WEST INDIAN. conceive, that a white lady would ever tolerate a black man as a husband. The least attention to the influence of manners, proves the idea to be preposterous.-Major Moody's Second Report, p. 25, et seq. You pervert our statements respecting physical inequality. We affirm simply, that a black man can work in the Tropics, while a white cannot. We disclaim the wish to perpetuate slavery. To effect a cure, we must correctly know the disease. To exterminate slavery, we must know the causes of its rise, and its natural decay. Reflecting upon these, we assert, that a man might as well stretch forth his arms to stop the current of a mighty river, as, by means of moral duty, to check the propensity to idleness in men, where there is to them no adequate object to be purchased by exertion. If we seek for subsequent civilization, slavery can be terminated in no other mode than by that of assimilating the maintenance of the negro to the returns for his labor.---M'Donnel's Considerations, chap. iv. It is not for us, but the nation, to answer the charge. It refers to the removal of the negroes from 'Africa, which all allow to have been a flagrant crime. But the very mooting of the question would establish all that we desire. 1st. That emancipation would expel industry from the Colonies. 2nd. That the capitalist would be ruined, for which the nation, in common regard for its good faith, must provide indemnification; and, 3rdly, That the Colonies WEST INDIAN. will be lost to Great Britain. Whether a life of sloth or of industry, however remote, may be its voluntary exercise---whether or not having committed the sin of transporting the slaves from Africa, it would be wise, or even just, to let them relapse into barbarism---whether or not it would be humane to further encourage the Slave Trade, or politic, in so doing, to feed the resources of foreign powers, it is for the nation to decide.---M'Donnell's West India Legislatures Vindicated, fp. 72, 73. ARISTIDES. THE FORSAKEN'S REMONSTRANCE. Or chang'd thy fickle faith alone, If real passion fir'd thy breast, Then mightest thou at least have guess'd But there is madness in the fear, That when thy lips could breathe, The words I lov'd so well to hear Careless to whom it sued and bow'd, Say, 'twas Necessity's cold laws, And I may half forgive the ill What once I pictur'd thee. ADELA. HEBREW SAYINGS. Meanness of disposition, and sternness of character, are the misbegotten offspring of Pride and Folly. Like the icy frost, they palsy and benumb every thing which comes near them, and, like the dark clouds of winter, overshadow and obscure the brightest deeds and the deepest wisdom. Gentleness and Affability are the lovely children of Benevolence and Sociability. They, like the summer rays of the sun, warm and expand every thing which comes within their influence. They gently draw the hearts of men towards them, spread a light over intelligence, and are the loveliest ornaments of true greatness. 66 THE PATIENT HILLEL. In the time of Herod, surnamed the Great, lived two men of extraordinary erudition, Schammai and Hillel. The former was morose and irritable, the latter gentle, modest, and cheerful. It happened that a Heathen came to the first, and said to him, "I am "much willing to become of your persuasion, on condition that you expound to me the whole law within the time that I can stand upon one leg." The morose teacher, enraged at such an unseemly request, drove the impudent stranger away from him with his staff. The Heathen made the same request to Hillel, who complied with it without hesitation, and fulfilled his condition, saying, "Do not unto "others, what thou wouldst not have done to thyself. This is the "essence of the law,-all the remainder is only the interpretation; "go now and learn." The Heathen thanked him, and became an honest and good man. The same gentle and good-humored Hillel once occasioned a wager which was laid as to whether it was possible to disturb his equanimity of temper. The better to ascertain this, he who wished to enrage him, went to Hillel, who was possessed of the greatest power and authority next to the king, and asked in a rude imperative tone, "Where is Hillel?" without making him the accustomed salutation. Hillel, without noticing the stranger's rudeness, answered with his ordinary calmness, "Here am I, wherefore dost thou call "me?" "I wish to know why the Babylonians have round heads?” "An important question, truly," said Hillel. "The reason is, that "they have not experienced midwives." 