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therefore went to the Tuileries. I found Bonaparte alone. He first began the conversation of which I here give only an analysis. He did not seek to deceive me as to his views, nor as to the state of things. He did not represent himself as taught by the lessons of adversity. He did not claim the merit of returning to a love of liberty, through inclination. He coolly examined, with an impartiality too much akin to indifference, and for his own sake, what was possible, and what was preferable. He spoke as follows:

serve? What harm would be done, if the minister were permitted to explain his acts to the house which sit in judgment on them? Now, doubtless, Mr. Webster might at this moment be allowed to resume his seat in the Senate, not only without detriment, but with appreciable advantage to his party and to the republic. But this is because the American federation is already old, and because executive and legislature have been taught the lesson, which they are not likely to unlearn, of keeping their hands off each other. It is more doubtful what would have followed, if the President's ministers had been permitted or compelled from the first to assist at the deliberations of Congress. A first-class orator, habituated to parliamentary conflicts, becomes acutely sensitive to parliamentary defeats; nor can the sense of humiliation be deadened by any fine-drawn distinction on paper between executive and legislative privileges, so long as traditions survive which make it incumbent on the beaten minister to retreat before the victorious opposition. Who can affirm that the republic would not have been imminently jeopardized, or, at all events, its existing machinery brought to a dead lock, if, before Congress had emancipated itself from the prejudices of the British House of Commons, a federalist or republican cabinet had personally encountered an unfluctuating majority of political opponents in both branches of the legislature? As matters stand, votes of censure, and all the armory of discontented parliaments, have been excluded from the practice, as they are necessarily from the theory, of the American constitution, by the homely expedient of keeping the ministry out of shot. It must be admitted, indeed, that the danger against which the fathers of the federation framed the security in question took the shape of an overpowerful executive. They recoiled from the image of a Walpole or a North commanding majorities by the forces of corruption or the machinations of intrigue. But the device which sug--asked for-even solicited every place that was to gested itself to their sagacity for depriving the active power in the commonwealth of the means of undue influence has met the exactly opposite contingency of a preponderant legislature; and it effectually neutralizes the violent and unscrupulous tyranny to which men acting in bodies and masses are universally prone.

From the Albion.

AN INTERVIEW WITH NAPOLEON.

A FRIEND has translated for us M. Benjamin Constant's account of his interview with Napoleon, during the "Hundred Days," and we insert it because it is extremely well rendered from the original. The curt and pithy style is altogether that of the emperor, and excellently imitated in M. Constant's abridged report.

On the 14th of April, 1815, I received the following letter: The Chamberlain on duty has the honor to inform M. Benjamin Constant, that his majesty the emperor has ordered him to invite M. Constant to repair immediately to the Tuileries."

I had no wish to approach Bonaparte. I did not believe that the man, who had so long exercised the most absolute authority, could be suddenly converted to ideas of liberty; habits of despotism are not so easily eradicated. But I felt a desire to judge for myself how much we might hope from him; how far experience had operated on him. I

"The nation has now for twelve years been undisturbed by political agitation, and for a year past it has been without a war. This double repose has created for the country a desire for movement. It wants, or thinks it wants, a senate and assembly. It has not always desired them. It threw itself at my feet when I reached the head of affairs. You must remember that, for you opposed me. Where was your fulcrum? where your strength? Nowhere-I took on myself less authority than was offered to me. Now all is changed. A weak government, inimical to the national interests, has given to the people a habit of defending itself and of trying to hoodwink the authorities. The taste for constitutions, debates, and harangues appears to have returned. But do not deceive yourself; it is only the minority that wishes for them. The country, or if you prefer it the populace, wishes only for me. You have not seen how that populace rushed after my steps, threw itself from the mountains, called me, sought for me, saluted me. my journey from Cannes, to the capital, I did not conquer, I only guided-I am not only, as has been said, the emperor of the soldiers, but of the peasants-of the plebeians of France. Therefore, notwithstanding the past, the people come back to me. There is sympathy between us. It is not so with the privileged classes. The nobility served me and crowded eagerly into my antechambers-accepted

