The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-20 00:00:00

LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES.

(Frain the Times Correspondent.)
NEW YORK, JAN. 3.
If the present letter contains nothing that relates to
business or politics, or what is called news, it will only
obey the spirit of the time ; tor a brief space festivity
and social observances, moulded by tradition, have the

upper hand even of debates on slavery and the course of
exchange. Without these topics the mail you will re-
ceive by this steamer is likely to be a meagre one, unless
a little of the social doings of the season is thrown in.
New York has been keepinc, holiday, an indulgence it
seldom allows itself—so seldom,' that it may be interest
ing to know how it does it, having a little practice in the
art.

The three holidays of the American year are, in the
North, the Thanksgiving-day, fixed by the Governor of
each State, generally in November, when, once in four
years at least, the escape from the Presidential election
is a just cause of gratification ; New Year's-day, arid
the 4th of July. Christmas-day is not observed so de-
cidedly as t) entitle it to mention ; though not quite
di-regarded, it is not considered a total holiday. In the
New England States the people have transferred the
celebrations they refu3e it to the official and traditional
Thanksgiving day, originally a tribute of prayer and
urmons in acknowledgment of the happy harvest that
saved the first colony of the Pilgrim Fathers from star-
vation, but in after times expanded by their descendants
into a day of festivity—a natural and laudable illustra-
tion of the theory of development. On this day the race
of the Puritan stock meet in family gatherings, and the
turkey falls a sacrifice to them as numerously as at the
period so fatal to that fowl in Norfolk of the old coun-

