with alternate indignation and pride. We listen to miscellaneous disputes, all most characteristically conducted, on Roman politics. We follow the inquisitive troop of spectres to the ruins of those illustrious structures dedicated to worship, to amusement, or secular affairs, which Rome was wont to spread about her city, and there watch them with interest, while they tell of the time when they passed their youths under those magnificent domes, and unite in their sorrow for the destruction of those edifices. The obligations and the severity of the order of the vestal virgins are portrayed in a beautiful episode, in which the lineaments of tragedy are deepened by the fine coloring of the diction. The tombs of the Appian way, the sacred grotto of Egeria, and the Pantheon, offer successively interesting materials for describing and illustrating the religion and manners of antient Rome. The curiosity of the spectres is awakened continually by some circumstance peculiar to modern times; and our author, who acts with all the civility of a guide, never fails to yield the fullest explanation to each inquiry. They find cause of wonder, and often, too, of just ground of wrath, in the changes which the revolutions of ages have wrought in the outward aspect of their country, as well as in the moral frame of its inhabitants; and it requires all the subtlety and all the eloquence of their mortal companions to allay the perturbation of their souls, and restore them to the tranquillity of the grave.

The translator has performed his task in a manner that reflects credit on his taste. In order to justify this praise, we shall give a single extract relating to the description of the punishment to which the vestal virgin was condemned, for having violated her vow of continence. It may be necessary to premise, that the narrative is given by the shade of an unhappy victim, who appears to our author and his spectrecompanions during a visit to the Campo Scellerato, which was the place set apart for the execution of the awful penalty incurred by those virgins who betrayed their vows.

"The dreadful executioners of the sentence then confined me still more straitly in my chains, which were now rusted with my tears, and fetched a seat closed all around, in order that when I was placed in it, my groans might not be overheard by the pitying multitude. But that tyrannical invention was useless in suppressing my sighs, because oppressed by grief, and more than half dead, I had not sufficient breath left to put the air in motion by my cries.*** Then having in a short time arrived at this accursed spot, I was conducted into a subterranean prison, where (being buried alive) I was compelled to suffer many deaths in slow agony.

13

"Here

"Here stood the menacing Pontifex, who covered me with a black veil, the dreadful emblem of death; then stretching forth to my breast, in an angry attitude, his sacerdotal right hand, repulsed me from him, like an execrable victim. The lictors thereafter undid my fetters, so that I was not now free, but left a prey to maddening impulses of desperation. Then, according to the melancholy ceremony, they lighted a lamp, and left me a little oil to feed its flame, some straw to lie upon, and bread, water, and milk to support me. Every one thereafter went out, and the opening of the cell was closed with a heavy block of marble, as if it had been a tomb. Ah me! what a dreadful noise was that which I heard at that lamentable moment. Several stones fell down in a heap at the entrance, thrown, as I conjectured, in order that every outlet might be closed to my last groans.

"Meanwhile a deadly blindness covered my eyes, and my trembling limbs giving way beneath me, I sunk upon the straw. Oh that I had then died suddenly! But after that I had recovered, my scattered senses, I uttered imprecations against the barbarous punishment, the tyrannic office, the useless fire, and the complaints of outraged nature, and my unwary vows; but the idle air was alone conscious of my last expressions. Alas! even now, art thou resounding with them, thou abyss of death, cave of mortal agonies, thou gulf inaccessible to pity, thou tomb of living desperation! Sure am I that, if with you there still remains any feeling for the misfortunes of humanity, you must bewail my deplorable end; for what other comfort do the wretched request, except to have their miseries listened to with pity. And what agony can be greater than neither to have nor to hope ever to behold a human countenance, or any one to hear the tale of your mortal desolation. But at length the force of my body having become too feeble to give expression to my anguish, I began gradually to sink away to my desired end. Wherefore instead of food did they not leave me in pity a friendly dagger, or some deadly poison? For as nature ever prompts even the wretched to support themselves, I observing near the pallid flame the nourishment destined to lengthen out my agonies, sipped a little water, as my throat was parched up with the sobs of death. I also fed the flickering flame with oil; for anxious as I was to descend into the abysses of death, yet I was afraid of remaining alive in that tomb without light-when, behold, on a sudden, there was excited in my breast a raging fit of madness; I leaped from that infamous spot, so vainly bathed with my tears, and with such a deliberation, as even now I approve, I dashed my forehead, with all the strength which remained in my limbs, against the wall- and fell. The darkness of eternity covered my eyes, and my soul lighted up with an inextinguishable flame, fled with a groan from my mortal body. But how many days I spent in agonies in my tomb I know not, for tedious are the moments of pain, and when deprived of the light of the sun, hours pass away untold. Ah me! if any one amongst you all, in this ocean of eternity, have encountered that adored

youth,

youth, for whose love I suffered death, for pity's sake reveal to me what was his destiny, and relate to me the manner of his death.”

