66

fresh bouquets in the several vases around, she again | cast their cheering light on all within their influbent her tall person-then closing the small iron ence-rendering her a crown to her husband"gate, passed out from that hallowed spot. The and a tutelary divinity amongst his "household large gilt letters could not fail to attract attention | Gods."

to the tomb, they told the noble name of "Don Julian D'Alvarez, of Havana, who fell, in the flower of his youth, a victim to the prevailing epidemic of 1837." Had the stranger known him, he must have confessed, that in his fall, restless ambition was rebuked-vanity let fall her soaring wings-revenge ceased his scowl, and pride, that sin, whose original price was the loss of Heaven, acknowledged "what shadows we are, what shadows we pursue."

My Dear R.-It being a rainy day, and therefore consecrated to the spirit of dullness, I think I cannot better dispose of the superA few moments afterwards, the nun was seen fluous lead which weighs down the wing of time, entering another mansion of mortality-the Pro- than by scribbling to you. But what?"Ay! testant cemetery-but its appearance presented a there's the rub"-any one can make up his mind striking contrast to the one she had just left. The to spoil fair paper with dull thoughts, but my amplan and order of arrangement were something bition is to fabricate something, which will not similar, but it was greatly deficient in evidences of only relieve my own ennui, but be found worthy taste and cultivation, although some of the tombs to perform the same good office for you, should were costly and elegant. Silence and desolation you chance to be in the like unlucky predicament. reigned undisturbed, not the echo of a footstep broke upon its stillness. The nun approached a neat monument of the plainest and most simple architecture; no cross or Catholic symbol adorned its summit; no glaring device was elaborately engraved on its white surface. A stifled sob escaped her as she knelt, and the deep drawn sigh spoke a more heart broken grief, than when she laid her tribute of devotion at the shrine of the other. She parted the branches of the green curled willow, which swept over the pedestal, concealing the in-perance meetings, and temperance speeches. Suscription of

"Fell, by the hand of vengeance,

ROMANZO MORLEY,

In the year 1837."

I look abroad for a subject, and I behold a dull, leaden, hopeless sky; rain falling in torrents, water dripping from the eaves, water chasing over the window panes-water, water, water in every direction-and by a spontaneous impulse, thoughts of tee-total societies, temperance and toddy flow, irresistibly, into my mind. The world has been making a tremendous row on this subject, for some years past, and we have been literally overwhelmed with temperance societies, temperance tracts, tem

perannuated old fellows, who must dabble in something, have taken to dabbling in cold water, and obliging gentlemen, who have drank all the money out of their pockets and all the sense out of their heads, excite the profound sympathies of the credulous public, by marvellous narratives of their experience; and the nearer approach they have been fortunate enough to make to the beasts that perish, the more profound the sympathy, the higher the enthusiasm, their narratives excite.

With all the abandonment of the wildest sorrow, the nun pressed her lips upon the dark letters again, and again—no silent prayer moved her soul-and the rosary lay untouched over the thick folds of her dress. The garland she placed upon the slab wore not the variety of gay flowers, but was twined en- Far be it from me to depreciate, or speak lightly tirely of the darkest evergreens. Slowly drawing of so great and good a movement. In itself, it is her veil over her face, she folded her arms, and inestimable; the fault lies in its advocates. Like gazed for some moments, unmoved, upon the tomb, Uncle John's world, "It is splendid, but for the and then as slowly passed from that region of death. people in it." I cannot help thinking someWithin the Ursuline Convent, the proud and times, there is a want of "fitness"-to use the revengeful Lona D'Alvarez now passes her days favorite expression of an amiable friend of mine, "in an eternal war with woe," and shrouded in all in the intemperance with which many advocate the the darkness of despairing grief, which, like the cause, and the acrimony and bitterness they often rest of her passions, is of enduring strength. And bring to bear on a subject, whose very name reFlorence, sweet guileless Florence, whither art bukes them, trumpet-tongued. It strikes me, and thou? Afar in a northern home, whose healthful I put forth the pretension, humbly, in view of the and invigorating clime soon bade the rose re-bloom many, wise, good and virtuous, who turn the whole on her young cheek, and Time the great physician weight of their energies, their influence, their of all mental, as of corporeal maladies, wrought prayers, into the scale of reform, on this all imporhis effectual skill on her wounded heart. Within tant subject; it strikes me that many overdo the the sanctuary of domestic bliss, her many virtues matter, from that universal proneness we find in

VOL. IX-69

human nature, to seek extremes in every thing, is this which makes so many victims to intempethereby, only retarding the good cause, while the rance. They will not be taught by any other

golden mean, neglected and despised, creeps on more slowly, but not the less surely, to the destined end.

