Imatges de pàgina
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friends, and in one word, of a whole generation. Is it possible in the same moment to be informed of this universal destruction, and not to wish for death?

16. "This general mortality, which to others comes slowly and by degrees, has to me been instantaneous-the operation of a moment. Whilst secluded from society, I lived with myself only; but here I can neither live with myself, nor with this new race, to whom my anguish and despair appear only as a dream."

17. The minister was melted; he caused the old domestick to attend this unfortunate person, as only he could talk to him, of his family.

18. This discourse was the single consolation which he received: for he shunned intercourse with the new race, born since he had been exiled from the world; and he passed his time in the midst of Paris, in the same solitude as he had done whilst confined in a dungeon for almost half a century.

19. But the chagrin and mortification of meeting no person who could say to him, "We were formerly known to each other," soon put an end to his existence.

ACCOUNT OF COLUMBUS.

To Christopher Columbus, a native of Ge

noa, is deservedly ascribed the first discovery of America: an event which opened to mankind a new region of science, commerce and enterprise; and stamped with immortality the name of its projector.

2. He was born in the year 1447. He early showed a capacity and inclination for a sea-faring life, and received an education which qualified him to pursue it. At the age of fourteen, he went to sea, and began his career on that element, where he was to perform exploits which should astonish mankind.

3. He made a variety of voyages to almost every part of the globe, with which any intercourse was then carried on by sea, and became one of the most skilful navigators in Europe. But his active and enterprising genius would

not suffer him to rest in the decisions, and tamely follow the track of his predecessors.

4. It was the great object in view at this time in Europe, to find out a passage by sea to the East Indies. The Portuguese, among whom he now resided, sought a new route to these desirable regions, by sailing round the southern extremity of Africa.

5. They had consumed half a century in making various attempts, and had advanced no farther on the western shore of Africa than just to cross the equator, when Columbus conceived his great design of finding India in the west. The spherical figure of the earth, which he understood, made it evident to him, that Europe, Asia and Africa, formed but a small portion of the globe.

6. It was an impeachment of the wisdom and beneficence of the Author of nature, to suppose the vast space, yet unexplored, was a waste, unprofitable ocean; and it appeared necessary that there should be another continent in the west, to counterpoise the immense quantity of land which was known to be in the east.

7. In the sea, near the western islands, pieces of carved wood, and large joints of cane, had been discovered; and branches of pine trees, and the bodies of two men, with features different from the Europeans, had been found on the shores of those islands, after a course of westerly winds.

8. These reasonings and facts, with some others, convinced Columbus that it was possible to find the desired land by sailing in a westerly direction. He had a genius of that kind, which makes use of reasoning only as an excitement to action. No sooner was he satisfied of the truth of his system, than he was anxious to bring it to the test of experiment, and set out on a voyage of discovery.

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9. His first step was to secure the patronage of some of the considerable powers of Europe, capable of undertaking such an enterprise. Excited by the love of his country, he laid his scheme before the Senate of Genoa, offering to sail under their banners. But they, ignorant of the principles on which it was formed, rejected it as the dream of a visionary projector.

10. He next applied to John II. king of Portugal. But he being deeply engaged in prosecuting discoveries along the

Perfumes, as of Eden, flow'd sweetly along, And a voice, as of angels, enchantingly sung, "Columbia, Columbia, to glory arise,

The queen of the world, and the child of the skies."

PARENTAL TENDERNESS.

DURING the Indian wars which preceded

the American revolution, a young English officer was closely pursued by two savages, who were on the point of killing him, when an aged chief interfered, took the officer by the hand, encouraged him by his caresses, conducted him to his hut, and treated him with all the kindness in his power.

2. The officer remained during the winter with the old chief, who taught him their language, and the simple arts with which they were acquainted. But when spring returned, the savages again took arms, and prepared for a more vigorous campaign. The old chief followed the young warriours until they approached the English camp, when, turning to the young officer, he thus addressed him.

