Visit to Westchester-Speed of Harlem Train-Lots (of Dust) For Sale-Monotony of Elegance-Poverty necessary to Land- scape-Reed's Villa at Throg's Neck-Bronx River shut in from Publicity and Fame-Missing Train and Stage-Surly Toll- Keeper-Politeness of "Mine Host"-Suburban Manners of HURRY-GRAPHS; OR, SKETCHES OF SCENERY, CELEBRITY, AND SOCIETY. LETTER FROM PLYMOUTH. Politic Principle of Progress-Daniel Webster at Table - Reason for Midsummer Dinner at Plymouth-Description of Guests-Peculiarity of "Influential Bostonians"-Their Contempt for Two ExtremesComplimentary Speech to a certain Charming Person-Octogenarian's Gallantry--Mr. Webster's "Hay-fever"-Picture of the Table -Judge Warren-Webster's Speech on the Removal of the Cloth, its Topics and Manner-Change of Tone and Feeling in the Parting Address-Sketch of Mr. Webster's Countenance as Left by IllnessSpeeches by Everett, Winthrop, Wayland, and Others-Drive to Mr. Webster's House at Marshfield-Its Good Example in one Point— Propriety of Rural Retirement to Distinguished Old Age-Look of Plymouth-The Warren Homestead-Spirited Letter of John Adams -Letters of Chippeway Chief and of King Philip. THERE is an old cautionary proverb, dear Morris, which exhorts an invariable "beginning at the small end of the horn." _In_matters liable to interruption, however, I have oftenest inclined to seize first upon the main advantage, leaving disappointment to taper off small with the other probabilities. I have made two visits to Plymouth-one of several days, ir. which I enjoyed its usual sights and pleasures; and another of a few hours, in which I sat down at the Dinner of Pilgrim Embarcation, and saw and heard Webster. The letter of Procrustean verge, to which I am limited, may fail to use all the material for description which I have thus laid up. I will begin with the latter topic, therefore, and take my chance of arriving at the previous visit-in failure of which you will have the easy consolation that the points it would touch B upon are treated, more or less satisfactorily, in the guidebooks. I had never chanced to sit at table with Mr. Webster, and I was very glad of this opportunity to see him, for once, "with his armour off." You will understand, of course, that the annual and formal "Pilgrim Dinner" takes place in December and celebrates the Landing, and that this was a more informal gathering avowedly to celebrate the Embarcation. The real object, probably, was to meet Mr. Webster over the pilgrim theme-his Congressional duties preventing him from attendance here in the winter. Mr. Winthrop's presence was secured by the same arrangement, and that of other eminent New Englanders in Congress. Easier access to the place in summer, and the chance of finding agreeable guests among the distinguished strangers from the South in the travelling season, were additional reasons for establishing a biennial dinner; and indeed this celebration seems likely to become the more important of the two. 66 There were a hundred present, principally "influential Bostonians." You know Boston well enough to understand how this would differ from a company of influential NewYorkers. They were mostly rich men, but they were smart men" also-not a rich fool, nor a mere literary man among them. For either disproportion of brains to the pocket, they have very little respect in Boston. A more keen, sagacious set of physiognomies were never collected about a table; and it was impossible not to recognize, even in their looks, the cool inevitableness and breath-y calculation which make a Boston enterprise both more liberal and certain than one from any other capital in our country. Among the invited guests were Mr. Mercer, the wealthy planter from Louisiana, Gov. Woodbury, of New Hampshire, President Wayland, of Brown University, Edward Everett, and Mr. Mildmay, a grandson of Lord Ashburton. I shall not have informed you of all the "distinguished presences," however, without mentioning, that at a double window, which opened from the dining-room to the hall, like a box at the opera, were seated several of the more charming descendants of the Pilgrims, and among them Mrs. Bancroft, (wife of the late Minister to England,) whom the younger Quincy, in his speech, took occasion to compliment very gracefully upon her felicitous representation of the ladies of the Pilgrim stock at the proudest Court of Europe. LOOKS OF BOSTONIANS. 3 Perhaps it would interest our female readers to add, that the elder Quincy, who was also present, made a speech in which he tartly called the principal orators to order, they (Mr. Webster, Mr. Everett, and Mr. Winthrop) having glorified the pilgrim fore fathers, to the exclusion of the pilgrim foremothers, without whose assistance, he thought, the handings down to us from Plymouth would have been very distressingly interrupted. Mr. Webster was already in the reception-room on the arrival of the special train which brought the guests from Boston, dressed with that courtly particularity which becomes him, and he made his greetings to his friends, as they came in, like Nature's monarch that he is, with an uncontrived and unoppressive dignity and simplicity. He was suffering from an annual affliction to which he is subject, in the shape of what is called in England the "hay-fever"-a sort of catarrh which comes to some persons with each year's infusion of the aroma of new cut grass into the atmosphere. It had evidently prostrated his usual strength and spirits, and, when not conversing, he looked scarcely in fit condition, even for silent presence at a festivity. At the announcement of dinner, Mr. Webster, who was to fill" the chair," took the arm of a venerable clergyman of Plymouth who has occupied the same pulpit for fifty years, and he seated himself at the cross-table, between this gentleman and Dr. Wayland. Two long tables extended down the large dining-hall of the Hotel, and at the upper extremity of one, Mr. Everett was peninsulated by Mr. Mildmay, and near the upper end of the other sat Mr. Winthrop-these two the principal oratorical reliances of the occasion. The witty and life-enjoying Judge Warren, (the most agreeable man for so eminent a one that the maturing succession to the Webster epoch has to show,) had the management of the dinner arrangements, and he was well appointed, no less for his ready judgment and courtesy than as being President of the 'Pilgrim Society," and the best descended man in New England-having in his genealogical tree, six of the best known names among the company of the Mayflower. 66 I think I have now drawn in the outline of the scene with sufficient distinctness-accessory as every thing seemed, and was, to the principal personage in the picture. Mr. Webster arose, when the cloth was removed, and, in his primitive and |