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be had. I had the Montmorencys, the Noailles, the Rohans, the Beauveaus, the Mortemarts. But there was never any sympathy. The steed curvetted, and was well trained, but I felt him restive under me. With the multitude it was otherwise. The popular nerve thrilled to mine. I sprang from the ranks of the people, and my voice works upon them. Look at the recruits, those sons of the peasantry; I never flattered them, I treated them roughly. They did not surround me the less for that; they did not the less cry Vive l'Empereur.' It was because in me and in them the same nature existed. They regarded me as their support, their defender against the nobility. I have now but to make a sign, or rather simply to turn my eyes away, and the aristocracy will be murdered in all the provinces. They have played their part with such wisdom for the last six months!-but I will have no Jacquerie. If there be means to govern constitutionally, it is another affair-I wished for the empire of the world; and to assure it to myself, a boundless power was necessary. To govern France alone, perhaps a constitution may be better. I did wish for the empire of the world, and who would not have wished for it, in my place? The world asked me to rule it! Kings and subjects alike hastened to put themselves under my sceptre. I seldom found any resistance in France, but I did sometimes meet with it from obscure and unarmed Frenchmen-never from those kings now so proud at no longer having a man of the people for their equal. See then what can be done; now give me your own ideas. Public dis

cussion, free election, responsible ministers, the tongue, and to whom they address most of their liberty of the press-I will have them all. The prayers and direct most of their worship:-surely liberty of the press above all-to stifle it now were such a visitor should be honored with no ordinary absurd; on that head I am convinced. I am the demonstrations! And she was thus honored. Hunman of the people, and if the people really wish dreds, yes thousands, immediately flocked to the for liberty, I owe it to them. I have acknowledged favored, hallowed spot, to see with mortal eyes, and their supremacy, and must listen to their wishes, to adore and worship, this heavenly visitant. More nay, even to their caprices. I never wished to op- than two weeks had passed, and the most of the press them for my pleasure. people of the city and the surrounding country had "I had great plans, but destiny has disposed of made their visit to the tree, before I made my pilthem-I am no longer a conqueror; I can no longer grimage thither. I walked out one evening in combe one. I know what is, and what is not, possible. pany with the Rev. Mr. Judd, Baptist missionary I have but one mission left to raise up France and in this city. On arriving, we found but a few give her the government that suits her. I do not worshippers there; but while we remained small hate liberty. I thrust her aside, when she stopped companies were constantly arriving, who, as soon my path, but I understand her, and was educated as they came near the tree, looked into its top, in her ideas. My work of fifteen years has been crossed themselves most devoutly, fell upon their destroyed, and cannot be recommenced; for that knees, and, after remaining thus for a time engaged twenty years more and two millions of men would in their devotions, arose and lighted the wax taper have to be sacrificed. Besides, I now wish for they had brought with them, and placed it near the peace, and shall only obtain it by more victories. I tree. The bottom of the tree was completely surwill not give false hopes; I have allowed it to be rounded with bouquets of beautiful flowers, and, for said that there are negotiations on foot; but there several feet around, the ground was covered with are none-I foresee a violent struggle-a long war. wax candles, which had been placed there by the To support it, the nation must support me; but as worshippers. A temporary arbor had been erected her reward she will, I believe, ask for liberty She to shield them from the rain and dew, and they were shall have it. The situation is novel-I only ask | kept burning day and night. Mr. Judd had visited to be informed as to her wants. I am growing old. the tree some time before, when the excitement was At forty-five one is no longer what one was at greatest. He told me he had seen two or three thirty. The repose of a constitutional king may suit me. It will even more certainly suit my son.

Correspondence of the Journal of Commerce.
HAYTI.

thousand at a time, bowing about the tree, and all "confident they could see the Virgin. Ladies of all ranks and classes went forth, many of them dressed, as is common here, with most beautiful white dresses, and white satin slippers; and thus attired they knelt upon the ground, which had become completely soaked from rain and excessive tramping. The Empress is a most devoted Catholic, and no

She did not hesitate to place herself on a level with the lowest, and eagerly joined in the throng; and went forth and bowed in worship with them. It is said that her interest and enthusiasm were even higher than others, as she regarded this visit of the Virgin as in especial honor of the name and reign of her honored spouse, His Majesty Faustin the 1st.

