March 4th.  Mr. J.O.  Lewis, of Philadelphia, furnishes me seven numbers of his Indian Portfolio.  Few artists have had his means of observation of the aboriginal man, in the great panorama of the west, where he has carried his easel.  The results are given, in this work, with biographical notices of the common events in the lives of the chiefs.  Altogether, it is to be regarded as a valuable contribution to this species of knowledge.  He has painted the Indian lineaments on the spot, and is entitled to patronage—­not as supplying all that is desirable, or practicable, perhaps, but as a first and original effort.  We should cherish all such efforts.

9th.  A shrewd and discriminating judge of literary things in New York, writes:  “Have you seen the last number of Hoffman’s Magazine?  There is a pretty thing of his in it about Indian corn, and an Indian story by the author of ‘Tales in the North-west,’ which I do not, think good.  The number generally is indifferent.  Some one recently told me, that the true orthography of Illinois is Illinwa, like Ottawa, &c.  Do you think that the fact?[77] By the way, why have you, and all other Indian travelers, used the French word ‘lodge,’ instead of the Indian wigwam?  Don’t you think the latter the better term?  I do, and if my book was to print again, I would always use wigwam instead of lodge.  We have so few relics of the poor Indians, that I am unwilling to part with any one, even so trifling as adopting the red man’s name for the red man’s house.”

[Footnote 77:  No.]

We have no news here.  Paulding’s book on slavery has been little noticed.  Dr. Hawk’s ‘History of Episcopacy in Virginia’ is good—­very good, so they say, for I have not read it.  Some Jerseyman has written a bad novel called “Herbert—­” something or other—­I forget what.  What do they say at Washington, and what do you say about Gen. Macomb’s ’Pontiac?’[78] Is the Indian Prince, who was traveling in these parts a while ago, one of the getters up of this affair?  I suspect him.  Does the prince go to ‘profane stageplays and such like vanities,’ as the dear old Puritans would say?

[Footnote 78:  Fudge!]

“I hear nothing of Mr. Gallatin and his Indian languages.  Do you?  I see, by the English magazines, that Willis and his ‘pencilings’ get little quarter there; they deserve none.  The book is not yet published here.  Walsh, they say, will kill it, unless it should chance to be still-born.  Hoffman is a friend of it, or rather he has made up his mind to join hands with the ‘Mirror’ set.  I think he has made a mistake.  They will sink him before he raises them.  I suppose, however, if he will praise them they will praise him, and praise is sweet, we all know.”