stupidity. They often smile at the tricks of a young villain, and ever seem pleased with boyish profligacy.

15. Hence it happens, that their offspring frequently prove a scourge to them, and that they feel that sting, which, to use Shakspeare's expression, is sharper than a serpent's tooth; the sting inflicted by a thankless, an immoral, an ignorant, an extravagant, and an infidel child.

HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS.

PERHAPS they who are not particularly

acquainted with the history of Virginia, may be ignorant that Pocahontas was the protectress of the English, and often screened them from the cruelty of her father.

2. She was but twelve years old, when Captain Smith, the bravest, the most intelligent, and the most humane of the first colonists, fell into the hands of the savages. He already understood their language, had traded with them several times, and often appeased the quarrels between the Europeans and them. Often had he been obliged also to fight them, and to punish their perfidy.

3. At length, however, under the pretext of commerce, he was drawn into an ambush, and the only two companions who accompanied him, fell before his eyes; but though alone, by his dexterity he extricated himself from the troop which surrounded him; until, unfortunately, imagining he could save himself by crossing a morass, he stuck fast; so that the savages, against whom he had no means of defending himself, at last took and bound him, and conducted him to Powhatan.

4. The king was so proud of having Captain Smith in his power, that he sent him in triumph to all the tributary princes, and ordered that he should be splendidly treated, till he returned to suffer that death which was prepared for him.

5. The fatal moment at last arrived. Captain Smith was laid upon the hearth of the savage king, and his head placed upon a large stone, to receive the stroke of death; when Pocahontas, the youngest and darling daughter of

Powhatan, threw herself upon his body, clasped him in her arms, and declared, that if the cruel sentence was executed, the first blow should fall on her.

6. All savages (absolute sovereigns and tyrants not excepted) are invariably more affected by the tears of infancy, than the voice of humanity. Powhatan could not resist the tears and prayers of his daughter.

7. Captain Smith obtained his life, on condition of paying for his ransom a certain quantity of muskets, powder, and iron utensils; but how were they to be obtained? They would neither permit him to return to Jamestown, nor let the English know where he was, lest they should demand him sword in hand.

8. Captain Smith, who was as sensible as courageous, said, that if Powhatan would permit one of his subjects to carry to Jamestown a leaf which he took from his pocketbook, he should find under a tree, at the day and hour appointed, all the articles demanded for his ransom.

9. Powhatan consented; but without having much faith in his promises, believing it to be only an artifice of the Captain to prolong his life. But he had written on the leaf a few lines sufficient to give an account of his situation. The messenger returned. The king sent to the place fixed upon, and was greatly astonished to find every thing which had been demanded.

10. Powhatan could not conceive this mode of transmitting thoughts; and Captain Smith was henceforth looked upon as a great magician, to whom they could not show too much respect. He left the savages in this opinion, and

hastened to return home.

11. Two or three years after, some fresh differences arising between them and the English, Powhatan, who no longer thought them sorcerers, but still feared their power, laid a horrid plan to get rid of them altogether. His project was to attack them in profound peace, and cut the throats of the whole colony.

12. The night of this intended conspiracy, Pacaliontas took advantage of the obscurity; and in a terrible storm, which kept the savages in their tents, escaped from her father's house, advised the English to be on their guard, but eonjured them to spare her family; to appear ignorant of

the intelligence she had given, and terminate all their differences by a new treaty.

13. It would be tedious to relate all the services which this angel of peace rendered to both nations. I shall only add that the English, I know not from what motives, but eertainly against all faith and equity, thought proper to carry her off. Long and bitterly did she deplore her fate; and the only consolation she had was Captain Smith, in whom she found a second father.

14. She was treated with great respect, and married to a planter by the name of Rolfe, who soon after took her to England. This was in the reign of James the first; and it is said, that the monarch, pedantick and ridiculous in every point, was so infatuated with the prerogatives of royalty, that he expressed his displeasure, that one of his subjects should dare to marry the daughter even of a savage king.

15. It will not perhaps be difficult to decide on this occasion, whether it was the savage king who derived honour from finding himself placed upon a level with the European prince, or the English monarch, who, by his pride and prejudices, reduced himself to a level with the chief of the sav

ages.

