may be sure of meeting with patronage, and even with occasional pecuniary assistance. There is certainly not a nation whose citizens are less. prejudiced against emigrants or foreign artists. The enterprising, active, and wealthy mechanic, ranks with the eminent lawyer in the Northern States, and may aspire to the most distinguished stations...

In the Southern States the case is rather different, and lawyers, planters, and merchants, are treated with a decided preference. As however, fewer opportunities are afforded for mechanics to evince very high talents, the less so as their mental improvement is generally not of the highest order, they are kept (even in the north) in that class which is most suited to their situation in life. This is also the case in other countries, with this difference, that talents and persevering industry may lead in the United States to wealth, and distinction, and offices; whereas elsewhere the mechanic must always remain as he began.

The majority of tradesmen are still English, French, Irish, and Germans; and however sure the skilful mechanic may be of success, he must not rely upon receiving at first a friendly recep

tion, or a very hearty welcome; the astonishing increase of population having nearly supplied the deficiency which once prevailed in this respect in the United States. Architects, surveyors, masons, and carpenters, are still welcome. Distillers, confectioners, cabinet-makers, and hatters, acquire an independence in a very few years, and an enterprising brewer, with a moderate capital of three thousand dollars, may depend upon being eventually successful, the more so, as the beverage called beer in the Union, is generally deleterious in the highest degree. Even tailors and shoemakers will frequently make a fortune; the former assume commonly the more genteel name of merchant-tailors. Most of these people, especially if English, become rich in a few years, change their trade and turn speculators, buying and selling parcels of lands and houses. On the other hand, there are in Europe certain trades which are either unknown or would be very unsuccessful in America.

It may be taken as a rule, that trades and handicrafts connected with the immediate wants, will meet in every part of the Union with encouragement and success; but artists who are subservient to the luxuries of life, are only in request

in the maritime cities, and even then but so far as they contribute to that species of refinement which corresponds with the genius of AngloAmerican, or what is nearly the same-British luxury.

ALTHOUGH there are in the United States no regular orders of society, yet as wealth is the standard by which the worth of every one is estimated, a higher respect is paid to those professions which are most likely to attain it. These are the lawyer and the merchant. There is not a country where the influence of the former oi greater, for as he is the sole expounder of the law, he will be often found to wrest it to his own selfish purposes, there being no supreme power to control his expositions. In the east, the clergy, notwithstanding their being entirely dependant on the people, have much influence, which shews that wherever wealth is accumulated, the esprit du corps is invariably the same.

Though the United States exhibit a greater uniformity of manners than any other nation, yet there is still found a striking difference amongst them. In the eastern sea-ports you will find the manners of an European metropolis,

alloyed by the pride of wealth, which, as it is the only mark of distinction, is not calculated to encourage courteous and social habits. In the central parts, from the Alleghany Mountains down to Cincinnati, a truly republican character is more than anywhere conspicuous. It is liberal, unassuming, hospitable, and independent. Further on we find the half-cultivated indigence of a rising population.

The different States themselves, vary not less in their characteristic features; and a Yankee of Massachusets is in many respects as dissimilar to a Kentuckian, as the Irishman differs from a Scotch highlander. Situation, climate, and occupation, gradually lend a distinct feature to each separate State; contending interests also contribute to establish a character which differs more or less with that of its neighbour.

The ruling passion of the American is the love of money. Vain indeed would be the attempt to vindicate his character on this point; with him, worldly prosperity and merit are indissolubly connected. Something, however, may be conceded to this feeling, when it is considered as springing from the very nature of his public institutions; for in the absence of artificial distinc