ted him _negrophilists_, (to use
Mr. Cushing's favorite word,) and therefore deserving of such
retribution? Not at all; they were all _leucophilists_, as
sincere and warm-hearted as himself. Or perhaps this letter
expresses Mr. Cushing's notion of what a proper answer to a
dinner-invitation should be. We have no "Complete Letter-Writer"
at hand, and consequently cannot compare it with any classic models;
but, if we remember rightly, that useful book is not in as many
volumes as the Catalogue of the British Museum is to be, and
the examples there given must necessarily be denied so sea-serpentine
a voluminousness. We suspect that the style is original with the
Ex-Brigadier-Attorney-General, but, while we allow it the merit of
novelty, we think there are some grave objections to its universal
adoption. It would be a great check on hospitality; for, by parity
of reason, the invitation should be as tedious as the reply, and a
treaty of dinner would take nearly as much time as a treaty of peace.
This would be a great damage to the butchers, whose interests
(to borrow a bit of political economy from Mr. Cushing's letter) are
complementary to those of the dinner-giver and the diner. Again, it
would be fatal to all conversation, supposing the dinner at last to
take place; for the Amphitryon, on the one hand, has already
exploited everything he knows and does not know, from Sanconiathon,
Manetho, and Berosus, to Dr. Hickok,--and the guests--but the
thought of their united efforts is too appalling. In short, (if we
may use that term in connection with such a subject,) we cannot
believe, and certainly do not hope, that Mr. Cushing's system will
ever become popular. Even if it should, we think that an improvement
upon it might be suggested. We subjoin a form of invitation and
answer, which any of our readers are at liberty to use, if they
should ever need them.

_Punkinopolis_, 28th Sept., 1858.

My dear N. N.,

I send, by the bearer, the Correspondence of Horace Walpole and
Burke's "Letters on a Regicide Peace" which are, probably, as
entertaining and eloquent as anything I could write. I send also
Cicero "De Amicitia," Brillat-Savarin's "Physiologie du Gout" the
Works of Athenaeus, and the "Banquet" of Plato. If, after a perusal
of these works, you are not convinced that I entertain the most
friendly feelings towards you, and that I wish you to dine with me
on this day twelvemonth, I do not know what further arguments to
em