last?" 66 Yes," says the first, "I was, but there which was seconded by violent palpitations of the was nobody there that we had any reason to think heart, so powerful as to be heard even at a condangerous." Upon which his neighbor said no siderable distance. In some instances, perspiramore, being unwilling to surprise him; but this tion ensued, which would break out in such promade him more inquisitive, and as his neighbor appeared backward, he was the more impatient, fusion, as if the whole constitution were dissolved. and in a kind of warmth, says he aloud, "Why, he These sweats were sometimes of a citron color; is not dead, is he?" Upon which his neighbor sometimes black, fetid, and often like blood; still was silent, but cast up his eyes, and said some- sometimes they were cold, while the heat raged thing to himself; at which the first citizen turned inwardly and excited an unquenchable drought. pale, and said no more but this, "Then I am a dead But the most constant signs of the pestilence were man too," and went home immediately, and sent blains, which broke out all over the person with for a neighboring apothecary to give him something preventive, for he had not yet found himself exquisite and shooting pains, hard and painful ill; but the apothecary opening his breast, fetched tumors, with inflammation upon the glands, virua sigh, and said no more but this, "Look up to lent carbuncles, which, while their pain was inGod;" and the man died in a few hours. tense, their cure and danger was most critical and hazardous-not to mention the tokens which proceeded from the putrefaction of the blood and the mortification of the part, which, when real, i. e. when the spot and the part about had lost its feeling and no mistake could arise, were the certain forerunners of death; in some cases only appearing a few hours previous to dissolution, in others the fourth day before, remaining, observes Dr. Hodges, all that time terrible admonitions to the sick and their attendants.

Although we allow that there is a great air of truth and reality in the work of Defoe, and though we feel considerably indebted to the writings of the excellent Dr. Hodges, we cannot cease to regret the absence of a striking, picturesque, and faithful description of the plague by an eye-witness, like that we find in the pages of Thucydides, which is perhaps the most perfect piece of composition that ever came from the pen of man. Nothing there is wanting to satisfy the physician, the historian, the poet, or the moralist; for that inimitable writer has selected his details with such judgment, has narrated them with such spirit, has supplied such genuine touches of truth and pathos, as to give, in a few chapters, such pictures to the imagination, such information to the understanding, as the elaborate volumes of others are unable to convey; and perhaps it is owing to the interest which he has given to the plague of Athens, as well as to the inherent interest in the subject, that the plague has become so favorite a theme to both poets and historians. That it has been so is a fact, and we propose, in our next number, to present our readers with a general review, as well of this extraordinary disease in its various localities, as of the very interesting, series of works and single passages, of various countries and various ages, which have been written upon it.

To the affliction arising from such a disease was London exposed, with various fluctuations, for the space of twelve months, and to such an extent, as that four thousand died of it in one night, twenty thousand in one week, and, in the whole, not less than a hundred thousand. About the same time of the year that it commenced, its retreat was observed to have taken place, or, at least, to be very near at hand. All the symptoms became less violent, fewer were infected, and those who were so mostly recovered, so that this once powerful and gigantic distemper dwindled into slight and contemptible attacks of quinsy and headache. We must now close our observations, both on the work of Defoe and its subject, with this remark, that it has been our intention in this article, as it will be in the next, to consider the plague in a literary and historical point of view, and by no means, by dwelling upon the cure or the nature of the disorder, to invade the province of the physician, which, if we were capable of doing, we should certainly search for a fitter theatre and fitter auditors, than the pages and readers of the Retrospective Review.

With respect to the plague of London, however, we can collect from Dr. Hodges the symptoms and phenomena of the disorder, though we cannot describe them with the wonderful accuracy and in the spirited manner of Thucydides. Most persons, upon their first invasion by the sickness, perceived a creeping chillness gradually spreading Cincinnati, has received the first of a pair of kneelTHE STATURE OF ANGELS.-Bishop Purcell, of itself over the body, which produced a shivering ing angels to adorn his cathedral, sculptured under not unlike the cold fit of an ague-succeeded by the direction of Powers in Italy. Some one asked convulsive motions of the limbs and frame. Soon the bishop if this statue was not of uncommon size, after this horror and shaking followed a nauseous- it being the kneeling figure of a person six feet in ness, and strong inclinations to vomit, with a great oppression and seeming fulness of the stomach; a violent and intolerable headache next succeeded, when some fell into violent fits of phrenzy, and others became soporose and stupid. Afterwards, a fever discovered itself, and as soon as it began to appear, a strange faintness seized the patient,

height. In answer, he gave the history of his commission to Powers. He had directed it made of the natural size. Powers, in reply, requested something more definite, alleging that "he had never seen

an angel." The bishop referred to Revelation xxi. 17th for his measurements. This was conclusive, and was the gauge as to size and proportions, of the object sent.-Transcript.

