She

lated country life, of which we have so frequently of those elements which favor individual developspoken. Placed beyond the reach of general so-ment, and its weakness in the subjection of those ciety, the only refuge of the Virginia farmer was elements which favor social progress. But, if we in the bosom of his family. Here he found his be right in another proposition of ours, this latter wife and children, and but few besides-they alone evil will, in time, cure itself. For we have argued were his companions-they alone divided his sor- that the two great elements of civilization—-indirows, and shared his joys. Whatever concerned vidual development and social melioration-howhim, deeply interested them, and the members of ever they may separate for a time, must, by the this little circle became gradually united to each laws of their own movement, ultimately come toother by the strongest ties that can bind human gether, and advance abreast. And, in the meanbeings together. And we accordingly find that the time, until these two movements shall become parties of family and kindred, the associations which allel, there is, as we think, nothing discouraging in connect themselves with home, and make it a shrine the present condition of the commonwealth. in after years, and "all the charities of father, son is, at least, in possession of one, and that the most and brother," acquired a force in Virginia that is valuable of the great elements of civilization. seldom seen elsewhere. The preponderance of And, indeed, grave doubts have been entertained domestic life in the colony, and, since, in the com- by wise and reflecting men whether, after all, the monwealth, is not, therefore, to be wondered at. prodigious progress, which modern society is maIt was, as we have just stated, the necessary con- king towards perfection in social organization, is sequence of that retired country life which the the summum bonum which it has all along been people then led, and still lead, to a great extent. supposed to be. It is argued that order and harBy force of his position, the affections of the Vir- mony in the social arrangements are very beautiful ginia planter were oblige to center in his Home. things, and, in no wise, to be neglected; but, upon Here his life was spent, here were his only friends the other hand, it is said that the tendency of the and companions, here all his visions of happiness present system is to destroy all individuality, to in this life clustered. Feelings which, under other make men mere conventional machines and rescircumstances, would have been weakened by dif- pectable drudges. And thus, while you erect a fusion, were here strengthened by concentration, grand and imposing social edifice, with all its parts and, almost, by exclusiveness. And here we re-adjusted in perfect harmony and order, you sap the mark, in passing, upon the social position of wo- foundation upon which it rests. Society progresses man in Virginia. No where is it more exalted for awhile with wonderful rapidity, but the individno where is woman held in higher respect. And ual man deteriorates. It is not difficult to predict this is attributable to the prevalence of those do- the ultimate fate of such a community. And in mestic manners which we have just been descri- respect to progress in material wealth, it is argued bing. Here her importance and value became that, while it is certainly a very good thing that manifest. Woman, at one time man's drudge, and, men should be well-fed, well-clothed, well-housed, at another, his toy, in the bosom of that isolated and that their external condition, in every respect, country life which the people of Virginia have al- should be comfortable and happy, yet that society ways led, became at once his friend, companion has now passed that point, and the tendency of and guide. And, as is always the case, this im- the present order of things is to engross men exprovement in her social position, has been accom-clusively in the miserable work of accumulation, panied by a corresponding improvement in her and to chain down their minds to low and perishamoral and intellectual faculties. As her influence ble interests, to the neglect of higher and more and importance have increased, her mind has been enduring interests and the cultivation of those expanded, and her virtues illustrated. And it will, spiritual and intellectual faculties which distinguish accordingly, be found that if woman has always man from the brute, and connect him, in the gracommanded cordial and unfeigned respect and ad-dation of being, with higher intelligencies. They miration in Virginia, this has been but a just tribute say that Mammon is the "Great God" of the age, to her many virtues. No where, in our judgment, has the female character ever attained to greater excellence--no where has woman ever been more chaste, more lovely, more self-devoting. A Vir- But yet we have thought proper to state them for ginia mother, in the circle of her family, with her children around her, is the noblest specimen of her

sex.

and that it has none other God but him. We must not be understood as approving these views-upon the contrary we, for the most part, reject them.

the encouragement of those who are inclined to regret and despair over the present aspect of civilization in Virginia. For ourselves we need conA word in conclusion. We have now pointed solation from no such source. We find it in the out, though in a very imperfect manner, what, in Social System of the State itself. We believe that our judgment, constitutes the strength and weak- that system, while it has its imperfections, is full ness of the Social System of Virginia. We have of hope and promise, and destined to future greatseen that its strength consists in the preponderance ness. And we found this opinion upon that pre

A purer, holier joy than that of yore,

A brighter honor, a more fair renown,
Joy, which dispels the anguish of the poor;
Honor which hath salvation for its crown;
Fame whose green laurels bloodless all shall be,
A glorious wreath of immortality.

