OST courteous reader-once more, at the stated time of periodic revolve, appears that venerated form before you.

The best chamber in the "Independent" has still about it that quiet air of secluded privacy, which comports so well with the staid appear

ance and vast undertakings of the important gentleman, who fills the most substantial of its antique chairs, with such subdued, yet conscious dignity. The hostess has not lately been "putting every thing to rights,"-the "old, mouldy books still lay about at sixes and sevens," the "saddle-bags," with their inestimable treasure, are exposed upon the table, before which-" no derangement in his ideas"-sits that "small, brisk-looking old gentle

man," whose labours then and there concocted, have conferred such a lasting immortality on himself-and (a far more valuable consideration in the opinion of Seth Handaside)-such a wide-spread notoriety upon the Independent Columbian Hotel.

Unlike his own renowned Van Twiller; the slight wreaths which curl from his consuming Virginian, seem pregnant with idea; and the light clouds hovering over his pleasant view of "the new grounds of the Collect," appear prophetic of that unparalleled blaze of glory which so soon and so permanently settled on his name.

It is not enough for thee, gentle and highly privileged reader of the Knickerbacker, that thou hast before thee a resemblance so striking of our honoured patron. We, who lately have been admitted to the favour of holding actual converse with his embodied shade, shall make him more intimately known, by unfolding to thee the manner in which he appeared to us, and what little we recollect of the instructive conversation which we held with the learned phantom;and here, lest thou shouldst fall into an error, already extensively believed that we, in virtue of our office, hold a talisman, which we have only to rub, like the ring in the Arabian Nights, and we can command up the erudite spirit at our will-we have to inform thee, that we are indebted to no such power for the honour; and if the illustrious shade deigns to reveal himself more particularly to us, it is in such manner and time as he approves himself; and of which we have no intimation till under the influence of his dread presence. This thou wilt more particularly understand, when we recount the singular manner, and unexpected time of his last appearance on earth, viz. that which we are about to record.

The fair city of the Knickerbocker's was glowing in the glorious sunset of June, when we, somewhat fatigued by the just finished toil of preparing our last number, took a walk towards the interior of this ancient Island of Manhattan, for the purpose of refreshing our wearied spirits with the cooler air of the country. We soon found ourselves on a little knoll, beautiful as the fabled arbour of the poet. It was a secluded and unobtrusive spot. Gigantic forest trees, so old and gnarled, that they might have witnessed the midnight dance of the aboriginal Delawares, shut it out from all contiguity with man, and threw over the silky and luxuriant verdure below, a twilight so shadowy and tempered, as

"Made the very darkness there,

More beautiful than light elsewhere."

Immediately before, glancing through the irregular trunks, rolled the lordly Hudson. Not a breath disturbed his bright and beautiful expanse, which looked in the summer splendour like a lake of sunshine; and far beyond, robed in all the enchantment of distance, the wood

crowned hills of Jersey were disclosed, every feature of the lovely landscape harmonizing together, with a softness superior to the artist's pencil; and the whole, as it were, smiling in its proud consciousness of beauty, as it was seen in that pearly clearness of atmosphere, which, in our own delightful climate, blends the blue beauty of the Italian sky, with the dazzling splendour of the tropic sunshine. Nature was before me in her most touching beauty, the magnificence of repose. There was a golden glory in the sky, and a dreamy stillness in the air, as if soul and life were trembling into delicious slumber, and there was nought but love and loveliness awake.

Our spirit, thrilling with the influence of the scene and hour, had sank like all around into a state of unconscious vitality, when our attention was arrested by a gentle tap on the shoulder. We looked up, and great was our emotion, at finding ourselves-yes, reader-in the very presence of the venerable Knickerbocker. There could be no possible mistake in his identity. From the adjusted air of his cocked hat, to the "bright pair of square silver shoe buckles," his dress was exactly as described by the circumstantial landlord, and would have announced his quality, even without the ponderous volume which he carried under his arm, or the peculiar and characteristic twinkle of satisfaction in his eye, strongly indicating the historian of New Amsterdam. As thou mayest suppose, reader, our reverence, in his presence, was extreme. We started to our feet, and, after a profound salutation, remained modestly uncovered, gazing, in admiration, on this illustrious genius.

