say is a fine specimen, and almost entire, was found at Bengazi, the ancient Berenice. | in Velay, is a system of caves, one of which, apparently the baron's hall, is twenty yards long, by six and a half broad. A letter from John Mackinlay, Esq. was next read, conAttached to it is a kitchen, opening to the top of a superjataining an account of some ancient carvings in oak panel, cent terrace, and almost as spacious as the famous one of discovered in the refectory of the Priory at Pittenweem in the Abbot of Glastonbury. Among the caves of Roche 1829. One of the medallions is supposed to be a likeness Robert is a hall twenty yards by five, lighted by a wellof James V. We are happy to learn that the Right Rev. shaped window. The period when these caves were abanBishop Low, to whom they belong, contemplates present-doned by their feudal proprietors cannot be ascertained. ing them to the Society. They became subsequently the haunts of banditti. Dr Hibbert read a memoir "On the caves occupied by the early inhabitants of the west of Europe; with illustrations of some still remaining in France and Italy. The meagre abstract to which our limits restrict us, can afford but an imperfect idea of this interesting paper; and the absence of the numerous drawings by which Dr Hibbert illustrated his subject is yet a severer want. He commenced by stating that his paper had for its object, to prove that natural caves were the temporary resort of the earliest and rudest inhabitants of Europe; that even at a more advanced stage of civilisation, caves had been used for human habitations; that in certain localities, they had afforded protection to the chiefs and vassals of the feudal times; and that even at the present day, whole villages of Troglodytes might be found in the civilized countries of the Continent. The subject of caves had lately attracted considerable notice on the Continent; but more on the part of the geologist than of the antiquarian. It had been incontrovertibly established, that in the caves in the south of France, human remains had been found along with bones of different mammiferæ. As the particular species of animals found in this juxtaposition were now no longer to be met with, they had been assumed to be antediluvian, but upon insufficient evidence. The destruction of the forests in which they found shelter, the drying up of the lakes on the borders of which they found their food, and partial convulsions of nature, sufficiently accounted for their extinction. In this view the investigation of the caves in which human bones had been found, was as much the province of the antiquary as of the geologist. Dr Hibbert assumed as an hypothesis, that the tribes inhabiting Europe, previous to the historical times, were in a state similar to that of the Fins described by Tacitus, as leading an almost brutish life, destitute even, of the earliest rudiments of the arts. Such beings might well be conceived to contend with the beasts, above whom they were so little elevated, for places of shelter they knew not how to construct; or, at all events, they might crawl like the beasts into holes, to conceal their dying agonies. At this period the bones could scarcely have been deposited in caves for the purpose of inhumation-the idea of sepulture belonging to a more advanced state. The rude fragments of earthenware found in the same caves, strengthened the conjecture that the bones belonged to an extremely rude and early period. The Celtic and Gothic tribes who supplanted the aborigines of Europe, seem to have reached the agricultural state. The Germans are described as inhabiting houses built of gross and unhewn materials, constructed without the aid of mortar, and also caves, into which they retired for shelter from the inclemency of the winter, or from the attacks of a more powerful enemy. Traces of these ancient subterraneous habitations are still to be met with in Germany, but much more frequently in France and Italy, where the nature of the rock is in general more favourable to the task of excavation. They are most numerous in the south of France. Each cave appears to have been entered by a low chink or fissure, situated almost halfway between the floor of the cave and its roof, and differing as little as possible from the level of the avenue by which it was approached. The entrance seems intended to have been closed, from the invariable presence of a narrow opening, reaching the external air in an oblique direction for the purpose of ventilation. Sometimes these caves are isolated, sometimes they are found in groups. It has been conjectured by French antiquaries that these are the latebræ of the Roman historians, in which the Gauls so often eluded pursuit, and re-appeared as suddenly to harass the enemy. Dr Hibbert next proceeded to remark that these caves continued to be used even during the feudal