3. You see your brethren preparing to give us battle; I have saved thy life; I have taught thee to make a canoe, a bow, and arrows, to surprise the beasts of the forest, and to scalp your enemy; wilt thou now be so ungrateful as to join thy countrymen, and take up the hatchet against us The Englishman declared that he would sooner perish himself than shed the blood of an Indian...

4. The old savage covered his face with both his hands, and bowed down his head. After remaining some time in this attitude, he looked at the young officer, and said in a tone of mingled tenderness and grief, Hast thou a father? He was living, said the young man, when I left my native country. O how unhappy he must be, said the savage.

5. After a moment's silence, he added, I have been a father, but I am one no longer; I saw my son fall by my side in battle. But I have avenged him, yes, I have avenged him, said he with emphasis, while he endeavoured to suppress the groans which escaped in spite of him. He calmed his emotions, and turning towards the east, where the sun

was rising, he said, dost thou behold the heavens with pleas sure? I do, responded the young man. I do no longer, said the savage, bursting into tears.

6. A moment after, he added, do you look with delight upon yonder beautiful flower? I do, answered the young man. I do no longer, said the savage, and immediately added, Depart to thine own country, that thy father may still view the rising sun with pleasure, and take delight in the flowers of spring.

THE SAILOR AND THE MONKEYS.

PERHA

ERHAPS no animal below the human speeies, resembles man more in the imitative faculty than the monkey. It is said that a sailor, having a number of red woollen caps to dispose of, went on shore in South America to trade with the natives.

2. In his way to a settlement, lying through a wood very thickly inhabited by monkeys, it being in the heat of the day, he put a cap on his head, and laying the others by his side, determined to take a little repose under the shade of a large tree.

3. To his utter astonishment, when he awoke, from the specimen he had given his imitative observers of the use of his caps, he beheld a number of them upon the heads of the monkeys in the trees round about him; while the wearers were chattering in the most unusual manner.

4. Finding every attempt to regain his caps fruitless, he at length, in a fit of rage and disappointment, and under the supposition that the one he retained on his head was not worth taking away, pulled it off, and throwing it upon the ground, exclaimed, "Here, you little thieving rogues, if you will keep the rest, you are welcome to this also."

5. He had no sooner done this, than, to his great surprise, the little observing animals very readily imitated him. They all threw down their caps on the ground; by which means the sailor regained his property, and marched off in triumph. Happy would it be for mankind, if they resembled monkeys only in Imitating the virtues of those whom they consider their superiours, while they avoided their vices.

THE BRAVE SOLDIER'S Revenge.

WHEN the great Condé commanded the

Spanish army, and laid siege to one of the French towns in Flanders, a soldier being ill treated by a general officer, and struck several times with a cane, for some disrespectful words he had let fall, answered very coolly, that he should soon make him repent of it.

2. Fifteen days afterwards, the same general officer ordered the colonel of the trenches to find a bold and intrepid fellow to execute an important enterprise, for which he promised a reward of a hundred pistoles.

3. The soldier we are speaking of, who passed for the bravest in the regiment, offered his service; and going with thirty of his comrades, which he had the liberty to make choice of, he discharged a very hazardous commission with incredible courage and good fortune. Upon his return, the general officer highly commended him, and gave him the hundred pistoles which he had promised.

4 The soldier presently distributed them among his comrades, saying, he did not serve for pay; and demanded only, that, if his late action deserved any recompense, they would make him an officer. And now, sir, adds he to the general, who did not know him, I am the soldier whom you so much abused fifteen days ago, and I then told you, I would make you repent of it.

5. The general, in great adıniration, and melting into tears, threw his arms around his neck, begged his pardon, and gave him a commission that very day.

SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF WILLIAM PENN.

WILLIAM PENN, the founder of Penn

sylvania, was the son of an English admiral, who left, at at his death, a large estate to his son, and a considerable claim upon the government for money advanced by him to carry on several important expeditions, when the finances of England were exhausted.

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