Individuals sometimes learn wisdom by experience but that great congregated mass of opposite materials, which we call the world, is the very dullest, most leathern-headed, and obstinate of scholars. It persists in perpetually running its nose full tilt against the same post, scouts at warnings, despises counsels, and never, I fear, will be any wiser, until some great arcanum is discovered, whereby a man may leave his learning and wisdom to his children, along with his landed property, and slip out of his wordly experience, at the same time that the laws of nature compel him "to shuffle off his mortal coil."

master than experience, and not always by him. It becomes, therefore, a question, whether it is wise to advocate any-even the very best cause in an intemperate manner, whether it is advisable to excite this spirit of opposition, by thrusting constantly and forever the same thorn into the side of the not always "patient public," even although, like the lancet of the physician, it wounds to heal.

It cannot be doubted, for a moment, by any one in his senses, that intemperance in the use of liquor, is a crying evil, a mighty monster, which cannot be too bravely battled with, or too speedily overthrown, but in a proper way; like all other popular maladies, it must be carefully and gradually eradicated from the great body politic, by gentle and wise means, by the slow but irresistible influence of public opinion, which never fails in the end to find out the right road, let it stray ever so much by the way. Never doubt, never despair,

The history of ages, stamped with the seal of truth, and freed by the hand of time from all local disturbing and blinding influences, shows us, on every page, the same story of misplaced zeal, and oh ye brave laborers, in the great cause of humaniheadlong opposition. Every where, in politics, ty-let hope be your beacon light, and keep on religion, science and art, wherever the world was steadfastly to the end. Be not impatient, but take to be benefitted, enlightened, or improved; where- a lesson from God's beautiful providence, which ever human genius was deputed by its Great Au- suffers nothing to start into existence at once per thor, to overturn some cherished error, or erect fect and complete; but wisely ordains that it should some undying truth-the fiery crest of persecution, pass through a gradual and almost imperceptible the universal spirit of opposition, arrayed itself. probation, ere it arrives at its full and sufficient Every great discovery, every wonderful invention, glory. Look back upon the history of ages passed that the world has ever known, has forced itself, away, on every page you will find instances of the as it were, into existence, not only unaided and ultimate triumph of your great principles; every unencouraged, but opposed with all the virulence where, where darkness seemed most palpable and of ignorance, and all the bigotry of superstition. to be felt. Great truths, starting up like meteors In former ages, the strong arm of force, fell heavily from the midst of desolation, and illuminating the upon the drooping head of the pale student of phi-waste, with a steady increasing flame. This flame, losophy, as he wasted life and health in the pursuit the great preservative principle of human nature, of a glorious truth-or strove manfully to dispel cannot be extinguished or subdued-smothered for the darkness in which ages of ignorance and bar-a time, it bursts forth again with renewed strength. barism had enshrouded the fair forin of science. To borrow the words of one of the first, if not In these more enlightened days, not the sword but the first of our American poetsthe pen, not the arm, but the tongue is wielded with this same intention, and the same effect. Men are men still-neither to be threatened, driven, coaxed, nor humbugged into the acceptance of the most palpable truth, until they have fairly tested its powers of endurance and its inherent vitality.

"Youth crushed to earth will rise again,
The eternal years of God are hers;
But Error wounded writhes in pain,

And dies amid her worshippers."
Yes, there is a great, an undying principle of vi-
tality in Truth-that small spark of heavenly flame,
which yet lingers amid the grossness and corrup
tions of our mortal natures. The puny efforts of
man, can neither extinguish, nor enkindle it—but,
fostered and fed by the divine beneficence above,
it needs not their fruitless aid.

But my object now is not to convince you, that opposition is, and always has been, a necessary ingredient in the social improvement, or scientific advancement; we hold that, to be a self-evident proposition-but to show that it is excess of zeal on the one side, which invariably produces it on the There is an excellent old proverb, which saysother, and that it is one of the peculiar characte-"too much of a good thing, is good for nothristics of amiable human nature, to bristle up its ing"-and another which advises all busy bodies back and growl defiance, the very moment it is" to let well alone." There is manifestly a great spoken to in a peremptory tone, or desired to move onward movement taking place in the world. a hairbreadth from its accustomed track, even if People have been, heretofore, fighting against the it be to avoid a pitfall, or escape an ambush. It passions of others, they are now beginning to free is this which makes so many people irreligious, it themselves from the dominion of their own. They

have been securing to themselves personal freedom and peace, and they are now at leisure to examine into the state of their hearts and consciences and those of their fellow men, and wage war against mental slavery, as fearlessly, as they did battle for political rights and personal freedom. 'Let them alone," as little Bopeep, in the Nursery tale, wisely says of his truant flocks-" Let them alone, they'll soon come home, and bring their tails behind them." But enough on the head of intemperance, (so called par excellence,) which consists in taking into the mouth an enemy to steal away the brain, and a few words on another, and, in my opinion, we see those whom God and nature have joined equally disastrous foe to human happiness, which reverses the order, and sends an enemy from the mouth, to steal away the quiet of households, and raise in many a family a demon of discord and disunion, which can never be laid. I mean intemperance of language.

