1833.] If thou wilt so far miscalculate thy with its wishes and its wants. influence as to attempt to lead, thou wilt most assuredly and deservedly fail. In thy situation, my son, it is much better to be favoured, than to be feared." "Yes; but venerable and most respected sir," said we, with some little astonishment," can we not calculate our destiny, in that case, after the invariable fate of the time-serving genera who have preceded us ?—will it not be our lot to languish on for a few moons, and then miserably perish? Oh, that, thou wouldst exercise thy preternatural powers, and uncurtain the future fate of this our dear Magazine, as thoa hast that of our national literature? Will it not be the lot of this renowned periodical, which rejoices in thy -Will name, to witness and exult in that intellectual millenium?. it not be our fortune 'to share the favor and partake the gale.'" Here, at this our ardent, but somewhat faith-wanting speech, we thought the little gentleman looked somewhat piqued. "Friend," said he, with a great appearance of dignity, "if thou dost not believe that the name it bears is not already a sufficient passport for the Knickerbocker Magazine to immortality, thou dost scarcely deserve to have thy incredulity removed; however, in consideration of thy mortal shortsightedness, and thy great anxiety, thou shalt see." Instant as he spoke, we felt a sudden and startling twitch, as if the air had been divided by an instant vacuum, and we conceived our senses had deceived us, so wonderful was the immediate change. The green sward beneath us had given place to a costly ottoman of gold brocade; the high arch of the foliage overhead, was turned into an inlaid ceiling, wrought in many a superb device with the chivalrous doings of Walter the Doubter, William the Testy, and Peter the Headstrong; the gnarled trunks around us, had been changed by some unaccountable metamorphosis, into stately pillars of an unusual order of architecture, supporting the aforesaid roof, and the walls of the noble apartment, which seemed to be a library, were covered with a vast number of books in costly bindings. A mossy bank beside us, was changed into a splendid or molu table, on which which were spread an infinite multiplicity of papers, and a range of windows in the front, looked out into a spacious square, composed of buildings of towering magnitude, and princely magnificence. The whole seemed a lively haunt of business; but the fantastic dress and outlandish appearance of the inhabitants, prevented our wondering senses from forming any conjecture as to what country they belonged. I applied to the sage, who remained unchanged beside me, for an explanation of the marvellous phenomenon. He seemed to highly enjoy "You are now," said he, "in the the increase of our astonishment. Knickerbocker office, in the city of New-York, the Metropolis of the great empire of North America;-the time, is December, A.D. 2833. The books you see, form a complete set of the great Magazine from its commencement, supposed to be the only perfect one in the world, and esteemed so invaluable by the proprietors-that they will not part with them on any consideration, though large offers have been made for them by the King of New Zealand, as they are to be maintained for ever by an express reservation in the will of Peabody and Co., the original founders. You will get whatever additional information you require from the newspapers before you." I took up one. I thought its texture resembled silk.* The characters were peculiar, but by a species of intuition, I was able to decypher them, without difficulty, and an ingenious machine to which it was attached, turned over the leaves as I required, of its own accord. It proved to be the New-York Courier and Enquirer, for December 13, 2833, and though enlarged to near six times its present size, there was no difficulty attending its perusal. We can only recollect a few paragraphs which struck us as being peculiarly interesting. "The city, yesterday morning, was visited by a severe cold of several degrees below zero, in consequence of an accident having happened at the manufactory of the Patent Caloric generating Company. The most serious consequences were dreaded from the sudden diminution of the temperature." "We have not had any advices from the Moon since the 2d ultimo. The balloon, Highflyer, which left on that day, reports, that there is a severe frost about midway, which will probably prevent arrivals for some time. The late revolution in Saturn, had not seriously affected the funds." There is some talk of our ministry sending out a fleet of twenty balloons of the line, to protect our commercial interests in that quarter."! "It is reported, that the zealous antiquary, Dr. Skilldecypher, has lately discovered some valuable antiquities in the regions once occupied as England and France; among others, a curious volume of ancient literature, called the Edinburgh Review.** In the doctor's A chemist, in France, has invented a process, whereby fallen leaves, straw, and vegetable matter, hitherto supposed to be useless, can be fashioned into paper. Its texture, it is said, is peculiarly durable, and resembles silk.-Repertory of Arts. The Patent Paper Holder is a machine lately invented in London, which prevents any accident from tearing, &c. while reading a newspaper or pamphlet. It is adapted to all sizes, and by touching a spring, the leaves are turned over and the book adjusted.-Penny Magazine, published by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. Heated air, conveyed in metal pipes, which has been so successfully applied to warming the apartments in Windsor Castle, might, by an extension of the same system, be made to diffuse, in our cities, the genial glow of summer in the coldest depths of winter.