670. AMERICA. I appeal to history! Tell me, thou reverend chronicler of the grave, ean all the illusions of ambition realized, can all the wealth of a universal commerce, can all the achievements of successful heroism, or can all the establishments of this world's wisdom, secure to the empire, the permanency of its possessions! Alas! Troy thought so once; yet the land of Priam lives only in song! Thebes thought so once; yet her hundred gates have crumbled, and her very tombs are as the dust they were vainly intended to commemorate! So thought Palmyra-yet where is she? So thought the country of Demosthenes and the Spartan; yet Leonidas is trampled by the timid slave, and Athens insulted by the servile, mindless and enervate Ottoman ! In his hurried march, Time has but looked at their imagined immortality; and all its vanities, from the palace to the tomb, have, with their ruins, erased the very impression of his footsteps! The days of their glory are as if they never had been; and the island, that was then a speck, rude and neglected in the barren ocean, now rivals the ubiquity of their commerce, the glory of their arms, the fame of their philosophy, the eloquence of their senate, and the inspiration of their bards! Who shall say, then, contemplating the past, that England, proud and potent as she appears, may not, one day, be what Athens is, and the young America yet soar to be what Athens was! Who shall say, that, when the European column shall have mouldered, and the night of barbarism obscured its very ruins, that mighty continent may not emerge from the hor son to rule, for its time, Bovereign of the ascendant!-Phillips. 671. THE POWER OF ELOQUENCE. And bid the raging tumult--cease? Lo from the regions of the north, The reddening storm of battle pours; Fusten on Oynihan towers. "Where rests the sword: where sleep the brave, From the fury of the blast: Up: or freedom-breathes her last!" To arms to arms to arms!" they cry, Let us conquer him-or die!" And blotted out the stars of heaven. To where the Ther pours his urn, Again, thy fires began to burn! Sinking fast. in slavery's arms! Giving vast conceptions birth: Put on religion's bigght array; Unfold the garments-rolled in blood! And point the way to heaven-to God.-Carey. THE WORLD TO COME. If all our hopes, and all our fears, Were prisoned-in 1 te's narrow bound; Where in sts-and clouds eternal-spread And tempests thunder-overlend; Tis this. that makes our darkness, day, Tis this, that makes our earth-a heaven! Bright is the golden sun above. And beautiful-the flowers, that bloom, Reflected from the world to come! 672. MILITARY DESPOTISM AND INSUBORDINATIONv. Mr. Chairman,-I trust, that I shall be indulged, with some few reflections, upon the danger-of permitting the conduct, on which it has been iny punful duty to animadvert, to pass, with out a solemn express on of the disapprobation of this house. Recall to your recollect on, sir, the free nations, which have gone before us. Where are they now? "Goue, glinimering through the dream of things that were; A schoolboy's tale,-the wouler of an hour." And how have they lost their liberties? If we could transport ourselves back, s r, to the ages when Greece, and Rome, flourished, m their greatest prosperity, and, mingling in the thronk, should ask a Greman, if he did not fear, that some daring military chieftain, covered with glory, some Philip, or Alexander, would one day overthrow the 1 berties of his country,the confident, and indignant Grecian would exclaim. No! no! we have nothing to fear from our heroes; our liberties will be eternal. If a Roman cit zen had been asked. if he did not fear, that the conqueror of Gaul might establish a throne upon the ruins of public liberty, he would have instantly repelled the unjut insinuation. Yet, Greece-has fallen; Cesar--has passed the rubicon; and the patriotic arm even of Brutus-could not preserve the liberties of his devoted country. Sir, we are fighting a great moral battle for the benefit, not only of our country, but of all mankind. The eyes of the whole world are in fixed attention upon us. One, and the largest portion of it, is gazing with jealousy, and with envy; the other portion, with hope. with confidence, and with a:lection. Every where-the black cloud of legitimacy is suspended over the world, save only one bright spot, which breaks out from the political hemisphere of the reef, to enlighten, and an mate, and gla iden the human heart. Obscure that, by the downfall of liberty here, and all mankind-are enshrouded-in a pall of universal darkness. Beware, then, sir, how you give a fatal sanction, in this infant period of our republic, to military insubordination. Remember, that Greece-had her Alexander, Rome her Cesar. England-her Cromwell, France her Bonaparte, and, that if we would escape the rock, on which thy split, we must avoid their errors. 