DEATH OF JULIUS CÆSAR.

If the conspirators had restored liberty to their country, their act had been completely glorious, and would have shown that Cæsar, and not Rome, was degenerated. But if we may judge from the consequences, Heaven disapproved of the deed. A particular fate attended the conspirators; not even one of them died a natural death; and even Brutus, recollecting in his last moments the benefit he had received from Cæsar, was staggered in his thoughts of virtue, and broke out into a pathetic expression, signifying, "that he had worshipped virtue as a substance, and had found it only as a shadow; so that he seems to have wanted that fortitude of mind, which constantly attends true virtue to the grave. This defect in the character of Brutus is not improperly expressed in the famous gallery of the great Duke of Tuscany, where there is a very fine head of Brutus, begun by Michael Angelo, but left unfinished; under it is engraven, upon a copperplate, this distich:

"Dum Bruti effigiem sculptor de marmore ducit, In mentem sceleris venit, et abstinuit."

WHICH IS THE HEIR? INGENIOUSLY DETERMINED..

A jeweller who carried on an extensive trade, and supplied the deficiencies of one country by the superfluities of another, leaving his home with a valuable assortment of diamonds, for a distant region, took with him his son, and a young slave, whom he had purchased in his infancy, and had brought up more like an adopted child, than a servant. They performed their intended journey, and the merchant disposed of his commodities with great advantage; but while preparing to return, he was seized by a pestilential distem

per, and died suddenly in the metropolis of a foreign country. This accident inspired the slave with a wish to possess his master's treasures, and relying on the total ignorance of strangers, and the kindness everywhere shown him by the jeweller, he declared himself the son of the deceased, and took charge of his property. The true heir of course denied his pretensions, and solemnly declared himself to be the only son of the defunct, who had long before purchased his opponent as a slave. This contest produced various opinions. It happened that the slave was a young man of comely person, and of polished manners; while the jeweller's sou was ill-favored by nature, and still more injured in his education, by the indulgence of his parents. This superiority operated in the minds of many to support the claims of the former; but since no certain evidence could be produced on either side, it became necessary to refer the dispute to a court of law. There, however, from a total want of proofs, nothing could be done. The magistrate declared his inability to decide on unsupported assertions, in which each party was equally positive. This caused a report of the case to be made to the prince, who having heard the particulars, was also confounded, and at a loss how to decide the question. At length, a happy thought occurred to the chief of the Judges, and he engaged to ascertain the real heir. two claimants being summoned before him, he ordered them to stand behind a curtain prepared for the occasion, and to project their heads through two openings, when, after hearing their several arguments, he would cut off the head of him who should prove to be the slave. This they readily assented to; the one from a relience on his honesty, the other from a confidence of the impossibility of detection. Accordingly, cach taking his place as ordered, thrust his head through a hole in the curtain.

The

An officer stood

in front with a drawn cimeter in his hand, and the Judge proceeded to the examination. After a short debate, the Judge cried out, "Enough, enough, strike off the villain's head!" and the officer, who watched the moment, leaped towards the two youths; the impostor, startled at the brandished weapon, hastily drew back his head, while the jeweller's son, animated by conscious security, stood unmoved. The Judge immediately decided for the latter, and ordered the slave to be taken into custody, to receive the punishment due to his diabolical ingratitude.

A French Abbé was sent for to prepare a hardened highwayman for death. They were shut up together in a little dim sort of a chapel, but the Abbé perceived, that amidst all his arguments and exhortations, the man scarcely took any notice of him!" Strange!" said he, "friend, do you think that in a few hours you are to appear before God? What can divert your thoughts from such an inexpressible concern?""You are right, father," replied be,

"but I cannot get it out of my mind, that it is in your power to save my life, and well may that divert my thoughts."-"I save your life! How can that be? Besides, I should then be the instrument of your doing more mischief, and increasing your sins."-"No! No! father, nothing of that, you may take my word for it; my present danger will be an effectual security. I have been too near a gallows, ever to run a second risk!" The Abbé did as most persons, perhaps, would have done on a like occasion; he yielded to entreaties, and all the business now was to know how to set about the deliverance. The chapel received light only through one window, which was near the ceiling, and about fifteen feet from the floor. "Why, father," said the malefactor, "only remove the altar, as it is portable, to the wall; set your chair upon the altar,