From the Transcript.
PAYING AN OLD DEBT.

glasses, drew out a very ancient leather pocketbook, and began to count over his money. When he had done-and there was quite a parcel of bank ▲ MERCHANT, very extensively engaged in com- notes-as he sat, waiting his turn, slowly twistmerce, and located upon the Long Wharf, died ing his thumbs, with his old gray, meditative eyes Feb. 18, 1806, at the age of 75, intestate. His upon the floor, he sighed; and I knew the money, eldest son administered upon the estate. This as the phrase runs, came hard-and secretly old gentleman used pleasantly to say, that, for wished the old man's name might be found upon many years, he had fed a very large number of the the forgiven list. My brother was soon at leisure, Catholics, on the shores of the Mediterranean, and asked him the common questions—his name, during Lent, referring to his very extensive con- &c. The original debt was four hundred and nection with the fishing business. In his day he forty dollars-it had stood a long time, and, with was certainly well known; and to the present the interest, amounted to a sum between seven and time is well remembered, by some of the "old eight hundred. My brother went to his desk, and, ones down along shore," from the Gurnet's Nose after examining the forgiven list attentively, a to Race Point. Among his papers, a package, sudden smile lighted up his countenance, and told of very considerable size, was found after his death me the truth at a glance-the old man's name carefully tied up, and labelled as follows: "Notes, was there! My brother quietly took a chair by due-bills, and accounts against sundry persons, down his side, and a conversation ensued between along shore. Some of these may be got by suit or them, which I never shall forget.—' Your note is severe dunning. But the people are poor; most of outlawed,' said my brother; it was dated twelve them have had fishermen's luck. My children will years ago, payable in two years; there is no witdo as they think best. Perhaps they will think withness, and no interest has ever been paid; you are me, that it is best to burn this package entire.” not bound to pay this note; we cannot recover the "About a month," said my informant, "after amount.' 'Sir,' said the old man, 'I wish to pay our father died, the sons met together, and, after it. It is the only heavy debt I have in the world. some general remarks, our elder brother, the ad- It may be outlawed here, but I have no child, and ministrator, produced this package, of whose ex- my old woman and I hope we have made our istence we were already apprized, read the super-peace with God, and wish to do so with man. I scription, and asked what course should be taken should like to pay it,' and he laid his bank notes in regard to it. Another brother, a few years before my brother, requesting him to count them younger than the eldest, a man of strong, impul- over. 'I cannot take this money,' said my brother. sive temperament, unable at the moment to express The old man became alarmed. 'I have cast simhis feeling by words, while he brushed the tears ple interest for twelve years and a little over,' said from his eyes with one hand, by a spasmodic jerk the old man. 'I will pay you compound interest, of the other, towards the fireplace, indicated his if you say so. The debt ought to have been paid wish to have the package put into the flames. It long ago, but your father, sir, was very indulgent was suggested, by another of our number, that it—he knew I'd been unlucky, and told me not to might be well, first, to make a list of the debtors' worry about it.' names, and of the dates, and amounts, that we might be enabled, as the intended discharge was for all, to inform such as might offer payment, that their debts were forgiven. On the following day, we again assembled the list had been prepared-and all the notes, due-bills, and accounts, whose amount, including interest, exceeded thirtytwo thousand dollars, were committed to the flames.

"It was about four months after our father's death," continued my informant, "in the month of June, that, as I was sitting in my eldest brother's counting-room, waiting for an opportunity to speak with him, there came in a hard-favored, little old man, who looked as if time and rough weather had been to windward of him for seventy years. He asked if my brother was not the executor. He replied that he was administrator, as our father died intestate. Well,' said the stranger, 'I've come up from the Cape to pay a debt I owed the old gentleman.' My brother," continued my informant, "requested him to take a seat, being at the moment engaged with other persons at the desk.