673. THE FRENCHMAN AND HIS HOST. A Frenchman once, who was a inerry w ght, Passing to town from Dover in the night, Near the roadside an ale-house chanced to spy: And being rather tred as well as dry. Resolved to enter; but first he took a peep, In hopes a supper he might get, and cheap. He enters: "Hallo! Garcon, if you please, Bring me a little bit of bread and cheese. And hallo! Garcon, a pot of porter too!" he said, Vich I shall take, and den myself to Led." [left, His supper done, some scraps of cheese were Which our poor Frenchman, thinking it no theft Into his pocket put; then slowly crept To wished-for bed; but not a wink he sleptFor, on the floor, some sacks of flour were laid, To which the rats a nightly visit paid. Our hero now undressed, popped out the light Put on his cap and bade the world good-night; But first his breeches, which contained the fare, Under his pillow he had placed with care. Sans ceremonie, soon the rats all ran, And on the flour-sacks greedily began; [round, In vain our little hero sought repose; Sometimes the vermin galloped o'er his nose; And such the pranks they kept up all the night, That he, on end ant podes upright. And every time he viewed it thought it more. scout: I hope, str. that gentlemen will deliberately survey-the awful isthmus, on which we stand. They may bear down all opposition. They may even vote general Jackson the public thanks. They may carry him triumphant-l pay h in well that can.” ly throuch this house. But, if they do, sir, in'll pay him well that can." my humble judgment, it will be a triumph of Vil you d's charge forego, vat Iain at, the prine ple of insubordination-a triumph from your house I drive away de rat?" of the military-over the civil authority-a With all my heart," the jolly host replies, triumph over the powers of this house--a triEcoutez donc, ami ;" the Frenchman cries. umph over the constitut on of the land; and First, den-Regardez, if you please, I pray, sir. most devoutly, that it may not prove, in its ultima elects and consequen-Bring to dis spot a lestle bread and cheese: ces, a trumpli over the liberties of the people. THE EARTH HAS BEEN ALL ALIVE. What is the world itself? thy world?-a grave! Eh bien! a pot of portar too; And den invite de rats to sup vid you: 674. Loss OF NATIONAL CHARACTER. The loss of a firm, national character, or the degradation of a nation's honor, is the inevitable prelude to her destruction. Behold the once proud fabric of the Roman empire; an empire, carrying its arts, and arms, into every part of the eastern continent; the monarchs of mighty kingdoms, dragged at the wheels of her triumphal chariots; her eagle, waving over the ruins of desolated countries. Where is her splendor, her wealth, her power, her glory? Extinguished-forever. Her moldering temples, the mournful vestiges of her former grandeur, afford a shelter to her muttering monks. Where are her statesmen, her sages, her philosophers, her orators, her generals? Go to their solitary tombs, and inquire. She lost her national character, and her destruction followed. The ramparts of her national pride were broken down, and Vandalism desolated her classic fields. Citizens will lose their respect and confidence, in our government, if it does not extend over them, the shield of an honorable, national character. Corruption will creep in, Ambitious and sharpen party animosity. leaders will seize upon the favorable moment. The mad enthusiasm for revolution-will call into action the irritated spirit of our nation, and civil war must follow. The swords of our countrymen may yet glitter on our mountains, their blood may yet crimson our plains. 675. GOOD-NIGHT. To whom, I feel, or hate, or spite, RESPECT TO OLD AGE. It happened at Athens, during a public representation of some play,exhibited in honor of the commonwealth, that an old gentleman came too late, for a place suitable to his age, and quality. Many of the young gentlemen, who observed the difficulty and confusion he was in, made signs to him, that they would accommodate him, if he came where they sat. The good man bustled through the crowd accordingly; but when he came to the seat, to which he was invited, the jest was, to sit close, and ex Such, the warning voice of all antiquity, the example of all republics proclaim-may be our fate. But let us no longer indulge these gloomy anticipations. The commencement of our liberty presages the dawn of a brighter period to the world. That bold, enterprising spirit, which conducted our heroes to peace, and safety, and gave us a lofty rank, amid the empires of the world, still animates the bosoms of their descendants. Look back to the whole audience. The frolic went round the moment, when they unbarred the dun-pose him, as he stood out of countenance, to geons of the slave, and dashed his fetters all the Athenian benches. But, on those oc to the earth, when the sword of a Washing-casions, there were also particular places reton leaped from its scabbard, to revenge the served for foreigners. When the good man slaughter of our countrymen. Place their skulked towards the boxes, appointed for the Let the sparks of Lacedemonians, that honest people, more virexample before you. across your tuous than polite, rose up all to a man, and their veteran wisdom flash minds, and the sacred altars of your liber- with the greatest respect, received him among ty, crowned with immortal honors, rise be- them. The Athenians, being suddenly touchfore you. Relying on the virtue, the cour-ed with a sense of the Spartan virtue, and age, the patriotism, and the strength of our their own degeneracy, gave a thunder of ap country, we may expect our national charac-plause; and the old man cried out, "the Atheter will become more energetic, our citizens nians understand what is good, but the Lacemore enlightened, and may hail the age as demonians practice it. not far distant, when will be heard, as the prondest exclamation of man: I am an American.