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M I S C E ft fc ASSfIgS. • J. G- WHITTIER. Whittier gave earlv indications of poetic pow ers. Several of his-juveniie poems having found their way into the newspapers and magazines of the dav, attracted the attention of some literary gentleman, who appreciated the merit of the productions, and resolved to make their author a visit, to oiler their assistance in introducing the ‘ quaker poet’ to literary notoriety. Accordingly they took a conveyance that soon set them down in the picturesque town of Weare, N. H., the residence of the young poet. With some difficulty they found the dwelling of Whit tier, and were ushered into the best room of the house by the mother, to whom they made known their desire to see her son. All this time young Whittier was working away at the certainly rather unpoetical business of clean ing out the hogstv. He plied his shovol with right good will, totally unconscious ot the honor that awaited him. Judge of his astonishment, when Lizzy, his sister came running from the house, and informed him that it was full of very great people, who were waiting to see him.’ ‘ What shall I do? ’ cried the young poet iti agony. ‘ Run, Lizzy, and get my boots, while 1 wash me in the brook.’ The boots were brought, but the bare, wet feet of Whittier refused to enter. At length, after a deal of tugging, one was drawn on, but oh, hor rors! the other would not go on, neither would the first one come oil! ‘ A pretty looking spectacle I shall present for their inspection,’ murmured Whittier, as with one boot in his hand, and the other on his foot, he entered the house. But in a short time, the flattering words of his visitors made him quite forget the awkwardness of his attire.— Madison Family Visitor . THE VANITY OF THE WORLD. A bund red*vears ago Lord Chesterfield was the most admired of England’s gay and voluptuous grandees. But while others were envying his wit, his splendor aad his popularity, the weary libertine was thus pouring forth his chagrin : “ i have seen the silly rounds of business and pleas ure, and have doue with them all. I have en joyed all the pleasures of the woild, and conse quently know their futility, and do not regret their loss. I appraise them at their real value, which is, in truth, very low ; whereas those, who have not experienced them, always overrate them.— They only see their gay outside, ind are dazzled with their glare; but I have been behind the scenes. I have seen ail the coarse pulleys and dirtv ropes which exhibit and move the gaudy machines ; and 1 have seen and smelt the tallow candles which illuminate the whole decoration, to the astonishment and admiration of an igno rant audience. When I reflect back upon what I have seen, what I have heard, and what I have done, I can hardly persuade myself that all that frivolous hurry and bustle, and pleasures of the world had any reality; but I look upon all that has passed as one of those romantic dreams which opium commonly occasions; and Iby no means desire to repeat the nauseous dose, for the sake of the fugitive dream. Shall I tell you that 1 bear this melancholy situation with that merito rious constancy and resignation which mos? peo- Fle boast of! No ; for l really cannot help it.— bearit because I must bear it, whether 1 will or no. I think of nothing but killing time the best way I can, now that he has become mine enemy. It is my resolution to sleep in the carriage the re mainder of the journey.” Never Murmur. —'file Boston Transcript tells a story of a poor man who stepped into the second class cars for the train going into Boston on Satur day, and who was rejected by the conductor be cause be had not a quarter of a dollar to pay his fare, and was left to pursue his way on foot. As he trudged along he revolved harsh thoughts in his mind at what seemed the disfavor of Provi dence and the cruelty and injustice of his fellow men, until on turning an angle in the track he saw the cars at a stand still, and hurrving to the spot, beheld the car from which he had been thrust, dashed to pieces, and the mutillated and disfigured bodies of his fellow-passengers scat tered on the ground. The poor man’s heart ceased its murmuring, and he could have taken the conductor’s hand and blessed him as the in strument of Providence in saving him from a frightful death. He left the scene “ a wiser and better man.” Pressure of the Sea . —If a piece of wood which floats on the water, be forced down to a great depth in the sea, the pressure of the surrounding liquid will force into the pores of the wood and so increase its weight that it will no longer be ( capable ot floating or rising to the surface.