trade, nor what the condition of his purse: if heaven has touched his heart with one glimmer of genius, he may surmount every obstacle. The want of academic tutors, and the absence of the ten thousand gilded volumes unread in the rich man's library, need not deter him. Nature" is mighty and can prevail." Even in the land where rank and wealth combined to crush the hopes of honest poverty, the genius of a Burns inscribed his name in living letters, which will be read until the language expires. But in this land the meritorious need not look to the beneficence of the great for reward; they have the bestowal of honors and emoluments in their own hands, and the highest in office is dependent on their favor. The poor form a majority in all countries, and where the multitude is ignorant and debased, the supremacy of the laws can only be maintained by the sword. Thus citizens sink to slaves. But when the humbler classes are impressed with the value of knowledge, and often meet to make interchange of thought, to sally together up the delightful heights of science, or gather perenne roses in the inexhaustible fields of poetry; men rise almost to gods, and neither traitors nor tyrants will ever attempt to enslave them.

The ancients would never have degenerated, had such men as Socrates and Cicero been cherished. But in that evil hour, when the best friends of the state were doomed to death, the curse of ignorance, and its attendant despotism, seized upon the people. The poison which passed the lips of Socrates penetrated the vitals of Greece, and the axe that fell upon the neck of Cicero, severed the head of Rome.

The superiority of mind over every other possession of man, is sufficiently proven by the endurance of its works, after every other vestige of his being is swallowed up in the yawning gulph of oblivion. The crumbling columns of the Pantheon speak the skill, but not the names of the artisans who wrought them. Mighty heroes have risen, and after brandishing their gory swords a few brief years, have returned to dust, to be no more remembered forever, whilst Cicero's fearless accusation of Catiline in the senate, and even the gentle Pliny's account of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, are still the subjects of universal admiration.

SECOND.-RUNNING DOWN THE TRADES; OR THE CAPTURE OF THE JAVA.

"Gun and gun together meet,

Fire and sword each other greet."

THE victorious frigate now departed from Boston under a new commander-commodore William Bainbridge and after missing the Essex, captain Porter, and leaving the Hornet, captain Lawrence, blockading a British sloop of war at St. Salvador, she ran down the coast of Brazil, and when within ten leagues of the land, made two strange sail in shore and to windward. Captain Hull, covered with the palm of glory, had generously left the lucky frigate to Bainbridge, and it will be seen in the sequel that he could not have left her in better hands.

The writer of this sketch was once the intimate friend, and a confidential officer of that illustrious man; and though time and disease had at that period borne heavily upon his mauly form, and tipped with silver his raven locks, Bainbridge was still a noble specimen of the stern old fire-eaters of the Tripolitan war, and possessed a vivid recollection of the scenes which transpired

"When the Java lowered her lion flag,
And victory crowned the free."

He was a man of sterling integrity, of haughty mien, and of generous impulses. He possessed great courage, a lofty enthusiasm, a quick temper, and a sharp tongue. No man ever saw him twice who forgot him; and no man ever knew him to be his enemy twice who did not wish him to forget him. With an eagle cye, he read men like books, and, like a skilful critic, he laid those carefully upon the shelf who were not suited to the purpose for which they were sent forth.

As we said before, the Constitution made two sail to windward, one of whom continued to stand in, while the other, which was much the largest, altered her course in the direction of the American frigate, which had tacked close to her. The day was beautiful, the sea smooth as an inland lake, and the wind a catspaw from E. N. E. At 11, A. M. commodore Bainbridge, who sate in the mizzen top, glass in hand, being satisfied that the strange sail was an enemy's frigate, tacked again to the southward and eastward, to draw her off the land, which was near at hand. The frigate now set her royals, and boarded maintack to effect this object. At 12, M., the Constitution showed the stars and stripes, and shortly after, St. George's cross floated at the peak-halliards of the stranger.— Signals were now made by both ships, but there are none so blind as those who can't, or won't read. At twenty minutes past 1, commodore Bainbridge, being satisfied with the offing he had made, handed his royals, triced up his mainsail, and tacked towards the enemy. Soon after, both ships had their heads to the southward and eastward, the English being a mile to windward, on the Constitution's quarter. The enemy had now hauled down his ensign, though he kept a jack flying; and commodore Bainbridge, like himself alone, ordered a shot fired ahead of him, to induce him to show his colors anew. This order settled the quavering, and at 2, P. M., a furious cannonade took place, which can only be described by those who listened to it.

As the enemy could make the most of a light wind, he soon forged ahead of Old Ironsides, but

was foiled by the latter ship's waring, which brought the two belligerents head and head to the westward. In maneuvering, the enemy steered free, and Old Ironsides luffed-the vessels got within pistol shot, when the first repeated the same attempt—the ships waring together-bringing their heads easterly, as at first.

