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May the swift vengeance of heaven overtake them, and exeminate the devoted race!"

13. Mendez shuddered with horror at his imprecation, but, notwithstanding, interrupted him. "If, as you say, you must submit to force, you must consent that the man who calls himself your master, do transfer his right to me. Perhaps the change may be to your advantage; worse it can scarcely be." So saying, he paid the Spaniard his demand, and delivered Harmona, for that was the name of the slave, in charge to his servants, to be taken home among his other servants.

14. Mendez dined that day at the Viceroy's, and stayed rather late; but the next morning he ordered Harmona to be brought to him. He entered, and Mendez commanded his servants to retire. "Harmona," said he, "I was yesterday apprized of your unhappy fortune, by a gentleman at the Viceroy's, who informed me that you were the chief of a party of Indians at war with us, and that your company had been taken prisoners, and publicly sold.

15. I have long been of opinion that, by mild methods, your clans might be brought to think better of the Spaniards in general, and that a mutual treaty of amity would tend much to promote the welfare of both nations. But private opinion, and private influence, can avail but little against general customs and prejudices, however ill-founded; yet, though I can but little promote the general good, it is a pleasure, a happiness to me, when an opportunity occurs of alleviating the distresses of particulars. From this instant you are free. Consider yourself as no longer in slavery."

16. Description is unequal to the task of conveying an dequate idea of Harmona's look and appearance, while Mendez was speaking. He seemed the statue of amazement; and when Mendez was silent, he appeared as if he had just awaked from a dream. "Is it possible," exclaimed he, the tear of affection stealing down his cheek, "is it possible that a Spaniard can think and feel for the woes of a Peruvian? Have they sympathetic hearts? Ah, no! it cannot be! Heaven, to show that nothing is beyond its power, has formed one benevolent and humane! Forgive me then, ye illustrious shades! ye mighty dead! if I forget your wrongs, and love that one Spaniard!".

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17. Hear me, Harmona," interrupted Mendez, "man kind is every where the same; the bad are intermixed with the good, and their number is but too considerable; yet we are not thence to conclude that all are bad. It was unhappy for Peru and Mexico, that the Spaniards who conquered them, were destitute of humanity; but, believe me, the rest of the nation hold them in detestation and abhorrence; lay aside your prejudices, and permit me to assure you, that there are hundreds amongst us, who would be glad to do you that good office you so much admire in me.'

18. The mind of the Peruvian was open to conviction, and he acquiesced in the sentiments of Mendez. He staid at Lima a short time, and then became impatient to return to his own country. Mendez offered to provide him with conveniences for the journey, but he would accept of nothing more than a Peruvian habit, with a fowlingpiece, and some ammunition. "Farewell!" said he, taking his benefac tor by the hand, "I shall never see you again, but I shall always remember you with love and gratitude. The infants of our nation shall lisp your name, and it shall be repeated to our venerable fathers, when we sacrifice at the Rock of Morsan." He parted, with a heart surcharged with affection, and left Mendez to the enjoyment of that satisfaction, which arises from the exercise of virtue.

19. At the beginning of the following year, Mendez was at his country house near Cusco. One morning, as he was riding alone through the vast tract of wood, which covers the foot of the Andes, he strayed beyond his usual limits, and found himself in a grove, the beauty of which enchanted him. The eye was captivated with a profusion of vivid plants, unknown to colder climates: the orange, plantain, and the beauteous anana, diffused an enlivening fragrance; and at a distance through the trees, appeared a cascade, which, after foaming over a rocky descent, was precipitated into a lake below. The sublime and beautiful were united in this pleasing scene, and Mendez felt his affection expand to the immense Author of nature. That animating enthu siasm of which great minds alone are capable, that admits the soul as it were, into an immediate converse with the Deity, had taken possession of his faculties.

O thou immortal source of loveliness,

How shall I speak thy praise! thou great perfection!

How infinite! beyond their narrow grasp.
Of all created being-The universe,
The vast expanded frame of animation,
All, all united, never can express

Thy boundless attributes! For thou thyself,
Thou only know'st, and canst declare thy praise!

20. As Mendez repeated these lines, ten armed Peruvians rushed out of a thicket, and seized him. They immediately killed his mule, and threw the carcass into the lake; and after tying the hands of Mendez, they led him away in triumph, through a variety of passes, into the inmost recesses of the mountains. They travelled till evening, when they at length arrived at a cultivated plain of about four leagues in circumference, which was quite environed with lofty mountains. The tribes came forth to meet them. They testified their joy at an accident which afforded a captive Spaniard to sacrifice at the tomb of Quimato. They led him with shouts and clamours to their temple. It was a rude edifice, built with stones of an enormous magnitude. The unhappy Mendez was stretched upon the altar; and the priest, with a ferocious and malignant joy, prepared the fatal knife.