riod. At Ceyssac, in the province of Velay in France, the castle of the lord crowned the summit of a hill, all of which was excavated into caves, that seem either to have been used as chambers, or to have contained regular stalls for horses, and one has evidently been employed as a chapel. The entrance and lower apartments of a castle which flanks Mont Perrier, in Auvergne, has been scooped out of the solid rock; and on the opposite eminence is a system of grottoes, which served for the abodes of the retainers. At Conteaux, pe The next portion of the memoir was intended to show that, even in the present day, whole villages of Troglodytes were to be found even in the civilized countries of Europe. In the neighbourhood of Bagnovea, in the Pope's territories, is a village, of which an Italian traveller has observed, that a few stones for the purpose of closing the entrance of the cavern, a hole for the smoke to go out of, and an aperture to admit the light, suffice to complete each habitation. In the island of Ponza, near the bay of Naples, is another town of the same kind, the inhabitants preferring to reside in caves, although the island abounds with the best materials for building. The caves are described as being refreshing in summer, warm in winter, and without the least humidity. In France, many villages of inhabited caverns still exist, as at Cuzolo in the Cantal, at Mount Perrier in Auvergne, and many other places. Swinburne has described a village of the same kind, which occurs in the province of Andalusia, in Spain. In Transylvania, the places which the nomadic gipsies inhabit during the winter, ought to be called holes or burrows, rather than caves, which, for farther se curity from the weather, are covered over with branches of trees, with moss, and turf. Dr Hibbert concluded his memoir by recommending the history of European, and parti cularly of Scottish, caves, to the attention of the Society; and by describing the geological formations in which the search for them was most likely to be attended with success. The present being the last meeting of the session, the President, before quitting the chair, briefly addressed the menbers present, congratulating them upon the activity which had characterized their proceedings, and the increasing riches of their museum. He concluded with exhorting them to perseverance. The Royal, Wernerian, and Antiquarian Societies, have now closed their winter session. We shall resume our reports of their proceedings as soon as they again meet, and are glad to know that those which we have already given have proved satisfactory. THE DRAMA. THE trade winds have set in,-which is an obscure and allegorical mode of saying that the benefits have fairly commenced. At such a season the sternest critic smooths down his rugged front, and either looks silently on, or pronounces a word or two of benevolent encouragement. At present we wish to give a little advice, and from benefits which are passed, propose to suggest a useful hint for those which are to come. The first thing which an actor has to attend to in the choice of pieces for his benefit is novelty; the next is the probability of their being well performed; and the third and last is their suitableness to his own peculiar talents. The two principal benefits which have taken place this week were those of Mackay and Murray, and in what we have set down as the leading qualification of a benefit-novelty-they were both miserably deficient. Mackay took "Speed the Plough," and "Cramond Brig;" the first of which is not particularly that it has become at last a positive drug, especially now refreshing, and the second has been played so often here, that we have no longer Miss Noel to sing the songs of Marian Howison. Murray, by way of being equally original, fixed upon" Paul Pry" and "Masaniello," the former being as familiar to all play-going people as the stage lamps; and the latter, besides being well known, affording him not the slightest opportunity for the display of his own particular abilities. Mackay has a good many supporters, and Murray has numerous friends and påtrons, and the consequence was that they both, particularly the manager, had good houses; but we can assure them that this was in spite, not in consequence, of the performances. Had inferior actors made a similar selec on, we venture to say the audience would have been thin nough. Let our histrionic friends therefore study novel;-it is one half of the battle. Moreover, if they have ny genius at all, let them choose such characters as will ive them an opportunity of displaying it; for it is a ridiulous thing to see them on their benefit nights sinking nto situations far below those to which they are entitled, nd which they are well able to support. At the same time, it is not to be denied, that our comany is far from being strong at present, and