to us again to-day, in behalf of the cracked and parching earth. Such a drought, it is said, is not in the recollection of the oldest inhabitant.' With what a grace the feathery particles pursue their mute dance toward the ground! Well, we 're all sinful, ministers and all; and are extremely meritorious of a spell of weather.' If it were n't for theatres, and the Somnambula, and grand caravans, and such like, I'm convinced we should n't be visited with half the quantity of slop and snow. It's my belief, a body might become quite hardened, after a few undivided reflections before an old black stove, like this where I sit; that is, all hopes, all feelings, all delights,' might soon be ascertained down to cinders, which, sifted in Reason's ash-pan, would disseminate in fine dust, which thereafter clearing away, would leave us as clean as a penny. So should we no more shrink from the bared bosom of deceit, nor bleed at the unlooked-for slight of friendship. So should we gather back from shrines near and far, our honor or our love, and care not that, in another hour, their flowers had withered beneath the curse and coldness of mortality. Wonder if I'm to open my Juno lids to-morrow upon a continuation of this snow story? Believe I'll ask the watchman, and give him a dollar to say 'No ma'am !'

29th. Last time I shall notice the weather, unless an unnatural gleam of sunshine should come to 'fright me from my propriety.'

Hail, rain, frost, fog, to-day, backed by darkness, drizzle, sleet, slippery, devil! It's wicked to murmur and say devil, but when a sensible young woman sees every element fighting and fisting which shall make itself most abominable; when, to a benevolent vision, the ears and noses of a once white humanity appear in royal purple ; when, week after week, that season usually appropriated to the blessing of light, namely, the day-time, can only be guessed at by the wakefulness of hens, and other feathered creatures, and one's hope of spring, at the end of February, wears 'madness on the face on 't ;' it is no amazement, the lion should be roused' in the meekest, and that we all are roaring with might and main, in the winter desert.' Entering the room just now, with considerable energy, where my olive branch lay sleeping, Miss Murphy desired me, from her post, by the bedside, to make a noise aisy !'

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'MARCH 2d, half-past 10 o'clock.— Heavens, what a night! The clear cold sky, all brilliant with the moon, doth span us as a beauteous mystery! Friends I have known and loved, and see not now, my soul is with you! Remembrance, then, is not a promise vain, a hopeful mockery. Truly, the air to-night smelleth of spring; a soupçon of buds to be born into blossoms. Verily, this hath a pleasant sound. I know where the crowned Summer will come in her sceptred loveliness, to sit upon a throne unmatched in this world's glory! Pray heaven, mine eyes be there to see!

'Friday, 4th. - Moon shining yet, like all natur.' Just returned from Musical Fund Concert; favor received at the hands of Mr. and Miss B—, relicts of E — B—, late of my particular acquaintance at West Point. After so lengthened a retiracy' as mine, from the sublunary amusements and follies of a glaring world of lamp-light, the concert presented to me a sufficiently alluring view of men and women, with 'varnished faces' expressly assembled for show and pleasure. Followed my leader, hood in hand, about halfpast six, into the midst of countless fluttering heads, and glancing hands, all shaking out their curls and pocket-handkerchiefs, before a final settlement upon the long, hard benches, arranged for auditory purposes. Long time since I had the felicity to make one in any such crowded assembly. Buz! buz! on every side, with a sort of dizzy universal motion all around about. First twenty minutes, distinguished nothing; then grew out gradually on my more accustomed vision, a belle here and there, among two or three cavaliers, agitating her fan and ear-rings. Youths with hat under arm, and hair parted carefully at the side of the head, which does n't look the least finical nor girlish! Felt something heavy, that my closest scrutiny among the whole of these human faces divine, saving those I went with, still returned me the unanswering glances of eyes I knew not, and that knew not me. Oh, forlorn! I repented me for awhile, that I was there. Performers-vocal, of the evening, Mrs. and Miss Watson, and Miss Wheatley. Great rig of satin, white and pink, with silvered pink wreaths, displayed by the trio. Stage about as high up as a comet. Never beheld such a cargo of fiddles since I was born! Looked about for a rat-hole to creep into, when the first grand crash

should descend from the musical fund eminence. In truth 't was awful! Some sweet singing from the three rigged-up women, interspersed with choice overtures by first and second fiddles. I was born with a rebellious instinct against this little King Squeak. All the Paganini's going,' could n't make music therewith, in mine ears. Home from concert by the light of the moon, and haunting memories in my soul of other eves of pleasure, sought ought and partaken with friends now divided from me. If I were to ask the kindlylooking depths of yonder blessed heaven above, how long this weary parting time shall be, what voice would answer me? Ah! but I am weary, sick, of living alone among the people!'

THE next passages recorded in the journal, are dated at Louisville, Kentucky, whither Mrs. PHILLIPS had accompanied her husband, who, being soon after ordered to a far western military station, was compelled to leave his affectionate companion, amidst new scenes and a new people, 'alike unknowing and unknown.' It is no marvel that, under these circumstances, that most miserable of all maladies, homesickness, should have taken possession of her spirit, or that, while under its blinding and desolate spell, she should have seen as through a glass darkly' the noble country and people, where, and among whom, she was a lone and unhappy sojourner.

'Louisville, Kentucky! -How we are shuffled about in this world! * * And here am I, 'beyond the mountains!' 'Chained,' not to the chariot of triumphal art,' but among the brick, dust, and darkness, of this disagreeable town; away from every taste that directed, and every sympathy that civilized me! Who that

has lived in mine own fair eastern land, and warmed him in the light of its blessed, blessed skies, and heard the sound of its beloved voices, can see among these cowering woods aught but dimness and estrangement? O, for a sight of my home! What does a woman here? And they have taken the very husband, for whose sake I am here, and flung him to the Choctaws! Reviens mon mari! 'Kaintuck !' Oh, how I hate it! When shall we quit - when, when, never again to hear from, or visit, or mention, the name

WHEN
of West?'

'It seems to me, that like some beautiful summer shower, I every now and then 'hold up' over this my learned diary, and again break out, like the vernal rain-bow, particularly when the color of blue is likely to predominate.' 'After death, from which we know there is no return, oh, what is like parting from the face we love! The last, last look, the trembling breath, the dropping hand, the turning form! Bitter, oh, bitter is it on earth to part!

'I do try to talk to these people. It surely is pleasant, where our lot is cast, to find some sharer of our words and thoughts; but there are repulses, though they be not meant, and barriers, though built by no voluntary hand, which the best of us have neither patience nor power to surmount.' * Letter to-day from G. He 'opines how I am shining among the new sisterhood!' I would as soon