sailant; and pressed upon his antagonist with such force and agility, that he ran him thrice through the body, and saw him expire. He then generously divided the prize which he had won among the widows whose husbands had been killed by his late antagonist. The duke of Mantua conceived the highest esteem for this illustrious stranger; and made choice of hint for preceptor to his son Vincentio di Gonzaga, a prince of dissolute manners and turbulent disposition. The appointment was highly acceptable to the court: : and Crichton, to evince his gratitude, and to contribute to the amusement of his patrons, composed a comedy in which he exposed and ridiculed all the principal weaknesses and miscarriages of men with the most poignant satire and propriety of application; and in the representation of this play he himself exhibited fifteen different characters, with such inimitable ease and grace that he appeared every time to be another person.. But the time was now approaching which was to prove that with all his endowments Crichton was no more than mortal. Roving about the streets one night during the carnival, and playing on the guitar, he was attacked by six men in masks. His courage did not desert him on this critical occasion: he opposed them with such spirit and skill that they were glad to fly; and their leader, being disarmed, threw off his mask, and begged his life. How must it have wounded the sensibility of Crichton, to discover in the suppliant the prince his pupil! Instead of merely granting the forfeited life, which was all that ought to have been required, he fell on his knees, apologized for his mistake, and, presenting his sword to the prince, told him that his highness was always master of his poor existence, and needed not to have sought his death by treachery. The brutal prince, either irritated by the affront which he had received, or stung with jealousy, grasped the proffered instrument of destruction, and plunged it into his tutor's heart.. Thus fell the admirable Crichton, in the very bloom of youth, by the hands of one worse than a common assassin. The court of Mantua testified their esteem for his memory by a public mourning, and the contemporary wits expressed their grief in numerous elegiac compositions; and for a long time afterwards his picture decorated the chambers and galleries of the Italian nobility, representing him on horseback with a lance in one hand and a book in the other. His death," according to the best accounts, took place in 1582, when he was only twenty-two years of age. That a man who, during his short but brilliant ca-reer, filled such a space in the minds of men, should have many of his most memorable achievements disputed, is mortifying to those who are animated with a love of posthumous reputation. The case seems to be, that whatever character is raised too high in one age, is sure to be sunk too low in another. Envy, which is afraid to attack exalted living merit, consoles itself with preying on the dead. The fame of Crichton, like that of an actor, was chiefly confined to those who had witnessed his achievements. He wrote little, but he performed much the latter was soon forgotten, or blended with fiction; and the few specimens which he has left of his intellectual powers, either do not rise above mediocrity, or at least would not entitle him to extraordinary praise.. He blazed like a meteor for a moment: his coruscations dazzled the eyes of the beholder; but when he vanished, the impression which he had made was no where to be found. Yet he was certainly one of the most accomplished men that ever appeared. To those who feel the aspirings of genius, he furnishes an example of the heights to which it can ascend; to those who are less gifted by nature, his unsettled life and his melancholy end may at least teach acquiescence in the humbler gifts which Providence has assigned to them. SIR FRANCIS WALSINGHAM. From 27th Henry VIII., to 32nd Elizabeth. No period in English history is more illustrious than the reign of Elizabeth for the great men which it produced in every department of the state, and who were called into action by that penetrating judge of merit who then sat on the throne. Indeed, half the glory of this sovereign may be fairly ascribed to the abilities of her ministers: nor does this in the least derogate from her just fame; for, to adopt the sentiment of an acute discerner of men and 66 manners, no weak prince was ever known to choose a wise council." Among the worthies who contributed to the honour of Elizabeth's reign, and gave stability to her government, sir Francis Walsingham occupies a prominent place. As an able politician, and an honest man, he was celebrated by his contemporaries; and he seems to have deserved the highest praises which they could bestow, as the subsequent notices of his life will evince. This statesman was born at Chislehurst in Kent, of an ancient and honourable family; but it is a matter of serious regret that no memorials of his early life, which can serve to stimulate the youthful bosom to follow his steps, have been preserved by the historians of his time. It only appears that he was educated at King's college, Cambridge, and soon after sent on his travels into foreign countries. His attachment to the principles of the Reformation, however, were well known while he was under the shade of academic bowers; and perhaps it was fortunate for him that he was abroad during the sanguinary reign of Mary. With a genius turned for politics, he availed himself of every opportunity which his travels afforded, of acquiring an intimate acquaintance with the laws, government, customs, and manners of the nations on the continent; and such were his accomplishments. and known aptitude for public business, that on his return he speedily attracted the notice and was taken into the confidence of Cecil, by whom he was brought forward in a manner suitable to his talents and views. That he possessed a maturity of parts, even when he first launched on the ocean of politics, may be inferred from this circumstance: he was appointed ambassador to the court of France during the civil wars in that kingdom; and acquitted himself there with such zeal and ability in various important and delicate transactions, particularly in a negociation relative to a treaty of marriage between his mistress and the duke of Alencon, and afterwards between her and the duke of Anjou, that he was ever after considered as fully qualified to discharge the most weighty trusts at home or abroad. The papers that passed during these embassies were collected by sir Dudley Digges, and published under the title of the Complete Ambassador; and from these his penetration, judgment, and abilities, may be distinctly appreciated. But no part of his character is more estimable than his perfect distinterestedness. Elizabeth, though she could distinguish merit, was sparing in her rewards: accordingly Walsingham, zealous to support the dignity of his station and to promote the interest of his sovereign, incurred greater expenses than bis public allowances would defray; and it appears that he rather impaired than bettered his circumstances during his residence in France. On his return, however, he received the honour of knighthood; and when his firm friend and patron Cecil was raised to the peerage by the title of lord Burleigh, and made lord-treasurer, Walsingham was appointed one of the secretaries of state, and sworn of the privy-council. In this situation he not only gratefully supported Burleigh's power and influence, by which he had himself risen but on a variety of occasions detected and disconcerted intrigues and conspiracies at home, and with an intuitive sagacity penetrated into the most secret designs of foreign cabinets. The states of Holland were now just rising inte political consequence. Walsingham was sent over in 1578, as the queen's representative, at one of their early meetings; and by his influence and address he contributed much to form the basis of their union, which was successfully consolidated the following year. In short, on every occasion where skilful manage. ment and consummate address were deemed requisite, Walsingham had the honour to be employed.. him," says Lloyd, tongues, and their 66 To most faces spoke as well as their countenance was an index of their hearts." He also maintained a number of spies and agents, and thus developed the most secret designs be-fore they were ripe for execution. Being attached to the protestant religion, he settled its constitutional polity: and disconcerted all the intrigues of the papists; who not only dreaded his penetration, but complained of his insidious artifice, which was an overmatch for their own. At first he shewed |