— Hence the timbers ot ships which have founder ed in the deep part ot the ocean never rise again to the surface, like those which have sunk near to the shore. A diver may, with impunity, plunge to a certain depth of the sea ; but there is a. limit beyond which lie cannot live under the pressure to which he is subject. For the same reason, it is probable that there is a depth beyond which fishes cannot live. They, according to Joslin, have been caught in a depth in which they must have sustained a pressure of eighty tons to each square ibot of the surface of their bodies. AN ELOPEMENT IN OLDEN TIMES. FROM THE AMERICAN UNION. The dowager Lady Ashburton died at Gosport, England, a short time since, and her history con tains material for a splendid romance, this lady was an American, and among other incidents ol note recorded in connection with her name, the following will be read with interest: She was the daughter of Hon Wm. Bingham, a Senator in Congress, and fifty years since, her father was a wealthy and prominent mer chant of Philadelphia. He was a man of fashion, and the family were among the leaders of the ton, in the Quaker city at that period. Then he was identified with the interests and the institu tions of the United States, he was recognized as one of the aristocracy, and was always remarka blv attentive to the nobility visiting this country. About the period he was elected by the State of Pennsylvania to the Senate then sitting in Phila delphia, he built what was then called a splendid and costly mansion, occupying an entire square of ground, with gardens and all kind of embel lishments, enclosed by a brick wall, fronting on Third and Spruce Streets, and now known as Head's Mansion House . Mr Bingham entertained strangers, senators, legislators, and the cabinet, with princely hospitality. His family led the fashions of those times, and a very friendly inti macy existed between him and General Wash ington. The French revolution drove several noblemen to the United States as exiles, among whom were two professed duelists, Count de Tilly and Vis count de Noailes. The Viscount either brought letters to Mr. Bingham from Gen. Lafayette, or he obtained an introduction to him which led to his admittance as an inmate in the family. Hav ing acquired the confidence of Mr. Bingham bv his address and accomplishments, he managed to introduce the Count de Tilly into that hospita ble mansion. The Count was as noted for his profligacy as he was for his skill with the small sword; and understanding all the arts of a se ducer, he soon obtained the good opinion and ad miration of Mrs. Bringham, and Miss Mariah Matilda Bingham, an only daughter. In those times, and even since, a nobleman— French, English, or German—was received with marked attention in all werlthy families. There was much patrician blood coursing through the veins of the young republic—royalty and nobility were not then, as now, at a discount. Marquises, Viscounts, and Barons, were lionized whenever they made their appearance, and young ladies were enamored with the titled. This Count de Tilly soon persuaded Miss Bingham to elope with him, and also bribed some clergyman to unite them. The city was not then very populous, and the whole world of fashion was thrown into the greatest excitement at hearing that Miss Bingham had run a wav with the French Count de Tillv ; and Mr. Bingham himself—a very honest, well meaning, but not very distinguished man, exept ing for wealth—was dreadfully mortified at this rash step of his daughter, then not sixteen years of age. The whole city called it a vile abduction. The greatest indignation was everywhere ex pressed; and Captain Barry, commanding a packet ship, and a man of fashion, took occasion to thrash the Count for some insolence. The couple were forthwith separated, and the affair was the subject of tea-table conversation for some time, such an event seldom occurring in those quiet and innocent periods. Mr. Bingham almost sunk under the blow, but it bectftue necessary to open some negotiations with the Count to buy him off, as he only ran away with the girl for her fortune. The Count in the course',of these negotiations, represented himself to be deeply in debt, and that it was im possible to leave the country” without satisfying his creditors to the amount of .£SOOO in ready money, and an annuity of ,£6OO, which was paid and secured to him, and he left for France, the marriage having been declared fraudulent. Mr. and Mrs Bingham never recovered from the shock, and died shortly afterwards. A young English merchant bv the name of Baring subsequently arrived in Philadelphia with letters to Mr. Bingham, and forming an attach ment for his daughter, married and carried her home. Her husband, afterwards the head of the great banking house of Baring & Brothers, was created a baron under the title of Lord Ashburton, and was the negotiator here of the celebrated Ash burton treaty. The Dowager Lady Ashburton, recently deceased, was the girl who had created so much attention and polite gossip when ran away with by the Count de Tilly in Philadelphia fifty years ago. Wetting Bricks. —Few people, except builders, are aware of the advantages of wetting bricks before laying them. A wall twelve inches thick, built up of good mortar, with brick well soaked, is stronger, in every respect, than one sixteen inches thick built dry. The reason of this is, that if the bricks are saturated with water, they will not abstract from the mortar the moisture which is necessary to its chrystalization, and, on the contrary, they will unite chemically with the mortar, and become as solid as a rock. On the other hand, if the bricks are put up dry, they im mediately take