LESSON XIX. The Angler's Song.-LONGFELLOW. FROM the river's plashy bank, On the dim and misty lakes And the eagle's on his cloud:- And the rustling reeds pipe loud. Where the embracing ivy holds But when sultry suns are high When the eye of evening looks Lengthens by the greenwood tree. 1 LESSON XX. Extracts from Mr. Quincy's "Observations on the Boston Port Bill." Published May 14th, 1774. [Among the men, whose character and political conduct had an acknowledged influence on the events of the American Revolution, was Josiah Quincy, Jr. The unanimous consent of his cotemporaries has associated his name in imperishable union, with that of Otis, Adams, Hancock, Warren, and other distinguished men, whose talents and intrepidity influenced the events, which led to the Declaration of Independence. This honour has been granted to him, notwithstanding his political path was, in every period of its short extent, interrupted by intense professional labours, and was terminated by death, at the early age of thirty-one years. (1775). Those who recollect him, speak of his eloquence, his genius, and his capacity for intellectual labour; of the inextinguishable zeal and absorbing ardour of his exertions, whether directed to political or professional objects; of the entireness, with which he threw his soul into every cause, in which he engaged; of the intrepidity of his spirit, and of his indignant sense of the wrongs of his country.-Preface to QUINCY'S MEMOIRS.] After a masterly survey of the system of colonial oppression, pursued by the British Government, he thus proceeds to animate the resentment, and to inflame the zeal of his countrymen. Let us pause, my fellow citizens, and consider. Hath the execrable plan, thus systematically and for a long time pursued, at last taken effect? Are all the constitutional powers of Great Britain, so lowered in the estimation of the people, that their representatives are detested, and their nobility despised? Is their king possessed of power sufficient to make fear a substitute for love? Has he an army at his absolute command, with which no force in his empire is able to cope? Judge, ye, my countrymen, of these questions, upon which I may not decide;-judge for yourselves, of the political state of that kingdom, which claims a right of disposing of our all,-a right of laying every burden that power can impose,a right of overrunning our soil and freeholds with mercenary legions, and still more mercenary placemen and dependents. Thus luxury and riot, debauchery and havock, are to become the order and peace of our cities, and the stability and honour of our times. To this, and like hopeful purposes, we find "the fullest directions, sent to the several officers of the revenue, that all the produce of the American duties, arising, or to arise, by virtue of any British act of Parliament, should, from time to time, be paid to the deputy paymaster, in America, to defraṛ the subsistence of the troops, and any military expenses i.. curred in the colonies." Highly favoured Americans! you are to be wasted with taxes and impositions, in order to satisfy the charges of those armaments, which are to blast your country with the most terrible of all evils;-universal corruption, and a military government. The reigns of past and present great monarchs, when compared, often present a striking similitude. The Emperour, Charles the Fifth, having exalted the royal prerogative, on the ruins of the privileges of the Castilians, allowed the name of the Cortes' to remain; and, the formality of holding it thus continued, he reduced its authority and jurisdiction to nothing, and modelled it in such a manner, that "it became," says Dr. Robertson, "rather a junto of the servants of the crown, than an assembly of the representatives of the people." The success of Charles, in abolishing the privileges of the Commons, and in breaking the power of the nobles of Castile, encouraged an invasion of the liberties of Arragon, which were yet more extensive. Attend Americans! reflect on the situation of your mother country, and consider the late conduct of your brethren in Britain, towards this continent. "The Castilians, accustomed to subjection themselves, assisted in imposing the yoke on their more happy and independent neighbours." Hath not Britain treated America as Castile did Arragon ? Have not Britons imposed on our necks the same yoke, which the Castilians imposed on the happy Arragonese? Yes! I speak it with grief,-I speak it with anguish,-Britons are our oppressors: I speak it with shame,-I speak it with indignation,-we are slaves. As force first fixes the chains of vassalage, so cowardice restrains an enslaved people from bursting asunder their bonds. But the case, perhaps, is not desperate, till the yoke has been so long borne, that the understanding, and the spirits of the people are sunk into ignorance and barbarism, pineness, and perfect inactivity. Such, I trust, is not the rable state of the land of my nativity. * Yet be not amused, my countrymen !