It is a little, but a most powerful weapon, and more destructive to mankind's peace and happiness, than even the draught that inebriates, or the deadly weapon that destroys, for its ammunition is inexhaustible, universal, and indestructible. More than money is it the root of all evil-for it is an active worker of mischief. How many families have been disturbed, often dispersed by its baneful influence, how many sweet and holy ties severed, how many wounds inflicted, how many hearts broken! On all sides we behold evidences of its prevalence, its destructiveness, and its results; every where

together, widely, fatally severed, by this intemperate indulgence. Instead of the "soft answer which turneth away wrath," we have harsh rejoinders-bitter recriminations-disagreeable truths,and why should truth be rendered thus unlovely, when she is in her own pure person, beautiful exceedingly? Think you, my reader, this is not an "'Tis a strange mystery, the power of words! Life is in them, and death. A word can send important subject?-would it not be worth while The crimson color hurrying to the cheek, to make an appeal in its favor, to the leaders of the Hurrying with many meanings;-or can turn great parties of social reform, to the advocates of The current cold and deadly to the heart. association, to the Fourrierites, to all those, who Anger and fear are in thein; grief and joy may chance to find the tongue a potent little rebel, Are on their sound ;-yet slight, impalpable, in the way of their schemes for human improveA word is but a breath of passing air!" ment? Here is the great fundamental error in the The sweet poetess has here celebrated, with great social system--here is the great first cause of trouforce and beauty, the power of that gift which has ble and distress among us. Here, oh ye advocates been bestowed upon us by our Creator for far no- of temperance and cold water-here is a field for bler and higher purposes, than those to which we your best efforts,-quiet the sharp tongue, which apply it. The Bible, itself, repeats again and drives the husband first to the dram shop, and you again, through all its pure pages, the lessons of will have made a great step towards keeping him meekness, forbearance, charity; lessons, alas! but at home. Advocate not only temperance in drinklittle heeded, seemingly but little understood. Man- ing, but temperance in speaking-temperance in kind go on, year after year, age after age, setting all things, temperance on a grand and liberal scale, in stern judgment, on the weaknesses and follies and depend upon it, the effort alone will work its of an erring brother-ever ready to break the own accomplishment. bruised reed, ever willing to cast the first stone, with a hand sullied with equal, perhaps greater guilt, a conscience burdened with equal, if not greater enormities.

I had enlarged thus far upon the above theme, dear R., for your benefit, and with the freedom, which your kind favor towards my poor productions emboldens me to adopt; and, while my mind But even if we must judge our fellow men, al- was still occupied with the subject, insensibly yieldthough that is strictly forbidden-we should pause ing to the overpowering influence of the heat, I before we give vent to that judgment, in words fell into a profound slumber-during the course of that may inflame, but cannot heal. There needs which, I dreamed the following dream: Methought some champion to arise, some apostle of meek- I was wandering alone, upon a vast, level plainness, some good Father Mathew to teach men, the boundaries of which, instead of stretching far they have no right to pervert one of God's best away in the usual dim perspective of a landscape gifts to unworthy purposes, to abuse the power, view, were hidden on all sides by masses of cloudy which, properly wielded, yields us the eloquence of vapor. Studding the plain at intervals, occasional the patriot, the mild teachings of the Christian, groups of beautiful trees lent a graceful and rethe noble accents of philanthropy and benevolence. freshing shade, and numerous pure and limpid Sad and bitter reflection!-that the power, which streams, issuing from beneath the cloudy boundary, can soothe, persuade, soften and heal, should find ran quietly and gently towards the centre of the its most common exercise, in the sharp reproof, the level space, where, as it were, by spontaneous ackeen sarcasm, the biting jest. That the mild and tion, they all united in forming a magnificent foungentle accents of peace, sympathy and kindness, tain, which rose high in air, its foamy crest undushould be so utterly lost and overwhelmed, amid lating and waving against the blue sky, like a githe din and clash of rude and boisterous tongues. gantic plume. Immediately in front of this foun