The little gentleman seemed pleased at our undisguised respect, and with the cordiality of true greatness, motioned us to sit down; himself, with peculiar dignity, assuming the same position. We confess his gracious manner dissipated a tinge of fear which his august presence had thrown over us, not unaccompanied with some slight misgivings as to his expected disapprobation of our labours; but soon, won by his complacency, we found words to say, "Thy presence, illustrious historian, now that the first timidity consequent upon being in the actual presence of such greatness, is overcome, gives us genuine satisfaction, inasmuch as it affords an opportunity, mingled with some degree of apprehension, to present you with the first volume of a work, which we have essayed to link with immortality, by the effectual stamp of thy name." So saying, we drew from the ample pocket of our editorial surtout, the first volume of the Knickerbacker, handsomely bound in the Dutch colors of orange and silver, and reverently laid it at the feet of the shade. He put back his hat gently from his forehead, and we could plainly see that the benevolent expanse of his brow was brightened with a passing glow of pleasure. "I receive," said he, with a pause duly adjusted to his dignity, "this first substantial offering to my memory, with:

pleasure; and though it does not as yet comport in its matter, with the wide celebrity of my name, yet I feel, in sooth, well disposed to encourage it as containing at least the germ of what may be excellent." "Truly, father," said we, much gratified with his condescension, "our Magazine has not yet attained either the character or condition we would wish. Our standard for the excellence of such things is high. When the Knickerbacker shall be purely American, -when its pages, to apply a beautiful expression of Shelley's shall reflect the genius and feelings of "the inheritors of unfulfilled renown" in our country-when its articles, of whatever description they may be, whether

"Gay or grave, or lively, or serene,"

shall bear the tracery of the genius of this mighty land-when, in fact, our periodical, reflecting the pure, the indigenous feelings of our country, SHALL BECOME THE MIRROR OF OUR NATIONAL LITERATURE then, and not till then, will its destiny be complete; and our object and our wishes be fulfilled, in giving to America a native Magazine." We felt warmed by our subject, which feeling was not a little increased by the complacent smile of satisfaction with which the old gentleman heard us; and continued, "At present, we must owe our success to the spirit and fidelity with which pictures, essentially foreign, are executed. An article, to be what is called 'good,' or, in other words, that will please, must comport with the habits, the taste, of the time,-both foreign; and our Magazine, taking its complexion from circumstances, must, like the passive lake, be tinged with the colour of the clouds above. These, at present, owe their form, their beauty, to a foreign sun. The god of light in our cwn clime has not yet arisen; but the dawn is coming, the far horizon is already streaked with its radiance; distant it is true, but intense, glowing, splendid, and giving glorious promise of brightness, when it comes. We cannot take time by the forelock-we must wait." "My son," said the venerable sage, assuming that oracular air which so well became him, and gently smoothing down his 'olive velvet pantaloons' with his hand, "my son, thou art falling, I perceive, into the prevalent error of the time. A national literature is indeed the noblest glory of any country, but in America it is, at present, unattainable; not because we speak the language of a literature already formed, but because we want the impregnated character to mould it to our purpose. When the mind of this land, springing from its myriad sources, shall, like the mists from the different springs, in the Persian story, that wreathed themselves into the invincible and stupendous Genius, have attained the full measure of its stature, it will, with the giant's form, have the giant's might, and will, what nothing else can effect, fashion an according language." "Most erudite sir,"

said we, while our countenance strongly evinced our respect for his vast learning," your remark has in it very forcible truth. It is not language which forms a literature, but the inverse. If we might use a more homely illustration than thine, language is nothing more than the water which must take its figure as it fills the vase. Our vase has, as yet, but a few drops at the bottom; besides, we have an example to the point in the different character in the very language which we speak, which the warm and wild imagination of Ireland has impressed upon those productions, which emanate peculiarly from itself. This, too, is what we long to see in America, and is to be effected, not by the absurd folly, as attempted by that unwise divine in the east, of clipping up and altering its orthography, but by tincturing it with the national genius. This is practicable, and this will take place. Even we ourselves do not despair of witnessing the time when, in this country, the noble language which we speak, shall, in structure indeed be English, but in tone, in character, in power, purely and decidedly American." "My child," resumed the venerable Diedrich, "thy remarks are just; the past exploits and contemplated achievements of that eastern divine you have mentioned, resemble that wise man mentioned by Joannes of Basle, who thought whitewashing the rugged mountain would much improve its appearance." "Or rather," returned we, "the indiscreet wife of the Virtuoso, who, as Winckelman tells us, had such a passion for every thing new, that one morning she scoured off all the incomparable rust of ages from the medals of her spouse, though the horrified antiquary lost his senses with distraction at the sight." The sage seemed not displeased with us for our interruption, and continued, "Thy warmth, my son, in this cause is very commendable; but let me hope thou wilt not countenance this miserable innovation, by following it in the illustrious leader of American literature." "NEVER!"

"While we are upon the topic of orthography," continued the sage, with an emotion which evinced the deep importance of the subject, "I have repented of the permission given to thy esteemed predecessor in the curule chair, as to altering my name, and wish thee to restore it to its original spelling, as it stands in my celebrated History. It is but ill repaying Fame, for extending my celebrity to the uttermost corners of the earth, to thus find fault with her scholarship. Thou hast heard of the ingenious shipwrecked felon,whoso effectually persuaded the simple king and courtiers of Siam, that his manacles were badges of the highest distinction, and himself a grandee of such eminence, that all the fashionables in Bancok were presently arrayed in handcuffs. So as Fortune has generously given immortal glory to what some would consider a discreditable mistake, I will even take it as it came and adopt the O to the end of time, forever and ever.