I heard a story the other day of our most earnest and genial humorist, who is just now proving himself also our most earnest and genial novelist.

'I like your novel exceedingly,' said a lady; 'the characters are so natural--all but the baronet, and he surely is overdrawn: it is impossible to find such coarseness in his rank of life!' The artist laughed.

'And that character,' said he, 'is almost the only exact portrait in the whole book.' So it is.

People do not see the strange things which pass them every day.

'The romance of real life' is only one to the romantic spirit.