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the malice of impotence, exalted characters, whose orbit he despaired ever to approach,—just as that scoundrel midnight thief, the owl, hoots at the blessed light of the sun, whose glorious lustre he dares never contemplate. He likewise applied himself to discharging, faithfully, the honourable duties of a partisan ;-he poached about for private slanders and ribald anecdotes ;-he, folded hand-bills; he even wrote one or two himself, which he carried about in his pocket, and read to every body: he became a secretary at ward-meetings, set his hand to divers resolutions of patriotic import, and even once went so far as to make a speech, in which he proved that patriotism was a virtue, the reigning bashaw a great man;-that this was a free country, and he himself an arrant and incontestable buzzard!

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Dabble was now very frequent and devout in his visits to those temples of politics, popularity, and smoke, the ward porter-houses*; those true dens of equality, where all ranks, ages, and talents, are brought down to the dead level of rude familiarity. 'Twas here his talents expanded, and his genius swelled up into its proper size, like the loathsome toad, which, shrinking from balmy airs and jocund sunshine, finds his congenial home in caves and dungeons, and there nourishes his venom and bloats his deformity. It was here he revelled with the swinish multitude in their debauches on patriotism and porter, and it became an even chance whether Dabble would turn out a great man or a great drunkard. But Dabble in all this kept steadily in his eye the only deity he ever worshipped,-his interest. Having, by this familiarity, ingratiated himself with the mob, he became wonderfully potent and industrious at elections, knew all the dens and cellars of profligacy and intemperance, brought more negroes to the polls, and knew to a greater certainty where votes could be bought for beer, than any of his contemporaries; his exertions

Public-houses or taverns, where the ward-meetings are held previous to an election, the same as at our elections in the city for common councilmen, &c.

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in the cause, his persevering industry, his degrading compliance, his unresisting humility, his stedfast dependence, at length caught the attention of one of the leaders of the party, who was pleased to observe that Dabble was a very useful fellow, who would go all lengths. From that moment his fortune was made; he was hand and glove with orators and slang-whangers, basked in the sunshine of great men's smiles, and had the honour, sundry times, of shaking hands with dignitaries, and drinking out of the same pot with them at a porter-house!

I will not fatigue myself with tracing this caterpillar in his slimy progress from worm to butterfly; suffice it to say, that Dabble bowed, and bowed, and fawned, and sneaked, and smirked, and libelled, until one would have thought perseverance itself would have settled down into despair. There was no knowing how long he might have lingered at a distance from his hopes, had he not luckily got tarred and feathered for some of his electioneering manoeuvres : this was the making of kim! Let not my readers stare,-tarring and feathering here is equal to pillory and cropped ears in England, and either of these kinds of martyrdom will ensure a patriot the sympathy and support of his faction. His partisans (for even he had his partisans) took his case into consideration: he had been kicked, and cuffed, and disgraced, and dishonoured in the cause; he had licked the dust at the feet of the mob; he was a faithful drudge, slow to anger, of invincible patience, of incessant assiduity,- --a thorough-going tool, who could be curbed, and spurred, and directed, at pleasure;-in short, he had all the important qualifications for a little great man, and he was accordingly ushered into office ainid the acclamations of the party. The leading men complimented his usefulness, the multitude his republican simplicity, and the slang-whangers vonched for his patriotism. Since his elevation he has discovered indubitable signs of having been destined for a great man. His nose has acquired an additional elevation of several degrees, so that now he appears to have bidden

adieu to this world, and to have set his thoughts altogether on things above; and he has swelled and inflated himself to such a degree, that his friends are under apprehensions that he will, one day or other, explode and blow up like a torpedo.

Washington Irving.

MARRIAGE CUSTOMS, &c. OF VARIOUS
NATIONS.

WHEN a Laplander intends to marry, he or his friends court the father of the damsel with presents of brandy; if he gain admission to her, he offers her a beaver's tongue, or some other eatable, which she rejects before company, but receives in private. The lover is obliged to purchase every visit with a bottle of brandy, which he presents to the lady's father. If the old gentleman should chance to be enamoured of the liquor, which is generally the case, he prolongs the period of courtship for many years. Luckily for the lover, the fair one's father is compelled to return the liquor should he at any time refuse his assent.

