The brevity of human life is a mystery, which has often perplexed the wisest heads. But the difficult question is here propounded 'with a _vengeance_,' considering the quarter from which it is represented to have come, that is perfectly overpowering.' * * * WHAT an admirable reproof of selfishness is conveyed in these few words of BACON: 'Divide with reason between self-love and society, and be so true to thyself that thou be not false to others. It is a poor centre of a man's actions, himself. It is right earth; for that only stands fast upon its own centre, whereas all things that have affinity with the heavens move upon the centre of another, which they benefit.' * * * WE like _parts_ of '_The Summer-Storm_' very well; but as a whole, it lacks clearness, and in one or two places the language is tame; mere prose, indeed, and not over-felicitously divided. We can well _imagine_ the appearance of such a storm, however, in the highlands of Rockland county. THOMSON has a spirited picture of a similar scene: 'AT first, heard solemn o'er the verge of heaven, The tempest growls; but as it nearer comes, And rolls its awful burthen on the wind, The lightnings flash a larger curve, and more The noise astounds: till over head a sheet Of livid flame discloses wide; then shuts And opens wider; shuts and opens still Expansive, wrapping ether in a blaze!' FOR one only reason, we decline the 'thrilling story' of 'M. D.' of Hudson. We do not affect a _fight_ in a tale. Indeed, we crossed out a great battle of fists recently in one of the best articles that has appeared in the KNICKERBOCKER for several months. SIDNEY SMITH'S advice on this point is most judicious: 'Nobody should suffer his hero to have a black eye, or to be pulled by the nose. The Iliad would never have come down to these times, if AGAMEMNON had given ACHILLES a box on the ear. We should have trembled for the Æniad if any Tyrian nobleman had kicked the pious ÆNEAS in the fourth book. ÆNEAS may have deserved it, but he never could have founded the Roman empire after so distressing an accident.' * * * NOW in this fervid summer solstice, forget not, O ye sedentary! that most important requirement of the body, frequent ablution. _Bathe! bathe!_ A recipient ourselves of 'the early and latter rain' of Dr. RABINEAU'S shower-bath, and eke the benefits of his unrivalled swimming-bath, we speak by the card, and as one having authority. Of Mr. H. RABINEAU'S _warm_ salt water baths, at the foot of Desbrosses-street, on the North River, we hear also the warmest praises, from the lips of invalids and others. * * * IF we were to write a page of fine print in reply to one point of 'S.'s remarks upon '_Street Alms-Giving_,' it could not so well express what _he_ at least will understand, as the annexed brief sentence: 'That charity which Plenty gives to Poverty is human and earthly; but it becomes divine and heavenly, when Poverty gives to Want.' * * * WE