springing up to seize him, he rushed forward to meet his foe, and, putting his head to the ground, canted him into the air several yards; and, had not the spectators run and caught him upon their backs and hands, he would have been crushed to death in the fall. The same fate attended another and another dog, which were let loose successively; the one was killed upon the spot, while the other, who had a leg broken in the fall, crawled howling and limping away. The bull, in the meantime, behaved with all the calmness and intrepidity of an experienced warrior; without violence, without passion, he awaited every attack of his enemies, and then severely punished them for their rashness. While this was transacting, to the diversion not only of the rude and illiterate 3 populace, but to that of the little gentry with Master Merton, a poor, halfnaked negro came up, and humbly implored their charity. He had served, he told them, on board an English vessel; and even showed them the scars of several wounds he had received, but now he was discharged; and without friends, without assistance, he could hardly find food to support his wretched life, or clothes to cover him from the wintry wind.

Some of the young gentry, who, from a bad education, had been little taught to feel or pity the distress of others, were base enough to attempt to jest upon his dusky colour and foreign accent; but Master Merton, who, though lately much corrupted and changed from what he had been with Mr. Barlow, preserved a great degree of generosity, put his hand into his pocket in order to relieve him,

but unfortunately found nothing to give; the foolish profusion which he had lately learned from the young gentlemen at his father's house, had made him waste in cards, in playthings, in trifles, all his stock of money; and now he found himself unable to relieve that distress which he pitied.

Thus repulsed on every side, and unassisted, the unfortunate Black approached the place where Harry stood, holding out the tattered remains of his hat and imploring charity. Harry had not much to give; but he took sixpence out of his pocket, which was all his riches, and gave it with the kindest look of compassion, saying, "Here, poor man, this is all I have; if I had more, it should be at your service." He had no time to add more; for, at that instant, three fierce dogs rushed upon the bull at once, and by their joint attacks rendered him almost mad. The calm, deliberate courage which he had hitherto shown was changed into rage and desperation; he roared with pain and fury; flashes of fire seemed to come from his angry eyes, and his mouth was covered with foam and blood. He hurried around the stake with incessant toil and rage, first aiming at one, then at another, of the persecuting dogs, that harassed him on every side, growling and baying incessantly, and biting him in every part. At length, with a furious effort, he trampled one of his foes beneath his feet, and gored a second, and, at the same moment, the cord, which had hitherto confined him, snapped asunder, and let him loose upon the affrighted multitude.

It is impossible to conceive the terror and dismay which instantly seized the crowd of spectators. They who before had been hallooing with joy, and encouraging the fury of the dogs with shouts and acclamations, were now scattered over the plain, and they fled from the fury of the animal, whom they had been so basely tormenting. The enraged bull, meanwhile, rushed like lightning across the field, trampling some, goring others, and taking ample vengeance for the injuries he had received. Presently he rushed with headlong fury towards the spot where Master Merton and his associates stood. All fled with wild affright, but with a speed that was not equal to that of the pursuer. Shrieks, outcries, and lamentations were heard on every side; and they who a few minutes before had despised the good advice of Harry, would now have given the world to be safe in the houses of their parents. Harry alone seemed to preserve his presence of mind; he neither cried out nor ran; but when the terrific animal approached, leaped nimbly aside, and the bull passed on without embarrassing himself about his escape.

Not so fortunate was Master Merton; he happened to be the last of the little troop of fugitives, and full in the way which the bull had taken. And now his destruction appeared certain; for, as he ran, whether through fear, or the inequality of the ground, his foot slipped, and down he tumbled, in the very path of the enraged pursuing animal. All who saw, imagined his fate inevitable, and it would certainly have proved so, had not Harry, with a

courage and presence of mind above his years, suddenly seized a prong, which one of the runaways had dropped, and at the very moment when the bull was stooping to gore his defenceless friend, advanced and wounded him in the flank. The bull, in an instant, turned short, and with redoubled rage made at his new assailant; and it is probable that, notwithstanding his intrepidity, Harry would have paid the price of his assistance to his friend with his own life, had not an unexpected succour arrived : for, in that instant, the grateful negro rushed on like lightning to assist him, and, assailing the bull with a weighty stick that he held in his hand, compelled him to turn his rage upon a new object. The bull indeed attacked him with all the impetuosity of revenge; but the black jumped nimbly aside, and eluded his fury. Not contented with this, he wheeled round his fierce antagonist, and, seizing him by the tail, began to batter his sides. with an unexpected storm of blows. In vain did. the enraged animal bellow and writhe himself about in all the convulsions of madness; his intrepid foe, without ever quitting his hold, suffered himself to be dragged about the field, still continuing his discipline, till the creature was almost exhausted with the fatigue of his own violent agitations. And, now, some of the boldest of the spectators, taking courage, approached to his assistance; and, throwing a well-twisted rope over the bull's head, they at length, by the dint of superior numbers, completely mastered him, and bound him to a tree.

Thomas Day.

XXXV.

RULE BRITANNIA.

WHEN Britain first at Heaven's command
Arose from out the azure1 main,
This was the charter of the land,
And guardian angels sung this strain:
Rule Britannia! rule the waves!
Britons never will be slaves.

The nations not so blest as thee
Must in their turn to tyrants fall,
Whilst thou shalt flourish, great and free,
The dread and envy of them all.

Rule Britannia, etc.

Still more majestic shalt thou rise,

More dreadful from each foreign stroke; As the loud blast that tears the skies,

Serves but to root thy native oak.

Rule Britannia, etc.

Thee haughty tyrants ne'er shall tame;
All their attempts to hurl thee down
Will but arouse thy gen'rous flame,
And work their woe and thy renown.
Rule Britannia, ctc.

To thee belongs the rural2 reign;

Thy cities shall with commerce shine, All thine shall be the subject main,3

And every shore it circles thine:

Rule Britannia, etc.