that there re some excellent pieces which it is as well for it not to ttempt. We have no first tragedian, and no first comeian, either male or female; and no lady capable of taking The lead in opera with any thing like eclat. We do not now whether a manager can altogether expect the permanent members of his company to be satisfied with beefits at the fag end of a season, after he has allowed some of his most attractive performers to take their departure. Be this as it may, it is plain that things must not remain ong as they now are. A sort of sleepy half-and-half feelng seems to have crept over the establishment, from which must be roused ere long, else it will get into a state of onfirmed lethargy. Our only reason for forbearing to press this subject more fully to-day is, that a new grant f the patent has not yet been actually signed and sealed, and given over to Mr Murray; and that the assignees, vho seem to be rather a dilatory set, have, within the last week, been prevented from finally arranging the matter y the unexpected death of Sir John Hay, who was one f their number. But something must be done immediatey, and we shall then take the liberty of speaking pretty reely as to the preparations which ought to be made for next season. Among the benefits announced for next week, we oberve that Pritchard's is to take place on Monday, and Denham's on Thursday. They both deserve well of the ublic. Pritchard is one of the most industrious and in. efatigable men in the company. He has, on the whole, made a very good selection of entertainments, and is to ave the assistance of the military band of the 4th draoons. In several Scotch characters Denham is unrivaled, and in nothing that he attempts does he offend ;-on The contrary, his acting is in general characterised by modesty and sound judgment. Notwithstanding the puffing and blowing of the frogs who enact the part of toads to the Caledonian Theatre, hat establishment remains very much in statu quo. There re one or two respectable persons connected with it; but n the whole, its entertainments, whether musical or therwise, are heavy, vulgarish, and half-price-like. Old Cerberus. ORIGINAL POETRY. SONG. By the Ettrick Shepherd. "AFORE the moorcock begin to craw, An' sae is the milk-white flower o' the haw, The daisy's wee freenge is sweet on the lea,— But the bud o' the rose is the bonniest of a'." "Now, wae light on a' your flow'ry chat, An' I canna come every night to woo!" "The lamb is bonny upon the brae, The leveret friskin' o'er the knowe, The bird is bonny upon the tree— But which is the dearest of a' to you?" "The thing that I loe best of a', Lass an ye loe me, tell me now; And the wily blink frae the dark-blue ee "Aha! young man, but I cou'dna see, A kindly look, an' a word witha', 1 "Then, dear, dear Bessie, you shall be mine, Sin' a' the truth ye hae tauld me now, Our hearts an' fortunes we'll entwine, An' I'll ay come every night to woo; For, O I canna descrive to thee The feeling o' love's and nature's law, How dear this world appears to me Wi' Bessie, my ain for good an' for a'!" SONG. By Alexander Maclaggan. I KEN a fair wee flower that grows I ken its hame, its bonny hame, But whar-troth I'll no tell : When rings the shepherd's e'enin' horn, Oft finds that soothing hourStars in the sky-dew on the earthAnd me beside my flower. It is not frae the tint o' day Call forth its blushing leaves; Ah! weel ye guess that fancy gives A female form a' loveliness, A soul in't a' divine, A glorious ee that rows beneath A fringe o' midnight hue,- 'Tis a' the wealth that I am worth, To see the purity, and peace, Wi' saftest words I woo my flower, I shield each gentle opening bud The wretch that would, wi' serpent wile, May he live without a cheering friend, And die without a prayer! THE FALLEN ROCK. By Thomas Brydson. No mortal hand, save mine, hath yet So steep that never hunter climb'd But yesterday the fleecy cloud Went curling o'er thy face; But yesternight the eagle slept Within thy calm embrace; While moon and stars, thine ancient friends, And bathed thee with their purest light Ah, me! and thou art downward hurl'd From thy majestic place of pride, Thou who throughout all time hast been So lofty and so lone, That voice of human joy or grief Scarce reach'd thy marble throne. Thou'st stood unmoved, while age on age Earth's myriads pass'd away: Strange destiny, methinks, that I Should mark thyself decay! PRAYER. I SAW on the shore of the wintry sea And the wind, as it flung back his long white hair, He gazed on the starless and solemn sky, But, lo! as I look'd on that face of despair, Alas! how rarely we pause to say, How precious a blessing it is to pray! Oh! glorious our fate that where'er we be,— The prayer of the heart will mount to His throne! LITERARY CHIT-CHAT AND VARIETIES. THE CAPTIVE OF FEZ.