"It is a goodly sight to see What Heaven hath done for this delicious land 1 What fruits of fragrance blush on every tree! What goodly prospects o'er the hills expand 1"

RARELY did we meet with an American just landed in Cuba who was not highly delighted with the place and the climate. The general first impression was to make a purchase, and settle down for the winter in this charming sunshine. This impression lasted for about two weeks with most, while others remained true to the first feeling of these "new-horn delights," and one or two of our casual acquaintances actually effected purchases. Generally, however, discoveries were not slow in being made that the difficulties of the language, and the habits of the people, with certain fears for the future aspect of political affairs, the necessity of a license to reside there - all these mostly disenchanted us before we had seen much of the island. The fruits, the perpetual summer, and less oppressive weather than we had been led to expect, were all great inducements; added to this and the low price of land where it had plenty of fruit but no slaves upon it, was the vicinity to home, tolerably regular mails, and some American society. The habits of the people, bo different from our own, came in last as the final discouragement, but Cuba seems to have been designed for the winter residence of the Northerners, and such, if it is acquired, it will unquestionably become.

Climate is virtually capital, not only in the easy production of animal, but vegetable foodj for instance, the banana, which is estimated to yield 4,000 pounds of nutriment on 1,076 square feet, enables a man to maintain a family by working very moderately for two days in seven, the produce of the plant being one hundred and thirty-three times more than that of wheat, and forty-four times more than the yield of the potato, exceeding, as Humboldt supposes, all plants upon the globe in the amount of food it yields on a given area.

Linnaeus said that the first abode of our species was the region of the palm, and that man is essentially palmiverous. It may be, that the races in these palmiverous regions are not the most progressive, because, though climate is much, race is more. The balmy and the spontaneous fruits of Paradise, would probably fail to energize some races of oar own continent. Bat, again, is it not true, that the eternal war against climate, prolonged winters, etc., consumes as large a portion of man's labor as an annual conflagration? and may we not hope that, while the Anglo-Saxon in the tropics, though he might work less in such an atmosphere, would enjoy more, and with the untiring energies of his mind devote more time to his improvement, and as nearly as he could, realize the greatest happiness he is capable of? The problem has never been fairly tried; it is destined to be, however, and, so far as such an experiment is desirable, we are inclined to be a fillibuster, though no further.

ROYAL PALM. Sixty to eighty feet high.

The rapid strides of our steamship as she glided past the Moro, the Punta, and Cabanas batteries, again found all hands on deck, at early sunrise; the realization of all our anticipations was quite equal to the scene our excited imaginations had conjured up, but words fail to convey such impressions, and we pass on to the full view of Havana. Its antique architecture - its mixture of grandeur and poverty - its cathedrals and churches, gloomy, and worn by time - its Moorish arches and peculiar roofs - contrasted finely with the trim shipping of all nations lying at anchor in great numbers in its noble and safe bay. The opposite villages of Casa Blanca and Regia (the sugar depots), had more of a home look, and we felt the American spirit near us when the several new steam ferry boats, exactly like our own, came paddling along.

We were soon surrounded by anxious but good looking faces, desirous to convey us on shore, but the irregulars were commanded to vamos, and we were soon grouped into parties, descending into large boats under the wings of the various hotel keepers whom we had solicited to take charge of us, all such establishments being well filled. A dollar for an indorsement of our passports, which allowed us as a favor to reside on the island for a month, discovered the fact that our money was at a discount of ten per cent, with these officials, and, in regular commercial dealings, of five; our own dimes, however (the latter being the genera) currency for small transactions), pass for a ride in a volante, etc, as well as a quarter of a dollar. Our party patronized Wolcott's Hotel, where we were very uncomfortable, at a nominal charge of three dollars and a half a day, but which, with etceteras, was generally nearly double that sum. The other houses are not much better, except Mrs. Almy's, where Dr. Kane expired, and which, though rather low in the front elevation, is a most comfortable hotel, well conducted, and, consequently, difficult to get aece6s to by the new-comer, who finds all the rooms occupied.

The Havana table presents some novelties that are striking; bananas and plantains, fried in sweet oil, take the place of potatoes, and for desert, oranges, bananas, and other fruits, with guava jelly. The winter vegetables are those of our midsummer, including tomatoes, peas, egg-plants, etc. etc.

The Plaza de Armas, in front of the Governor-General's palace, is well planted with flowering shrubs, and in the centre, are four Royal Palms, of considerable height. When this scene is lighted up of a moonlight evening - the bands playing, and the whole population assembled (the ladies in fall dress, in their volantes, and the gentlemen stopping to smoke, admire, and chat with them) - the entire scene is one of those Oriental, and yet European pictures that can only be seen under the tropics, and alone would pay for a trip to this far away and fairy island.