A MOST extraordinary feature in the character of this people is their superstition. I say extraordinary, because here you find superstitions, belong-one was more interested in this movement than she. ing to the lowest state of civilization, in connection with a high degree of intelligence and refinement. Here, again, the influence of Popery is seen upon the character of the people of this island. I verily wish that Mr. Forbes and others that have gone to Rome, could have taken this island in their route. A few days spent here, where Romanism has had an opportunity to make a full development of itself, would have furnished them some new food for At the time of my visit, we found the girl who thought, as they went on their way! About the had made the discovery and been guilty of the time of my arrival on the island two black girls disrespectful treatment toward the Virgin, lying were returning from Port au Prince to their home lazily and listlessly upon a mat near the tree. She in the country, about eight miles distant. As they had never left it for a moment since the Virgin had were going leisurely past a garden, just outside the exerted her remarkable power in holding her to the city, their attention was somehow called to a tree tree; and she was now regarded as scarcely mortal. that stood in the garden, and, after looking into the Her food was brought to her by the "devoted;" and top for some time, they both of them came to the others gave her alms, hoping to secure intercessions startling conclusion, that they could see the Virgin with the Virgin in their behalf. She was a coarse, Mary in the tree! The longer they looked, the fat, simple looking girl, about eighteen or twenty more certain they became. The story goes, that years old, and the only garment upon her was a one of these girls, who was a notoriously irreligious loose gown, such as is worn by the poor people character, began at once to treat the Virgin very here, made of coarse brown duck. Her most ostenirreverently and impiously, when she manifested sible business was to keep the tapers lighted, and her power by drawing the girl to the tree, throw it had already been decided, I know not by whom, ing her arms around it, and compelling her thus to that she should remain there for forty days. But embrace it for several hours, until she not only be- you are impatient to know what could be the cause came truly penitent, but was honored of the Virgin of all this excitement, whether or not I saw the to become her especial minister. Others who were Virgin, and why they supposed they saw her. I passing were attracted to the tree, and in a very will explain these queries as far as I am able. The brief time the news of this discovery was flying tree I found to be the Palmiste, which is their through the city. A most incredible excitement national "Liberty Tree;" and is represented upon followed this announcement. I feel that I am haz- their coat of arms, national colors, etc. It has a arding my character for veracity in stating what smooth body, entirely free from limbs, and looking my eyes have seen. A visit from the Virgin to this like a large post turned in a lathe, up to very near people-the Virgin, whose name is ever on their its top, where a tuft of long leaves commences,

which grow around the body quite like the leaves around a corn-stalk. These leaves are long and spreading, and curve downward very gracefully, giving the tree quite an umbrella-like appearance. Now for the Virgin's place. Though this is the region of perpetual verdure, these long branches, after an allotted time, are, like the human race, crowded from their position by the generation that succeeds them. When one of these branches falls, the place which it has left is quite green;-but by exposure to the atmosphere it soon becomes brown, like the body of the tree. As this change upon the surface is going on, various representations are seen;-and thus upon this tree was wrought the face-not as distinct as that of the "man in the moon," in which these devoted Haitians saw "the adorable and blessed Mother of God, the Virgin Mary." But to fulfil my promise, I must say, that like a good many others, I was entirely unable to see any kind of a representation of a human face during any of my visits to the tree. This, however, was very satisfactorily accounted for by the Catholics, by the fact that we looked through Protestant

eyes.

From the Times, 15 Feb.

MUTINY AND OPPRESSION OF BRITISH SAILORS. PERHAPS in the turmoil created between aggressive popes and agricultural pretenders the public at large may hardly be aware that the third proverbial enemy of England's peace has been so effectually at work in the midst of our merchant seamen as to reproduce a miniature mutiny of the Nore. The act recently passed under the care of Mr. Labouchre has been misrepresented by all the devices of travesty and falsification, till at last the sailors of some of the northern ports have fairly turned out on strike, and at Shields there were yesterday upwards of 1,000 seamen combined for an attack on the best interests of themselves and their profession. To give a little credibility to the statement we are going to subjoin, we will relate two anecdotes of very similar purport which came to us in times past from those actually concerned in the transactions referred to, for, excepting by such illustrations of what perversity and delusion can effect, we should despair of making the general reader believe in the reality of the case before us. Of all the grievances suffered by our soldiers sixty years since, there was none worse than the intoler

One fact in connection with this excitement has amused and interested me greatly, and I must give it to you for the sake of the moral. As usual inable obligation of appearing on parade with a queue papal countries, these people set a great value upon religious processions; and at once they beset the priest to order a procession to this tree in honor of the Virgin. This was too much. He was already unable to conceal his disgust at the movement, on account of the disgrace it was bringing upon his people, and he resolutely resisted all their beset ments and entreaties thus to give it his sanction, because by so doing "they would only make themselves a laughing-stock to the Protestants." Such is the power of Protestantism!

