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cant of the coming season of beauty; to whom its grace and loveliness are an epitome of that perfect harmony which reigns in the whole natural world.

The columbine is another representative of the order RANUNCULACEA, which furnishes so many of our early flowering plants. The European species, A. vulgaris, is very common in our gardens, and is an instance of that tendency to procure foreign plants, with an idea that they must be more beautiful than our own. Our species is more elegant in every re

spect than the European one, and better deserves cultivation.

We have by no means described all the early spring blossoms. There are others, less familiar, but equally worthy of our examination. There is something greatly attractive in the first signs of summer life, and we feel peculiar gratification at the discovery of the first specimens of favorite flowers. If our readers are willing to again look over our shoulder to notice the plants we cull, we will at once proceed to collect another bouquet.

THE CRUISE OF THE STEAM YACHT NORTH STAR.

The Cruise of the Steam Yacht North Star; a Narrative of the Excursion of Mr. Vanderbilt's Party to England, Russia, Denmark, France, Spain, Italy, Malta, Turkey, Madeira, etc. By the REV. JOHN OVERTON CHOULES, D. D., Author of the "History of Missions," "Young Americans Abroad," etc. Boston, Gould & Lincoln, 1854.

[EVER, since the day when Noah took

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his sons and his sons' wives on board the Ark, has there been so large a family party afloat as that which embarked with the patriarch Vanderbilt, on his pleasure trip to Europe. It was altogether a most memorable and remarkable excursion, and better worth being commemorated than many voyages of greater pretensions. When the North Star appeared in the British waters, the London journals while chronicling the event and expressing their admiration of the yacht, and the splendid liberality of its patriarchal owner, consoled themselves with the reflection that there were plenty of selfmade millionaires on the London Exchange, who were rich enough in pocket, but too poor in spirit, to indulge in such ostentatious pleasures.

The London News said, "Those who ought to be the Vanderbilts of England, would shrink from employing their wealth in the magnificent manner adopted by their American friend. They would dread the effect of making any unusual display which would surely subject them to the reproach of being millionaires and parvenues." Poor creatures! Our Cosmo Vanderbilts are rather proud of being parvenues and the creators of their own fortunes, and would rather than not be accounted millionaires. "Here is the great difference between the two countries," continues the News. "In England a man is too apt to be ashamed of having

made his own fortune, unless he has done so in one of the few roads which the aristocracy condescend to travel by-the bar, the church, or the army."

Think of getting rich by the church! That which should disgrace a Christian is, it appears, one of the three paths to honor in England. God be praised that we were born on this side of the Atlantic! "And if he is vulgar enough not to feel ashamed of himself." continues the candid News, "his wife and children make amends by sedulously avoiding every thing which can put other people in mind of their origin. It was thought something superhumanly heroic in Sir Robert Peel to confess he was the son of a cotton spinner, though every body knew it." Well then might John Bull open wide his eyes at the apparition of the North Star steaming into Southampton water!

The North Star was a steamship of the first class, which was built expressly for her owner to make a pleasure voyage to Europe in, and, of course, combined all the requisites to insure comfort and safety which money could procure. She left New-York last May, having on board Commodore Vanderbilt, his wife and eighteen of his sons and sons-in-law and daughters and daughters-in-law; in addition there were Doctor Linsly, the family physician, and his wife, and the Rev. John Overton Choules, D. D. and his wife.

A happier party, or one better satisfied with their prospects, according to Dr. Choules, never crossed the Atlantic.

Hiss went the steam, round went the wheels,
Were never folk so glad.

Doctor Choules was to officiate as chaplain and historiographer of the excursion

and, if ever we go a yachting to Europe, most fortunate shall we esteem ourselves if we can engage so jovial and sunnyminded a D. D. to act in a similar capacity. We fear there are but few such chaplains, and we know that there have never been many such good-natured chroniclers of voyages. If there were any disagreeables attending the excursion, our author, for one, did not see them. He saw nothing but a nimbus of lambent glory surrounding the ship in which he sailed, and encircling every object that he encountered. His glasses were tinged with rosecolor, all odors were agreeable that saluted his wide nostrils, and none but the sweetest and genteelest sounds ever reached his ears. His presence must have been perpetual sunshine in the saloons, and on the deck of the North Star. He heard, we have not a doubt,

"a mermaid on a dolphin's back,

Uttering such dulcet and barmonious breath,
That the rude sea grew civil at her song."