try. Of other aids of festivity it is difficult to speak
with the same certainty in the region of stringent liquor
laws ; but it is whispered they are not wanting, the
strong statutes applying only to the public sale of wine
and alcohol, not the private consumption thereof, which
may be left in the algebraic uncertainty of en unknown
quantity. Something of the old quarrel which mince
pie and the disparagement of the materials of appointed
feasting which began in England still remains ; but the
innate necessity of some point of time to break the hard
monotony of life has triumphed, and the descendants of
the Puritans have now a newer tradition of their own,
and a day according to it that answers the purpose. The
Pilgrims were a great race of men, but they were a little
too hard on amusement, something peevish that way,
and overdid the thing, the old Adam breaking out even
among themselves in unexpected places. Hawthorne
(of the "Seven Gables" and " Scarlet Letter"), who
has studied their colonial history, says he has not been
able to discover that these stern fathers ever indulged
in merriment, except at funerals ! On such occasions
they relaxed, and cultivated a grim kind of joviality.
That this could continue was impossible as a conse-
quence, Boston has not only Thanksgiving-; day, but four
taeatres. Christmas, however, is ignored to this hour.
In New York the Puritan spirit was never so marked.
The theology of the Dutch settlement was as decided,
perhaps, but its practice was not the same—not quite so
rigid. The pastors preached in Geneva cloaks, and the
sermons were long enough, but the Flemish and German
nature was always more genial, aed imported some
cheerful observances which their descendants not only
retained but have handed down to the present time.
New York still keeps Christmas, principally for the be-
hoof of the children, to whom gt. Claus still brings his
nocturnal gifts of toys. There is a brisk business in
Broadway arising out of the custom, and there are presents
to be made to those of larger growth—books and
jewellery, and articles costly and indescribable, and
indescribably costly. Trade is not suspended but
increased, and the outdoor traffic of the day is unusually
active. In the Episcopal and the Dutch church there is
divine worship, but the religious element does pre-
' dominate. The evening of Christrna's-day is the great
night of the theatres ; at the "Bowery," and other
houses of the second class—the Surreys and Victories
if the city—they give two performances, an extra one
in the afternoon ; but there is no Christmas-eve and
no " Boxing-day."
The real fete of the season, however, is New Year's-
day ; it is kept as a close bolyday by everybody, rich
and poor ; there is no work, no shops are open, and
-ten those abodes of unrest, the newspaper offices, give
all their machines, editors included, a respite. Yeeter-
day morning New York breakfasted without a journal ;
next to the sun omitting to rise it is the greatest
proof of the general suspension of ordinary life. It
is only the usual life, however, that is suspended ;
another kind of activity takes its place, and continues
in full rush till evening. The day is devoted by all
classes to calling on each other with wishes of a happy
new year. This is also a custom of Dutch origin,
unknown out of New York. Those who have a large
circle of acquaintance have a busy time of it ; it is a
thing that must be done, a call on New Year's-day
covering a multitude of sins of omission during the
past year, while neglecting the compliment aggravates
them, converting them almost into the cut direct. The
ladies stay at home to receive the visits, the gentlemen
alone paying them ; the effect on the appearance of the
streets is peculiar ; there is not a lady to be seen ;
the black coats have all the pavements to them-
selves ; all bright colours have disappeared from the
promenades, and, though the loss of brilliancy is
very marked, the gain of space is considerable ; the
difference made by the subtraction of hoops and
skirts is amazing. The carriages passing by are full
• fraen, the omnibtses are packed with men ; there
.rc men everywhere, as if all the female portion of
the community had been sent out of the city in
expectation of a siege. Any stranger landing from
Europe ou the lit of Jan. would have thought New
York bewitched and under a very evil spell indeed,
unless a native took him in charge and, like a kindly
Asmodeus, dissipated his misgivings by showing him
the bright and cheerful interiors, where the vanished
'adiee sit in state, gorgeously apparelled, dispensing
-miles and refreshments to all comers. Tne gentlemen
of the house are not to be seen ; they are on the round
of visits elsewhere. It is a harvest day of profit to
the back drivers, as from the expansion of the city
he has very few acquaintance, very exceptionally located,
who can make his calls on foot. By rule the snow
ought to be on the ground, to admit of sleighing ; a
lash down the long avenues in a neatly turned out
sledge, with a pair of fast horses in gay harness and
strings of silver bells, is an animating addition to the
holiday. But this year the skies are perverse ; there
nave only been a few threats of snow, and that at
Christmas—just enough to tempt a few sledges, give
them a few hours run, and then by a dull thaw let
them down to the stones, on which the grating and
thumping soon disgusted the most enthu-iastic lovers
of the exercise, and sent them to wheels again. Last
year the winter was unusually severe, and on New
Year's-day there was a double sledge road along the
whole of Broadway, with a high dividing ridge of
snow between, which cost the corporation something
incredible in dollars to remove. This year sledging
has been an experiment only, soon abandoned, the
" sliding cars, indebted to no wheels," merely Corning
out and going in again, while all the public vehicles,
so to speak, kept their feet. The day was clear and
open, and rather muddy withal, while, provokingly,
there is this morning a fine coating of snow on the
ground, just too late. On favourable occasions sledges
are in such demand that strong prices are paid for
the hire of a dashing turn-out. Some of them are
very brilliantly appointed indeed ; but whatever the
vehicles employed the duty of the day must be done.
In the simple days of the Dutch dynasty, when the
city was only a small corner of the present metropolis,
and when the residences of wealth and
.respectability
fashion is of more modern growth) were grouped round
the Battery, the old Knickerbockers could pay their
visits leisurely, and on foot, with time enough to discuss
a dram sedately and fill their capacious pockets with
cake, as the manner was ; now, all those who can be
visited dwell far from the city proper, scattered over
miles of avenue., to say nothing of lateral streets Irene
"Eighth" to "Fortieth." It now requires an early
start, a good pair of horses, and tolerably hard work to
get through a moderate list by twilight.. There is also
a peril of detention where the fires are so bright on the
marble hearths, the toilettes so brilliant, and the otto-
mans so inviting ; there are costly gifts of the season to
he shown and examined, diamond bracelets or gigantic
bouquets of exotics ; there is also exquisite Madeira prof-
fered, only to be found in certain ancient cellars. Alto-
gether, without the support of a stern sense of duty the
round of visits may be brought to an abrupt conclusion,
and all parties agree to make a day of it, leaving the
rest of the list of friends to fate and the next year.
Generally, however, a few minutes suffice for each
visit ; you are relieved by new comers an I depart. For-
merly, when the city and "society" were smaller, and
everybody haul more time, the hospitality of the day,
frequently tested and longer indulged, was somewhat
perilous, and the staircases ascended late in the day
allwere
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things is lighter and more elegant, the refreshment table
is not the main feature of the day—it is an agreeable part
of the decorations, and little more. On the whole, the
custom is a pleasant one, an.d deserves not to die out ;
yet it is to be feared the continual extension of the city
will make it mere and more difficult to comply with every
year, and it may gradually degenerate, as it has done in ,1
Germany, to an annual leaving of carts, a poor, formal
process, which may be abandoned without loss.
A round of New York interiors on New Year's-day
leaves a very distinct impression of the luxury and love
of decoration which the wealth of this commercial com-
munity has produced. Many of the palaces of Europe
must look meagre and bare to any one accustomed to
the rich and lavish comfort of most of the fashionable
mansions. Those of the Fifth Avenue have the most.
ersiotihrnaittnhcemonagtnrryaanstdrespects, though net so striking ex-
celebrity, but there are others in older qaarters
ternally. TofhTeahemaptatanelm:itopinatl to make the most of small
ass superior
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ienxpefmntsneetohfinrgoomwhi
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American adjective " bogus," The
produce
tuici
ee
older houses on Hudson-square and some
ofa m.
the side
streets are far nobler in their interior pp •en but
they are all admirably warn-lei, and fully,ro-softly,ortls ; and
richly furnished—very Castles of Indolence. The modern
republic has nothing to learn from any empire, French
or Reinan ; and now and then a growl may be heard
from some Juveiaal, condemning the general tendency
to extravagance ; but the age of republican simplicity
has departed for Commercial, ,sea
New York. It is h
showy, and luxurious; those who are "roasting turnips
ou their Sabii.e farms are in the " Far West."

The Great Western and South Western Railway
Companies open their lines for through traffic to Wey-
mouth this day. Weymouth, the favourite sea-side
resort •f George 111., is thus brought within 24 few
hours' journey of London,