and stand you upon the chair, and I will stand upon your shoulders, and I being thus within reach of the window, the business is done." The Abbé closed with the expedient; the malefactor was out in a trice; and the kind father, having put all things to rights, placed himself composedly in his chair. An hour or two after, the executioner growing impatient, knocked at the door, and asked the Abbé what had become of the criminal? "Crim nal!" gravely answered the father, "he must be some angel; for on the word of a priest, out of that window did he take his flight." The executioner being a loser by the escape, asked the father if he thought to make a fool of him so, and ran to report the matter to the judges. They repaired to the chapel, where the father was sitting in his chair, and pointing to the window, assured them, on his conscience, that the man, if he was a man, had flown out that way, and that he could hardly forbear recommending himself to him as a superior being; that, besides, were he a criminal, which he could not conceive after what he had seen him do, he was not made his keeper. magistrates, who were not able to keep their countenances at this personated composure, wished the superior being a good journey, and went away.

The

The Abbé twenty years after, going through the Ardennes, (a woody country in the northeast borders of France,) happened to be bewildered at the close of the day. A person in the garb of a peasant viewed him very fixedly, asked him whither he was going, and assured him that the roads were extremely dangerous; but that on following him, he would carry him to a farm-house hard by, where he might be safe, and have a night's lodging. The Abbé was not a little perplexed at the attention of the man in looking at him, but considering that there was no escaping if he had any bad design, he followed the rustic, though with a heavy heart. This uneasiness, however, was soon removed by the sight of the farm-house, and superseded by joy, on bis guide, the master of it, saying to his wife, "kill a choice capon, and some of our best fowls, to entertain this guest I have brought you." The farmer, whilst supper was getting ready, came

in again with eight children about him, to whom he said, "There, children, go and pay your respects to that good father, for without him you would not have been in the world; nor I either, for he saved my life." Here the father recollected the man's features, so far as to perceive him to be the very robber whom he had helped to escape. All the family flocked about him with their thanks, and every mark of the most fervent respect and gratitude. When the farmer and he were by themselves, he asked by what means he became so well settled? "I have kept my word, father, and being resolved to live honestly, I immediately on my escape set off, and begged my way down hither, where I was born. The master of this farm took me into his service, and by my diligence and honesty, I so far gained his good will, that he bestowed his daughter, his only child, on me. God has so prospered my honest endeavors, that I have laid by something, and a great joy it is to me, that I can show you my gratitude." "" The service I did you is over paid," said the Abbé, "by the good use you have made of your life, and don't talk of any presents." He complied, however, with the farmer's entreaties to stay a few days with him; after which, the grateful man obliged him to make use of one of his horses to go through his journey, aud would not leave him till he was out of danger from the brigands who used to infest these roads.

SIR JAMES MACKINTOSH.

One of the ablest coadjutors of Sir Samuel Romilly in the mitigation of the severity of the penal code, is the gentleman to whom these Anecdotes are inscribed. Sir James Mackintosh, after filling the important office of judge of Bombay for seven years, could, on taking leave of his office in 1811, thus address the Grand Jury: "Since my arrival here, in May, 1804, the punishment of death has not been inflicted by this court. Now the population subject to our jurisdiction, either locally or personally, cannot be estimated at less than two hundred thousand persons." He then examined into a comparative view of the state of crime, previous to, and during his judgeship, which he proved had diminished considerably during the latter period; the annual average of capital convictions, up to the time Sir James Mackintosh became Recorder of Bombay, was twenty; the annual average of persons who suffered death, seven. During his judgeship, the average of convictions annually, was fifeen only (notwithstanding the increase of population) and this without a single execution. Well, therefore, might he add, in his farewell charge, "This small experiment has therefore been made, without diminution of the security of the lives and properties of men. Two hundred thousand men have been governed for seven years, without any increase of crimes. If, therefore, any experience has been acquired, it has been safely and innocently gained,"

FIRST CHRISTIAN TRAVELLERS. THE first efforts of European inquiry were all directed towards the East. All Christians bowed in spirit, as well as body, towards that sacred quarter of the globe, which dwelt in their deepest and holiest affection; which offered, too, to the mercenary, the brightest prospects of pecuniary advantage; so that its riches dazzled the eyes of the world-minded, at the same time that its connection with the records of revealed truth enshrined it in the heart of the devotec.