While the sorrowing damsel thus exclaimed, she, with the corner of her veil, wiped away the tears from her eyes, while upon her beautiful countenance pity was depicted in so sweet a manner, that it excited the compassion of every by-stander. The air resounded with a deep lamentation, and, at the same time, there came forth from the crowd a spectre, which, turning itself towards the damsel, said,

"Since thou wishest so much, O unfortunate young lady, to hear the sad intelligence, I, who lived at that period, can reveal it to thee, piteous as it is.'

'She then lifted her veil, wherein she had concealed her sorrowing countenance, and mournfully exclaimed,

"Narrate whatever thou knowest, cruel as may be the story, because it is impossible to make me more wretched than I now am."

The other answered; " After that the priest had fulfilled towards thee his cruel office, he suddenly dragged forth into the Comitia the ill-fated youth, where, according to the atrocious custom, he himself, with his sacerdotal right arm, the inexorable minister of celestial wrath, struck him with rods, until he expired under the blows."

'At these tidings Floronia fled away; and as she withdrew, she shook her head wildly, and the breeze agitated her scarf, and her cheeks, and dishevelled locks.'

The Appendix to the last Volume is published with this
Number.

THE

MONTHLY REVIEW,

For OCTOBER, 1825.

ART. I. Narrative of an Expedition to the Source of St. Peter's River, Lake Winnepeek, Lake of the Woods, &c. Performed in the Year 1823, by Order of the Honourable J. C. Calhoun, Secretary of War, under the Command of Stephen H. Long, U.S. T. E. Compiled from the Notes of Major Long, Messrs. Say, Keating, and Colhoun, by William H. Keating, A. M., &c. 2 Vols. 8vo. 11. 8s. Boards. pp. 450. and 404. Whittaker. 1825. THE objects which the government of the United States had

principally in view in ordering the expedition, of which a narrative is given in these volumes, were to explore the country, and ascertain its resources, as far west as the river St. Peter, and the Red River, which empties itself into Lake Winnepeek, and also to enquire into the present state, manners, and customs of the Indian nations. The region described extends from the fifty-first to the fortieth degree of north latitude, and from the ninety-seventh to the seventyfourth degree of west longitude. The figure may be conceived to be rhomboidal, and is about thirteen hundred miles in length from E. S. E. to W. S. W., and has an average width of between four and five hundred miles. All the large rivers which flow southward, and fall into the Mississippi, rise within the above parallels of latitude and longitude, and near to the sources of these rivers also rise most of the great rivers which flow northwards into the lakes, and are finally poured into the Gulf of St. Lawrence: hence it becomes highly important to determine what facilities exist for establishing an inland navigation, extending from Quebec to New Orleans.

The information respecting the physical geography, and the river-courses of the United States, which was obtained during the expedition, forms a very valuable, though not the most entertaining part of the present volumes. Near the latitude 40°, the greatest elevation of the Alleghany mountains above the tide-level is about three thousand feet. Maize, which grows in great perfection in the valleys, cannot be raised where the altitude exceeds twelve hundred feet; VOL. CVIII. wheat

I

wheat grown on these mountains, at a considerable elevation, is better and heavier than what is grown below. Frosts occur on some of the ridges in every month of the year. Between the Ohio river and Lake Michigan the general elevation of the country is from six hundred to one thousand feet above the tide-level: many of the rivers which rise in this district and flow into the Ohio nearly interlock with rivers that flow into Lake Erie. In regard to the facility for artificial water-communication, through this part of the country, between the Lakes and the Mississippi, the only doubt which can exist is the possibility of a failure of water on the summits, in dry seasons. Major Long says, that a connection will doubtless soon be attempted between the southern extremity of Lake Michigan and the west end of Lake Erie, and the abundance and size of the water-courses between the two points will afford a sufficient supply of water for the purpose. The country between the Lake Michigan and the Mississippi affords many facilities for a water-communication. The fertility of this country is great, and capable, with culture, of supporting a dense population; indeed it is stated to be one of the most valuable districts within the basin of the Mississippi. So nearly do some of the sources of the rivers which flow north and south approach and interlock, that there are three different routes through which loaded canoes have passed from one to the other, in times of inundation, without the intervention of portages.' The great tributaries to the Mississippi in this district are, the Illinois river, the Rock river, and the Wisconsan. The branches from the first of these rivers join in two places, during floods, with the rivers that flow into Lake Michigan, and the route is frequently traversed by boats. The Illinois is navigable for two hundred and fifty miles with great ease, the current being gentle and almost imperceptible. The Wisconsan (written in Arrowsmith's map Ooisconnsan, and in other maps Onisonsan,) is navigable for large vessels for more than one hundred and eighty miles: one of its branches also nearly unites with the Fox river, which flows into Green Bay, an arm of Lake Michigan. The political philosopher, who contemplates the advantages which this amazing chain of water-communication must confer on the interior territory of the United States, in connection with the facilities of navigation by steam, can scarcely hesitate to admit the probability, that before the close of the next century the great basin of the Mississippi, and of the Missouri, which is, at present, almost an untenanted wilderness, will be covered with farms, villages, and towns, and contain a larger population than that of Europe.

The