The English frigate now tacked, to preserve the weather-gage, but missing stays, she was obliged to ware-a manoeuvre that the Constitution had executed before her, to prevent being raked, for her wheel had been shot away, and it was difficult to watch the vessel with the helm as closely as was desirable. Notwithstanding this disadvantage, the Constitution was the first in coming to the wind on the other tack; and an efficient raking fire told his Britannic majesty's frigate when she came about. Both vessels now ran off free with the wind on the quarter, the English ship still to windward, when the latter, having received much damage, made an attempt to close.

At fifty-five minutes past two, the enemy ran down upon the Constitution's quarter; but running her jib-boom afoul of the Constitution's mizzen-rigging, she suffered severely, without being able to effect her purpose. Her bowsprit cap was soon shot away, and in a few minutes, her foremast, with a thundering crash, came by the board.

The Constitution now shot ahead, to avoid being raked, and in separating, the stump of the enemy's bowsprit swept the American frigate's taffrail.

The two ships now brought the wind abeam, again with their heads to the eastward. The Constitution fore-reaching, in consequence of her surplus sail, wore, passed her antagonist, luffed up under his quarter, pitched into him a ton or two of cold iron, and wore again. The Englishman, not being fond of those pills which were through not only by daylight, but which made the daylight pass through him, kept away. The Constitution, however, soon had him again; and for a short time, the vessels lay broadside and broadside—yard-arm and yard-arm—while the surrounding atmosphere was filled with rolling clouds of sulphurous smoke, and the gentle billows of the ocean blushed in blood.

In a few moments, away went the mizzenmast, with the banner of the haughty Briton, leaving nothing but the yardless mainmast standing-black with smoke, and smeared with gore.

As the enemy's fire had ceased, the Constitution hauled her tacks aboard, and luffed athwart her antagonist's bow; passing out of the combat to windward, at five minutes past four, with her topsails, courses, spanker, and jib set. In executing this manœuvre, commodore Bainbridge was under the impression that the enemy had struck-the ensign which had floated from his main rigging being down, his ship a wreck, and his fire silenced.

The Constitution having repaired damages, and secured her masts, perceiving an ensign still floating on board the enemy, wore round, and stood directly across the enemy's fore-foot. The English vessel anticipated the frigate's broadside by striking. At this moment, the enemy's mainmast went by the board, and the dark hull lay shattered and bleeding upon the waters.

A boat now was sent on board the enemy, under the charge of Mr. Parker, the first lieutenant. The prize proved to be the British frigate Java, of thirty-eight guns, captain Lambert, commander, bound to the East Indies. She had on board lieutenant general Hislop and staff, several supernumerary sea officers, and a considerable number of men, intended for other ships.

After removing the prisoners, and lying by the Java two days, commodore Bainbridge ordered her to be set on fire, and from the flaming wreck took his departure for St. Salvador.

In this action, the Constitution had but nine killed, and twenty-five wounded-among the latter, were commodore Bainbridge and lieutenant Alwyn. The last died of his injuries shortly after the huzza of victory had wakened the echoes of the deep. Commodore Bainbridge was wounded in the hip with a musket ball, early in the action, and the shot that carried away the wheel of his vessel drove a copper bolt into his thigh, inflicting a severe and dangerous wound. He kept the deck, notwithstanding, until midnight. The Constitution came out of this action scatheless, with a few slight exceptions.

Not so with the Java. She lost her masts-her hull was greatly injured—and her number of killed and wounded was unusually large. According to commodore Bainbridge, there were sixty of, the former, and one hundred and one of the latter. According to the British published accounts there were but twenty-two of the former, and one hundred and two of the latter. Commodore Bainbridge was undoubtedly correct.

Many anecdotes of personal bravery have been recorded as having occurred during this conflict. Where all were brave, no invidious distinctions need be made. This action proved-as did that of the Guerriere-that in naval gunnery the Americans were superior to the world. And all this talk about weight of metal is all in my eye. If John Bull could not hit our vessels with a twenty-four pound shot, what evidence is there that he would have hit them with a thirty-two pound shot? The difference in size between the two could not have exceeded two inches in diameter. So much for weight of metal and English naval flummery, to offset the effects of American naval gunnery.

Throughout this whole battle, commodore Bainbridge manifested the greatest coolness and courage, and after the bloody deed was done, overwhelmed the dying Lambert and his officers with his kindness. It may not be amiss to note here a dream which commodore Bainbridge had, the evening previous to the action, which he related to the author a few months before his death. Whether

dreams foretell events, or not, is nothing to my purpose; I tell the tale as it was told to me, and the world may have it at the same price, namely, by giving their attention.