-Maxcy. The bell strikes one: We take no note of time, [flood? I feel the solemn sound. If heard aright, Reason gains all men, by compelling none. FORTUNE-TELLER. A hungry, lean-fac'd villain, A thread-bare juggler, and a fortune teller; RECREATION. 676. THE GROVES: GOD'S FIRST TEMPLES. Seems, as it issues from the shapeless mould, My heart-is awed within me, when I think Lo! all grow old, and die: but see, agan, The freshness of her far beginning lies, That our frail hands have raised? Let me, at least, Of his arch enemy-Death; yea, seats himself Here, in the shadow of this aged wood, Father, thy hand Hath reared these venerable columns; thou All these fair ranks of trees. They, in thy sun, Upon the sepulchre, and blooms, and smiles, There have heen holy men, who hid themselves O God! when thou ca Like dogs in a wheel, birds in a cage, or squir rels in a chain, ambitious men still climb and climb, with great labor, and incessant anxiety but never reach the top. 677. PHYSICAL EDUCATION. That is, un-¡ doubtedly, the wisest, and best regimen, į which takes the infant from the cradle, and conducts him along, through childhood, and youth, up to high maturity, in such a manner, as to give strenth to his arm, swiftness to his feet, solidity and amplitude to his muscles, symmetry to his frame, and expansion to his vital eneries. It is obvious, that this branch of education comprehends, not only food and clothing, but air, exercise, lodging, early rising, and whatever else is requisite, to the full development of the physical constitution. The diet must be simple, the apparel must not be too warm, nor the bed too soft. Tossed his beamed frontlet-to the sky; "Tis not enough-the voice be sound, and eletr, is modulation, that must charm the ear. When desperate heroes grieve, with tedious moan, Let parents beware of too much restriction in the inana ement of their darling boy. Let And wh ne their sorrows, in a see-saw tone, him, in choosing his play, follow the sugges- The same soft sounds-of un mpass oned woes, tions of nature. Let them not be discompos- Can only make the yawning hearers--doze. ed at the sight of his sand-hills in the road, The voice--all modes of pass on can express, his snow-forts im February, and his mud-dams That marks the proper word, with proper stress 1 in April; nor when they chance to look out | But none emphatic--ean that speaker call, in the midt of an August shower, and sce Who lays an equal emphasis-on all. him widing and sailing, and sporting along with the water-fowl. If they would make Some, o'er the tongue-the labored measures roll, him hardy and fearless, they must let him go Slow, and deliberate-as the parting toll; abroad as often as he plea es, in his early Pont every stop, mark every panse so strong, boyhood, and amuse h insed by the hour to Their words, like stage process ous, staik along. gether, in smoothing and twirling the hoary locks of winter. Instead of teep ng him All affectation—but creates disgust; shut up all day with a stove, and graduating And e'en in speaking, we may seem too just, his sleeping-room by Fahrenheit, they must In vain, for them, the pleasing measure flows, let him face the keen edge of a north-wind, Whose recitation-runs it all to prose; when the mercury is below cipher; and, in- Repeating--what the poet sets not down, stead of minding a Lttle shivering, and com- The verse disjointing-from its invorite noun, plaining, when he returns, cheer up his spir-While pause, and break, and repett on jo.. In this way, its, and send him out again. they will teach him. that he was not born to live in the nursery, no to brood over the fire; but to range abroad as free as the snow, and the air, and to gain warmth from exercise. I love, and adm re the youth, who turns not back from the towing waitry blast, nor withers under the baze of summier; who never magnifies mole-bills into mountains;" but whose daring eye, exult ng, scales the cagle's airy cra, and who is ready to undertake anything, that is prudent, and lawful, within the range of possibility. Who would think of planting the mountain-oak-in a green-house or of rearing the cedar of Lebanon-in a lady's flower-pot! Who does not know that in order to attain their mighty strenth, and majestic forms they must freely enjoy the rain, and the sunshine, and must feel the rocking of the tempest? THE CHASE. The stag, at eve, had drank h's fill. To arms the foeman storm the wall." To make a discord-in each tuneful line. NATURE'S WANTS ARE FEW. |