upon the deep;" but early scenes of danger, sufferings, and miraculous preservations, soon converted the sailor boy, to the manly seaman. Sufferings endured and dangers escaped, so far from dissuading, rather stimulated him to one deed of noble daring after another.

In early life, he became a skilful navigator, and well versed in commercial pursuits. But its dull routine was irksome to his ardent and aspiring mind. His manly qualifications procured for him a midshipman's warrant in the Royal Navy of Britain; and he was in full prospect of rapid advancement. He was thus early initiated into the science of naval tactics, and made that science familiar by practical knowledge. It happened to be a period of peace with almost perpetually warring Britain, and Biddle had no opportunity then, to face an enemy.

In HORATIO NELSON, BIDDLE found a spirit congenial with his own; and both became cockswains in Mulgrave's renowned voyage of discovery towards the north pole.Stupendous mountains of ice, wafted upon billows mountain high, presented the ocean to the view of the lieutenant, acting as cockswain, in all its majestic awful, and destructive grandeur. While Nelson was encountering the snowwhite bear, Biddle, encompassed with frowning cliffs of ice, was awaiting the awful crush which was threatening momently to send the ship and crew to the bottom. But he returned to England with Nelson and both became favorites with the proud admiralty of Britain, the modern Carthage,

Notwithstanding he had become familiar with the immeasurable power of the British marine-notwithstanding he was making rapid strides on the lofty waves of promotion with his ship-mate Nelson-notwithstanding the shi

ning orders of knighthood, and the "blushing honours" of nobility were within the reach of this ardent aspirant for honourable fame-he frowned indignantly upon a powerful monarchy which was about to let fall the uplifted arm of vengeance upon the land of his birth. At a time when the menaces of the House of Brunswick awed, and the promised honours and gold of Britain bought, hordes of American loyalists and tories-Biddle was above corruptionabove price. The bank of England, nor that over which his respected connexion presides, never had gold enough in their vaults to buy him.

He re-crossed the Atlantic whose waves were soon to roll him forth as a warring champion against the "king and country" in whose service he commenced his short and brilliant career of naval glory. With a diminutive force, suddenly fitted out by the almost destitute, infant states, he dashed forth like a rude and fearless intruder upon the imperious "Ocean Queen," and her commerce instantly felt and feared his presence.

The profound judgment and deep penetration of the Old Congres, placed the dauntless BIDDLE in command of a squadron. His broad pendant upon the Randolph waved defiance to any equal hostile force upon the ocean. Such was the celerity with which he moved and the number of prizes that he captured, that his ship was singled out as a victim to British prowess. The fate of naval warfare forced him into an awfully unequal contest. The powerful foe, of treble force, descried the devoted ship, while yet the light of heaven directed his unerring course; and when sable night enveloped the troubled deep in horrid gloom and rendered "darkness visible," the vaunting enemy, sure of victory, vomited forth the thick messengers of death upon

the Randolph. BIDDLE, cool, collected, animated and fearless, with blood gushing from wounds, animating his comrades, and defying the enemy whom he could not escape, breasted the tremendous shock. Amidst the roar of an hundred cannon, and a shower of reddened balls, the indiscribable catastrophe of an exploding war-ship, hurled him and his unrivalled associates from temporal warfare to eternal peace, in a brilliant flame of blazing glory. Thus did the heroic, the patriotic, the exalted BIDDLE, in the bloom of life, in heaven-approving warfare, give his mangled corse to the deep-his immortal spirit to the God of battles, and his imperishable fame to the Republic.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

OF

JOHN PAUL JONES,

COMMODORE AND POST-CAPTAIN

IN THE

CONTINENTAL NAVY,

IN THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.

His Life and Character as drawn by a British Biographer.....Early incidents of his life....Enters a slave ship....Slave Trade....Goes to service at the Earl of Selkirk's, and is discharged....Becomes a Smug," gets married, has the hypo, and leaves his wife....Be comes the "Prince of smugglers"....Goes to France, gets married again, plays the gentleman landlord, " runs out,” and again "sets up business" as a grand smuggler, and afterwards as a merchant. ....Gains wealth, goes to London, dashes and gambles, and "comes upon the world"....Smuggles again....Makes a voyage to America, and assumes a new and decided character....He is employed by Congress upon a secret expedition to England........Accomplishes his object, and returns to America....He is appointed to the command of a Continental ship, and successfully assails British merchantmen ....He joins Com. Hopkins' squadron as commander of the Alfred, distinguishes himself in the capture of the British island of NewProvidence....Upon his return takes command of the Providence, of 12 guns, in which he convoys vessels and transports.....He receives the first Captain's commission after the 4th of July, 1776.... Capt. Jones sails again in the Providence, is encountered by the frigate Solebay of 30 guns; takes valuable prizes; sails for Nova Scotia; is attacked by the Milford of 32 guns; escapes; effects a landing; destroys fisheries; takes 17 prizes, and returns....He is appointed to a squadron....Com. Jones sails in the Alfred; takes the rich transport Mellish, three prizes, and a Liverpool privateer of 16 guns....Is again attacked by the Milford; escapes with his prizes to Boston....Receives a vote of thanks from Congress....He takes command of the Ranger, of 18 guns; sails for France; takes numerous prizes; announces the defeat of Burgoyne.... Repairs to Paris, returns to the Ranger, and receives the first salute to the American Flag....Enters Brest, is saluted by Count D'Orvilliers... He lands at Whitehaven, carries the fort, spikes 40 cannon, and returns on board....He visits his father....Captures the Drake of 20 guns; enters Brest, and visits the court of Louis XVI...Com. Jones sails in a squadron of five vessels, on board the Good Man

Richard, of 40 guns....Desperate engagement with the Serapis, 44. ....His official account.... Particulars.... Alarm excited....Jones applauded....Sails to America in the Ariel, of 20 guns....Takes the Triumph of 20 guns....Arrives in America....Retires to Kentucky, and there dies....His Character.

THE naval hero now to be introduced to the reader, is a sort of phenomenon in human nature. He was an ano. maly in the human character. Born within the dominions of Britain, at a period when his native kingdom was striding on from conquest to conquest-from usurpation to usurpation, he caught the adventurous spirit of his countrymen, and seemed in his own character, to have revived the ancient spirit of chivalry. His life has been sketched by one of his own countrymen, with that malignant asperity which characterizes the writers of that country, when treating of the daring spirits who espoused the cause of America in the unparalleled war of the revolution. In order to cast a shade over his wonderful achievements in that contest between the rectitude of weakness and the usurpation of power, they have endeavoured to blast his fame, by attributing to him the most infamous and detest

able vices.

While it is readily admitted that it is the business and duty of the biographer to give a faithful portrait of the character delineated, yet, it must also be admitted, that the eccentricities, the irregularities, and the aberrations of untutored judgment and misguided passions, in the early period of life, ought not to be glaringly painted for the purpose of tarnishing the fame of mature manhood. It is unhesitatingly asserted that almost without exception, the private lives of the most distinguished ornaments of human nature are not without some blemishes. But when a man has become a benefactor to his country in the state, the