—the extirpation of bondage, and the re-establishment of freedom are not of easy acquisition. The worst passions of the human heart, and the most subtle projects of the human mind are leagued against you; and principalities and powers have acceded to the combination. Trials and conflicts, you must, therefore, endure ;-hazards and jeopardies-of life and fortune-will attend the struggle. Such is the fate of all noble exertions for publick liberty and social happiness. Enter not the lists without thought and consideration, lest you arm with timidity and combat with irresolution. Having engaged in the conflict, let nothing discourage your vigour or repel your perseverance. Remember, that submission to the yoke of bondage, is the worst that can befall a people, after the most fierce and unsuccessful resistance. What can the misfortunes of vanquishment take away, which despotism and rapine would spare? been easy," said the great lawgiver, Solon, to the Athenians, "to repress the advances of tyranny and prevent its establishment; but now it is established, and grown to some height, it would be more glorious to demolish it." "It had "On But nothing glorious is accomplished, nothing great is attained, nothing valuable is secured, without magnanimity and devotion of heart to the service. Brutus-like, therefore, dedicate yourselves, at this day, to the service of your country; and henceforth live a life of liberty and glory. the ides of March," said the great and good man to his friend Cassius, just before the battle of Philippi,-"on the ides of March I devoted my life to my country, and since that time I have lived a life of liberty and glory." Inspired with publick virtue, touched with the wrongs and indignant at the insults offered his country, the high-spirited Cassius exhibits an heroic example: "Resolved as we are," replied the hero to his friend, "resolved as we are, let us march against the enemy; for though we should not conquer, we have nothing to fear." Spirits like these, rose in Rome-and have since adorned Britain; such also will, one day, make glorious, this more western world. America hath in store her Bruti and Cassii -her Hampdens and Sidneys-patriots and heroes, who will form a band of brothers :-men who will have memories and feelings-courage and swords;-courage that shall inflame their ardent bosoms, till their hands cleave to their swordsand their swords to the enemies' hearts." LESSON XXI. Town and Country.-MISS SEDGWICK. EDWARD was ten, Julia eight years old, when they removed from town. They felt a very natural reluctance, at leav ing the city, their companions, and the only pleasures they had ever known. But the state of their feelings will best appear, by a conversation, which occurred between them and their mother, shortly before their removal, while Edward was assisting her to pack up some vials, which, with their contents, composed his chemical laboratory. "You are very good, dear mother," he said, "to take such pains to pack up these things; you have been in such a panick about spontaneous combustion, ever since the night you found the phosphorus* on fire, that I expected my little cupboard, and all its treasures, would be condemned. But," he added, with a sigh, "I suppose you think, I shall want my chemistry, more than ever, to amuse me in the country." "No, my dear boy, not more than ever.” "Oh, mother! Bob Eaton's father says the country is such a bore-and Bob thinks so too." "And what," asked Mrs. Sackville, "do Bob Eaton's father and Bob Eaton, mean by a bore?" 66 Why, they mean, certainly"-Edward began in a confident tone, and then faltered a little; "that is, I suppose they mean, that-that-that-" Edward found it as difficult to explain their meaning, as the original utterers of the profound remark would have done, if suddenly called on; and he was glad to be interrupted by a soliloquy of his little sister, who stood in one corner of the room, wrapping something in half a dozen envelopes. "Farewell!" she exclaimed, "as the man said in the play, a long farewell,' to my dear dancing shoes." "Pardon me, Miss Julia," said her mother, "for cutting short such a pretty pathetick parting; but here is another pair of dancing shoes, which you will please to put with those you already have, and I trust you will have the pleasure of dancing them both out, before you come to town again." "Dancing them out, mother! shall we dance in the country?" exclaimed both the children in one breath. "I * Phosphorus is a matter which shines or even burns spontaneously, and without the application of any sensible fire. |