gentleman who has been occupied during the last forty years of his life in preparing a dictionary of the English language, which, I find, has since been published. He includes in it all the technical expressions connected with the arts and sciences. Thus giving, he hopes, as complete a picture as possible of the English language, as it stands at this moment, on both sides of the Atlantic.

We had a pleasant discussion on the use of what are called Americanisms, during which he gave me some new views on this subject. He contended that his countrymen had not only a right to adopt new words, but were obliged to modify the language to suit the novelty of the circumstances, geographical and political, in which they were placed. He fully agreed with me, however, in saying, that where there was an equally expressive English word, cut and dry, it ought to be used in preference to a new "Nevertheless," said he, "it is quite impossible to stop the progress of language-it is like the course of the Mississippi, the motion of which, at times, is scarcely perceptible; yet even then it possesses a momentum quite irresistible. It is the same with the language we are speaking of. Words and expressions will be forced into use, in spite of all the exertions of all the writers in the world."

one.

"Yes," I observed;" but surely such innovations are to be deprecated?"

"I don't know that," he replied.

"If a word

become universally current in America, where English is spoken, why should it not take its station in the language?"

"Because," I said, "there are words enough already; and it only confuses matters, and hurts the cause of letters to introduce such words."

process

But," said he, reasonably enough," in England such things happen currently, and, in of time, your new words find their way across the Atlantic, and are incorporated in the spoken language here. In like manner," he added, “many of our words, heretofore not used in England, have gradually crept in there, and are now an acknowledged part of the language. The interchange, in short, is inevitable; and, whether desirable or not, cannot be stopped, or even essentially modified.”

I asked him what he meant to do in this matter in his dictionary.

"I mean," he said, "to give every word at present in general use, and hope thereby to contribute in some degree to fix the language at its present station. This cannot be done completely; but it may be possible to do a great deal."

I begged to know what he proposed to do with those words which were generally pronounced dif

ferently in the two countries. " In that case," said he, "I would adopt that which was most consonant to the principles of the English language, as denoted by the analogy of similar words, without regarding which side of the water that analogy favoured. For example, you in England universally say chivalry-we as generally say shivalry; but I should certainly give it according to the first way, as more consistent with the principles of the language. On the other hand, your way of pronouncing the word * deaf is def-ours, as if it were written deef; and as this is the correct mode, from which you have departed, I shall adhere to the American way.”

I was at first surprised when Mr Webster assured me there were not fifty words in all which were used in America and not in England, but I have certainly not been able to collect nearly that number. He told me too, what I did not quite agree to at the time, but which subsequent enquiry has confirmed as far as it has gone, that, with very few exceptions, all these apparent novelties are merely old English words, brought over to America by the early settlers, being current at home when they set out on their pilgrimage, and here they have remained in good use ever since.

On the 29th October, we proceeded in a steamboat from New Haven, down what is called Long Island Sound, and through the well-known nar

row pass which bears the ominous name of Hell's Gates. But as it was almost dark before we reached New York, we were deprived, for the second time, of a view of this noble city on approaching it by water.

Next morning we roved about the streets, which now assumed a familiar, home sort of look to our eyes. All that visionary, dreamy kind of effect which the strange mixture of new and old objects had excited on first landing from England, had so completely fled, that I could with difficulty recall even a trace of it to my mind. The experience of five months' travelling, and the perpetual references to New York, and to persons and things connected with it, had given it an established, local habitation in our thoughts. We were soon, indeed, made still more sensible of our sympathy with it, by the renewed attentions and kind offices of every description on the part of friends, who would give the character of home to any quarter of the world.

On going to the custom-house one day, I found that a box of dresses, and other things, all liable to duty, had arrived in our absence. In the bill of lading, these articles had been accidentally styled merchandise, which created some difficulty. "I suppose they are things that have been worn?" said the collector to me, with the good-natured air of a man wishing to be civil, and anxious to

discover an opening by which his official strictness might escape. I was, however, obliged to say that I feared not one of the things had yet been on. I bethought me, however, of a method of coming to the same point. "They will all," I said, "most probably be worn out in travelling over this country; and if your wish be, as I have no doubt it is, to contribute to our peace and comfort on the journey, you may certainly assist us, by letting this finery pass without delay." I saw by the smile which this speech produced, that the captive wardrobe was about to be released; and accordingly the docket or cocket, or whatever it was, being instantly signed, the goods and chattels were deli vered from bondage in ten minutes!

On the 1st of November, we had a famous cruize over the greater part of the magnificent harbour of New York; and though the air was rather cold, all nature looked so beautiful, that we enjoyed the excursion much. On the first day of every month throughout the year, a number of packet ships sail from this grand focus of American commerce, to various parts of the world; and as they all start about the same hour, no small bustle is the necessary consequence. Exactly as the clock strikes ten, a steam-boat with the passengers for the different packets, leaves the wharf, close to a beautiful public promenade called the Battery. We