In a week's time, accordingly, we behold Paul Ulric, Esq. in a cavern of banditti, somewhere in the neighborhood of Philadelphia!! His doings in this cavern, as related by Mr. Mattson, we must be allowed to consider the most laughable piece of plagiarism on record--with the exception perhaps of something in this same book which we shall speak of hereafter. Our author, it appears, has read Gil Blas, Pelham, and Anne of Gierstein, and has concocted, from diverse passages in the three, a banditti scene for his own especial use, and for the readers of Paul Ulric. The _imitations_ (let us be courteous!) from Pelham are not so palpable as those from the other two novels. It will be remembered that Bulwer's hero introduces himself into a nest of London rogues with the end of proving his friend's innocence of murder. Paul joins a band of robbers _near Philadelphia_, for the purpose of rescuing a mistress--the chief similarity will be found in the circumstances of the blindfold introduction, and in the slang dialect made use of by either novelist. The slang in Pelham is stupid enough--but still very natural in the mouths of the cutthroats of Cockaigne. Mr. Mattson, however, has thought proper to bring it over, will I nill I, into Pennsylvania, and to make the pickpockets of Yankeeland discourse in the most learned manner of nothing less than "_flat-catching_," "_velvet_," "_dubbing up possibles_," "_shelling out_," "_twisting French lace_," "_wakeful winkers_," "_white wool_," "_pig's whispers_," and "_horses' nightcaps!_" Having introduced his adventurer _à la_ Pelham, Mr. Mattson entertains him _à la_ Gil Blas. The hero of Santillane finds his cavern a pleasant residence, and so does the hero of our novel. Captain Rolando is a fine fellow, and so is Captain Elmo. In Gil Blas, the robbers amuse themselves by reciting their adventures--so they do in Paul Ulric. In both the Captain tells his own history first. In the one there is a rheumatic old cook--in the other there is a rheumatic old cook. In the one there is a porter who is the main obstacle to escape--in the other ditto. In the one there is a lady in durance--in the other ditto. In the one the hero determines to release the lady--in the other ditto. In the one Gil Blas feigns illness to effect his end, in the other Mr. Ulric feigns illness for the same object. In the one, advantage is taken of the robbers' absence to escape--so in the other. The cook is sick, at the time, in both.