-We have been favoured with an early copy of Mr Aird's forthcoming poem, which we announced some time ago, entitled the Captive of Fez, in four cantos. We prefer delaying our review of it till next week, that we may be able to do it the greater justice. THE ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA.-We have received Volume I. Part I. of this great national work. It contains a portion of Duga d Stewart's admirable Preliminary Dissertation on the History of the Sciences, and the alphabetical matter from A to Etna, together with seventeen plates beautifully executed, illustrative of the articlesAcoustics, Aerostation, Africa, and Agriculture. It is evident that both the Editor and Publishers are determined to make the seventh edition the best which has yet appeared. Messrs Colburn and Bentley have commenced a new work, to be entitled the Library of Modern Travels, Voyages, and Discovers, comprising original journals of recent travellers in various parts of the world, and presenting an epitome of the present state of geographical knowledge. The work is to appear in monthly volumes, He the Family Library. The forthcoming Number of the Family Library will consist of the third volume of the lives of eminent British painters, sculparts, and architects, by Allan Cunningham. We understand that Sir Thomas Lauder Dick's work on the fowa in the North of Scotland in the early part of this year, is nearly ready for publication. CHIT-CHAT FROM LONDON.-Poor Haydon the painter is agan in the very last extremity of poverty, and has written a letter to a newspaper to say, that unless some assistance be speedily afforded him, he will be incarcerated. We do not exactly understand the: Haydon is a clever man, and his necessities must, in a great mes sure, be of his own making. Besides, we do not approve of pergle writing letters to the public press concerning their own wantsTwo collections of great interest to the antiquarian and the scholar are, in a few days, to be sold by Mr Sotheby: the one consisting of a valuable series of medals, the other of a well-chosen library. The medals are those of the late Earl of Morton, a nobleman of noted taste; the books belonged to Sir Thomas Lawrence. The former possess only their own intrinsic worth, which is great; but the boxes of such a man as the late President, derive an adventitious vale from their being associated with the private studies of a man of genius. Mr Burchell, the well-known African traveller, has at length returned to England, after an absence of nearly six years. In this period he has explored those vast inland provinces of Brasil into which no European traveller, at least of modern times, has van tured to penetrate. We may look for an interesting work from his pen ere long. Now that the weather has become warm, the Londoners are beginning to indulge in their annual fear of mad dogs. It would be well were they never bit in any way but this.-A monument is erecting in Westminster Abbey, by Mr Westmacott, to the memory of the late Mr Tierney. The fund for this splendid testimonial to ha worth has been raised by private subscription.-A new periodical, of the same size as the Edinburgh Literary Journal, is about to be commenced in London, to be published every Saturday morning, and to be called The Chat of the Week. It is to contain, bes original matter, the most interesting passages on all subjects from a the periodicals. This is not a bad idea, and may succeed.-1; s said that a large sum is subscribing for the institution of a new morning paper. The Star Evening Paper is for sale, the price de manded is L.800, which includes types, lease of the house, kui This is by no means a good time for newspapers; the best established, cannot hold their ground, and the Sunday newspapers in particul feel the pressure of the times, for the middling and lower ori who chiefly read Sunday newspapers, either cannot afford the pense, or the occurrences of the week are not sufficient to exci terest. In France, however, things are different; new papers starting there daily, and succeeding well:-at Lyons two new pat have appeared within the last three months, and in different part France about fifteen papers have been successfully started d the present year.