We regard it as a very fortunate circumstance that the manuscript record of what followed, or did not follow, the events just related, has been faithfully preserved. A simple transcription of the papers will do away with the necessity of relating the particulars in detail; and so we hasten to present the reader with the correspondence, prefacing it with the observation that the affair kept the town or city of Williamsburg in a state of great suspense for two whole days. I. "Mr. HOFFLAND: "You insulted a lady in my presence yesterday evening, and I demand from you a retraction of all that you uttered. I am not skilled in writing, but you will understand me. The friend who bears this will bring your answer. I am your obed't serv't, "J. DENIS." II. "Mr. DENIS: "For you know you begin 'Mr. Hoffland!' as if you said, 'Stand and deliver!'--I have read your note, and I am sure I shan't be able to write half as well. I am so young that, unfortunately, I have never had an _affair_, which is a great pity, for I would then know how to write beautiful long sentences that no one could possibly fail to understand. "You demand a retraction, your note says. I don't like 'demand'--it's such an ugly word, you know; and if you change the letters slightly, it makes a very bad, shocking word, such as is used by profane young men. Then 'retraction' is so hard. For you know I said I was handsome: must I take back that? Then I said that I could not marry the lady we quarrelled about: must I say I can? I can't tell a story, and I assure you on my honor--yes, Mr. Denis! on my sacred word of honor as a gentleman!--that I cannot marry Lucy! "You see I can't take it back, and if you were to eat me up I couldn't say I didn't say it. "To think how angry you were! "In haste, "Charles HOFFLAND." III. "Mr. HOFFLAND: "Your note is not satisfactory at all. I did not quarrel with your opinion of yourself, and you know it. I was not foolish enough to be angry at your declaring that you were engaged to some lady already. You spoke of a lady who is my friend, and what you said was insulting. "I say again that I am not satisfied. "Your obed't serv't, "J. DENIS." IV. "Mr. DENIS: "Stop!--I didn't say I was engaged to any lady: no misunderstanding. "Yours always, "Charles HOFFLAND." V. "Mr. HOFFLAND: "I do not understand your note. You evade my request for an explanation. I think, therefore, that the shortest way will be to end the matter at once. "The friend who brings you this will make all the arrangements.