In the meantime, however, Europe continued, for a long period, lamentably deficient in acquaintance with its own immediate geography. The chronicles of all parts are full of the most egregious and palpable blunders, with regard to countries even immediately adjacent to those of the authors; and this to such an extent, as to render them often completely unintelligible. We are even told of the worthy monks of Tournay seeking two years, in vain, for the Abbey of Ferrieres, during the eleventh century; and with such a fact before us, we shall not be inclined to esteem very highly the famous maps of Charlemagne, engraved upon silver platters, which probably, if they had survived, like that of Turin, published by Passini, would be equally decisive, not of the knowledge, but of the utter ignorance of the age. It was not, certainly, until the commercial spirit of the free towns of Germany, the Italian republics, England, and Holland, had imperceptibly arisen, and diffused itself very widely, that this ignorance was to any considerable degree removed.

TRAVELS TO THE EAST.

The geography and statistics of Asia had made much earlier progress than those of Europe. The Arabians had been most accurate and detailed in their accounts of their own immediate domain; the Crusaders had repeatedly traversed the same quarter; the fleets of Venice, Genoa, and Florence, had profited by the opportunity to engage in extensive commerce; and though prevented by the ruling destiny of Egypt from pursuing the trade to India by the Red Sea, they opened an avenue to its treasures by the Black Sea, and organized a traffic, by means of caravans, to China and Hindostan, which continued more than two hundred years. In addition to the Crusades, the ravages of the Mogul Tartars, which put not only Asia, but Poland, Silesia, and Hungary, in consternation, led to an acquaintance with the remotest parts of the East. The Roman Pontiffs sought, by missionaries, to avert the storm; and these apostles traced the course, while the Christian merchant followed beyond the Black Sea and the Caspian. The boundaries of knowledge were extended, and the Missionary long served as a channel of communi

cation between the two continents. Even in the fourteenth century, we find an European bishop at Pekin. St. Louis sought to enter into a political connection with the Mogul Cham in 1253; and Henry the Third of Castile, with Timur, in 1394.

THE JEWS.

It is not usual to acknowledge much literary obligation to the people of Israel; yet, under the liberal toleration and patronage of the Moorish dynasties of Bagdad and Spain, they attained to considerable eminence. Two of the earliest writers of travels were Jews. Moses Petachia travelled about the year 1187 through Poland to Tartary, and thence, through various Asiatic countries, to Jerusalem; and about the same period appeared the work ascribed to Benjamin Ben Iona, commonly called Benjamin of Tudela, who is represented to have been a native of Navarre, and a student of Cordova. "Laus non ultima sabbatariorum." His journeys are stated to have extended by the way of Constantinople, through Antioch, to Jerusalem; thence to Tadmor, and the banks of the Euphrates and Tigris. Bagdad was then under the government of the Abassides, to whose toleration of the Jews, our traveller bears ample testimony. His course then lay through Persia, and he returned by the Indian Ocean, and the Red Sea, to Egypt and Sicily.

THE MONKS.

The monks took, very early, a lead in foreign adventure. Bonaventura Brocardus, a Westphalian monk, travelled in 1222 to Palestine; and upon his return, wrote his " Descriptio Ter. ræ Sanctæ," which was long in high repute. Acelin, a Dominican, wrote an account of his mission in 1254, from Innocent IV. to the Cham of Tartary, of which little remains. Carpini, an Italian, and Rubruquis (Ruisbrock), a Brabanter, went on similar expeditions in the same country; and have left, upon the whole, as accurate and faithful accounts of their observations, as could be expected from the age. Hayton, an Armenian Prince, assuming the habit of a monk, arrived in France in the year 1307, and there dictated his Historia Orientalis, which is to be found in Purchas, and contains a very creditable and useful description of the principal Asiatic states, and a considerable portion of the history of the Mogul sovereigns.

PROOF OF CIVILIZATION!

A writer of a modern book of travels, relating the particulars of his being cast away, thus concludes: "After having walked eleven hours with

out having traced the print of human foot, to my great comfort and delight, I saw a man hanging upon a gibbet; my pleasure at the cheering prospect was inexpressible, for it convinced me that I was in a civilized country."