-A University Club is in the progress of formatd on the model of the other great clubs of London. It is to consid the first instance, of 600 members-320 from each University. THE EDINBURGH LITERARY JOURNAL; OR, WEEKLY REGISTER OF CRITICISM AND BELLES LETTRES, No. 82. LITERARY CRITICISM. SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 1830, The Life of Alexander Alexander. Written by Himself, 1830. PRICE 6d. match; his character and prospects were good; and every thing augured a prosperous career. But unfortunately, on the occasion of an accidental quarrel with his employer, that gentleman taunted him with his birth. The painful feelings of his early years rushed back upon him-he felt as if some degradation were inherent in his nature, which nothing could wash out or conceal; and, in a state of excited feeling, he resolved to leave the island. In vain did his mistress look miserable, and his kind master relent, he was roused even to frenzy, and back to Scotland he came. Ir is scarcely going too far to term our ingenious ownsman John Howell, the De Foe of Edinburgh; for, hough he is scarcely equal in grasp and originality of hind to that prince of popular writers, he is far his suerior in true delicacy and moral purity, and has been he means of giving us more insight into the character of ur populace than any writer of the day. His "Joural of a Soldier of the Seventy-first," affords an excellent limpse into the materiel of which our armies are comosed; "John Nicol" carries us, in like manner, among ur seamen; and the present volumes, the most full of While in the army, the greater part of his time was eep and varied interest with which he has yet presented consumed in India. The picture he gives of the King's s, carry the reader in company with a luckless and high- troops in that country, though from a spectator of a very pirited ranger over more than half the globe. Nor must different cast, harmonizes strictly with that given in the he merits of the publisher pass unnoticed. We do not "Memoirs of Serjeant B.," and has, therefore, been too now which better deserves the thanks of the reading long before the public to justify us in presenting our ublic-Mr Blackwood, for the discernment and liberal-readers with extracts from this portion of the work. The y with which he discovered the value of Alexander's anuscripts, and prosecuted their reduction to a publishble form or Mr Howell, for the tact and intelligence ith which he has discharged the duty of editor. The story of Alexander is fascinating, on account of e rapid diversity of scene and fortune through which e hero is hurled; and, at the same time, it reads an mpressive lesson, by the warning his fate holds out to ch as indulge an over-susceptible temperament. The arrative is not the less instructive that the hero, although y thing but a practically wise man, is gifted with no dinary share of feeling and sagacity; nor are his rearks one whit less interesting and home-coming, that is cast of thought has been sickened o'er by continual sappointment, and that he is, to a very slight degree, a isanthrope. His reception from his father may easily be conceived. He had wished to conceal from the world the existence of this child of shame; and, when he believed the object attained, back came the damning remembrancer of his frailty. In this frame of mind, the father accused his son of a fickle and unsteady disposition. A scene of painful altercation ensued, and Alexander, in a fit of desperation, enlisted in the Royal Artillery. Alexander is the natural son of some person in easy rcumstances in the west of Scotland. For the sake of ncealment, he was boarded in childhood in the house of small farmer. Here and at school he was regarded, on count of the unfortunate circumstances attending his rth, as a sort of paria, -as one step in creation beneath ose with whom he was to associate, as one with whom ne had a fellow feeling, and who might be abused with punity. The boy, with his spirit thus seared and | oken, was placed by his father at Greenock, to obtain me notion of mercantile business, and was thence sent, hen old enough, to the West Indies. His destination s one of the smaller islands formerly belonging to the ench, where he was received and treated with a degree kindness and respect to which, in his own land, he d been unaccustomed. His heart began to beat more cely. He met with a young woman upon whom he ced his affections; her parents were not averse to the chief interest in this part of the narrative consists in the insight it affords into that feature of Alexander's character to which we have already alluded—an indolent acquiescence in his fate, leading him frequently to delay, on the most frivolous pretexts, a slight exertion, which might have been the means of materially forwarding his views in life. He returned from India with a shattered constitution, and, after serving some time on garrisonduty, was allowed to retire on a pension. Coming back once more to Scotland, he found his father still inexorable, and conceived the idea of again trying his fortune in the West Indies. After innumerable petty and teasing disappointments he sets sail, and with much ado manages to get first one, and then another, small employment in Demerara. It is fated, however, that nothing shall prosper with him. This portion of Alexander's history we recommend to the particular attention of the public. Although told in the language of a disappointed man, it is unquestionably the most just and