66 The man went, but speedily returned, and asked just as loudly and insolently, "Where is Hillel?" The wise man answered as gently as before," Here am I, what dost thou wish to know, my "son?" "I wish to know, wherefore the Parthians have weak eyes?" "Because they live in a sandy soil, which occasions the small particles to get into their eyes, and thereby weakens them." The stranger once more withdrew, astonished at Hillel's good temper, and almost immediately returned, bawling loudly for Hillel. "Why have," said he, boldly, "the Africans broad feet?" "Because "they live in a marshy soil." "I would ask thee yet a question, but "I fear thou wilt be angry." "Fear nothing," replied the amiable Hillel. "Ask what thou will, I will answer thee if I can." Astonished at Hillel's urbanity, and alarmed at the probable loss of the wager, the stranger thought that the surest way to win it, was to offend him downright, and therefore he asked him insolently to his face, "Art thou a Prince of Israel?" Hillel replied in the affirmative. Well, then," replied the stranger, "Heaven forbid there should be many more such princes as thou!" "Wherefore?" said Hillel, but still speaking with a smile. "Because---because---I have lost "400 shekels by thee;" and thereupon he related to him the whole adventure. "Thy gold," said Hillel, smiling," is not entirely lost; "the result will teach thee more prudence for the future, not to wager so indiscreetly. Better it is that thou shouldst lose thy money, than "Hillel his temper." THE ABBE MEZZOFANTI. There are phenomena among mankind quite as inexplicable as those of the material world. Mezzofanti is one of them. He is Librarian and Professor of Oriental Languages in the University of Bologna. As Abbe, he every day reads the service of the Mass, which is in LATIN; and without ever having been beyond the walls of Bologna, he is acquainted with other languages to a number that seems almost incredible. The Baron von Zach relates of him in his astronomical correspondence. 66 66 "In our first interview, he addressed me in an HUNGARIAN, and paid his respects in the best MAGYARISCHEN dialect, in a compliment so elegantly worded, as to cause in me no slight surprise. He then spoke to me in GERMAN, first in SAXON, then in the AUSTRIAN, then in the SWABIAN idioms, and in all with a correctness and precision "that increased my astonishment to the highest. In addition, this extraordinary man spoke ENGLISH with Captain Smyth, POLISH and "Russian with Count Wolkonsky. At dinner at the Cardinal Legate Spina, I sat near him. After I had conversed with him some time, "in many languages, all of which he spoke better than I, it occurred "to me, suddenly to address him in WALLACHIAN. Without hesita❝tion, and without ever appearing to notice my change of language, "he answered me in the same idiom with such fluency, that I was obliged to say, 'Gently, gently, Mr. L'Abbe, not so fast! I had "not spoken myself in this language for fourteen years, although I "had understood it perfectly in my youth, when I served with my Hungarian regiment. The Professor was, however, far more fluent "than I; and in this part of the conversation I discovered that he I spoke another language, which I had never been able to learn, although I had often tried, and had had so many more opportunities "than he---I mean, THE GIPSY DIALECT. But how could a man who "had never left his native town, instruct himself in a language which "is not written, nor to be found in any printed book in the world? "During the war in Italy, an Hungarian regiment was stationed at "Bologna, among whom the Professor discovered a gipsy; he "made him his teacher, and learned with his ordinary facility a "language which appears an unintelligible patois, from the source of "that of the Indian Parias. And in what manner did he speak all "these languages? Prince Wolkonsky gave this testimony as to the "Russian---he wished his son, who was travelling with him, could I speak it as well. Captain Smyth said, The Professor speaks 66 6 66 6 66 6 66 English more correctly than I, who have corrupted mine by mixing with Irish, Scotch, and foreigners of all nations. The Professor speaks it so accurately, that it is evident he is a master of the language.' The Baron, von Zach having introduced a countryman to him, the Professor conversed with him in German. The stranger afterwards asked the Baron, how it happened that a German was made a Professor at an Italian University? A Bohemian, who conversed with Mezzofanti in his mother tongue, told us, that had he not knowo the Professor to be an Italian, he should have taken him for a Bohemian. The wonder becomes still greater when we reflect how difficult it must be to an Italian, whose language is so particularly soft and mellifluous, to speak such harsh languages as the English, the German, the Polish, and the Russian. TO A LADY. "That touching and unearthly charm, Where early death has set its seal." KNIGHT'S QUar. Mag. Thy step is measured by the beating heart, Too like a temple, radiant with the flame, We hardly dare thy destiny deplore ; A H. ANTICIPATION; OR, BIRDS IN A BUSH. "Tute hoc intriste, omne tibi exedendum est." Every bird must hatch its own egg. Βρεκεκεκεξ, κοαξ, κοαξ. TERENT. Chorus of Frogs-ARISTOPHANFS. Are you married or single, reader? You must be either one or the other; and, married or unmarried, you will suit my purpose, and, perhaps, I may contrive to suit yours, which is, doubtless, to be amused. If I happen to enter into an anticipation of what you have realized, you will not be displeased, perhaps, to find some congeniality in our minds; if on the contrary, you and I shall be still better friends. I hate raising expectations; and, for this reason, |
