in a cloak; as he advanced, the figure evidently sought to avoid him, but found it impossible to effect his purpose. Hedrick, from his intimate knowledge of the different paths, was enabled to cut off the stranger's retreat, and on turning the abrupt angle of a rock, they met face to face. Hedrick's surprise may be well conceived, when on looking into the countenance of the stranger, he recognised the features of Donay!

'He is betrayed then!' exclaimed the indignant peasant; false priest, thou hast betrayed him!- and by all the saints, he who has dared to deliver Andrew Hofer to his enemies, shall smart for his crime, be he who he may defend thyself!' Wouldst thou, sacrilegious man,' replied the other, trembling with rage and conscious guilt, wouldst thou lift thy hand against one who is protected by the sacred habit?'

'Yes, coward, if the sacred habit conceal so cursed a traitor!' So saying, he sprang forward, and with the strong cudgel which he had used to assist his steps up the mountain, he aimed a deadly blow at the priest's head. The latter, stepping back a pace or two, drew a pistol from his bosom, but ere he could discharge it, the club of his strong antagonist had laid him senseless upon the snow. The stick fell from his hands, and he advanced in great alarm; for although, in the first moment of ungovernable rage, he had thought of him only as the betrayer of his own and his country's friend, now that he saw him apparently lifeless before him, all the religious feelings of his people took possession of him, and the idea of having caused the death of a minister of God, filled his mind with dismay and horror. He therefore applied himself earnestly to revive his victim, and with unspeakable joy soon perceived him to evince some signs of life. He was still busily employed in this way, when the long lines of soldiers who were guarding Hofer appeared slowly winding down the mountain toward him. He at first thought of seeking safety by flight, not doubting but that he should be arrested for attacking a priest; but on seeing his friend Hofer in chains among the band, he became regardless of consequences, and silently awaited their arrival.

On reaching the spot, the officer ordered his troop to halt, and demanded of Hedrick an explanation of what he saw. The latter was about to reply, when Donay, slowly opening his eyes, beckoned the officer to approach: 'I would speak with your captive.'

The soldiers led their prisoner forward, and Donay thus addressed him: Andrew Hofer, your betrayer is before you, and in that betrayer behold Martin Esseldorf! Deep was the wound inflicted by your haughty sister, and deadly has been my revenge.' Overcome by the excitement of his feelings, the traitor fell back exhausted; but after a pause of some moments, he resumed in a feeble voice: 'My senses fail-I am dying-O God! what have I done? My friend betrayed!-my country betrayed! Pardon - pardon! pardon! Andrew Hofer, your betrayer implores your pardon.'

'I forgive you,' replied Hofer, as freely as I hope to be forgiven; may God forgive you also!'

Donay continued: 'I have assumed this disguise, the better to effect my purpose; it is my last request that no punishment may

await Hedrick Spechbacker for the deed which he has committed; I deserved it all. It was with great difficulty that he pronounced the last few words; a hoarse rattling in his throat impeded his speech, and in a few minutes he ceased to breathe. Hedrick was immediately seized, and some of the soldiers bearing Martin's dead body, the whole company_advanced toward Meran, thence the prisoners were conducted to Botzen, and thence to Mantua, which was already crowded with their unhappy countrymen.

As the soldiers were leading them forth from the gates of Botzen, Hofer was informed that his family were not allowed to accompany him any farther. He made no reply-but turning toward them, where they stood weeping by the gate, he embraced and kissed each affectionately, bade them an eternal farewell, and turned to depart. Alas! he had borne up bravely until this moment against all his misfortunes; but as he turned to behold for the last time all who were dear to him on earth, his strong heart was crushed, and it was mournful to see in that bitter hour how the warrior sobbed like a child as he embraced his faithful Edith. Even the hard soldiers around were seen to weep, albeit unused to the melting mood,' and the officer who commanded the escort hid his face as he gave the order to advance.

CHAPTER VI.

CONCLUSION.

A COURT-MARTIAL of French officers was assembled, immediately after Hofer's arrival at Mantua, over which General Bisson presided. Hofer's bravery, and his humanity toward those who had fallen into his power in battle, pleaded strongly in his favor, and inclined the French officers to propose that a limited confinement should be the extent of his punishment. There were a few among them who even dared to vote for a full acquittal. The court-martial, however, was intended merely for a display of justice, and ere sentence could be pronounced, a command from Paris, conveyed from Milan to Mantua by telegraph, directed that the prisoner should be condemned and shot within twenty-four hours. The decree of the servile court was given accordingly, and the following morning at sunrise appointed for carrying the sentence into effect. Spechbacker, who had also been tried for the death of Esseldorf, was acquitted in compliance with Martin's dying request, and was allowed to spend a few hours with Hofer on the evening preceding the execution, when the two friends took solemn leave of each other, after which Hofer's confessor was admitted, and the whole of the night was consumed in religious exercises.

