Autography [pp. 601-604]

SOUTHERN LITERARY MlESSENGER.
LETTER XXXI.
603
Dear Sir,-I have received your favor of the inst. and shall be very happy in doing you the little service
you mention. In a few days I will write you more fully. Very respectfully,
Your most obedient servant,
JO30SEPH I. K. MILLER, Esq.
Lieutenant Slidell's MS. is peculiar-very neat, very than once pointedly noticed in the works of this aueven, and tolerably legible, but somewhat too diminu- thor-we mean that of close observation in detailtive. Black lines have been, apparently, used. Few a habit which, when well regulated, as in the case of
tokens of literary manner or character are to be found Lieut. Slidell, tends greatly to vigor of style. Paper
in this writing. The petiteness, however, is most strik- excellent-wafered.
ingly indicative of a mental habit, which we have more
LETTER XXXII.
Dear Sir,-I find upon reference to some MS. notes now lying by me, that the article to which you have
allusion, appeared originally in the "Journal des Sfavans."
Very respectfully,
JOsEPH L. M. MILLER, Esq.
The writing of Professor Anthon is remarkably neat rography the scrupulous precision and finish-the love
and beautiful-in the formation of particular letters as of elegance-together with the scorn of all superfluous
well as in the tout-ensemble. The perfect regularity embellishment, which so greatly distinguish the compiof the MS. gives it, to a casual glance, the appearance lations of the writer. The paper is yellow, very fine,
of print. The lines are quite straight and at even dis- and sealed with green wax, bearing the impression of a
tances-yet they are evidently written without any head of Caesar.
artificial aid. We may at once recognise in this chi
LETTER XXXIILI.
Dear Sir,-I have looked with great care over several different editions of Plato, among which I may mention
the Bipont edition, 1781-8, 12 vols. oct.; that of Ast, and that of Bekker, reprinted in London, 11 vols. oct.
I cannot, however, discover the passage about which you ask me-" is it not very ridiculous?" You must have
mistaken the author. Please write again. Respectfully yours,
JOSEPH N. 0. MILLER, Esq.
The MS. of Professor Lieber has nearly all the cha- the letter puts us at fault-for we have never before
racteristics which we noticed in that of Professor Dew- known a man of minute erudition (and such is Probesides the peculiarity of a wide margin left at the top fessor Lieber,) who did not write a very different
of the paper. The whole air of the writing seems to hand from this. We should have imagined a petite and
indicate vivacity and energy of thought-but altogether, careful chirography. Paper tolerable and wafered.
LETTER XXXIV.
Dear Sir; G,g leave to assure you that I have never received, for my Magazine, any copy of verses with so
ludicrous a tdeas' The nine and twenty Magpies." Moreover, if I had, I should certainly have thrown it
into the fire. I wish you would not worry me any farther about this matter. The verses, I dare say, are somewhere among your papers. You had better look them up-they may do for the Mirror.
Mr. JOSEPH P. Q. MILLER.
Mrs. Hale writes a larger and bolder hand than her whole MS. is indicative of a masculine understanding.
sex generally. It resembles, in a great degree, that of Paper very good, and wafered.
Professor Lieber-and is not easily decyphered. The
i-~.d wS e,
JOSEPH L. M. MILLER, Esq.
10,