16. Be that as it will, Captain Smith, who had returned to London before the arrival of Pocahontas, was extremely happy to see her again; but dared not treat her with the same familiarity as at Jamestown. As soon as she saw him, she threw herself into his arms, calling him her father; but finding that he neither returned her caresses with equal warmth, nor the endearing title of daughter, she turned aside her head and wept bitterly; and it was a long time before they could obtain a single word from her.

17. Captain Smith inquired several times what could be the cause of her affliction?" What! said she, did I not save thy life in America? When I was torn from the arms of my father, and conducted amongst thy friends, dist thou not promise to be a father to me? Didst thou not assure me, that if I went into thy country, thou wouldst be my father, and that I should be thy daughter? Thou hast deceived me, and behold me now here, a stranger and an orphan !"

18. It was not difficult for the Captain to make his peace with this charming creature, whom he tenderly loved.

He presented her to several people of the first quality; but never dared to take her to court, from which, however, she received several favours.

19. After a residence of several years in England, an example of virtue and piety, and attachment to her husband, she died, as she was on the point of embarking for America. She left an only son, who was married, and left none but daughters; and from these are descended some of the principal characters in Virginia.

SPEECH OF CAIUS MARIUS TO THE ROMANS; SHOWING THE ABSURDITY OF THEIR HESITATING TO CONFER ON HIM THE

RANK OF GENERAL, MERELY ON ACCOUNT OF HIS EXTRAC

TION.

It is but too common, my countrymen, to ob

serve a material difference between the behaviour of those who stand candidates for places of power and trust, before and after their obtaining them. They solicit them in one manner, and execute them in another.

2. They set out with a great appearance of activity, humility and moderation; but they quickly fall into sloth, pride and avarice. It is undoubtedly no easy matter to discharge, to general satisfaction, the duty of a supreme commander in troublesome times.

3. You have committed to my conduct the war against Jugurtha. The patricians are offended at this. But, where would be the wisdom of giving such a command to one of their honourable body? a person of illustrious birth, of ancient family, of innumerable statues, but-of no experience!

4. What service would his long line of dead ancestors, or his multitude of motionless statues, do his country in the day of battle? What could such a general do, but, in his trepidation and inexperience, have recourse to some inferiour commander for direction in difficulties to which he was not himself equal? Thus your patrician general would in fact have a general over him; so that the acting commander would still be a plebeian.

5. So true is this, my countrymen, that I have, myself, known those who have been chosen consuls, begin then to read the history of their own country, of which, till that time, they were totally ignorant; that is, they first obtained the employment, and then bethought themselves of the qualifications necessary for the proper discharge of it.

6. I submit to your judgement, Romans, on which side the advantage lies, when a comparison is made between patrician haughtiness and plebeian experience. The very actions which they have only read, I have partly seen, and partly myself achieved. What they know by reading, I know by action. They are pleased to slight my mean birth; I despise their mean characters.

7. Want of birth and fortune is the objection against me; want of personal worth, against them. But are not all men of the same species? What can make a difference between one man and another, but the endowments of the mind? For my part, I shall always look upon the bravest man as the noblest man.

8. If the patricians have reason to despise me, let them likewise despise their ancestors, whose nobility was the fruit of their virtue. Do they envy the honours bestowed upon me? let them envy, likewise, my labours, my abstinence, and the dangers I have undergone for my country, by which I have acquired them.

9. But those worthless men lead such a life of inactivity, as if they despised any honours you can bestow; while they aspire to honours as if they had deserved them by the most industrious virtue. They lay claim to the rewards of activity, for their having enjoyed the pleasures of luxury. Yet none can be more lavish than they are in praise of their ancestors.

10. And they imagine they honour themselves, by celebrating their forefathers; whereas they do the very contrary; for, as much as their ancestors were distinguished for their virtues, so much are they disgraced by their vices.

11. The glory of ancestors casts a light, indeed, upon their posterity; but it only serves to show what the descendants are. It alike exhibits to publick view their degeneracy and their worth. I own I cannot boast of the deeds of my forefathers; but I hope I may answer the cavils of