to assume the control of such affairs, the mercenary intriguers and interested office-hunters of the country. 5. Tell me not, sir, of popular violence! Show me a hundred political factionists, - men who look to the election of a President as a means of gratifying their high or their low ambition, and I will show you the very materials for a mob, ready for any desperate adventure connected with their common fortunes. The reason of this extraordinary excitement is obvious. It is a matter of self-interest, of personal ambition. The people can have no such motives; they look only to the interest and glory of the country. 6. There was a law of Athens which subjected every citizen to punishment, who refused to take sides in the political parties which divided the republic. It was founded in the deepest wisdom. In political affairs, the vicious, the ambitious, and the interested, are always active. It is the natural tendency of vir tue, confiding in the strength of its own cause, to be inactive. It hence results that the ambitious few will inevitably acquire the ascendency, in the conduct of human affairs, if the patriotic many, the people, are not stimulated and roused to a proper activity and effort. 7. Sir, no nation on earth has ever exerted so extensive an influence on human affairs as this will certainly exercise, if we preserve our glorious system of government in its purity. The liberty of this country is a sacred deposit, a vestal fire, which Providence has committed to us, for the general benefit of mankind. It is the world's last hope. Extinguish it, and the earth will be covered with eternal darkness. But once put out that fire, and I "know not where is the Pro-me'the-an heat which can that light relume." GEORGE MCDUFFIE. (1785-1851.) CVII. - THE DOWNFALL OF POLAND. LEAGUED (leegd), pp., united. VOLLEYED, pp., discharged at once. PAN'DOUR (-door), n., a foot soldier in PU-IS'SANT, a., powerful. Pronounce Pharaoh, Fa'ro. Avoid saying srieked for shrieked; picter for picture. O! SACRED Truth! thy triumph ceased a while, Presaging wrath to Poland—and to man ! Warsaw's last champion from her height surveyed O Heaven! he cried, my bleeding country save!— By that dread name, we wave the sword on high! He said, and on the rampart-heights arrayed In vain, alas! in vain, ye gallant few! From rank to rank your volleyed thunder flew :- Found not a generous friend, a pitying foe, Dropped from her nerveless grasp the shattered spear, Closed her bright eye, and curbed her high career;— Hope, for a season, băde the world farewell, And Freedom shrieked as Kosciusko fell. O! righteous Heaven! ere Freedom found a grave, Why slept the sword, omnipotent to save? Where was thine arm, O Vengeance! where thy rod, That crushed proud Ammon, when his iron car Departed spirits of the mighty dead! Ye that at Mărathon and Leuctra bled! The patriot TELL- the BRUCE Of Bannockburn! THOMAS CAMPBELL. (1777-1844.) CVIII.—THE INQUISITIVE MAN. DICK'Y, n., a seat behind a carriage | AT-TOR'NEY (-tur-), n., one who acts for servants. NA'BOB, n., a man of wealth. PER-PET'U-AL-LY, ad., constantly. for another, especially in law. TRAVEL-ING or TRAVEL-LING, ppr., journeying. Avoid the habit of saying aint you for aren't (arnt) you ; skersly for scarcely; ast for asked; stoopid for stū'pid. Doubledot. Here comes Mr. Paul Pry! I wish he was further. He is one of those idle, meddling fellows, who, having no employment, are perpetually interfer ing in other people's affairs. He does n't scruple to question you about your most private concerns. Then he will weary you to death with a long story about the loss of a sleeve-button, or some such idle matter. But I'll soon get rid of him. (Enter PRY.) Pry. Ha! how d'ye do, Mr. Doubledot? Doub. Very busy, Mr. Pry, and have scarcely time to say "Pretty well, thank you." Pry. Well, since you're busy, I won't interrupt you; only, as I was passing, I thought. I might as well drop in. Doub. Then you may now drop out again. The London coach will be in, presently, and Pry. No passengers by it to-day; for I have been to the hill to look for it. Doub. Did you expect any one by it, that you were so anxious? Pry. No; but I make it my business to see the coach come in every day. I can't bear to be idle. Doub. Useful occupation, truly! Pry. I always see it go out. Have done so these ten years. Doub. (Aside.) Tiresome blockhead! (Aloud.) Well, good-morning to you. Pry. Good-morning, Mr. Doubledot. does n't appear to be very full just now. Your house Doub. No, no; and I wish it was n't as full as it is. Pry. Ha! you are at a heavy rent-eh? I've often thought of that. No supporting such an establishment without a deal of custom. If it is n't asking an impertinent question, don't you find it rather a hard matter to make both ends meet, when Christmas comes round? Doub. If it is n't asking an impertinent question, what's that to you? Pry. O, nothing; only some folks have the luck of it. They have just taken in a nobleman's family at the Green Drăgon. Doub. What! What's that? A nobleman at the Green Dragon? Pry. Traveling carriage and four. Three servants on the dicky and an outrider, all in blue liveries. They dine and stop all night. A pretty bill there will be to-morrow; for the servants are not on board wages. Doub. Plague take the Green Dragon! How did you discover that the servants are not on board wages? Pry. I was curious to know, and asked one of them. You know I never miss any thing for want of asking. 'Tis no fault of mine the nabob is not here. Doub. Why, what had you to do with it? Pry. You know I never forget my friends. I stopped the carriage, as it was coming down hill, brought it to a dead stop, and said that if his lordship—I took him for a lord, at first- that if his lordship intended to make any stay, he could n't do better than go to Doubledot's. Doub. Well? Pry. Well, would, you believe it?-out pops a saffron-colored face from the carriage window, and says, "You're an impudent rascal, for stopping my carriage! and I'll not go to Doubledot's if there's another inn to be found within ten miles of it!" Doub. There! that comes of your stupid meddling! If you had n't interfered, I should have stood an equal chance with the Green Dragon. Pry. I'm very sorry; but I did it for the best. Doub. Did it for the best, indeed! You meddling booby! By your officious attempts to serve, you do more mischief in the neighborhood than the exciseman, the apothecary, and the attorney, all together. Pry. Well, there's gratitude! Now, really, I must go. Good-morning. (Goes.) |