21. "Wretch !" said the hoary murderer, now shalt thou feel some of those intolerable pangs which thy accursed race have inflicted on the children of the sun; now shall thy sinews shrink from the scorching flames, and thy flesh quiver beneath the deep inflicted wound of the sharp flint; and oh, ye murdered heroes of Peru, ye illustrious descendants of our holy Incas, regard propitiously this instance of remembrance we pay to your sufferings and wrongs! Teach me, for ye have wofully experienced, to torture this demon, this Spaniard: inspire me with tenfold hatred and revenge, that I may make a sacrifice grateful to your souls, and worthy the injuries ye have patiently endured."

22. The cry of revenge ran through the multitude. The very children caught the wild anguish and enmity of their parents, whilst the priest renewed the memory of their forefathers, and only waited his signal with their brands to kindie the devouring flame.

23. And now an awful silence reigned through the crowd; the mothers held up their babes to behold the blood of the

Spaniard sprinkled on the walls of their temple: the arm of the executioner was raised; nay, it was even descending when a voice, in the piercing accents of distress, broke through the stillness of the people, and cried," Stop, Yepedo! rash man, forbear!" It was the voice of Harmona, the voice of their chief. He had heard the shouts of the Peruvians; he hastened to discover the cause. He rejoiced to see a Spaniard extended on the altar of Morsan, and ran to assist at the sacrifice. He approached-he started-be be held the face of Mendez, his benefactor, his deliverer, and his soul sunk within at his danger. "Stop!" he cried," Yepedo! rash man, forbear!" and flung his intervening body to shelter his extended, beloved friend.

24. Who can describe the visage of Harmona, when he raised the rescued Mendez from the earth! Who can tell the gratitude of the Peruvians, when he gave him to them as his deliverer from the rude hands of tyranny, and from the disgraceful whip! "It is Mendez," said Harmona," my brethren, it is my friend, the friend of man, and of the Peruvi ans! He delivered me from bondage, and from death, and sent me to my kindred and my people!"

25. The name of Mendez, the deliverer of Harmona, was known among the tribes; they were struck with horror at the murderous act of ingratitude they had almost perpetrated they fell prostrate at his feet, and with wild anguish begged his forgiveness: they rose, admired, loved, and adored him. 26. Mendez remained a few days with the Indians, who, finding his manners and principles so different from the idea which they had entertained of the Spaniards, were glad to acquiesce in every thing he thought proper to offer for their advantage. A treaty of commerce and friendship was established between them and the Spaniards; by which the latter have not only rid themselves of a troublesome enemy on their frontiers, but likewise derive great advantages by trading with them for gold and emeralds.

27. Thus the benevolence and virtue of one man, could accomplish what the politics of the fraudulent might in vain have attempted. Happy would it be for mankind, if maxims so obvious, and principles so gratifying to the wellturned mind, were rather more general! But the present interest, with most men, outweighs all distant consideration.

however great; and it is, perhaps, impossible to convince the world in geral, that conscience and interest are perfectly reconcilable to each other.

The Snow-Storm.

1. Two cottagers, husband and wife, were sitting by their cheerful fireside, one winter's evening, in a smali lonely hut on the edge of a wide moor, at some miles distance from any other habitation. This lonely hut now sent up its smoke into the clear winter sky-and its little end window, lighted up, was the only ground star that shone towards the belated traveller, if any such ventured to cross, on a winter night, a scene so dreary and desolate.

2. The affairs of the small household were all arranged for the night. The little rough pony, that had drawn in a sledge, loaded with fuel, and the little Highland cow, whose milk enabled them to live, were standing amicably together. Within, the clock ticked cheerfully, as the fire-light reached its old oak-wood case across the yellow sanded floor; and a small round table stood between, covered with a snowwhite cloth, on which were milk and oat cake, the morning, midday, and evening meal of these frugal and contented cottagers. The spades and the mattocks of the labourer were collected into one corner, and showed that the succeeding day was the blessed Sabbath; while on the wooden chimneypiece was seen lying an open Bible, ready for family worship.

3. The father and the mother were sitting together, without opening their lips, but with their hearts overflowing with happiness, for on this Saturday-night they were, every minute, expecting to hear at the latch the hand of their only daughter, who was at service with a farmer, over the hills. This dutiful child was, as they knew, to bring home to them her hard-earned penny fee," a pittance which, in the beauty of her girlhood, she earned singing at her work, and which, in the benignity of that sinless time, she would pour with tears into the bosoms she so dearly loved.

4. Forty shillings a year were all the wages of sweet Hannah Lee; but, though she wore at her labour a tortoise-shell comb in her auburne hair, and though in the kirk none were more becomingly arrayed than she, one half, at least, of her earnings, were to be reserved for the holiest of all purposer.

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