For he naively remarks at the close of his volume that, although one of the passengers "reckoned up sixteen days of bad weather," "he did not remember one he should call a regular storm." So uniform is the chaplain's amiable temper, and so resolutely was he bent on looking only upon the silver linings of black clouds, that he has even a good word for the Emperor Nicholas, an unhappy man, whom all the rest of the world unites in execrating. Dr. Choules says, he has "heard anecdotes in plenty respecting the Czar, and all of them reflect great honor upon the qualities of his head and heart," and he left Russia "with exalted opinions of the wisdom and patriotism of the Emperor."

The incipient state of great events is always a subject of interest to the world, and Dr. Choules records the time and the place when Mr. Vanderbilt first revealed to him the project of his pleasure voyage, and made its future historian acquainted with the happiness which was in store for him.

"Early in the spring of the present year," says our author, “the attention of the country was directed to an item in the daily papers of New York, containing information that Mr. Vanderbilt was constructing a steam-ship of large dimensions, which he intended as a yacht for the accommodation of his family and some invited friends in a voyage to the principal sea-ports in Europe. The announcement of this project excited a deep interest in the public mind, and the excursion became a prominent subject of conversation.

"Mr. Vanderbilt was known to his countrymen as a thoroughly practical man, whose energy and perse. verance, combined with strong intellect and high com

mercial integrity, had given him immense wealth; all his undertakings had been crowned with signal success, and his great enterprise in opening a communication with the Pacific by the Nicaragua route had made him a reputation in Europe; and a general expectation existed that he would carry out his plan in a manner that would redound to the honor of the country. Various opinions were entertained as to his ultimate designs. Many imagined that Mr. Vanderbilt proposed to effect some great mercantile operation, he was to sell his ship to this monarch, or that government,-or, he was to take contracts for the supply of war steamers; all sorts of speculations were entertained by that generally misinformed character, -the public. In February I was sitting with Mr. Vanderbilt in his library, when he gave me the first information I had received of his intentions, and he kindly invited me and my wife to accompany him to Europe in the month of May. The ship was then on the stocks, but he named the very day on which he should sail, and gave me the details of his proposed route, and from which few deviations were afterwards made. Mr. V. expressly informed me that his sole object was to gratify his family and afford himself an opportunity to see the coast of Europe, which he could do in no other way; aud he observed that, after more than thirty years' devotion to business, in all which period he had known no rest from labor, he felt that he had a right to a complete holiday."

The style of Doctor Choules is equal to his subject, being free, flowing, and easy, and though here and there a sentence occurs to which a severe or pedantic critic might object, it is very readable, amiable and pleasant. It would be impossible for the most ill-natured of the whole tribe of critics not to relent and grow tenderly good-humored while accompanying the pleasant author on his rose-tinted excursion. There is one sentence in the preface of the Doctor's book which. we must confess, rather startled us before we got entirely through with it. This world is full of beauty," says Doctor Choules, " and it teems with wonders; and I never see a fresh portion of God's earth, but I feel some respect for the old gentleman's opinion," the remainder of the sentence leaves us room to imagine what the good Doctor means, but as the oddness of its phrasing did not at the first glance permit

us to discover it. we were rather startled until we did-" who, on going from Maine to Albany for the first time that he had left his native State, declared, on his return, that the world was more extensive than he had supposed."

It will be perceived that the two D.'s which the reverend historian wears at the end of his name are no hindrance to his enjoyment of a small joke. There are several like it in the volume.

