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the recipient of his bounty not to mention it, for two reasons: first, he wished to save him from the ill-natured remarks of the envious; and second, he did not wish to be known as a man willing to do some small part of his duty to men of merit, lest he should be run down by men of no merit. He was told, by his friend Fulton, of this liberal and gentlemanly act, not under injunction of secrecy, but of course his discretion was relied on; and he knew that I would wait for whatever might come from that quarter, and not risk the chance of annoying by an application that might not be at once appreciated.

"You must know," said Dozentongue, "that my family has for generations been intimate with the Livingstons; and of course became acquainted with Fulton. Sam. Fulton and I were playmates. I am sorry to say that Sam. didn't inherit much from the profits of his father's invention and enterprise, and never got much from Congress, or the Legislature of New York, in consideration of the incalculable benefits of steam navigation which Robert Fulton conferred on the State, the country, and the world. In short, Sam. is hard up, I mean, was hard up,and has at times done me the honor to share my humble purse. Talking of the injustice of this case to my friend, William B. Astor, as we were sipping our wine after dinner, I was surprised to see him look a little uneasy, or annoyed, not exactly that, either; but somehow not as he usually looks when enjoying the society of his friends. Astor and I never had a harsh word, even in our political discussions. We are always like brothers of the same creed, the same party, even of the same family. I could not, for my life, imagine what ailed him; he was quite well, bodily. In short, I had to change the subject. I didn't believe I had in any way hurt his feelings; but I could not help feeling distressed until, the other day, when Fulton dined with me, as we sat together over a glass of humble sherry, he told me that he had lately had a most friendly and liberal donation, due to the regard of a private gentleman for the merits and invaluable services of his honored father. That

gentleman was Astor, the man whom those in charitable occupations denounce as heartless, avaricious, and so forth. On inquiry as to dates, I found that Astor, the very next morning after I had told him of Sam.'s somewhat straightened circumstances, had called on him. Sam. lives, or then lived, in one of Astor's houses, not a very stylish one. Astor proposed to him to exchange into another house, saying that for a particular reason he wished him to vacate the one he was in. There should be no increase of rent, although the house was better. Fulton, who had never seen Astor before, and had heard the popular slanders about him, hinted that he would like a house that he could afford to keep after his present lease expired. Being assured that there should be no disappointment on that score, Fulton consented to move, Astor promising to meet him at the new house and exchange the papers.

"I met him,' said he, my dear Doz entongue. I never shall forget that meet ing, that gratifying surprise. My wife, my Lucy" (that's a charming girl, and Sam. is truly blest to have such a daughter), and Robert and myself, too, were unable to restrain our tears when he apologized-yes, apologized-for not having known before that a son of Robert Fulton was one of his tenants, and for not having done his duty to the children of that illustrious man. He then took my lease of the house I had left, and put into my hand a deed of the splendid house I had entered; and, modestly hinting that we might wish to be alone, hoped that he would soon have an opportunity to express more fully his sense of obligation, and retired. What was our surprise to find in one of the rooms a complete stock of furniture for the whole house, and a most magnificent service of plate, with this inscription, "Presented to Samuel Fulton by one who reveres the memory of his father, Robert Fulton!"'

"Sam. always drops a tear into his glass, when he proposes the health of Astor, as he invariably does when I dine with him. Astor looks fidgety, as if he feared Sam. would put him to the blush by blabbing his liberality. He's a

d-lish fine fellow! Don't you think ventions no more be found out, and the 80?"