impartial account of the state of society in our West India colonies we have met with; and will be found instructive as well by those soulless drivellers who laud slavery in the abstract, as by the wiseacres who, in their hot zeal for reform, pretend to legislate for millions separated from them by half the circumference of the globe, and yet more widely separated by difference of habits and education. Disappointed in Demerara, as everywhere else, Alexander joined the South American patriots. We have carefully studied the history of that continent previous to the Revolution, and being convinced that all the works which have been written upon it since are, with one or two exceptions, barefaced lies, or spoiled by the affectation of their authors, who wish to tell every thing, though they saw but little, we are glad to meet at last with one The portrait of Paez forms a fine pendant to this fal length of the Liberator: you for the sake of your country; you have it to thank fa man whose narrative, however caustic, carries the stamp of truth on its forehead. Alexander's unpretending state-life, and not me, sir.'”—Vol. ii. p. 26-8. ment of what he saw is most graphic, and to one acquainted with the previous state of the Spanish colonies, its authenticity will be at once apparent. The broken tradesmen of England with their morgue aristocratique the routed yet blithe followers of Napoleon-the downright New Englanders-the honest, yet withal soft and heavy Germans-the fervid Creoles-all act exactly as we were prepared to expect. That erewhile peaceful and happy country is undergoing a violent and fantastic change a sort of frenzy; but the crisis of its fever, and the prelude of returning health, has seized it. To give our readers any adequate idea of Alexander's sketches on this subject, would be to extract almost the whole of his second volume. We pick out, however, one or two extracts almost at random. The following is his account of Bolivar: "Paez is a stout, active-looking little man, with a ple sing and very expressive countenance; he is a good mus cian and dancer, fearless and brave to excess, but rash to fault, rushing into battle pell-mell, with no idea but that of overturning all opposed to him by mere animal force. Ye his feelings were very acute, and he grieved much after a great slaughter even of his enemies, and became subject to severe epileptic fits. He had fought many successful battles, but he could not calculate the effect of evolutions lik Bolivar. He was no politician, only a plain fighting man, where talent lay in rushing on to battle. He was quite void of learning, being able neither to read nor write. With much care he could just manage to scrawl P-a-e-z on the official papers that were presented to him; but his heart and soul were in the cause he espoused."-Vol. ii. pp. 78, 2 As the session of our General Assembly is but lately over, it may not be inappropriate to add to these sketches the following curious picture: "I stopped at a fine white house, which I was informed belonged to Commissionado. Here I passed as strange a night as I ever did. At my first knocking, the door was opened by a small plump-looking person, with a very broad leather belt. I boldly asked for a lodging, not as a favour, but a right. He gave a jump, and, flourishing his hands, bade me enter. As he turned, I saw that the crown of his head was shaved. I felt a little abashed at my freedom; but he jumped and danced before me. I thought he was mad; indeed I knew not what to think. I found here also a Frenchman, a colonel, an agreeable man, free of prejudice. ing himself, and urging us in an antic manner, shaking the bottle before us; he danced, sang, and shouted like a bacchant. "He is a native of Caraccas, where he had extensive property, at this time in the hands of the Spaniards. His height is about five feet eight, and he is well-proportioned. Though a full white, his face was bronzed or weatherbeaten, but very intelligent, full, and round, with a natural smile, that rendered it pleasing, without hurting that air of superiority which lurked in a dark and intelligent eye, the angry glance of which was benumbing. His eye enlivened a studious cast of countenance, whether natural or acquired I cannot say. He waltzed beautifully. He was of sober and abstemious habits, and spoke gracefully, and well to the point; his proclamations were numerous, and well adapted to their purpose. He spoke little in company, and had a great dislike to tipplers, babblers, idlers, gamesters, and duellists. He allowed the English to fight duels, but any American who fought was shot for the offence. "As soon as I was seated, the padre brought forth a He took a great deal of exercise, often walking and riding. He was very fond of the English, often talked about Eng-large bottle of rum, and poured out glass after glass, drinkland, and