all the moisture from the mortar, leave it too dry to harden; and the consequence is, that when a building of this description is taken down, or falls down of its own acord, the mortar falls from it like so much sand. EXPENSIVE HAIR CUTTING. From a letter from the 44 Panama” steamer on her way to the gold country (says the N. Y. Ex press) we learn that in the absence of a profes sional barber, one of the passengers cut the hair of another, for which he brought a bill of $9 50. Suit was brought in the Court above referred to, to recover the amount of said Bill. They had several able lawyers on board, who conducted the case. Mr. N. E. Smith of New Hampshire, acted as Chief Judge, Mr. Mcllvaine, our Purser, asso ciate Judge, Mr. Charles Ellet, Esq., Sheriff, Mr. Judah and Mr. McAllister as couscl for plaintiff, and Mr. Hver and Mr. Livingston for defendant. The defendant’s counsel demanded a 44 bill of particulars,” which was furnished. The follow ing are a few of the items, For cutting hair—red hair, $2 50; combing the same, 25 cents; cutting whiskers, 50 cents ; timming mustache, $1; at tempting to curl same, 50 cents ; time emplo) T ed 90- minutes,at 3 cents per minute, S3 ; use of comb and brush, 25 cents; cleaning same, 25 cents; extra charge on account of sanguinary color af fecting the nerves, SI. Power from Water. —We see they are using the pressure of water in air-tight pipes in Scot land, in order to obtain power. The Glasgow Citizen describes a model engine in the office of the Corbals Gravitation Water Company, Port land street, as a beautiful contrivance. The mod el is about one-horse power, with a horizontal cylinder, and having a 12-inch stroke. The wa ter, which here lias a pressure of about 210 feet, is introduced to it Itom a common house pipe ; and such is the simplicity ot the machine, that a child could work it, and regulate its speed at pleasure, by the mere turning of a handle. The great advantage of this engine consists in the fact that it can be put up in any part of the house—wherever, in fact, there is a water-pipe. It takes up very little room ; it registers the quan tity of water which it uses, and it may be erected in those localities in cities where stearnpower is prohibited on account of danger and nuisance from smpke, and without raising the rate of in surance. There is a deadly feud at Cincinnati between the homeopathic physicians and the practitioners of the old school, and it seems to have led into some very unbecoming physical demonstrations. One Physician is mentioned as having taken another by the neck and treating him* very unprofession ally. This circumstance has led one of the wags of that city into the perpetration of an atrocious pun. He says it is the first case of collar]) that has occurred among the medical profession. Bostoji Times We hope our physicians will follow no such example. Old Maids. —Thoughtless young people often delight in making fun of old maids. A little of consideration would teach them better. Some of the kindest and truest and best of women we have ever known, were old maids. It is a pity— nay, it is cruel to wound the feelings of any one by taunting —a generous beart will not stoop to it —more especially if that one be a woman. Alas ! how little do we know of the trials and sufferings of many who are sneeringly denominated old maids? Perhaps the constancy of youthful af fection—the pure and deep devotion of a first and only love, has kept many a woman single for life. While New Orleans is threatened with almost utter destruction by the encroaching waters, one of the theatres is making fun of the flood in a farce called 44 Hydraulics. ” It reminds us of the mtn who told Noah to go to a warm climate with his unblessed old ark, as he did not believe there would be much of a shower. Lore. —There is a gloom in deep love as in deep water ; there is a silence in it which strspends the foot; and the folded arms and dejected head are the images it reflects. No voice shakes its sur face ; the Muses themselves approach it with a tardy and timid step, and with a low, tremulous and melancholy song. Religion helrneted is religion no more; but in the wars of the League, even in the midst ot that blind and bloody hurtling of human passion, the forms of holiness, and eharity, and devoted faith, were to be seen moving, like impassive spirits, through the ranks, binding up many a dreary wound, and turning many a dying eye to heaven. 44 1 never knew any man,” says an old author, “who could not bear another’s misfortunes perfect ly like a Christian which reminds us of the old lady who thought that every calamity that hap pened to herself a trial, and every one that hap pened to her friends a judgment. A gentlemau, who at breakfast the other morn ing broke an egg, and disturbed the repose of a sentimental looking biddy, called the waiter and insinuated that he did not like to have a bill pre sented 44 till he had done eating.” 44 Our prospects is very dark,” said Break, the Baker, on the occasion of the recent rise in flour. 