In Denmark, marriages are often contracted several years before the parties live together. The gentry sometimes give portions to their daughters; but the burghers, and those of low rank, part only with clothes, household goods, and a wedding-dinner, till their death.

The young Greenlander in general chooses his wife for her skill in housewifery and sewing, and expects with her no dowry: the women prefer a man who is dexterous in hunting and fishing. They seldom have illegitimate children. It sometimes happens to a divorced wife, or a young widow, who, though held in great contempt for the looseness of her morals, frequently makes a fortune by selling her children to those who may happen to have none of their own. Polygamy is not altogether unknown among them, but

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it rarely happens; not that they are deterred from any idea of crime or disgrace attaching to that state, for they consider that man has a particular claim to respect who by his industry is enabled to maintain more than one wife. To be without children is esteemed a great reproach in such cases the marriage-contract is, as it were, by consent broken; for the man has only to leave his house in anger, and not to return for several days, and the wife, understanding his meaning, will pack up her clothes, and remove to her own friends. It is usual for a man, a few days after the death of his only wife, to adorn himself, his children, and his house, in the best manner possible, in order to render himself agreeable to some other fair; but to do this, his kaiak, or little boat, and above all, his darts must be in the finest order. He does not, however, marry, till the expiration of a full year, unless he has small children, and no one to nurse them. Where there is more than one wife, and the chief or proper one dies, the junior wife takes her place, and, if possible, pays more attention to the motherless children than she does to her own.

In Russia, the lower classes have a marriage ceremony peculiar to themselves. When the parents have settled the preliminaries of a match, which is often done without the parties most interested having seen each other, the bride is examined by a number of females, who are bound to correct any defects they may discover in her person. On her wedding day she is crowned with a garland of wormwood (somewhat ominous it must be confessed), and the priest, throwing a handful of hops upon her head, invokes the blessing, which is, that she may be as fruitful as that plant.

The Bratskia Tartar Tribe, subject to Russia, may marry as many wives as they can purchase: the price is generally paid in cattle, and the nuptials are celebrated on the day they are delivered. When the husband dies, leaving several wives, she who has borne him children, or if that be the case with them all, the oldest becomes mistress of the jurte, or hut. Those who have had no children return to their relations, and carry with them the

clothes and presents which they may have received from their husband, and if they should have no place to which they may retire, they continue in the jurte, subordinate to the wife's mother, and are entitled to a tenth of the cattle left by the husband.

The Cossack bridegroom visits the house of his intended bride, riding upon a fine horse, covered with small bells, given him as a present from his nearest relations. These bells announce to her the approach of him to whom she is soon to be united, and after marriage they are carefully preserved by her to decorate the nuptial bed on festal occasions. The Cossack wives are not only destitute of portions, but the husband is obliged to furnish them with a bundle of linen, part of which must be made into a head-dress for the marriage ceremony.

The marriages of the Samoiedes are attended with no other ceremony than a verbal agreement. If they have a child, they christen it after the first animal they meet, or if they happen to meet a relation, he suggests a name, which is generally adopted.

In Turkey, marriages are chiefly negotiated by the ladies. (We are sorry it is not the custom with us). The terms being agreed upon, the bridegroom pays down a certain sum of money, a licence is taken out from the proper magistrate, and the marriage is solemnized. It is then celebrated with mirth and jollity, and the money usually expended in furnishing a house. The Greek women marry at the age of fifteen. During courtship the lover serenades his mistress either in front of the house or from the water. On these occasions he conveys the burthen of his passion, which is generally warm and sincere. Upon the eve of the marriage day, the bride is led by her female acquaintance in triumph to the bath. Numerous attendants and music are to be found on these occasions. The bride, profusely adorned, and covered with a red veil, proceeds with a solemn pace, supported by her female friends and relations. The splendid torch of Hymen still maintains its place among the modern Greeks. It blazes in their pro

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