ile to all alike belong--

"Her clear, warm heaven at noon, the mist that shrouds
Her twilight hills, her cool and starry eves,
The glorious splendor of her sunset clouds,
The rainbow beauty of her forest leaves."

Next to the physical traits of a friend we are attracted by those of a
social nature; and, still keeping the analogy, the same is true of a
people, and preeminently so of New England.

The characteristics of our four Northern cities have been thus
distinctively classified and labelled:--

Washington stops between the polka and the waltz to ask, "Can you
dance?" New York shows us her silks and laces, and politely whispers,
"What are you worth?"

Philadelphia traces back our genealogy, and questions, "Who was your
grandfather?" While Boston lifts her eye-glass, and, surveying our
mental cranium, inquires, "What do you know?"

The social traits of New England proper are so combined with her
business character that they are with difficulty separated, and both are
best defined by foreign visitors.

It was an Englishman who said, "Go ahead is the grand doctrine of New
England;" and we see that this principle, plainly enforced and
practically carried out, builds her cities, founds her public libraries,
carries on her immense commerce, and increases public traffic.

Without this quality, coupled with her independence and disregard for
romantic associations, the Yankee would never make pilgrimages to the
Old World for the sole and evident purpose of placarding the pyramids,
and introducing his invention for removing stains at some half-ruined
cathedral whose famous "spot of blood" is cherished with reverent care.

"New England excels," according to an English cousin, "in an openness to
ideas, an aptness for intuitions, and sometimes a seemingly positive
preference for the bird in the bush," which latter may account for that
skilful Yankee versatility so perfectly exemplified in the chaplain,
poet, editor, merchant, speculator, politician, historian, and minister,
Barlow.

It is this quiet independence, indomitable will, and never-ceasing
purpose to "get on," which is a characteristic of the New England women,
and which may be summed up in the expressive adjective "capable." Armed
with this power, she cheerfully teaches school, makes dresses, binds
books, or "keeps house," considering no honest work degrading, and
proving herself equally efficient in each.

Here is found that shrewd, stirri