66

My brother then set the whole matter plainly before him, and, taking the bank bills, returned them to the old man's pocket-book, telling him that, although our father left no formal will, he had recommended to his children to destroy certain notes, due-bills, and other evidences of debt, and release those who might be legally bound to pay them. For a moment the worthy old man appeared to be stupefied. After he had collected himself, and wiped a few tears from his eyes, he stated that, from the time he had heard of our father's death, he had raked and scraped, and pinched and spared, to get the money together, for the payment of this debt. 'About ten days ago,' said he, 'I had made up the sum within twenty dollars. My wife knew how much the payment of this debt lay upon my spirits, and advised me to sell a cow, and make up the difference, and get the heavy burthen off my spirits. I did so and now, what will my old woman say! I must get back to the Cape and tell her this good news. She'll probably say over the very words she said when she put her hand on my shoulder as we parted-I have never seen the righteous man for

"The old man sat down, and, putting on his saken, nor his seed begging bread.' After a hearty

6

Such is the simple tale which I have told, as it

was told to me.

6

shake of the hand, and a blessing upon our old | by what principles Louis Napoleon is governed, in ̈ father's memory, he went upon his way rejoicing. conferring the Cross of the Legion of Honor: "At "After a short silence-taking his pencil and a review which took place on Friday in the Champ de Mars,' the President of the republic, on dismaking a cast—' There,' said my brother, your tributing some crosses of the Legion of Honor, part of the amount would be so much contrive a caused the officers to assemble in a circle, and thus plan to convey to me your share of the pleasure, addressed them: The decorations that I have disderived from this operation, and the money is attributed to-day are few in number, but they are the your service." " more honorable to those who have obtained them. The Cross of the Legion of Honor has too often been bestowed lavishly under the governments which have preceded me. It shall not be so in future. I will take care that the decoration of the Legion of Honor shall be the recompense only of services ren[We copy from the Boston Daily Advertiser the follow-dered to the country, and be only bestowed on ing notice of the official recognition, by France, of Dr. indisputable merit. It is thus, gentlemen, that I Jackson's claims to the honor of the Ether discovery. hope to restore to this institution all its glorious Little good has it done to him in any selfish point of prestige.' view. A money reward he has not sought, and as to fame, he has been obliged to expend thousands of dollars in the vindication of his title to the discovery, against a person who derived all his knowledge of the nature and properties of Ether from Dr. Jackson himself. It is a matter of great regret to us that we were at one time

A SEXTON OF THE OLD SCHOOL.

cheated into the admission of an article in favor of this

pretender. At that time we were not acquainted with the parties-had heard but one side, and knew nothing of the high character of Dr. Jackson, or of the true charalluded to.]

acter of the

From the Boston Daily Advertiser.
HONORS TO DR. JACKSON.

Bonpland, the celebrated traveller and naturalist, and the associate of Baron Humboldt in his South American travels, together with several other distinguished individuals, received the honor at the same time that it was decreed to Dr. Jackson. Carlisle, in his " Orders of Knighthood," published in 1839, states that "" no native can be admitted" to a higher class than that of knights, in which he must remain for four years before he can be a candidate for the next higher class, that of officers. Thus Cuvier received first the cross, and finally the grand cross, the badge of the first class.

can cruisers. Miss Mitchell, of Nantucket, has

In 1839, thirteen Englishmen, among which DR. CHARLES T. JACKSON has lately received the had received the Cross of the Legion of Honor. Dr. were Sir Astley Cooper and Sir Thomas Lawrence, beautiful decoration of the order of Knight of the Jackson is believed to be the only American on Legion of Honor, conferred on him by the Presi-whom it has ever been conferred. Franklin received dent of the French republic, as announced some a gold medal from the British government for his months ago, and also a splendid gold medal pre-endeavors to protect the exploring vessels under the sented to him by the King of Sweden. We do command of Captain Cook from capture by Amerinot wonder at these honorable recognitions, by the heads of European governments, of the merits of a discovery, so effectual for the mitigation of human suffering, in every part of the world. It is a discovery of which the value is readily appreciated wherever its effects are seen. We have been presented, by a friend, with the following description of these beautiful testimonials:

HONORS TO THE DISCOVERER OF ETHERIZATION. -The Cross of the Legion of Honor, decreed to Dr. Charles T. Jackson, of this city, by the President of the French republic, on the thirty-first of last January, has recently been delivered to him by Major F. O. Wy yse of the U. S. Artillery, to whom it was entrusted for that purpose by the Hon. Richard Rush, American Minister at Paris, accompanied by the patent of knighthood, bearing the signature of Marshal Molitor, the grand chancellor of the order.