This is, perhaps, the most glaring exhibition of superstition that I have met with upon the island; but there are others that the priests sanction, and which bring them "great gain," which are scarcely less humiliating. I have recently made a tour of several hundred miles, and though I found the people of the north of the island more intelligent, and I think decidedly superior to the people upon this part of the island, yet they were scarcely less superstitious.

duly plastered with grease and flour. Half the men's time was taken up in dressing and fashioning this hideous incumbrance, and to such a pitch did the annoyance rise that, as it was impossible for all the polls in the regiment to be decorated in the morning, some of the least fortunate repaired to the barber over night and actually slept with their heads hanging out of bed in order to avoid any disarrangement of the coiffure. At length commands were issued for the discontinuance of the practice, when the men immediately rebelled. The order reached a famous dragoon regiment on the march between Ipswich and Norwich, and the officer commanding was surprised by a formal report that the troops were in a state of mutiny. The regiment was admirably disciplined, and none in the army bore a higher character, but it proved to be perfectly true that the men absolutely refused to cut off their tails. Fortunately the officer in command was a man of sense and temper, and instead of taking proceedings which in those days During my visit to Porte de Paix, a town of con- might have cost half-a-dozen lives he winked at the siderable importance on the north of the island, folly until reason succeeded in making itself heard. where an American mission has been established, The next example is equally striking and more imby the Rev. Mr. Jones, of the Seventh-day Baptist mediately pertinent. It was determined, during denomination, I heard much of the movements of a the military occupation of France, for certain priest named Massip, who was stationed at St. reasons which can be easily conceived, to issue the Louis, some ten miles distant. This priest recently soldiers' pay at shorter intervals than before, so came from the United States, where he had been that the men, instead of receiving a superfluously for fourteen years, and claims to have been instru- large sum after long delays, might have at all times mental in getting up the French Catholic Church in their pockets the means of procuring their daily in Canal street, New York. This priest erected comforts. This regulation, too, very nearly crea booth upon the bank of a small stream near St. ated a mutiny! The men of one of the best PenLouis, placed his crosses, candles, pictures, etc., in insular corps were summoned to take their pay it, and, upon a day he had appointed, his parish- before the adjutant and paymaster, who sat at a ioners brought together their donkeys, goats, sheep, table with the money before him. The first man cattle, and various other things, and he baptized called upon absolutely refused to touch a farthing, them for half a Haitian dollar a head. Houses are the second likewise, and the third the same. baptized, and have a godfather and godmother," Will none of you have it?" said the adjutant : the same as a child. An American captain told me that he was once sent for to stand as godfather to a small boat that was to be baptized. Such are a few of the superstitions under which poor priestridden Hayti groans. Yours,

A. K. N.

"then neither will I;" and, in hearty sympathy with the men, he gave the table a kick, and sent the money and all rolling on the floor.

After these instances of professional perversity which we have heard detailed by eye-witnesses of the proceedings, we may perhaps obtain some credence for our reports from Shields. The Mercantile

Marine Bill is an act for improving in all respects | inconvenient shall be promptly cancelled. The the condition of the merchant service. Its provis- result this day announced is less satisfactory than ions are particularly directed towards securing the we could have wished, but we trust that the good seamen against tyranny or fraud at the hands of sense of the men and the friendly advice of the either captains or owners, while at the same time shipowners may speedily put a stop to proceedings it institutes regulations for preserving a record of which will damage none so much as those who are all such conduct as may merit notice or reward. promoting them. If the men will but return to their It endeavors to supersede the practice and occupa- work, and content themselves with the constitution of crimping by establishing shipping offices, tional methods of redress, which they already conat which masters and men may apply independent- template, we are perfectly certain that they will ly, without recourse to any other agents, and soon think better of the matter, and recognize the wherein means are provided for insuring a due merits of the measure whose beneficial operation execution of the agreement between the two par- they are now so determined to resist. ties, and facilitating a settlement of disputes. Heretofore the sailor was often cheated at the commencement of his voyage by an improper issue of his "advance note,' "and at its conclusion by delay in delivering accounts; both which contingencies are obviated by the bill. Furthermore, whereas it was proved in evidence that the greatest misery and danger were often created on a voyage by the oppression of the captain on one side or the

From the Home Journal.