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were let off and a gun fired;" and when the pilot left the yacht outside Sandy Hook, he was presented with a purse of gold, which was intended to show that no blame was attached to him by Mr. Vanderbilt," for an accident which had delayed the steamer the day before. "Soon after leaving Sandy Hook," says Dr. Choules, "Mr. Vanderbilt requested me to conduct family worship on board the ship throughout the voyage, and to appoint such an hour as I thought most suitable. It was accordingly agreed that prayers should be attended every evening at nine o'clock, and that grace should be said at all the meals on board ship." The voyage commenced most auspiciously, and Dr. Choules remarks, on the very first day out, "it seemed a happiness to exist," and, as he immediately after says, "our table was equal to that of any hotel in America, and the desserts rivalled in richness any thing that I have witnessed in the Astor, Metropolitan and St. Nicholas;" we have no doubt that the seeming was a reality. Not only were the desserts rich, but the music was delightful. "One gentleman of the party possessed a fine taste in Italian music-the ladies were always in voice-the sailors, too, were decidedly fond of negro melody. One of them who answered to the euphonious name of Pogee, was thought to be quite equal to the Christy Minstrels." The first sermon preached by the Doctor, he informs us, was on the 22d of May, "the text selected for the occasion, Proverbs xvi. 32; He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.' The singing was fine, and the accompaniment of the piano very acceptable." Doctor Choules had a very natural admiration for his generous patron. "Often," says he, "did I wish that more than the members of our privileged company could have seen him day by day kind and attentive to his officers, polite and liberal to his guests. Mr. Vanderbilt I had long known to be possessed of great qualities, a mighty grasp of intellect, and capabilities of the highest order. Yet till I entered upon this Voyage I did not adequately appreciate his knowledge of men, his fine tact, his intuitive perception of the fitting, and his dignified self-control; and I felt glad that such a man, self-made as he is, should be seen by the accidental sons of nobility and fortune in the Old World."

The amenities and splendors of the voyage across the Atlantic came to an end on the 1st of June, and, quite as a matter

of course, it was one of England's most joyous, brilliant mornings," when the doctor and his companions woke up in Southampton water, "and gazed out upon as richly cultivated a landscape as the southern coast of England can present." Here the party "found several fine hotels;" but we are sorry to learn that one, called the New York Hotel, which had the star-spangled banner displayed, did not favorably impress "some of our gentlemen who repaired to it for a lunch." This was about the only unfavorable impression which seems to have been made upon the party during this brilliant excursion, but the Doctor adds that "Radley's Hotel near the railroad, and, I think, the Dolphin, are well-kept houses." The unfavorable impression caused by the unfortunate lunch which had a star-spangled banner to recommend it, probably soon wore off, for the Doctor immediately grows amiable again. But a poor lunch was not a thing to be passed over by so exemplary a chaplain, and so veracious a historian. It was one of the few dark spots in the bright picture he has given us of this memorable excursion. Every thing is beautiful, fine, glorious and charming, excepting that unfortunate lunch. They see some soldiers, and the Doctor remarks they looked like fine fellows." He calls upon the Rev. Thomas Adkins in Southampton, whom he had known many years ago. "I told the ladies," says the Doctor, "that Mr. Adkins used to be regarded as one of the noblest looking men in England-and our ladies thought him one of the most splendid men they had ever seen." The next day they were off for London, and in Winchester "partook of the hospitalities of Mr. Alderman Andrews, whose name is so endeared to Americans." The Doctor was anxious to "get in" at his "old favorite house, the Golden-Cross, nearly opposite to Northumberland House, but Mr. Gardiner was unable to take even half our number." How natural that he should desire to get in at the Golden-Cross, so fitting an emblem of that cross which he bore about. The Doctor informs us with much satisfaction that the house where they at last "found good accommodations," was the St. James' Hotel, in Germyn-street. "Two or three noblemen reside in this hotel, and one, Lord Blayney, has made it his city residence for many years." The day of their arrival in London happened to be a "drawingroom." "Every street was thronged with carriages (we imagine this is not to be taken literally) waiting for their