Dis

recently received a gold medal from the King of Denmark, for the first discovery of a comet. tinctions conferred for meritorious services like these and the discovery of etherization, are highly useful; and, if not hereditary, are not opposed to the spirit of our institutions. Certainly, if we may judge from the avidity with which military and other titles are sought, and showy badges of all sorts, are worn on public occasions, they are not opposed to the Spirit of the American people. The decoration or cross which Dr. Jackson has received, is a silver star, suspended from a red ribbon, enamelled white, with five wings each with two points on which are small silver balls. Behind the five wings runs an emerald green enamelled wreath of oak and laurel. In the middle is a beautifully wrought round gold shield, which bears on the obverse side the head of Napoleon, surrounded with the words, in gold letters on the dark blue enamelled circle, BONAPARTE, PREMIER CONSUL, 19 MAI, 1802. On the reverse is the inscription, HONNEUR ET PATRIE, surmounted by two tri-colored flags, and encircled with the words, in golden letters, on a dark blue ground, REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE.

The reason for which this distinction was conferred, will appear from the following translation of a portion of a letter addressed to Dr. Jackson by "Le Chef du Secrétariat du President de la Republique":"The order of the Legion of Honor The King of Sweden has recently transmitted to was instituted for the reward of brilliant actions, Dr. Jackson a large and splendid gold medal, struck or of services rendered to humanity. With this from a die sunk expressly for the purpose. It bears title [a ce titre] the author of the discovery of ether- on the obverse side the head of the king, encircled ization, could not fail to be invested with it; and with the words, OSCAR REX SVECIAE NORVEGIAE the President felicitates himself on having had so GOTH. ET VAND. On the reverse side, in the middle, justly to decree, in the name of France, this great is the inscription in raised letters, JACKSON MED. distinction." DOCTORI BOSTONII, AMER. SEPT., surmounted by The subjoined paragraph from the London Exami-a civic wreath, and encircled with the words, ILLIS ner of the twenty-third of last February, will show QUORUM MERUERE LABORES.

From the Spectator, of 23d June. the government; or it must be met by new taxes THE NEW FRENCH EMPEROR-ROME-EUROPE. and retrenchment-recall of disbanded armies, to

swell the mob in the streets of Paris, at once hurting the pride of the French, and supplying forces for revolt against an odious government and its new taxes. There is a third course before either of the other two can be consummated-a new revolution. At present that alternative may seem the remoter to the view, but it is not the less a real peril; though the ministers appear to forget it. While defying every dictate of prudence in their policy, they have forgot, or they slight and contemn the people. They seem to regard France as they might a horse whose fit of kicking is over, and to think that now they can put on the harness and apply the whip at leisure. They cannot go far in this course without the people's discovering that its government is oppressive," tyrannical," "arbitrary," in short, open to all the epithets applicable to the old régimes. One reason is, that the prince president's councils are now possessed by men bred to the old bureaucratic habits of France, which are of a kind more suited to a police force than to the government staff of a "free" country. But the principal reason is the deliberate attempt of the combined reactionaries to bring back the government of the country to the monarchical model.