Another man of this mental constitution, whom some denounce as an unmitigated liar, has a different turn of imagination. He has new inventions as often as a cat has kittens; and each new invention is to revolutionize a system, to light a city for the mere cost of apparatus, to propel a ship round the world with only fuel enough to start the wheels, to work engines with cold water, making them perfectly safe, and requiring no expense or attention but to supply a gallon of water per week to make up for evaporation. When his bubbles have exploded under trial, and his patents proved worth but seven cents a pound, those who have invested hundreds to gain millions furiously denounce him as a humbug and swindler; but the admirers of his new invention are confident that he has hit upon a most valuable improvement at last, whatever hitches there may have been in bis former plans, or the execution of them. Allowances are made for his enthusiasm, that naturally prevents his seeing difficulties that others don't see; and he sells his last invention as he sold the others. And if he does not get paid at once, he has little difficulty in borrowing enough for current expenditure, which is profuse; for men are ready to lend to millionnaires even before they have actually got their millions. No one who is not prejudiced by failure, that may have been partly or wholly the fault of himself or his associates, ever doubts the perfect sincerity of his representations; and the physiognomist, and even the phrenologist, is constrained to believe that the visionary inventor, like the visionary religionist, artist, spiritualist, or socialist, really believes what he says, that his shares are sold, their payment sure, his fortune made, and his moral right to spend it unquestionable. What if the astonishing flights of genius transcend Arabian fictions, and refute the universal belief of yesterday? Have we not the steamboat, the locomotive, the telegraph, that were equally doubted and ridiculed until their day of materiality? And all we presumptuously say that knowledge shall no more be increased, in

mines of nature be no more explored? Idiots! let them console their own imbecility by traducing genius; but the admirers of the enthusiastic inventor will at least examine his new plans, and independently exercise their judgment, and buy if they are satisfied, whatever may be said by those who never fail to ridicule what they have not brains to appreciate.

So the visionary speculator probably has faith, and believes in the value of what he buys, and does not peril his money on what is utterly valueless for the chance of selling it to a greater fool, or more desperate gambler.

I know a young man who inherited a small fortune and invested it unwisely, as some thought; but in his darkest hours, when his clothes were most seedy, he was cheerful and hopeful, and enjoyed the fortune that was to come. What is the real enjoyment of one whose fortune is already come, however great? He can eat and drink but a limited quantity, and then is satiated, and it will be hours before he can renew his enjoyment; but my cheerful friend never knew satiety, and perpetually enjoyed his visions of luxury, and perpetually hoped to realize them in a year or less.

When the time should come, then he would boldly demand the hand of one who confessed her love for him, but whose matter-of-fact father forbade him the house and endeavored, happily in vain, to persuade his daughter to marry a shoddy millionnaire who could not appreciate her beauty, her sentimentality, her intelligence, her refinement, and other excellencies that elevated her above all women.

When my friend Goldsmith had sold his lands and houses and bought Harlem railway stock at seven, he considered his fortune sure, and joyfully announced it to his lady-love. She rejoiced with him and believed in him, as Kadijah believed in Mahomet, when nine-tenths of all who knew him believed him a lunatic, and the other tenth believed him a knave. Not so the cruel father. He broke off the quasi agreement that had been made when the lands were unsold and unencumbered, and roughly told the young man that he

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never would get a dividend, that his certificates of stock were not worth their weight in clean rags, that he had made himself a beggar, that his best course was to sell out at once to greater fools than himself, if he could find them, and that he never should have his daughter.

But the lover would not take the advice, though he did not resent it. He professed his confidence that within a few years the stock would pay forty per cent. on its par value, and declared his unalterable attachment to Clara and his resolution to renew his suit as soon as the wisdom of his investment was proved by the market value of Harlem stock. He continued to salute the obdurate father with the utmost respect and good-feeling whenever they met; but the prosperous man of certainties scarcely noticed the seedy speculator.

But time, that changes all things, changed the market price of this stock, and with it the manner of this obdurate, matter-of-fact man of dollars. As the stock went up to fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, and so on, Mr. Ingalls saw, nodded, bowed, smiled, and so on. Time went on; the stock went up; passion went down. One day, Goldsmith, decently dressed, met Mr. Ingalls just at his counting-house door. "How d'ye do?" popped out before he could stop it. "Come in, Goldsmith," followed incontinently. "D-n it, let's have a talk. I believe you were not so big a fool as I was. Come in."