Commodore Bainbridge, as he lay in his birth, dreamed three times in succession, during the night previous to the action, that he fell in with and, after a bloody encounter, captured a British frigate, having red coats aboard-that her starboard gangway was shot away, and that the officers in coming on board his vessel came down the larboard ladder-that the frigate equalled him in size, and outnumbered him in crew-that her masts were all shot away-and that her commander was killed. Commodore Bainbridge, haunted by the spirit-stirring spectacle, could not sleep-he arose from his pillow, and after pacing his little cabin for a short time, sate down to his writing desk, and wrote a letter to Mrs B., in which he stated the facts as dreamed by him, but stated them positively, leav. ing the blanks for the ship's name, commander's name, force, and other minor things, unfilled. The next day, the Java was captured, and the commodore merely filled up the blanks of the letter, and sent it to his wife as the first account of his victory.

After landing his prisoners at St. Salvador, and refitting ship, commodore Bainbridge shaped his course for the United States, and on the 27th of February, 1813, anchored in the harbor of Boston, and was received at the long wharf by the City Council, amid the shouts of the multitude, the thunder of cannon, and the pealing of bells.

This was a finisher to all objections-those people who knew the Americans would be whipped in fair fight, knew much less ever afterwards. The lion had been humbled again by the same gallant little frigate, and another flag of battle waved its smoke and blood-stained folds in the hall of Congress.

THIRD. TAKING TWO; OR THE CAPTURE OF THE CYANE AND THE LEVANT.

"Again the iron hail,

And the thunder note of war."

On the 17th of December, 1814, Old Ironsides sailed from Boston, under the command of captain Charles Stewart. She first ran off Bermuda, thence she steered for the Madeiras, and still finding nothing worthy of her thunder, entered the Bay of Biscay.

Cruizing down the shore of Portugal, she made the rock of Lisbon, and continued in sight of the barren peaks of Ceutra for some days. Here she made two prizes, one of which she destroyed, and the other she sent in.

While in this vicinity, she made a large ship in the offing, and gave chase, but before she had set her courses, she made a prize, and while securing it, the strange sail disappeared in the distance. This was the Elizabeth, 74, which came out of Lisbon, in quest of the saucy frigate; but captain Stewart stood to the southward and westward, in quest of an enemy, said to be in that direction.On the morning of the 20th February, the wind blowing a light Levanter, captain Stewart, for the want of something better to do, ordered the helm up, and ran his ship off to the south-west, varying her position nearly two degrees. At 1, P. M., a sail was made on the larboard bow, and the stranger hauled three points to windward, and made sail in chase. In twenty minutes, the stranger was made out to be a ship, and in a short half hour, a consort was seen to leeward, signalizing the ship in chase. At 4. P. M., the ship nearest to the Constitution made a signal to the leeward ship, and soon the latter kept away, and ran down towards her, then about three miles under her lee. The Constitution immediately squared her yards, and set her studding-sails above and below. No doubt of the enmity of the strangers now remained. The nearest vessel appeared to be a jackass frigate, and the most distant one, a corvette. The first was carrying studding-sails on both sides, while the last was running off under short canvass, to allow her consort to close.

Captain Stewart, believing that the enemy was endeavoring to escape, crowded on every thing that would draw, with a view to get the nearest vessel under his guns before night. At half-past four, the Constitution lost her main-royalmast, and the chase gained upon her. A few shots were now fired, but finding that his metal fell short, the attempt to cripple the frigate was abandoned. At half-past five, the drums on board the gallant Constitution beat to quarters, and soon she was cleared for action. In ten minutes, the two vessels of the enemy passed within hail of each other, came by the wind, with their heads to the northward, hauled up their courses, and cleared ship to engage. Both of the enemy's vessels, as though animated by a new idea, now suddenly made sail close by the wind, in order to weather upon the American frigate, but perceiving that the latter was closing too fast, they hauled up their courses and formed on the wind, the smallest ship ahead.

At 6, P. M., Old Ironsides had the enemy completely under her cannon, and yawing gracefully, showed the star-spangled banner beautiful amid the closing shadows of the ocean night. The strangers answered this proud defiance by setting English colors, and in five minutes, the American frigate ranged up abeam of the sternmost vessel, at one cable's length distance, passing ahead with her sails lifting, until the three ships formed a triangle, the Constitution being to windward.