tain, which formed an appropriate and magnificent | pretended votaries--and the trumpet voice again canopy, on a throne of purest alabaster, sat a ma- rang forth, commanding silence, that the proceedjestic female figure, who, by some hocus pocus, ings of the court might be heard by all. At this peculiar to the land of dreams, I knew at once to crisis, Dear R., I-did not awake-oh no, that be the Genius of Temperance. Surrounding her, would have been too provoking-but "a change and, as it were, forming her court, were grouped, came o'er the spirit of my dream"-a confused in many a beauteous circle, the perfect and ravish-mistiness seemed to envelope all my dramatis pering forms of virtues, which men have been per- sonæ-for I could not help feeling as if this was mitted to know and aspire after, but never yet to a sort of drama of which I was the only and privireach. Peace, Hope, and Charity were there, love-leged spectator. The image of the after events ly and inseparable sisters;-Forbearance, Meek- is but imperfectly stamped upon my memory-at ness, Gentleness, and Love, not that profane and least until the final catastrophe, which was too selfish deity, to which men delight to pay homage, personal to be forgotten. I have a faint recollecbut the pure offspring of religion and virtue, which tion of a confusion of tongues, worse than Babel calls all men brothers, and rejects no creature, of old, despite the warnings of the silver trumpet, which God has made. With calm, self-conscious which rang forth long and loud. The air seemed strength, there stood Fortitude, supporting, on his filled with temperance tracts, which fell in such steadfast arm, the drooping form of Patience, while quantities that they formed a rostrum for the pomConstancy, with brow serene as night, and star-like pous orator, who speechified, undauntedly, to the eyes, looked forth between the two. Many other very nose of the Genius, while his admiring audipure and angelic forms were there, but the wander-tors transferred to him the worship they at first ing senses could not take in their lineaments, and, paid to her. I could not help, inwardly, contrastalthough I gazed with curious delight upon the ing the struggling, excited throng, with the statuespectacle, I seemed to feel a sense of its want of like figure of the majestic goddess, as she sat with substantiality; a nervous dread, lest the whole ap-an immovable calm impressed upon her chiseled pearance should vanish, which prevented my taking features, and thought it a fitting and most forcible more than a hasty view of its various wonders. portraiture of human wisdom and divine truth. Suddenly a clear, ringing voice broke forth upon The fitful gleaming of the one, the calm, undying the solemn silence, like the sound of a silver trum-glory of the other. The first a noisy, turbulent pet. It proclaimed, that the Genius of Temperance, having been entreated and prayed to return to earth again, after ages of banishment, and willing to afford to her true votaries the encourage-ing down to earth an image of that heaven, of ment of her presence, had appointed this day, to give audience to all claims of her subjects,—that they might show cause why she should comply with their requests, and make report of their exer-length upon the circumstances of this remarkable tions and their success in her cause.

torrent, fretting at every obstacle, and foaming at every inequality-the last, still, silent, and immortal-like the pure depths of a mountain lake, bring

which its purity makes it the truest emblem.

But neither time, nor this intolerable hot weather, will permit me to dilate at much greater

her fair and snow white hand, and a smile of heavenly sweetness appeared, for the first time, to relieve the classic coldness of her features, like a sunbeam playing upon a marble statue.

dream. Among all the thronging myriads, none At this announcement, the before solitary plain appeared to be acceptable to the Genius, over whose appeared covered, all at once, with a mighty and brow an expression of pain and disappointment was tumultuous throng of human beings-on every side gradually stealing-when, suddenly, it appeared as they pressed forward,-running, pushing, and jost-if her eye fell upon me, as I hovered on the outling one another in the intemperance of their skirts of the crowd, casting, ever and anon, a glance haste, each appearing to believe he had some pecu- of true adoration upon the divinity, in whose behalf liar claim to the favor of the Genius-each looking I had been making my feeble but sincere effort. with ill-disguised contempt upon the pretensions of Methought she extended graciously towards me his neighbor-and each armed with some favorite dogma, or mounted on some peculiar hobby, by which he hoped to gain great preferment in the approaching audience. I observed some carrying banners, emblazoned with emblematical devices- I made almost superhuman efforts to reach the and a great many, among whom were a vast num- foot of her throne, but an unaccountable and unber with extremely red noses, rushed, ostenta- seen influence appeared to root me to the spot; tiously, to the fountain and began to drink like so the vast crowd turned upon me as one man, and a many fishes, while one pompous old fellow, with perfect phantasmagoria of faces, distorted and disa huge pile of temperance tracts under one arm, turbed into the most fantastic expressions of maligstretched forth the other like a pump handle, and nity, glared upon me from all sides. My letter, began spouting out the praises of temperance, in which I thought I still held in my hand, to present a voice like the roaring of Niagara. Meanwhile, to the genius, as a token of my exertions in her the Genius awaited, in silence, the approach of her cause, was snatched from me, and instead, I found