LIFE IN THE WEST.

BY GEORGE P. MORRIS.

Ho! brothers-come hither and list to my story-
Here, like a monarch, I reign in my glory—
Merry and brief will the narrative be;
Where once frowned a forest, a garden is smiling—
Master am I, boys, of all that I see.

more;

The meadow and moorland are marshes no And there curls the smoke of my cottage, beguiling The children who cluster like grapes round my door.

misconduct of individual seamen on the other, a disciplinary code was drawn up for the instruction and admonition of both. This consisted of two portions one a simple abstract of parliamentary enactments on the subject, showing the laws actually existing and obligatory; and the other of a character purely suggestive, containing, indeed, certain regulations for mutual use, but leaving Then enter, boys; cheerly, boys, enter and rest; their acceptance purely optional between masters and men. In plain truth, all that was done by the The land of the heart is the land of the West, framers of the bill was to ascertain the principal Oho, boys!-oho, boys!-oho! grievances on both sides, to collect and compare the customary usages of the different ports, and to draw up by these aids such a definite form of standing agreement as might be equitably adopted by both parties if they felt inclined. Certain fines were authorized, it is true, but most of these had been long before in use; they regarded rather the comforts of the crew than the interests of the owners, and in many cases they superseded severer penalties provided by law. One part of the code, in short, simply declared the duties of the parties concerned without affecting such duties in the smallest degree. The other provided a form of compact drawn up by impartial hands which might be accepted or rejected at pleasure.

Talk not of the town, boys-give me the broad prairie,

Where man, like the wind, roams impulsive and free;

Behold how its beautiful colors all vary,

Like those of the clouds, or the deep rolling sea. A life in the woods, boys, is even as changing; With proud independence we season our cheer, And those who the world are for happiness ranging,

Won't find it at all, if they don't find it here.
Then enter, boys; cheerly, boys, enter and rest;
I'll show you the life, boys, we live in the West.
Oho, boys!-oho, boys!-oho!

Here, brothers, secure from all turmoil and danger
We reap what we sow, for the soil is our own;
We spread hospitality's board for the stranger,

And care not a fig for the king on his throne.
We never know want, for we live by our labor,
And in it contentment and happiness find;
We do what we can for a friend or a neighbor,
And die, boys, in peace and good-will to man-

kind.

Now, against these regulations the seamen of the north have rebelled. They have been induced to view the shipping offices as slave marts, where, according to their own expressions, they are bought and sold, although these offices do nothing more than supersede establishments where they were literally kidnapped, robbed, and turned into money by crimps They have been taught to look on their register tickets as a badge of degrading servitude, although a soldier might make the same objection (and we almost wonder they did not) to the good conduct stripes on his coat. Finally, as we observed, they have turned out upon "strike," and have done their utmost to suspend the foreign trade of those parts. To a memorial which they addressed to the Board of Trade they have now re- Guanche mummy from Teneriffe, which was perhaps ceived a most temperate and friendly reply, urging a thousand years old, sufficiently susceptible in a upon them nothing but a fair trial of the regula-Saussure's hygrometer.-Humboldt.

Then enter, boys; cheerly, boys, enter and rest;
You know how we live, boys, and die in the West!
Oho, boys!-oho, boys! oho!

VITALITY OF HAIR.-Pictet found the hair of a

tions to which they object, and promising that any FETTERS SUPERSEDED.-The Siamese prevent the arrangement proved by experience to be unjust or escape of their prisoners by burning their feet.

The LIVING AGE is published every Saturday, by E. LITTELL & Co., at the corner of Tremont and Bromfield Streets, Boston. Price 12 cents a number, or six dollars a year in advance. Remittances for any period will be thankfully received and promptly attended to.

LITTELL'S LIVING AGE.-No. 360.-12 APRIL, 1851.

From Chambers' Papers for the People.
DANIEL DE FOE.

