CONTENTS.

LETTER I.

Christmas. The principles of Peace. The Town that would not Fight. A Christmas Visitor .to the Poor. High Bents paid by the Poor in New York ; their kindness to each other. 13

LETTER II.

Ole Bui heard for the first time. The vast significance of Music. 22

LETTER III.

New Year's Festivities. The Callithumpian Band. The Nymph Crotona. 27

LETTER IV.

Reminiscences of a former State of Existence. The Remembered Home. 32

LETTER V.

The story of poor Charity Bowery. 48

LETTER VI.

Mnemonics, or Artificial Memory. Wonderful instances of Memory. Anecdote of Voltaire; of Pope Clement 6th. Systems of Mnemonics. Dickens' Christmas Carol. 57

LETTER VII.

Valentine's Day. Story of the Umbrella Girl and Lord Henry Stuart. 66

LETTER VIII.

Description of Mammoth Cave. .75

LETTER IX.

A walk down Broadway. The little Hoop-Girl and her Brother. 96

LETTER X.

Hope Always. Human Progress. Emancipation in the British West Indies. The position of Ireland. O'Connel. 99

LETTER XI.

Driesbach's Menagerie. Lectures on Anatomy. Analogy between the circulation of the Blood and the progress of Truth in Society. 108

LETTER XII.

Spiritual Correspondences, illustrated largely by Music. Correspondence of Light, of Water, of Oil, of Clothing. 113

LETTER XIII.

A popular definition of the original application of the word Transcendental. The Transcendental style of Writing. Playful account of a Transcendental Conversation. 125

LETTER XIV.

Anecdotes of Hannah Adams. 130

LETTER XV.

Animals. Judge Edmonds and the Kitten. Amusing Anecdote of a Fox. Traditions concerning Pythagoras. 138

LETTER XVI.

Waste Lauds of Virginia. The deserted Church. 144

LETTER XVII.

The eccentric German. The Burgomaster of Stuttgard. Swabian Bonnets. 150

LETTER XVIII.

Fourth of July. Fireworks. Native Americans and Foreigners. 161

LETTER XIX.

Children in Union Park. The House covered with Vines. Fountains. Bath for the Poor. Croton Water. The Alhamra. Philharmonic Concerts. Italian Opera. Castle Garden. Niblo's Garden. Vauxhall. The Night Blooming Cereus. Hoboken. American Museum. Theatres. 167

LETTER XX.

Genius and Skill. The Romance of Thot and Freia. 176

LETTER XXI.

Steam-boat Excursions. Music. Saturn and the Earth. The Sailor's Home. Institution at Rennes. The large-souled Mechanic. 195

LETTER XXII.

Swedenborg's Views of the Future Life. The Doctrine of Correspondence. Spiritual Correspondences of Music. 202

LETTER XXIII.

The Arts' Union. Bonfield, Cropsey, Leutze, Crawford, Powers, Kneeland. 214

LETTER XXIV.

Greenwood Cemetery. The apparently Dead restored to Life. Chime of Bells in Philadelphia. The Swiss Bell-Ringers 221

LETTER XXV.

The Violin. Effects of Scenery on Music. The Northmen. Expression of Scotch and Irish Music. Lizst's Piano-playing. Lines to Ole Bui 228

LETTER XXVI.

The Millerites. Sir Harry Falkland. Various calculations concerning the end of the World. 235

LETTER XXVII.

Autumn Woods. Mountains. Profitable investments in Religion. President Edwards. 241

LETTER XXVIII.

Spirit of Trade. Amusing Advertisements. Razor Strops. Luck and Knack. Self-Love. Thorough Bass, or fundamental Harmony. The perfect chord of Music and of Colours. Fourier's perfect Social Chord. The Major and Minor Mode. 248

LETTER XXIX.

The Prison Association. Encouragement instead of Driving. The Criminal's account of her brief Trial. Anecdotes of individuals saved by the kindness of Isaac T. Hopper. Gentleness toward the Insane. Dorothea L. Dix. 258

LETTER XXX.

Ole Bui's Niagara and Solitude of the Prairie. Genius and Criticism. Anecdote of Haydn and of Beethoven. The tone of an Instrument, changed by the manner of playing upon it. 272

LETTER XXXI.

Increase of Luxury in New York. Employment essential to Happiness. Women peculiarly injured by the want of high motives to Exertion. 279