[46] "Gone, gone." [47] One of the superficial peculiarities of American magazines is that the names of _all_ the contributors are generally paraded conspicuously on the cover, very few seeking even the disguise of a pseudonym. The number of "most remarkable" men and women who thus display themselves in print is surprising. [48] This periodical is particularly unfortunate in its predictions. Last year one of them was absolutely falsified _before_ its appearance. The _Democratic_ introduced a biographical sketch of an eminent politician, with the announcement that "before another number was issued, the people of his State would have re-elected him to the highest office in their gift." Accident delayed the publication of this prophecy for a short time, and it appeared the very day after Mr ---- had been _defeated_ by a large majority. Thereupon some editors on the other side stated that the _Democratic Review_ was to be discontinued, "as we learn from its own columns," which may have been a good joke or not, according to tastes. Certainly the editor of the _Democratic_ did _his_ best to make it so, by publishing a serious and angry contradiction of the report. [49] We have heard this _argument_ again and again in America, generally in reference to the seediest of verses; and there could not be a greater proof of the vagueness and erroneousness of American public opinion as to the nature and object of criticism, and the qualifications for exercising it. [50] As a general rule, that is: we in America have lately met with some striking exceptions. [51] Even then, the price is what in Great Britain would be considered small. The _American Review_ pays two dollars (8s. 8d.) a page, and some of the other periodicals from a dollar to a dollar and a half. [52] It is hardly necessary to expatiate on the absurdity of this fallacy. Every man who reads any thing better than newspapers, finds frequent use for his classics in the way of explaining quotations, allusions &c., while nothing can be imagined more utterly useless in every-day life than Conic Sections and Differential Calculus, to any man not professionally scientific. But because arithmetic is the introductory branch of mathematics, and also the foundation of book-keeping, it is thought that working a boy at mathematics will make him a good man of business. [53] On one occasion, when a converted priest was lecturing against Romanism, the _Courier_ and _Enquirer_ recommended the intervention of that notorious popular potentate _Judge Lynch, who intervened accordingly_. [54] These attempts at undue influence and direct intimidation are not confined to the natives; foreigners are very quick at catching them. This very winter an Italian musician endeavoured to expel one of the editors of the _Courier and Enquirer_ from his concert-room, because that paper had not seen fit to praise him so much as others did, or as he himself wished and expected. [55] "The Mary Ann Greens."