Now commenced the action, with a vehemence that was hardly equalled on the sea. At the end of twenty minutes, the fire of the enemy evidently slackened, and the moon coming up, captain Stewart ordered the cannonading to cease. The sea was covered with an immense cloud of smoke. Beautiful as the silver veil of Mokanna, was the fleecy screen that rested upon the ocean, and terrible as the visage of the veiled prophet was the scene that burst upon the sight of the English three minutes afterwards, when the rolling vapor passed swiftly to leeward, and showed the American frigate ready to pour forth her volleys on either side, from her black 10w of teeth. The leading ship of the enemy was now seen under the lee beam of the Constitution, while the sternmost one was luffing up, as if she intended to tack and cross her stern. Giving a broadside to the ship abreast of her, that made a great many vacant numbers in her mess-book, the Constitution backed her main and mizzen topsails and topgallant-sails, shook all forward, let fly her jib-sheet, and backed swiftly, compelling the enemy to fill away, to avoid being raked. The leader now attempted to cross the Constitution's fore-foot, when the latter boarded her fore-tack, shot ahead, forced her antagonist to ware under a raking broadside, and to run off to leeward, to escape from her destructive fire. The Constitution, perceiving that the largest ship was waring also, wore in her turn, and crossing her stern, raked her with effect, though the enemy came by the wind immediately and delivered her larboard broadside; but as the Constitution ranged up close on her weather quarter, she struck. Lieutenant Hoffman, the second of the Constitution, was immediately sent on board of her, and in a few minutes afterwards he returned, with the sword of captain Falcon, of H. B. M. ship Cyane, of 34 guns. In the meantime, the other vessel of the enemy, having repaired her running rigging, hauled up, and met the Constitution coming down in quest of her. It was nearly nine o'clock, when the two vessels crossed each other on opposite tacks, and delivered their awful broadsides. The English ship was satisfied with the first fire and bore up, while the American followed, raking and boring her with her broadside and bow-chasers, ripping off the planks, and mowing down the men, like the fiery thunderbolts of heaven. The enemy could not stand this riddling long; the crashing of the planks was heard on board the Constitution at every fire, and the groans of the dying enemy echoed mournfully over the moonlit wave.

At 10, P. M., the chase came by the wind, fired a gun to leeward, and lowered her ensign. Lieutenant Shubrick, the third of the frigate, was now sent on board of the prize, and upon his return, the sword of the honorable captain Douglass, of H. B. M. ship Levant, of 18 guns, was laid upon the capstan of the Constitution.

At 1, A. M., the conqueror was ready for another action. She suffered less in her crew than when she captured the Java. Not an officer was hurt; but she was hulled oftener in this engagement than in both her previous battles. Great credit was deservedly bestowed upon captain Stewart, for the skill and coolness displayed by him on this occasion. He fought two ships and conquered them without having been once raked; and his backing and filling his single frigate in a cloud of smoke, aking his opponents in turn, and forcing them down to leeward when they were endeavoring to cross his stern or fore-foot, was a piece of manœuvering scarcely paralleled in the annals of any navy. Captain Stewart, having secured his prizes, proceeded to Port Praya, where he arrived in safety on the 10th of March, and anchored near the town. A vessel was soon engaged as a cartel, and over one hundred prisoners were landed, with a view to aid in fitting her for sea.

On the 11th of March, however, the old ship ran another squeak. It was a foggy day, when the sun looked down from the hazy heavens, and a cloud of mist rested heavily upon the waters of the ocean. The prisoners jolly “ Yo, oh heave, oh !" echoed along the shore, and the American officer of the watch paced along the quarter-deck of the Constitution without noticing the clouded bosom of the ocean, when an English reefer exclaimed, "A ship, by "One of the English captains gave the young sprig a silent reprimand, but it came too late, the plot was discovered before it was fairly hatched, and disappointment rested upon the faces of the past officers of the Cyane and Levant. Lieutenant Shubrick, ever on the alert, looked over the quarter and beheld the sails of a large ship looming over the fog. She appeared to be looking into the harbor.

After examining the stranger attentively, lieutenant Shubrick reported her approach to captain Stewart. That officer, coolly remarking that she was an English frigate, or an Indiaman, directed the first lieutenant to beat to quarters, and get ready for action. As soon as this order was given, the officer took another good look at the stranger, when he discovered the canvass of two other vessels rising like bright clouds above the fog-bank, in the same direction. These were evidently men of war, and captain Stewart was informed of the fact. He immediately came on deck, and took the trumpet.

“Ay, ay, sir!" answered the master's mate, as he cracked away with his axe at Uncle Sam's big rope-a hissing sound-a rattling along the ship's side—a smoke, as though a fire was pouring out of the hawse-hole-and then the old frigate cast to starboard, and stood out of the roads under her three topsails. The prizes followed with promptitude. The north-east trades were blowing freshly outside, and the three vessels, catching their influence, passed to sea, about gun-shot to the windward of the hostile squadron, just rounding East Point. As the Constitution left the land, she crossed her topgallant yards, boarded her tacks, and set all her kites.