placed much confidence in the British, holding out liberal encouragement to all adventurers, but giving at the same time a general order that no foreigner was to be kept against his will, and that every one was to have his passport to return to his country whenever he chose. Out of policy and regard to Britain, he pardoned many villains, giving them passports and rations until they embarked, and even money to carry them off; yet others who left the country had to fight their way in the best manner they could. I was a witness to an instance of his clemency;-a Lieutenant-colonel Wilson, who had been up the country with Paez, then commander-in-chief, was a spy to the Spaniards, and in communication with General Murillo; he entered into an intrigue to overthrow Bolivar and the Republic, by sowing dissension between the rulers. His plan was to disgrace Bolivar; and, by working on the foibles of When the English, he soon got them to declare for Paez. all was ripe, he had the assurance to go to Paez and propose to him to be supreme ruler, and supersede Bolivar; which Paez, to defeat his object, agreed to, and a proclamation was issued to the British and the army to acknowledge Paez as the supreme chief and captain-general of the armies of the Republic. This they had been prepared for; Colonel Wilson had only to come down to Angustura, and take up with him all the British to the Apure, under the pretence of strengthening the army; all this was to be kept secret from Bolivar. Wilson came down, and the report was soon spread abroad, that all the foreigners in Angustura were to go up with him to join the army of the Apure. But Paez, as soon as Wilson left him, sent down a boat with information of the design to Bolivar. "Wilson was still going backward and forward to Bolivar, on the most friendly terms, and dining with him. The first time he entered after the arrival of the message from Paez, Bolivar, being reclined in his hammock, received him without any apparent change of manner, and desired him to come and sit down by him, when they entered into conversation, as if Bolivar knew nothing of his nefarious designs. After a short time spent in this manner, Bolivar, without any apparent emotion, drew the packet from his pocket which contained the irrefragable proofs of his baseness, and told him to look at it, and inform him if he knew any thing of its contents. Wilson was immediately put into close confinement, when we all looked for his being shot; but in a little time he was sent off to Old Guiana a prisoner at large, until shipped off to the West Indies, and I believe he had money to carry him off. Bolivar said-' I forgive "At length supper was ordered in. Such a supper I had seldom seen. There was chocolate, sausages, rice, soup, con serves, &c. enough for ten men. But now the most ludi crous scene began. He helped us with his bare hands, heaping the victuals on our plates. He was soon covered with grease from the chin to the belt, as he ate lustily. Ever and anon he seized the poor Frenchman round the neck, and kissed him. He was soon as much bedaubed as himsel I admired the patience of the Frenchman; and carefully kept the table between us, lest the foolish priest should next attack me in the same manner, which I could not have en dured. ге "The supper was removed, and the rum again went round until we were all tipsy, and then we tumbled into bed all three. I awoke about four o'clock, and fortunate it was I did so, for the Frenchman was just on the point of expiring; my right heel was on his neck, and thus he was pushed to the wall, as he lay at the foot of the bed. moved my foot, and with difficulty recovered the French officer, who had almost ceased to breathe. The priest also awoke; they began again to the bottle, but I would take no more on account of my journey, and not being accus They both again tumbled inte tomed to drink to excess. bed, while I ordered breakfast, which was cheerfully furnished. I mounted and rode off as soon as day broke. This was the first scene of intemperance I had seen, and I am sorry to say it was by a padre. The people in general drink pretty freely, but not to intoxication."—Vol, ii, pp. 298-300. The Adventures of Alexander, who is at present, we regret to learn, in the Royal Infirmary of this city, are rapidly related after his leaving South America, and are brought down to nearly the date of the publication of his volume. The whole book is full of feeling;-Alexander was a child of impulse-proofs of which are spread over the whole work, and scarcely admit of being broker down into small bits, and exhibited like geological speci mens. He thus speaks of his emotions when, on board a Columbian privateer, he passed within sight of her a welling, whom he had loved in youth-the memory of his disappointed passion having haunted every hour d his luckless life : |