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OR, VULCAN S PEAK. 19 classes, concerning the connections thus formed by their children. So long as the parties Were moral, bore good characters, had nothing particular against them, and were of something near the same social station, little else was asked for; or, if more were actually required, it was usu ally when it was too late, and after the young people had got themselves too deeply in love to allow ordinary pru dential reasons to have their due force. Mark went to sea this time, dragging after him a "lengthening chain," but, nevertheless, filled with hope. His years forbade much despondency, and, while he re mained as constant as if he had been a next-door neigh bour, he was buoyant, and the life of the whole crew, after the first week out. This voyage was not direct to Canton, like the first; but the ship took a cargo of sugar to Am sterdam, and thence went to London, where she got a freight for Cadiz. The war of the French Revolution was now blazing in all the heat of its first fires, and Ame rican bottoms were obtaining a large portion of the carry ing trade of the world. Captain Crutchely i-d orders to keep the ship in Europe, making the most o. her, until a certain sum in Spanish dollars could be collected, when he was to fill up with provisions and water, and again make the best of his way to Canton. In obeying these instructions, he went from port to port; and, as a sort of consequence of having Quaker owners, turning his peace ful character to great profit, thus giving Mark many op portunities of seeing as much of what is called the world, as can be found in sea-ports. Great, indeed, is the differ ence between places that are merely the marts of commerce, and those that are really political capitals of large coun tries ! No one can be aware of, or can fully appreciate the many points of difference that, in reality, exist between such places, who has not seen each, and that sufficiently near to be familiar with both. Some places, of which London is the most remarkable example, enjoy both cha racters; and, when this occurs, the town gets to possess a tone that is even less provincial and narrow, if possible, than that which is to be found in a place that merely re- joi ;es in a court. This it is which renders Naples, insig nificant as its commerce comparatively is, superior to Vi-