44 Yes,” said Mrs. Partington 44 and so is your bread,” but said that estimable lady, looking be nignly on her specs, your loaves are light enough.” The Bath, Me., ship builders have a thousand men now in Virginia getting out oak timber, and as many more in Georgia cutting pine. OSZSISAI arosv2t¥. TO MISS . BT L. T. VwICT. As the streamlet, that sparkling In light, leaps along, Now glittering—now darkling And gleeful with song; So lady ! thy laughter, Rings joyous and clear, Oh! blythe, as that water. Still, still, may it be ! As the spray foam that pillows Its pearl wreaths of light, On the fast flashing billows That glance on the sight; So may each hour—maiden ! Till time waves be past, With new joys be laden, Brighter each than the last! (From Arthur’* Magazine ) LINES ADDRESSED TO A FRIEND. ON BEHOLDING HIM WEEP AT HIS MOTHER’S ORATE, BT LEWIS TOWION YOIGT. ** How oft do they their silver bowers leave To come and succor us that succor want! How oft do they with golden pinions cleur# The flitting skies, like flying pursuivant, Against fowle feinds to aid us militant, They for us fight, they watch, and dewly ward; And their bright squadrons round about us flank ! ! Spender's Faerie Qutea Book //, Cant# Aye !—weep—thy grief becomes thee—gentle friend! Blush not to let that sacred tribute fall, Blush not upon thy mother’s grave to bend, In tears dissolved—her love deserved them all! And thank thy God that now thy conscience reads, • Through the recorded past on memory’s scroll. No words of thine—no thought—no unkind deed, To mingle gall with sorrow in thy soul. Weep—tears befit earth’s farewells! and the love To thee now lost, the unwearying, anxious, deep. The love, earth’s purest love, far, far above, Sealed by the grave, may well claim tearsi —then weep. Sealed by the grave. O! may she not be near then, Her angel spirit with sweet influence still, Through darkling paths with holy faith to cheer thee, And with high hopes and aims thy heart to fill. If angels truly round our patlnvay hover, Their heavenly promptings gently to instill, On our faint souls from Hell’s assnults to cover ; That guardian task may not a mother fill! Then, as through clouds the rainbow smiles, thy spirit May joy to deem her s hovering by thy side ; Let tiiß glad thought thy droop'ng soul inspirit, That still to Heaven thy mother is thy guide. A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY. SAVANNAH, THURSDAY JUNE 28. 1849. AGENTS. Mr. J. M. Boakdman is our Agent for Macon. Mr. S. S. Box for Rome. Mr. Robt. E. Skylk for the State of South Carolina. James O’Conner, Travelling Agent. Vj£T Our readers may expect in our next jssue an Original Tale of unusual vivacity. We respectfully assure the fair writer that we appreciate the compliment of choosing our sheet as the setting in which this brilliant shall appear,—and wt humbly request that other gems may cluster round this jewel —may w’e hope so ? Wo cordially th ink L. for his able paper, it shall appear in our next, we regret that press of matter has forced us to this delay. We were desirous of concluding Madame D’Arbou ville’s admirable story this week, but its length compelled ui to continue it to next week. GP* The steam ship Cherokee left at 1 o’clock with about 90 cabin and 20 steerage passengers. SOUTHERN LITERATURE. Within the past six months more effort has been made to build up our literature than for the ten years previous, every two or three weeks we have been called upon to notice some new aspirant for public favor. The general improvement execution of the new papers and periodicals shows that that is wanting at the South is encouragement. If book a°d pamphlet makers will have their works printed at home* n * stead of sending them abroad, in a very short period the dif ference in price will be in favor of the South, even now, add* ing freight, exchange, editing, for the press, dec. Arc., there is little or no difference. If proper encouragement had been given to the mechanic arts South for the past twenty yean, we should not now be compelled to make the humbling ac* knowledgement of the superiority ot the North—not in fh® matter of workmanship so much as facilities—want of meant arising from a want of encouragement, is the real secret ol our inferiority. Tho mechanical class add as much to tfo | prosperity of a country as the agricultural—it is the base England’s prosperity, and fixes her pre-eminence aver the other nations of Europe. In a literary point of view, the improvement is very not that the South has ever been deficient in literary aft* 11 ’’ ments, but that the outlet has been circumscribed, and tn!e n! * has lain dormant except in some few instances when write*- have sent their contributions to the northern periodical p reil for publication; this state of things is passing away, papers and periodicals increase so will writers multiply* Our State can now boast, a score or tw r o as good papers periodicals as those of the north, among which there are superior to the specimen before us of IVheler's c° u Monthly Magazine , for July, 1849. Printed at Athens* by William N. White, at one dollar per annum* 6 convinced that a work of so much merit will be duly ciated by the public, and that Mr. Wheler will be amp) warded for his exertions. If any of our readers wish to • scribe for the work, by leaving a dollar with us we will f ,,rD it to them.