turn to take up the company at the palace. The coachmen and footmen all had immense bouquets in their bosoms, and the splendid liveries, and powdered heads, and white wigs of the drivers were novelties to most of the North Star party." The Doctor was anxious to know "what would be the first object of curiosity to the ladies, and was not a little surprised to find that the Thames Tunnel was voted for as the primary visit." Doctor Choules is a great lover of rural scenery, and, while the other members of the party were seeing the lions in London he took a run down to his native Bristol to refresh himself with views of the scenery of the Avon. In the ecstasy of again beholding the scenes of his boyhood he exclaims, "I really believe that either from the impressions which I received in childhood in this glorious region, or from some peculiar organization (we rather imagine it is the organization), I have felt so much delight in rambling abroad among scenes of beauty, sublimity, and historical interest. O, the happy hours of my boyhood that I have passed in this village, on the Avon's banks! And, what tea-drinkings have I had in these cottages, and in the arbors which surround them!" The child is father to the man beyond a cavil. Returned to London, the excursionists went to hear "the Hon. and Rev. Baptist Noel, brother to the Earl of Gainsborough," preach. The Rev. gentleman "has a fine figure," and, we were much gratified with the prayer offered." The next day "Mr. Peabody proffered Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt and ladies the use of his boxes that evening at the Opera, and as long as they remained in town." Whether Doctor Choules visited the opera or not we are not informed, but we are sorry to learn from "a notice of the opera furnished by one of the gentlemen of the party who was present," that the splendor of the scene was not quite up to their expectations. Like the lunch at Southampton the opera was a failure. "It was the height of the season; a large and fashionable assemblage filled the house; England's favorite Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were there; and many of the fairest and noblest of the land, yet we were disappointed. The spectacle was not so gorgeous and brilliant as we had expected on a court night,—neither in the first coup d'œil, the beauty of the ladies, nor the elegance of the toilet." This is not Dr. Choules; he would not have been disappointed, neither in the first, nor the second coup d'œil. "The Queen" we are informed, by this disap

pointed gentleman, "wore a rich white dress, exceedingly decolté, covered with point lace, and an ornament of great value, a magnificent pearl-on the stomacher. Prince Albert is a tall, stout-looking man, light-haired, and partially bald. His appearance was any thing but aristocratic, notwithstanding he exhibited a large star on his left breast, and a wide crimson silk ribbon over a white waistcoat. We searched scrutinizingly among the noble circles to discover something in form or feature marking the stamp of hereditary nobility; but in vain." "Four of the party dined with Mr. Peabody at Richmond to meet Senator Douglas. The dinner was an elegant repast." In the evening they went to a levee at Mr. Ingersoll's, our Minister, where "the display of diamonds was very brilliant." On the 8th of June they attended a soiree at the Lord Mayor's; "the Lord Mayor was the Right Honorable Thomas Challis, a wealthy merchant in Hides." Diamonds and dinners did not absorb all the attention of our chronicler, he "was especially delighted with the glorious collection of old books at Mr. Toovey's, 42 Picadilly. On one occasion he met with three distinguished bibliopolists at this shop-Lord Hastings, Sir David Dundas, and Mr. Henry Foss."

The party were greatly favored atmospherically during their stay in London. The Doctor sagaciously remarks, that "the state of the weather is in England a never failing subject of conversation among her population. This arises from its frequent changes. During our visit in London of ten or twelve days, we had no reason to complain, it was charming." We are informed that "the ladies experienced much enjoyment in a visit to Madame Tussaud's great museum of notables in wax." On their return to Southampton the party had the gratification of hearing a sermon from the Rev. Alexander Maclaren, a Scotch Baptist, and "we all felt the force of the preacher's subject;- The Dignity of Man. But when he described man's apostacy and ruin, no one could fail to experience the emotions of Isaiah, who exclaimed, 'I abhor myself in dust and ashes.'

But the Doctor soon recovered from his state of self-abhorrence, for, on the next page he is again on the best of terms with himself, and goes off in a most glowing and appetizing account of the great banquet given by the Mayor and merchants of Southampton to the owner of the North Star.

"On our arrival at Southampton, we found the

streets placarded with notices of a public entertainment at the Victoria Rooms; and a very superbly. engraved card, in gilt letters, with a fine likeness of the North Star in the centre, surrounded by gilt flags and the arms of Southampton, was addressed to each member of the party. As a memorial of the voyage, I annex the card of invitation which I received on the occasion:

THE MAYOR,

MERCHANTS AND TRADERS AT SOUTHAMPTON, Request the pleasure of the Rev. DR. and Mrs. CHOULES' Company at a DEJEUNER, on MONDAY,

13 June, 1853, at the Royal Victoria
Assembly Rooms, in honor

of the visit of

COMMODORE VANDERBILT,

In his splendid Steam Yacht North Star. At 8 o'clock.