A DINNER INTERFERENCE. When the late General Bligh was a captain in a marching regiment, he and his lady were trav. elling in Yorkshire, and put up at an inn, where there happened to be only just as much in the larder, as would serve thein for a dinner, which was immediately ordered. In the mean time, some sporting gentlemen of the country came in, and finding there was nothing in the house, but what was getting ready for another company, asked who they were? The landlord told them he did not directly know, but he believed the gentleman an "Irish officer."

well, if he's Irish," said one of the company, "a potato will serve him. Here, waiter, take this watch (pulling out an elegant gold watch,) carry it up stairs, and ask the gentleman what's o'clock?" Mr. Bligh, as may be well imagined, was not pleased at such an impudent message; but recollecting himself a moment, took the watch from the waiter, and desired him to present his compliments to the company, and he would tell them before he parted. This message, however, produced his dinner to be sent up to him in quiet; after eating which, he clapt a couple of large horse pistols under his arm, and going down stairs, introduced himself into the company, by telling them he was come to let them know what o'clock it was; but first, begged to be informed to which of the gentlemen the watch belonged. Here a dead silence ensued. Mr. Bligh then began on his right hand, by asking them severally the question; each of them denied knowing anything of the circumstance.

then, gentlemen, (says he) I find I have mistaken the company; the waiter, a while ago, brought me an impudent message from some people in this house, which I came, as you see (pointing to his pistols) properly to resent; but I find I have mistaken the room." Saying this, he wished them a good evening, which they as politely returned. He paid his bill, stepped into his carriage, and drove off with the watch in his pocket, which he kept to his death, and left it by will, with a large fortune, to his brother, the Dean of Elphin.

NATIONAL COMPARISONS.

Mr. Vaughan, in his travels through Sicily, having stopped to take some refreshment at an inn, in Caltagirone, as he sat down to his chicken, the landlady very coolly took a chair within a yard of the table, and on the opposite side sat a sleek-looking priest, such as you see familiar in every house throughout the country, who had taken up that position by way of asking a few questions of the "Cavaliere Inglese." "After many apologies for the liberty he was taking, the latter," says Mr. Vaughan, "begged to con

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verse with me on the subject of England, which the people of these parts were very anxious to hear about, and the opportunity of inquiring so seldom occurred; and by the time I had dined, I observed half a dozen people collected round the door, with their eyes and mouths open, to hear the examination. 'And pray, Signor, is it true what we are told, that you have no olives in England?' "Yes, perfectly true,' Cospetto! how so?' 'Cospettone!' said the landlady. Our climate is not propitious to the growth of the olive.' But, then, Signor, for oranges?' 'we have no oranges neither.' 'Poveretto!' said the landlady, with a tone of compunction, which is a sort of fondling diminutive of Povero,' 'poor creature;' as you would say to your child, Poor little mannikin!' But how is that possible, Signor?' said the priest; have you no fruit in your country? We have very fine fruit; but our winters are severe, and not genial enough for the orange tree.' That is just what they told me,' said the lady, at Palermo, that England is all snow, and a great many stones.' But then, Signor, we have heard what we can scarcely believe, that you have not any wine!' It is perfectly true; we have vines that bear fruit; but the sun in our climate is not sufficiently strong, which must be broiling, as it is here, to produce any wine.' Then, Jesu Maria, how the deuce do you do?' I told them, that notwithstanding, we got on pretty well; that we had some decent sort of mutton, and very tolerable looking beef; that our poultry was thought eatable, and our bread pretty good; that, instead of the wine, we had a thing they call ale, which our people, here and there, seemed to relish exceedingly; and that by the help of these articles, a good constitution, and the blessing of God, our men were as hardy, and as loyal and brave, and our women as accomplished, and virtuous and handsome, as any other people, I believed, under heaven. Besides, Mr. Abbate, I beg leave to ask you, what cloth is your coat of Cospetto! it is English,' (with an air of importance.) And your hat?' Why that's English.' 'And this lady's gown, and her bonnet and ribbons? Why they are English!' All English. Then you see how it is; we send you, in exchange for what we don't grow, half the comforts and conveniences you enjoy in your island; besides, padrona mia gentile! (my agreeable landlady) we can never regret that we don't grow these articles, since it ensures us an intercourse with a nation we esteem!' Viva!' said the landlady, and Bravo!' said the priest; and between bravo and viva, the best friends in the world, I escaped to my lettiga!"