AMONG the books which may be reckoned as belonging to the world's acknowledged stereotypes, there are probably few that have been read more frequently, or proved acceptable to a greater variety of tastes, than the illustrious "Robinson Crusoe." While, however, in connection with this perform ance the author's name has become so extensively familiar, it is principally by means of it that he continues to be remembered. The generality of modern readers know little of the extent and merit of De Foe's political and controversial writings, or of the conspicuous position which he occupied on account of them with his contemporaries. Having reference chiefly to the disputes and contentions of his times, these productions have naturally lost much of their original interest, and their value has been therefore considerably diminished. It is nevertheless conceived that they are worthy of a more general investigation and attention; and accordingly it is here intended to furnish some account of them, and also to present such an outline of the writer's personal history, character, sufferings, and disappointments, for conscience sake and otherwise, as can be conveniently rendered within the limits of the present paper.

and opinions by which the dissenting sects were then, and are still in part, distinguished; but he seems, upon the whole, to have been greatly superior to his party, inasmuch as he was less sectarian and more liberal and catholic in his sentiments.

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In proceeding to narrate the principal events and transactions of his life, it may be well to mention at the outset that the particle De-for reasons which cannot now be ascertained-was adopted, and not inherited, by our author; his original family name being simply Foe, without any euphonious or ornamental prefix. Of his ancestry or immediate progenitors there is very little known. The earliest that has been mentioned is his grandfather, Daniel Foe, who was a substantial English yeoman, and farmed his own estate at Elton in Northamptonshire. He is supposed to have been attached to the Cavalier and High Church party; and, as an evidence of his respectability, it has been recorded that he kept a pack of hounds for his diversion. Daniel pleasantly relates, that his grandfather's huntsman had the irreverent habit of naming his dogs after the most illustrious officers in the Puritan and Royal forces: "He had his Roundhead and his Cavalier, his Goring and his Waller, and all the generals in both armies were hounds in his pack; till, the times turning, the old gentleman was fain to scatter the pack, and make De Foe's entire works consist of more than two them up of more dog-like surnames. Besides hundred separate publications, embracing a vast scattering his hounds, it would seem that Mr. Foo variety of subjects, and all exhibiting evidences had also to disperse his family, for we find that of great ability, honesty of intention, and a keen James Foe, who is presumed to have been a perception of just and wholesome principles. As younger son, "was sent at a proper age to Lona politician, he was throughout his whole career don," and there apprenticed to a butcher. In his the steady advocate of liberal interests, the manly calling he became afterwards established in St. and upright champion of justice, of tolerance, and Giles', Cripplegate, and, after flourishing in busiof all those citizen-rights valued by honest Eng-ness for many years, he ultimately retired upon a lishmen. Living in a turbulent era of our history, when the pretensions of rival and selfish factions were agitated with an inveterate and unprincipled animosity, he seems to have been in great part proof against the prevalent contagion, and to have entertained the questions in dispute with a scrupulous regard to their truthfulness or reasonable expediency. By being an honester man than the generality, he became the object of general misapprehension and opprobrium. Few men had more of the world's notice in his day; none more of its calumny and persecution. In a more than ordinary degree he shared the fate of every man who, by genius or cultivation, is in advance of his own times. The party whose aims and schemings he opposed he very naturally offended; but he was also not unfrequently misrepresented and calumniated by the very party whose interests he endeavored to promote. This party consisted of the nonconforming Presbyterians, who, as the successors of the Puritans of the foregoing age, continued to protest against the narrowness and dominancy of the Protestantism of the Reformation. De Foe is in a certain sense the representative of the aims and spirit of modern Independency: he was in creed and political principle a dissenting Presbyterian, and he advocated most of the claims

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decent competency, which he enjoyed until his death. He was the father of our celebrated Daniel, who was born in the parish of St. Giles' aforesaid in the year 1661.

His parents having embraced the Nonconform-ists' principles, the boy was accordingly brought up in their faith. Of the manner in which he spent his early years there is no existing record. The imagination is left to picture him as it can.. A lively and pleasant fellow we conceive him to have been, of quick and generous impulses, not backward to contend in feats of sport or warfare, but nowise given to the exaction of unfair advantages, for he says he "learned from a boxing English boy not to strike an enemy when he is down." One cannot readily bring his figure and appearance very near to us; but there assuredly, in St. Giles' parish, Cripplegate, he once visibly lived and went to school with his contemporaries. Nightly for some years was he perhaps seated at the family table in the sitting-room-a little back parlor, as we fancy, behind the butcher's shop-conning lessons for the coming day, and possibly relieving his strained attention by counting the flies upon the ceiling. There were times, doubtless, when he read books for his own amusement: most likely the historical portions of the Bible, and probably:

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