In he went. Ingalls, who knew all about his stocks, strenuously advised him to sell out. All in vain. Goldsmith, still faithful to Clara, and still counting as certain a happy union with her, respectfully maintained that Harlem stock was worth five hundred, and could not be persuaded to sell at one hundred. Time didn't stop to change horses, and didn't go the slower for it; and the stock went up; and Ingalls urged more and more to sell, but in vain. He was scarcely able to suppress his rage when the stock reached a hundred and ninety; but he did suppress it.

"Goldsmith, I'll make a bargain with you, if you like."

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Quite so; but I am particular to have you understand that I yield purely from love of Clara, and not because I think less than I have always thought of that unappreciated property. However, I am perfectly willing to make the sacrifice for Clara, and to ease your mind as to her welfare."

"Well! confound it; I've been the fool! I'll be infinitely obliged if you'll rub out old scores."

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I never scored anything that needs to be rubbed out."

"That was uncommonly forbearing in you. Let's shake hands over a permanent reconciliation, and then go and fix up the annuities; and then you'll go home with me to dinner, eh?”

"Good! and the sooner we start the better. I shall be suited."

Not many weeks after this conversation, Dozentongue called on me with a headache. He didn't hesitate to be jolly on proper occasions, and had drunk excessively of champagne at Goldsmith's wedding, the night before. They had a high time of it. All the great men of dollars were there, and dismounted from their stilts and determined to enjoy themselves in honor of their brother millionnaire and his bride. George Maw, Cornell Wanderbilt, Willy Bastor, and too many others to mention, poured their libations to Bacchus, and resolved unanimously that no one should go home until morning, and no one should be sober after midnight. It was jolly, glorious, uproarious, beyond all Dozentongue ever saw or heard of. Every man was drunk as Alexander the Great, and happiness was universal and infinite. Unless Dozentongue was mistaken, in the latter part of the night, even the gentle sex caught the pervading spirit, and became ex

tremely merry and happy. There was a general breaking up of ice. Many of the frigid expressed what they long had secretly wished but dreaded to express, and several matches were made. Dozentongue is one of those whose time had come, and is to be married to one of the most beautiful, dashing, celebrated, and wealthy belles, and is going to surpass the hospitality of his friend Goldsmith in style, numbers, and every way. He has engaged the Fifth Avenue Hotel for the

occasion.

There are, and always have been, and will be for ages to come, men of common sense who deem themselves philosophers. These men would immure in insane asylums and houses of industry those whom they pity as visionaries. Had such men governed the world, Newton would have been an almanac-maker, or a teacher of arithmetic, if he would avoid picking oakum; Watt would have tinkered stoves and grates; Fulton would have rowed a wherry; Trevithick and Stevenson would have driven carts; Morse would have made wire cages: and all other disturbers of industry would have been induced or forced to do useful work. But out of the mouths of babes and sucklings we have had truths that learned priesthoods could not appreciate nor suppress. So from visionaries, as they are called, we have scientific truths that these essentially vulgar, self-conceited philosophers cannot appreciate and cannot conquer, though they may, for a long time, obstruct them. Even the real visionary, on whom facts have no effect but to excite his imagination, has an important function in this common sense world; for without his earnest and sincere advocacy, none would expect tenfold returns, and hope would never be strong enough to overcome the fear of failure. It is in vain to say that advocacy may be hired, that the press will surpass the visionaries in golden promises; no venal representations, from men who neither know nor care what they say for hire, can carry the conviction that sincerity inspires, even when it advocates chimeras. Who would have invested money in railways, had he studied the subject

and seen that two-thirds of the capital would be sunk, and had no visionaries. promised returns that rogues might have promised in vain? Truth, without the wild exaggeration of visionaries, would not move those other visionaries who see lions in the path and dare not say what has not been said by the majority. These are the grossest visionaries, whose fears conjure up objections that obvious facts would refute, if reason were not borne down by fear of loss. They are weaker in mind, and infinitely lower in a moral view, than the penniless borrower whose bonds are in bubbles, and whose trinkets and clothes are pawned; for he has courage to turn attention from the nakedness of his avarice. What can we say of those who, in 1825, before committees of parliament, ridiculed the timid represen tation that locomotives could rival the speed of mail-coaches, and derided as visionaries those who made the representa tion? Which were visionaries? Which were the most sordid visionaries?

