and patriotism will always meet a better reward. To the honor of Britain and the British Government, the following act of grateful generosity is recorded, and is worthy of being held up as an example to other nations and succeeding ages.

Our second Charles, when closely pursued by the enemy, quitted Worcester, and repaired to Boscobel, a solitary house on the borders of Staffordshire, inhabited by a farmer named Penderell. To this man's care was Charles committed by the advice of the faithful Earl of Derby; and though death was menaced against all who harboured the King, and a considerable reward offered to any one who should betray him, this honest man preserved the most unshaken fidelity. He imparted the secret to his brothers and their brother-in-law Yates; all equally honorable with himself. Having furnished the King with a garb resembling their own, and put an axe into his hand, they accompanied him into a neighbouring wood, and began clearing away the luxuriant branches.That day proving very wet, Yates's wife brought a blanket to cover him, and a dish of milk and eggs for his refreshment. At night, returning to Richard Penderell's house, his mother joyfully received him, and treated him with an ordinary country supper; which being ended, the King, with Richard his guide, resolved on a journey to Wales, in order to gain the coast and embark for France; which, after many miraculous escapes and strange adventures, they accomplished in safety.

K

Thus did the Penderell family protect and aid the escape of Charles II. of England; and for their fidelity, upon his restoration, Parliament not only provided for them individually, but had a pension settled upon each of them and their heirs for ever, which to this day is enjoyed by some of the descendants.

NUMBER XI.

ON PLEBEIAN ASSURANCE.

All Upstarts, insolent in place,
Remind you of their vulgar race.

“BLOCKHEADS in power," it has been very justly remarked, "are of all animals the most baneful and injurious to mankind. Aspiring to that consequence they can never reach, they are jealous of superiority, in whatever shape they behold it ;-but strangers to the noble qualities that distinguish a generous soul, they know not how to practise those sublime instances of virtue peculiar to great minds.'

Characters of such a description, invested with authority, immediately assume an important air, and begin to domineer with all the lordliness of Eastern Tyranny. Secure in their official capacity, they escape the individual resentment due to their enormities; and whoever happens to be placed within the reach of their grasp, may be considered in as dangerous a situation as the man with his head in the lion's mouth.

When it was observed that the beast looked extremely fierce,-"No matter," said the man.

"But he extends his claws!" "No matter," repeated he. "Does he wag his tail?" "He does," said the by-standers. "Then the Lord have mercy upon me!" ejaculated the man ; and the lion, with a horrible grin, closed his jaws and crushed him in an instant.

Equally fatal, and equally ferocious are the acts of crafty upstarts. When elevated to any post of authority, they seldom fail to spread torrents of misery over mankind; and too often imbitter the happiness of their more deserving, though less fortunate fellow-creatures. The bitter draughts you are doomed to receive from their hands must be swallowed; and dose after dose is most copiously administered. At length the patient becomes nauseated; and nature exhausted, sinks under the increasing affliction. Yet, it would be unjustifiable to spurn the destructive potions, or to remonstrate with the compounder of them. Should that be attempted, the death blow would be given at once, and—“you would fall never to rise again."

For men of birth, education, and merit, when placed in such a situation, to escape the persecutions of these bold presumers, whose insolence in office is proverbial, is no easy matter; for the greater their superiority in talents and birth, the more jealous envy they create. Where fortune places men of mean capacity in an official situation, it is much to be lamented that the higher powers do not check their arrogance, and teach

them to modulate their tone a little. Without curb, these self-important beings, having no discrimination, and thinking to support a consequence by oppressing all who may chance to be in their power, are sure to domineer with double tyranny over those who were born for nobler purposes than to be subservient to their will; because they ignorantly suppose that they establish their own greatness, by exercising even an authority they have no right to assume; and seeking to lessen the merits of those, who though placed, from untoward events, in less propitious circumstances, know better than themselves.

In the person of Squire Spring-up, we behold one of these pompous gentlemen; who did not fail to think himself of vast importance to the state, as soon as he was raised from a toilsome and subordinate employ, to fill an easy and lucrative situation in a public office. Bowing and scraping, and pretending to every thing, when on the road to promotion, he met with wonderful success. In fine, through the interest of a distinguished Foreigner to whom accident had introduced him, he made his way from the eastern part of the metropolis to the vicinity of Whitehall; and was soon enabled to live in a style suitable with his change of circumstances, and to enjoy comforts unknown to his forefathers.

No sooner was he thus placed above his former occupations, and established in his new situation, than he began to strut with an important air, and