The New York herald., 1867-04-07


per's Wooi<ly aud Bonner's Ledger.
We are described as " The Universal Yankee
Nation" and the phrase is sufficiently correct
so far as 1t touches the character Of univer-
salty that pervades American genius. An ave-
rage American is not only equal to the most
dissimilsr calls upon his ingenuity, but he can
follow round dozen of ordinary vocstions at
one and the same time, and is generally good
in all There is . musician perambulating the
streets Of this dusty metropolis who might be
taken as typical representative Of this pecu-
liarity. With his hugely inflated cheeks and
tense lips he flls magnihcently . Pandean
pipe; his restless right arm is responsible for
the continual drone of hurdy-gurdy; his
left elbow has some mysterious connection
with a triangle, and the hand Of that arm holds
o cup that expects pennies nodding his head
he fills the air with the musical swell Of
branch of bells attached to the top of his hat;
kicking out vigorously his left foot he beats
aptly drum between his shoulders, and by
some general jump into the air, or other inde-
scribable spasmodic action Of his whole econo-
my, he draws harmony from q pair Of cymbals
suspended between the drum and the tail Of
his coat. This itinerant concert is not an
American, we fancy, but he deserves to be, so
far as his talent goes. His application Of it is
not national. As an American he would have
been an omnibus driver, simultaneous making
change for twelve impatient passengers, con-
trolling two horses, one over eager and the
other baulky. picking his devious and wonder
full route in the may wilderness of Broadway
and keeping sharp eye on the policeman at
St. Paul's corner. Or-who knows ?-he
might have been the president and owner Of a
dozen railroads, innumerable steamboats, and
banks, running the lobbies of three or four
legislatures, and manipulating twenty Con-
gressmen like the pieces Of Chinese puzzle.
Between American human nature and Eu-
ropean human nature there Is the widest pos
sible difference on this point In Europe men
give up their lives to one definite line Of labor,
and expect that the solar system will tumble
to pieces when they deviate q hairs breadth
to the right or left Of that line. Every little
necessary pursuit Of civilization is some ones
specially. We see nowhere better illustra-
ton of the difference than In the periodicals
of the two hemispheres. London publications
are special. II is Punch's vocation to do the
fun. It has nothing to do with any subject
except as 1t can draw laugh from It If II
cannot keep on the broad grini IL must maintain
silence. The London Illustrated News has no
business with any event or fact under the
sun unless there are pictures in it. All
that lies In the realm Of the pictorial
artist il fair game beyond that there is nothing.
Other sheets ara equally devoted to athletic
sports; others again to fiction, and still others
to political discussion. In the pages OF
single New York periodical we will and all
these at once. In Harper's Weskly we and
current events pictured with apt and admirable
pencil, and on the same page the broad grin
Of homely humor-the lash Of political satire,
sometimes rather savage, perhsps-excellent
fiction, and often poems Of high order Of
mellt While good fun is thus shown to be
possible, attempts to establish funny papers
here always fail. Bonners irrepressible
Ledger has range but little less extensive
than Haper's Weekly. II also supplies its
readers with constant novelty in fiction, with
well written essays on various topics, and,
having due regard to the spice Of life, with
wit humor and poesy.
These journals Oil the sphere that in Europe
would be taken up by half q dozen sheets, each
conducted on different plans. Undoubtedly
in the matter Of the striking difference between
the Old World and the New on this point of
specially there are notable advantages and
disadvantages on both sides; yet we cannot
but regard the American peculiarity as the In
dication Of q fuller and more Satisfactory de-
-oso~c~rt - thc hw~.~ s~t.i,..s