neering, ambitious, haughty, and cruel; and was thus better calculated to dazzle men by the splendour of his enterprises, than either to promote their happiness or his own grandeur, by a sound and well-regulated policy.

As military talents, in all ages, but more especially in those chivalric days, made great impression on the people, he seems to have been much beloved by his English subjects, and he is remarked to have been the first prince of the Norman line who bore a sincere affection and regard for them.

He passed, however, only four months of his reign in England: the Crusade employed him nearly three years; he was detained about four months in captivity; the rest of his reign was spent either in war, or preparations for war, against France; and he was so pleased with the fame which he had acquired in the East, that he seemed determined, notwithstanding all his past misfortunes, to have further exhausted his kingdom, and to have exposed himself to new hazards, by conducting another expedition against the infidels.

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1. What was the most shining part of Richard's character?

2. What appellation did his courage and his intrepidity gain him? 3. How was he regarded by his English subjects?

LESSON CLXXXVIII.

JULY THE SEVENTH.

Untrodden Ground. —Lines suggested by a nameless

Landscape.

WHAT avail, though earth be wide?

All its beauty hath been spied!

Where's the vale that lies so still,

Bosom❜d in so calm a hill,

That no wanderer ever found?
Where's the spot of holy ground,
Isle, or peak, or promontory,
That hath not some human story,
Dark with guilt, or gloom'd with woe?
Where's the water's peaceful flow,
Lake, or sea, or river deep,

Resting in such dreamy sleep,

That no eye e'er look'd upon,

Save the stars, the moon, the sun?

Where's the wood so dense and green,

That no human hut hath seen;

EDMUND BURKE.

Where no war-song ever peal'd,
Where no savage lay conceal'd
Since the day the world began?
No where no where! all earth round
Is unholy, common ground,

And is trod by common man!
Poet, hail! and Painter, too!
There are regions known to you,
Mountains old and rivers wide,

That no eye but yours hath spied!
You behold, in valleys deep,
Quiet people with their sheep,
Like the shepherd-race of old
In the fabled years of gold!
You see rivers flowing on,
Golden with the setting sun;
And the little boats you see
Sail upon them tranquilly!
You see cities, old and lone,
Built as of eternal stone,
Silent, stately, and sublime;
Relics of an ancient time,
Of a race long pass'd away.
Ye are stronger than decay!
Ye can people each old place
With its gone, forgotten race;
Ye can know whate'er they knew!
Poet, hail! and Painter, too,
Traveller ne'er was wise as you!

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LESSON CLXXXIX.-JULY THE EIGHTH.

Edmund Burke.

In

On this day, in 1797, expired Edmund Burke, a most eminent English orator and politician. The richness of his mind illustrated every subject he touched upon. conversing with him he attracted by his novelty, variety, and research; so that on leaving him, a person was involuntarily led to exclaim, "What an extraordinary man!"

As an orator he had excellences which always gave him singular pre-eminence in the senate. He was not. though it was evident he drew from these great resources -like Cicero, or Demosthenes, or any one else: the

happy power of diversifying his matter, and placing it in various relations, was all his own; and here he was generally truly sublime and beautiful.

He had not, perhaps, always the art of concluding in the right place; partly owing to the vividness of his fancy and the redundancy of his matter, and partly owing to that irritability of temper, which he himself apologizes for to his friends in his last notice of them; but those speeches he published do not partake of this fault, which shows that in his closet his judgment returned to its usual standard.

As a writer he is still higher; and, judging of him from his earliest to his latest productions, he must be considered as one of those prodigies which are sometimes given to the world to be admired, but cannot be imitated. He possessed all kinds of styles, and gave them to the head and heart in a most exquisite manner: pathos, taste, argument, experience, sublimity, were all the ready colours of his palette, and from his pencil they derived their brightest dyes. He was one of the few whose writings broke the fascinating links of party, and compelled all to admire the brilliancy of his pen.

He was a firm professor of the Christian religion, and exercised his principles in its duties; wisely considering "That whatever disunites man from God, disunites man from man." He looked within himself for the regulation of his conduct, which was exemplary in all the relations of life; he was warm in his affections, and simple in his

manners.

