Though much has been done, the orthography of the Dutch language can
hardly be considered as positively fixed. A witty writer and one who has
_biographized_ the Dutch poets with some severity, but much talent, says--

Spell--"Wereld "--so sets up Siegenbeek, and then
Comes Bilderdyk, and flings it down again.
He will have "Wareld"--'Tis a pretty quarrel
Shall I determine who shall wear the laurel:
Not I!--I like them both--and so I'll say
"Waereld"--and each shall have his own dear way.


* * * * *


THE MEXICAN NAVY


Is in a most deplorable state. The difficulty of reducing the Castle of
San Juan de Ulloa led to the collection of some gun-boats, a couple of
sloops of war, and two or three armed schooners. This number has since
received the addition of a line of battle ship, two frigates, and some
other vessels of war. Some English and American officers were engaged,
but we believe that all the former have left the service, and that very
few of the latter remain. Commodore Porter, of vain-glorious memory,
(who once wrote a book of Voyages,) was, and may be still, the marine
commandant, and distinguished himself by threatening to blockade Cuba,
and by being obliged to skulk at Key West, to avoid destruction by the
gallant Laborde. The Mexicans require no navy, and cannot maintain one;