And what is the origin of visions? Has nature given a power that is only for evil? Has the mind a power that has no good work to do? Are day-dreams of improvement no indication of good to be hoped and sought for? Shall the dreamer, though ignorant of science and merely a dreamer, be deemed insane because, disgusted with the filthiness of a city, he imagines and dares to suggest that sewers may be preferable to gutters; that iron roads with elemental power may be preferable to dirt-making roads and dirtmaking animals; that the resources of nature are not yet exhausted; that enough yet remains to satisfy the tastes as well as the appetites of man? If we call him a visionary who believes in such ideas, what shall we call him who affirms that man must forever suffer the filth of streets and roads, the noise of heavy vehicles on rough pavements, and the slow pace of miserable brutes that are worn out in the average time of three years?

All are visionaries to the extent of their imaginations; if they dare not tell their dreams, they cannot help dreaming when tempted. The vagabond, who goes at night on a lonely road, may not fear a

beforehand, so that the work is done within the estimates; few can judge to-day of the value of artificial property five years hence; all is more or less work of chance; and hope, liberality, courage, and love of improvement are the motors which impel men to preach and practise in the ad

These qualities being exceptional, the majority decide that they who possess and manifest them are in a degree deranged, and they have selected the word visionary to distinguish them. That they should feel resentment towards them is natural; for they claim superiority over the majority; and that they should put them down by all means allowed by law and public opinion is certainly less surprising than that the only perfectly wise and good man of the human race was derided as a visionary and put to death as a blasphemer.

robber; but clothe him and fill his pocket, and every bush will point a pistol at him. The man who has no money in the bank may not fear a projector; but give him a public contract and a large balance in the bank, and he will guard all points like a hedgehog, when a projector is in the way; and unless a sincere and unrestricted vis-vancement of material wealth and science. ionary excites his hope of tenfold gain, he will not be caught. No man can safely presume that his wisdom exempts him from the common infirmity; that in the few years he has lived he has acquired power to determine before trial whether systems, inventions, and projects are worthy of trial. The best we can do is to consider whether what is proposed is desirable on account of its utility or beauty, and to decide by trial, and not without trial, whether it is economically practicable. It is desirable to send messages a thousand miles in a few seconds; but a trial, after all calculations of the few, was required to convince the many that they would not lose their money by the project. That trial was got at the public cost, by influences that confirm rather than abate what has been said of the visionaries whose ruling propensity is fear. Blake was a gentle and hopeful visionary. He had taste, benevolence, faith, and courage enough to be unaffected by lions in the path. He dreamed of angels, of moral improvement, and of what other visionaries desire but doubt of. Swedenborg was a liberal and somewhat philosophical visionary, incomparably superior to many now engaged in various branches of the moral reform business. Fourier was a more extravagant visionary than either, but not so bad as most political . reformers. And others, even those who intend nothing but to fill their own coffers, are above the timid multitude of unsuspected visionaries.

THE PRAYING MOTHER. We believe it is Richard Cecil who records the following as his experience:

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Nothing used to impress upon my mind so strongly the reality and excellence of religion as my mother's counsels and prayers. Frequently she retired with her children to a private room; and after she had read the Bible with us, and given us some good instruction and advice, she kneeled down with us and offered a prayer which, for apparent earnestness and fervor, I have never known equalled. These seasons were always pleasant to us, and sometimes we looked forward to them with impatience. My mother seemed to me then almost an angel; her language, her manner, the very expression of her countenance indicating great nearness to the throne of grace. I could not have shown levity at such times; it would have been impossible. I felt then it was a great blessing to have a praying mother; and I have felt it much more sensibly since. Those prayers and counsels time will never efface from my memory. They form, as it were, a part of my very constitution.

In current language, our mental work is oither a repetition of what we have learned from others, or is chiefly guesswork that is uncertain of success, and proceeds by trial, correction, repetition, partial success, losses at first, and in most instances decided failure. It is a work of hazard, almost as much as insurance TRUTH in its most original expression is; few, if any, are competent to plan is always lyrical.

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