1. Who expired on this day, in 1797 ?

2. In what respect, as an orator, was Edmund Burke entitled to the epithets sublime and beautiful?

3. What was the character of Burke as a writer?

LESSON CXC.-JULY THE NINTH.

Vasco De Gama.

On this day, in 1497, Vasco De Gama, an illustrious Portuguese, sailed from Lisbon on his voyage to the East Indies, by the Cape of Good Hope.

At Lisbon he was generally considered as going to certain destruction, and the whole equipment as devoted; but though, on his approach to the Cape, he actually encountered dreadful storms, his perseverance was not to be

conquered. Like Columbus, he had to contend with the mutinous despondence of his own people, as well as with the elements, but was superior to all.

Having doubled the Cape on the 20th of November, he sailed along the eastern coast of Africa, but met with inveterate hostility and treachery from the Moorish settlers, except the King of Melinda. He proceeded as far as Calicut; doubled the Cape again in April, 1499; and returned to Lisbon in the space of two years and almost two months.

The king and nation were overjoyed at this success; and he was created Count of Vidignere, and Admiral of the Indian, Persian, and Arabian seas.

Gama now rested a few years, while Cabral was sent out with thirteen ships, and John de Nova, with a reinforcement of three more, visited Calicut; but it was found that greater force was wanted, and in 1502, he set sail again, having twenty ships under his command. He returned in September, 1503, with thirteen ships laden with riches.

When Emanuel, king of Portugal, died, the credit of Gama continued unimpaired; and, in 1524, he was by his successor, John III., appointed viceroy of India. He returned thither a third time, and established his seat of government at Cochin, but died on the 24th of December, 1525, almost as soon as he was settled. He was honoured with the title of Don for himself and his posterity, and created a grandee of Portugal.

Gama was formed by nature to conduct the most arduous enterprises. His intrepidity, which was invincible, was not more remarkable than his sagacity and prudence; and the feelings of his heart appear to wonderful advantage, when we find him, amid all the extravagance of public applause, after his first return from India, drooping for the loss of his brother and companion of his voyage, Paulus de Gama, and unable to enjoy his fame. He had even sent his flag-ship home before him, under the command of Coello, his next officer, that he might attend and soothe the deathbed of this beloved brother. Such a victory of tenderness over ardent and successful ambition gives a better picture of his heart than the most elaborate eulogium.

The poem of Camoens, entitled "The Lusiad," on Gama's first expedition, is well known in this country by Mickle's able translation.

1. What illustrious Portuguese sailed from Lisbon on this day, in 1497, on a voyage to the West Indies?

2. By whom was he appointed viceroy of India?

3. When did Vasco de Gama die?

4. What proofs of fraternal affection did he give?

LESSON CXCI.-JULY THE TENTH.

East-India Company.

THIS celebrated, powerful, and opulent commercial association, which has extended its sway over the whole of the Mogul empire, was incorporated about the 42d of Queen Elizabeth, A. D. 1600, and empowered to trade to countries to the eastward of the Cape of Good Hope, exclusive of all others.

A variety of causes had been long operating in favour of such an incorporation. Several very valuable East India ships had been taken from the Portuguese and Spaniards by the English fleets, and awakened the cupidity of our merchants to the obtaining a share in a traffic which promised such great advantages. At length, in 1593, an armament fitted out for the East Indies by Sir Walter Raleigh, and commanded by Sir John Borroughs, fell in, near the Azores, with the largest of all the Portuguese carracks, a ship of 1600 tons burden, carrying 700 men, and 36 brass cannon; and, after an obstinate conflict, carried her into Dartmouth. She was the largest vessel that had been seen in England; and her cargo, consisting of gold, spices, calicoes, silks, pearls, drugs, porcelain, ivory, &c., excited the ardour of the English to engage in so opulent a commerce.

About the year 1698, application being made to parliament by private merchants for laying the trade open, an act passed empowering every subject of England, upon raising a sum of money for the supply of the government, to trade to those parts. A great subscription was accordingly raised, and the subscribers were styled the New East-India Company; but the old establishment being in possession of all the forts on the coast of India, the new one found it its interest to unite; and both, trading with one joint stock, have ever since been known under one name, viz. The United East-India Company.

Many and severe have been the contests between the