myself the happy possessor of a tract, bearing
the interesting title of "Tidings for Topers; or,
the Last Kick of King Alcohol." "Join the
Teetotal Society"-" Spiritous Liquors"-" Absti-
nence"-" Cold Water" were shouted in my be-
wildered ears.
I felt myself borne along as by a
rushing mighty wind, amid a chorus of singing,
shouting and screaming. I found myself suddenly
lifted high in air, just caught one glance of the
serene countenance of the Genius, as, surrounded
by her court, she floated majestically upward, and
was soused, head over heels, in the basin of the
fountain, with its rushing waters pouring a deluge
of foam around me, and driving me still under and
under with their ceaseless plunge. At this crisis,

Prouder object ne'er hallowed
The concord of song;
On valor more daring
The sun never shone,

Than the day when RIEGO,
With bosom on flame,
Raised the banner of freedom
In battle's acclaim.

Then haste to the conflict;

Our country to save:
And our anthem in Heaven
Be "the Hymn of the Brave."

(Translated from the French.)

I did awake, but it was some time, before I fully THE BASQUE PROVINCES OF SPAIN. escaped from the influence of the land of shadowsfor the sound of falling waters still perplexed me, and kept me wandering between sleep and waking. A soft, gurgling sound, followed by a sudden plunge, was, at intervals, perceptible in the silence of the apartment, and, at last, fully awakened, I rose to discover the cause of the unusual sounds. And what think you it was, gentle reader?-Lo! in my basin, which contained just enough water to secure to enable us to understand properly the heroic resiswithout drowning him-a fat little mouse swam incessantly round and round. He was a very un"The hermandad of the province of Guipuzcoa," willing tee-to-taller however-like many other says the book of the fueros, "is a very old fedefolks he had got too much cold water, and it was ration, formed for ever and ever between the munihis strenuous efforts to escape, which had affected cipal councils of all its inhabitants, with a view to my slumbers and procured you the pleasure of considering the measures best suited to secure the hearing my dream. King's service, as well as that of the republic, and, If it has relieved a single weary moment, or lastly, to maintaining all the provincial privileges, amused a single stray hour, my object is accom-exemptions and liberties."

I was conversing to-day with the vicar of Hernani, Don Augustin Iturriaga, a man of sense and education, respecting the immunities of the three Basque provinces, Guipuzcoa, Biscay and Alava, to which immunities they owe the name of the exempt provinces. This knowledge is useful

tance made by the Basques to the Queen's armies.

plished. Therefore, good, bad, or indifferent, oh, This real republican federation is composed of my lucubrations! I dedicate you to all those, who about a hundred cities and boroughs, which recoghave nothing better to do than to read you; and nise no capital; the eighteen most important have, so great is my good nature, and freedom from the however, the right of becoming, by turns, the seat usual touchiness of scribblers, that even if they be of the General Junta. This Junta is composed of pronounced duller than a dull lecture, and more sixty-six procuradores, commissioners, under the tedious than a rainy day, gentle and kind reader, presidency of a corregidor, nominated by the King, you are still welcome to them. With honest Dog-who usually confers this office on a magistrate of berry I exclaim, "were they ten times more tedious, the court of Pampeluna and Valladolid : if the corI could find in my heart to bestow it all on your regidor is absent or sick, the presidency of the worship."

RIEGO'S HYMN..
Where our swords are uplifted
Our country to save,
Let us chant, brother Soldiers,
The Hymn of the Brave.

Its deep swelling accents

Fly loud the world round;
And the CID's proud descendants
Awake at the sound.

Our country invokes us;

The foeman is nigh:

Then swear for our country
To conquer or die.

Junta belongs of right to the alcade of the city or borough where it is assembled. Thus, very lately, the alcade of Sestona, a poor locksmith, was seen presiding over the assembly, wherein sat the count of Monteron, the Duke of Grenada and the richest proprietors of Guipuzcoa. The corregidor cannot interfere in any way with the debates of the Junta, unless it encroaches on the royal prerogative; then he assumes his reserved rights and protests against its resolutions; his political part is confined to this alone. Such is the deference paid by the crown to the province, that, if a corregidor should happen to sign an Act of the Junta, which should afterwards be found affected by some illegality, and if the province should be sentenced to be fined by the crown, it is he alone that would have to pay it.