-Lectures delivered before the London Institution, as reported in the Working Man's Companion, by Dr. Stevenson. I have little doubt but that invention can be perfected, until distance will be annihilated, and nature subdued, and the vast system of distant worlds brought into close connection by the omnipotence of mind.-Bohlinhup, lectures on mechanical invention, translated by J. Skinner. Édin. 1831. In the campaign of 1795, war balloons were employed by the French in reconnoitering the enemy's camp, and there can be no doubt but they might be improved into most formidable engines of destruction.-Encyclopedia Perthenis, Art. Erostation. When, in the certain revolution of the wheel of time, the mighty nations of Europe shall, like Assyria and Babylon, have returned to barbarism, or been forgot, then shall young America," &c.-Fourth of July Oration, read before the Philoclean Society of Wilbraham, by W. Sandford. **If the Edinburgh Review reaches another decade, the age of miracles will have returned.→→ Blackwood's Magazine, in defence of Sadler. work on the subject, he has ably proved this curious relic of the past, to be the work of Oliver Cromwell."* The next paper which we took up was the New Holland Times. In this, likewise, we found some highly important intelligence. The city of Cookopolis had increased at the last census, to 1,200,000 inhabitants, and the ministry of the emperor were represented to be in great embarrassment, in consequence of the opposition having succeeded in reducing the army to 100,000 self-acting steam soldiers, and the park of high-pressure artillery to 1000 guns. That, however, which most interested us was what follows. "The grand coral road between New-York and this empire, having been rendered impassable by the impossibility of getting the worms to work during the late weather, our contractors have been obliged to recur to the old, inconvenient, and tedious method of bringing the mail by Sharks. The fine coach "Waterproof," however, drawn by eight of these animals has arrived, performing the journey in six days. By this conveyance, we have received volume 2000 of the Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine. We perceive the proprietors, encouraged by the long success of their work, have imported from the Sun that beautiful ink, which is legible in the darkest night by its own light. The editor had gone, with some friends, on a visit to the Island of Atlantis, but was expected home by the next diving bell. The poetry by their fair correspondent in Venus is still continued, and is as beautiful as ever; and the article on the poetry of the southern continent displays superior abilities." Reader of this present age, we closed the paper in astonishment. That unfathomable plunge into futurity satisfied us, and it was well it did, for the moment we lifted our eyes the whole was gone. We were reclining on the damp green sward, and a cool breeze from the Hudson played upon our fevered brow.The venerable old sage, too, had taken his leave, not, however, without informing us, that if ever we saw him again, we must never dare to penetrate the sesecrets of futurity--a promise which we most gladly gave, well satisfied, that our minds were not, as yet, prepared to comprehend all the mighty changes with which time was pregnant-and sufficiently contented not to anticipate results so mighty, by stepping out of our way. The letters of Junius were as much written by John Horne Tooke, as they were by Oliver Cromwell.--Dr Phillpott, on the Junius Controversy. There is no reason to doubt the possibility that all those islands may yet be connected by coral reefs.-Debrett's Voyages, Vol. I. See also Montgomery's Pelican Island. There is no animal so fierce, either in earth, or air, or sea, but may be tamed, and rendered subservient to the purposes of man.-Abbe Gioux. Πᾶσα γὰρ φύσις θηρίων τε καὶ πετεινῶν, ἑρπετῶν, τε καὶ ἐναλίων, δαμά ζεται καὶ διδάμασται τῇ φύσει τῇ ἀνθρωπίνη. Επιστολη Ιάκωβ8. She then gave me some of that beautiful ink which, though of the ordinary colour in the day, shines with a lustre resembling sunshine in the night.-Persian Tales-Story of Zomor. "Sees the round tower of other days In the wave beneath him shining."-Moore's Melodies. La Terre pourra être pour Vénus l'étoile du berger et la mère des amours, comme Vénus l'est pour nous.-Fontenelle Pluralité des Mondes. ON THE MOON. FROM UNPUBLISHED VERSES ON "MIDNIGHT" BY J. ALRETKEN. But when the Empress of the hour of love, Back from her court she draws, with swift remove, Man! to thy view what hallowed sights are given What art thou, Moon, with thy alluring eyes? Thou callest the sea-the azure waves arise, Thou lookest on the land;-all nature wears A fair aspect,-golden harvests bend Beneath the breeze, and men forget their fears! Thou bidd'st the winds that toss the deep, attend They know thy comings forth, and their hoarse murmurs end. There's nothing here, that half can equal thee; I saw thee once above the saffron sea Skyward uprising, in full glory shine Oh, heaven! as yet I feel the spell divine That then entranced me, and my heart high swells With feelings-feelings, such as to define, Language were weak: for language faintly tells Sultana of the skies! if, by thy shores, No barks like ours through glossy billows glide; The power that poised thee in thy nameless pride; If but for man created, are there not Is it for nothing that thy forms allot Periods to time, from which no time hath swerved? Is it but little that, by thee preserved, The swelling seas appointed changes keep; Nor mar the uses they have long subserved, Is it for nothing, too, o'er fainting lands, Like, or more dear, than youth's elysian dreams When first love fires the breast, and warm hope lights her gleams? |