The dawn of the following morning beheld the principal square of Mantua thronged with thousands eager to look upon the last moments of a man who had battled for freedom so long and so nobly. Their curiosity was not long unsatisfied. The roll of the muffled drum was soon heard advancing along the street, and about half an hour before sunrise, Hofer appeared, strongly ironed, attended by his confessor and Hedrick, and guarded by a small body of chosen men, on each

side of whom marched a regiment of grenadiers: these, on entering the open space, formed themselves into three sides of a hollow square, with Hofer and his attendants in the midst. Here the prisoner's irons were knocked off, and a soldier approached to bandage his eyes.

No!' exclaimed the patriot, indignantly: 'Andrew Hofer has faced your arms too often to fear them now.'

The commanding officer was appealed to, and the ceremony was dispensed with. He was then led to the open side of the square, and again joined for a short time with his confessor in devotion. As he arose from his knees, he took from his breast a small packet, carefully sealed, which he handed to Hedrick, saying: 'You will soon behold Edith; give her this: it contains a lock of her husband's hair-the last proof of affection which he is now able to bestow; tell her, and tell the dear children and Honora, that Andrew's last thoughts were divided between them and Heaven.'

The two friends then embraced again for the last time, and Hedrick and the confessor retired on one side. A firing party of twelve grenadiers then stepped forward-the signal was given the sharp volley echoed from the surrounding buildings—and the patriot of the Tyrol was no more! The first rays of the rising sun shone brightly upon the warm heart's blood of one of the bravest men that earth ever produced.

Hedrick Spechbaker hastened to Botzen to convey to the afflicted widow and orphans the poor consolation of knowing that a splendid military funeral had been assigned to the murdered victim, and that his body had been conveyed to its resting place on the shoulders of the French soldiery.

Hedrick was united a few months afterward to his beloved Honora, and the last we have heard of him is that fourteen years afterward he and Hans Haspinger, together with four others of Hofer's companions in arms, by the command of the Emperor of Austria, had the melancholy gratification of bearing the patriot's honored remains to the cathedral church of the Holy Cross in Innspruck, where they were interred with great pomp, having been conveyed from Mantua at the emperor's expense. The broad brimmed peasant's hat which Hofer was accustomed to wear, and the hero's sword, borne upon the coffin lid, forcibly recalled the figure of their brave leader to the remembrance of many a veteran among the immense concourse of Tyrolese who followed him to his second interment.

A liberal pension was assigned by the Austrian government, shortly after his death, to the family of Hofer, and his descendants are now enrolled among the nobility of the empire, by a decree of the emperor; but the blood which flows in their veins is their best and surest patent.

J. H, C.

To mix with truth so much absurd and strange
And e'en impossible, which seemeth fair,

That the changed sense consents to every change,
And sees, without surprise, thee nature disarrange.

VII.

What though the mosque of Sultan Achmet stand
Where riseth, or should rise, the trophy stone
O'er Bunker's bloody field? What though the band
Of Alaric invade the British throne?

What though, by thee directed, the tall cone
Of Himmeleh o'erlook the Atlantic wave,
Or exiled Miguel boast the world his own?
Reason starts not, but nods with aspect grave,
As visions wild as these light up thy magic cave.

VIII.

I woo thy gentle power, for night hath brought,
Instead of thee, strange fancies to my brain,
And Care is busy in the house of Thought,
And hath invited there her sister Pain:
Spread thy oblivious shadows, and restrain

Their ghastly revels, or to Lethe chase

The demon sprites, and lay the spectre train,
Like some star-read enchanter, and their place
Fill with more gentle guests, moving in light and grace.

Dorchester, (Mass.,) September, 1836.

c.

THE PORTICO.

NUMBER THREE.

'Intir sylvas Academi querere verum.'

WE purpose to devote this number of our desultory disquisitions in the Portico, to an investigation of the advantages which will redound to our country, from the institution for the diffusion of useful knowledge among men, which, in execution of the will of Mr. Smithson, a descendant of the illustrious family of Piercies in our mother country, and Dukes of Northumberland, is proposed to be established at Washington, through the agency and under the supervision of our federal government. Nothing could more strongly recommend this scheme to the American patriot, as well as to every person interested in the progress of science, than the consideration, that it coalesces with a proposal of General Washington, who long ago projected the plan of founding a great university in our capital, and selected one of the squares of that city as its site, beside afterward urging its erection upon his fellow citizens, in repeated messages to Congress. Reference to the same topic was repeated with equal solicitude by many of his able and enlightened successors in the presidential chair, and if the illustrious citizen who now occupies that seat, has ceased to call the subject to the recollection of our federal legislature, this circumstance, no doubt, has arisen, not from less liberality of thinking, or less ardent approbation of the enterprise, but from a sheer disinclination again to renew an appeal to which no attention had hitherto been paid, and which had been followed by