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Monday, the 18th of June, was a most delightful day; and when we came on deck we found the flags of the shipping in dock all gayly waving to the breeze, and noticed banners from the hotels and public buildings, while the church-bells were ringing merry peals of cheer and gladness. Every thing denoted mirth and holiday, and our feelings were somewhat peculiar when we felt that all this was a matter in which we were personally concerned, and was intended for the honor of our ship, her owner, and our country."

The account of the festivities at this place occupies some forty pages of the Doctor's book. From Southampton they go to Copenhagen, Cronstadt and St. Petersburgh, and even in the cold Baltic Sea there is sunshiny splendor to greet the North Star. At Southampton, at Bristol, at London, and at Rome, it was the loveliest spot, but in Peterhoff, says good Dr. Choules, the trees, the flowers, the greensward, &c. "transcend all that I have known of the beauty of country life in any part of the world." At the hotel, "the provisions were excellent, and, as we found every where in Russia, entirely in the style of the French cuisine." Going to St. Petersburgh they went to the Hotel des Princes, but it was too full to receive so large a company, and they were treated to a splendid lunch,-" the waiters spread a table and placed on it bread, butter, anchovies, caviare, claret, sherry, brandy, ice and cakes in variety. This excellent lunch was very seasonable, as it was now twelve o'clock, and the day intensely hot." On calling for the bill the host refused to accept of any pay! The Doctor was ravished, charmed, enchanted, by the splendors of the imperial residences, and particularly by the wonders of the hermitage of Catharine the Second. "The room containing the diamonds and regalia excited the interest of all in our party; and on no consideration would we have been deprived of the pleasure of seeing this unrivalled collec

tion of treasures. Rubies, diamonds, emeralds and pearls-why, the room was full of them. The imperial crown pleased us better than any diadem I have seen in the regalia of other kingdoms.”—-O ! prophet Isaiah! The Doctor is refreshed by the recollection that this was the palace of "the Great Catharine," who certainly was great in a way immortalized by Lord Byron-and in presence of its three thousand pictures, says, “I confess that the Dutch school is my passion!" Pictures of game, and fruits and flowers are more to the taste of the chaplain of the North Star, than saints, Magdalens and Ecce Homos; the picture which seems to have interested him most was "the Interior of a Stable," by Wouvermans. His rapid enumeration of the riches of the Imperial palaces, the gold, silver and diamonds in the churches is really dazzling, and they seem to have made an indelible impression upon his imagination. In describing the Isaac Church, he says: "No man can fail to be impressed with this wonderful pile. The exquisite proportions of this church seem to diminish its apparent size. I have only to say that here are monoliths, of Finland marble, sixty feet high, forming peristyles of unsurpassed beauty; and, in the interior are columns of malachite fifty feet high, which adorn the altars. Malachite, lapis-lazuli, porphyry and gold, all seem to vie with each other for pre-eminence in this glorious pile."

“At

Dr. Choules is not one of those ascetics who refuse to do in Rome what the Romans do. "On the Sabbath which we spent in St. Petersburgh, we found a wedding feast celebrated at our hotel; and, in going to our dining-room at supper time, the waiters took us through the room where the festivities were going on. Excellent music and spirited dancing seemed to have put the party into high spirits." Lunches appear to make an indelible impression upon his mind. Mr. Wilkins' hospitable abode Captain Eldridge, his lady, and a few of us, partook of an elegant lunch which we shall often think of with pleasure. Such sweetmeats I never tasted." &c. But, what were the lunches, the churches, the diamonds, the pictures, the sweetmeats, the caviare, the brandy, the claret and the cakes of St. Petersburgh, without the good genius who presides over all-the Czar? Not seeing him was omitting the Prince of Denmark from the tragedy of Hamlet. "Our great regret at leaving Russia," says Dr. Choules, "is not having seen the great, and, I believe, good man,

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