DEAN SWIFT.

any agreeable person in town, with whom he might partake of a dinner (as he had desired him to provide one,) and that such a person should have nothing to pay. The landlord immediately replied, that the curate, Mr. Jones, was a very agreeable, companionable man, and would not, he supposed, have any objection to spend a few hours with a gentleman of his appearance. The Dean directed him to wait on Mr. Jones, with his compliments, and say that a traveller would be glad to be favored with his company at the Crown, if it was agreeable. When Mr. Jones and the Dean had dined, and the glass began to circulate, the former made an apology for an occasional absence, saying, that at three o'clock he was to read prayers and preach at the church. Upon this intimation, the Dean replied, that he also should attend prayers. Service being ended, and the two gentlemen having resumed their station at the Crown, the Dean began to compliment Mr. Jones on his delivery of a very appropriate sermon; and remarked, that it must have cost him (Mr. Jones) some time and attention to compose such a one.

Mr. Jones observed, that his duty was rather "laborious," as he served another parish church at a distance; which, with the Sunday and weekly service at Church Stratton, straitened him much with respect to the time necessary for the composition of sermons; so that when the subjects pressed, he could only devote a few days and nights to that purpose.

"Well," says the Dean, "it is well for you to have such a talent; for my part, the very sermon you preached this afternoon, cost me some months, in composing." On this observation, Mr. Jones began to look very gloomy, and to recognize his companion. "However," rejoined the Dean," don 't you be alarmed; you have so good a talent at delivery, that I hereby declare, you have done more honor to my sermon this day, than I could do myself; and by way of compromising the matter, you must accept of this half-guinea for the justice you have done in the delivery of it."

TOMB OF HOWARD.

At Kherson, the tomb of the philanthropist, Howard, is dear to the heart and eye of every English traveller. "The evening," says Sir R. Ker Porter, in his travels," was drawing to a close, when I approached the hill, in the bosom of which the dust of my revered countryman reposes so far from his native land. No one that has not experienced the heart of a stranger' in a distant country, can imagine the feelings, which sadden a man while standing on such a spot. It is well known, that Howard fell a sacrifice to his humanity; having caught a contagious fever from some wretched prisoners at Kherson, to whose extreme need he was administering his charity and his consolations. Admiral Priestman, a worthy Briton, in the Russian service, who was his intimate friend, attended him in his last moments, and erected over his remains the monument which is now a sort of shrine to all

travellers, whether from Britain or foreign countries. It is an obelisk of whitish stone, sufficiently high to be conspicuous at several miles distance. The hill on which it stands, may be about three wersts out of the direct road, and has a little village and piece of water at its base. The whole is six wersts from Kherson, and forms a picturesque as well as interesting object. The evening having closed when I arrived at the tomb, I could not distinguish its inscription; bat the name of Howard would be sufficient eulogy. At Kherson, I learned that the present emperor has adopted the plans which the great philanthropist formerly gave in to the then existing government, for ameliorating the state of the prisoners. Such is the only monument he would have desired; and it will commemorate his name forever, while that of the founder of the pyramids is forgotten; so much more imperishable is the greatness of goodness, than the greatness of power."

A CURE FOR POST-BOYS.

The philanthropist, Howard, finding in travelling, that the coachmen would seldom comply with his wishes, hit upon an expedient to cure them. At the end of a stage, when the driver had been perverse, he desired the landlord to send for some poor industrious widow, or other proper object of charity, and to introduce such person and the driver together. He then paid the latter his fare, and told him, that as he had not thought proper to attend to his repeated requests as to the manner of being driven, he should not make him any present; but, to show him that he did not withhold it out of a principle of parsimony, he would give the poor person present double the sum usually given to a postilion. This he did, and dismissed the parties. He had not long practised this mode, he said, before he experienced the good effects of it on all the roads where he was known.

KNOW YOUR OWN COUNTRY FIRST

Lord Burlington, being upon his travels in Ita ly, was shown by a nobleman to whom he had recommendations, a church which he greatly ad mired for the elegance of its structure, and re quested that he might be permitted to view it again the next day, in order to draw a sketch of it. The nobleman replied, that he had no oc. casion to put himself to that trouble; as the model from which it was taken, was in London. Surprised at this information, his lordship desired to know the name of the church, and was told that it was St. Stephen's, Walbrook, near the Royal Exchange. It is further added, that his lordship had no sooner arrived in London, than he went to take a view of that beautiful monument of architecture, which is esteemed Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece, before he saw any of his friends, or returned to his own house.

Another instance of the necessity of knowing your own country first, occurred to a young man