66

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Nor only the composition of the French government, but the behavior of the men who guide the majority of the Assembly, indicates that the government and its supporters are carrying on a decided attempt at reaction. Having hold of its majority, the government scarcely disguises its purpose. Having triumphed over a partial and premature manifestation of revolt, it accounts its position certain, and affects the language of a power whose decrees are final. It annuls the recent constitution, bit by bit; braving censure by going to war without leave, suppressing newspapers, prohibiting clubs for a year, permitting assemblages for the purpose of election, but declaring that any departure from that purpose will draw down the executive upon the assembled electors-in other words, declaring that the electors shall meet if they behave as the government pleases. All these are dictatorial acts; a dictatorship originally assumed without legislative authority, and only sanctioned by the votes or party cries of the majority, ex post facto. The change towards this condition of affairs was apparent last week, and in strictness we should have noted the triumph over the red republicans; but in truth we regard the new phase as superficial, and were not then considering the mere passing humors of the moment. A contemporary reminds us One of the greatest national crimes ever re also that General Cavaignac had offered to sup-corded seems to be upon the point of consummation port order, which is true; but he had not revoked—the French taking of Rome. No change has his protest against the conduct of the government. The immediate aspect of the danger which besets France has somewhat altered; but not for the better. The minority appeals to the "constitution;" an idle appeal, for the constitution is a nullity now that power has passed from its authors, and it is virtually abandoned by Prince Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, nephew of "my uncle," and his coalesced imperialist, monarchist, and legitimist ministers. It is nonsense to refer to it as a substantive authority. A recent constitution is no more than the written programme for regulating the operations of a victory; this one was a compact in terms dictated by the victors-victors no longer, but defeated and frustrated on all sides, and superseded by the coalesced reactionaries. If hose reactionaries retain power, the constitution must become what they choose to make it.

occurred in the position of the parties, except that General Oudinot has made his approaches by slow degrees, and at the dates of the latest accounts was about to commence the storming of the place. Then comes the contest in the barricaded streets. The Pope is said to feel the cruel position of Rome so severely that he has offered to give the French an excuse for withdrawing by abdicating his temporal sovereignty. But the Pope cannot retrieve the real disgrace of France; some truly wise and virtuous Frenchman alone could do that.

North-eastern Europe is a prey to increasing confusion-the "German" Assembly disavowing its regent; the Assembly itself proscribed by the government in whose territory it sits; Baden and Bavaria insurgent, and warred on by Prussia; Russia and Austria sustaining reverses in Hungary; Hungary demanding the neutrality of Turkey, which acquiesces; Austria making way upon Venice, which continues to resist with Roman fortitude under the dictatorship of Manin. Conflict

But can they retain power? They are taking steps to defeat their open foe in the streets, but hardly to consolidate their own power. The same financial insolvency to which M. de Tocqueville pointed as the destruction of Louis Philippe's everywhere, settled power nowhere, cross intergovernment, but aggravated, hangs over Louis ests starting up in every direction. Napoleon's government, from which M. de Tocqueville has not yet publicly withdrawn. government has been continuing attempts at re

That

From the Examiner, of 23d June.

trenchment; but it has entered into immense WHY DOES RUSSIA INTERFERE IN HUNGARY? military expenses; and to exasperate the difficulty, it has employed its military outlay chiefly in an expedit on hateful to the nation. The insolvency must be consummated, to the destruction of

IT has long been evident to all who watch the progress of European affairs that Russia has invariably pursued, and is still pursuing, a steady and uninterrupted policy of territorial extension

and aggrandizement. In this respect the most by the spirit of dissension fomented among the daring plans of the French, for the extension of races connected with Russia either by religion territory and influence, sink into insignificance or by a common Slavonic origin, and above all by in comparison with what Russia has actually effected. Every additional accession of territory is only considered as a step towards further progress. The Russian empire already contains such a numerous population, and such extensive dormant resources, as to call for the concentration of all the energies of both rulers and subjects upon a judicious development of these resources by a wise and liberal system of internal administration. But the policy of the czar scorns such commonplace dictates of civilization.

The natural barrier against these encroachments, whether open or insidious, upon Turkey, was the Austrian empire; and had the Austrian government-in short, that if Hungary ceases to statesmen been actuated by an enlightened policy, had they been less afraid of liberal sentiments among their own subjects than of the designs of Russia, Austria would at this moment be really the powerful state which she has been supposed to be, and the further advance of Russia would have been rendered impossible.

Such a result would be of itself sufficient indemnification for an enormous sacrifice of Russian It was, of course, a part of the Russian system gold and Russian soldiers. But there is reason to of policy that the resources of the Austrian em- suppose that the price (or at least a portion of the pire should be destroyed as far as possible, and price) of the intervention, is something even yet that the Austrian government should thus be ren- more definite and tangible-a port on the Adriatic. dered weak and subservient to Russian dictation. Cattaro is separated from the rest of Dalmatia The material resources were therefore cramped by by an intervening portion of Turkish territory, a hostile tariff, and by the difficulties thrown in and consequently is of little consequence to its the way of the navigation of the Danube; while present owner, Austria. In the hands of Russia the moral resources were still more endangered it would be of the highest importance. It im