'Till then, let children raise their hands and bless
In humble adoration, God, who here
A haven opens wide, to which distress,

And desolate poverty, may safely steer
Their frail and sinking barques :-aye let them come,
Unto our Forest-land the Exile's Refuge home!

Oh! would that I could all unlink the chain
Of wretchedness, and set thee, Erin, free,
Wipe from thy annals every dark'ning stain,

Light up thy heart with fire of liberty;
And then beneath the sky no Ocean gem
Were brighter in old Neptune's diadem.

"Cæsar to Cicero:
Expect help."

It was thrown over into the camp, affixed to a javelin: for the barbarians prevented all personal access. Hardly had it been received, when the hearts of the garrison were made to leap with a yet livelier joy by the sight of the smoke from Cæsar's camp-fires, surging above the woods. They were seen also by the savage besiegers; who left the siege to attack him, and were utterly routed, with great slaughter.

3. It is well known that an English dandy, who courted the familiarity of Lord Chesterfield, eloped to Gretna Green with an heiress, and after having the nuptial knot tied, wrote thus to his lordship:

"MY DEAR LORD

I am the happiest dog alive.

Yours,

JACK * *

Our own times have afforded samples of epistolary brevity, that may compare not badly with Cæsar's. I do not allude to the breathless dispatches by the lightning-horse, lately harnessed and made to bear "winged-words" with a celerity that Iris or Mercury never dreamed of, however Jupiter might hurry them. The instances I am going to cite, were before the magnetic telegraph had been invented.

"You will learn who I am, from him I send to you. Reflect, in what peril you are, and remem4. One was a New England mother's letter to ber that you are a man. Consider what her son, who had roved away to Louisiana. It was your circumstances require-seek help from all, even from as follows: the lowest."

"DEAR TOM

Come home.

YOUR MOTHER," &c. Tom's answer, quite as laconic, ran thus: "DEAR MOTHER

1 won't.

YOUR LOVING SON," &c.

2. But that letter was as a President's message to a speech of Queen Victoria, compared with a missive which Julius Cæsar wrote to his lieutenant, Quintus Cicero. The latter, with a small force, was beleaguered in an isolated camp, or fortress, by an immense host of Gauls, or Germans,-no matter which. They guarded all the approaches to him so closely, that with extreme difficulty and 5. Virginia, some half a century since, furnishhazard, he conveyed news of his peril to Cæsar. ed a correspondence briefest of all. It had but The great leader instantly posted off, with 7,000 one word in each epistle. The eccentric Doctor men, to relieve Cicero; but sent forward a nimble Honeyman, of Hanover, had contracted to buy, courier, with a note in two words, which must have from Captain Robert Dabney, of Louisa, some live been to the distressed lieutenant one of the most pork, which the latter was to drive down and dedelicious of billets-doux. It was in Greek-that liver. It did not come, however, so soon as it the enemy might not understand it, should it fall ought: and the doctor, in a fit of mingled impainto their hands: tience and waggery, folded a large sheet of foolscap into a very complicated letter-form, having written in its innermost recess the single word "HOGS!" This he dispatched by express to Captain Dabney-a humorist also, of the first grain. In half a day the messenger returned, bearing in reply a similarly folded sheet, in the very penetra

* Καισαρ Κικέρωνι

Βοέθειαν προσδέχου."

The two upper words were only the address, or direction of the letter. The whole, in English,

was

lia whereof was written, only the word used by | for much of the crime he is said to have comswine-drivers to urge along their grunting herd-mitted. "Hour!"-pronounced hoo-y!-By this, the doc

The genius of Shakspeare first sanctioned the

tor was given to understand that the pork was com- general impression against the unhappy Richard ing on, with all speed. And he had hardly done laughing at the retort of his joke, when the Louisa captain appeared, with his hogs and drivers.

Would that all tellers of stories (myself included), and all makers of speeches, writers of essays, and builders of books, would learn from the heroes and heroine of my narrative, one among the most important rules of man's brief and busy life--Be

SHORT.

SONNET.

BY H. T. TUCKERMAN.

When in the temple at still eventide

The young priest said in firm and moving tone,
That human love was sacredly allied

To that which God proclaimeth as his own:
And bade us all remember how the hours
Of trembling sympathy, intense though fleet,
Awoke devotion's most exalted powers
As flew the soul its counterpart to meet ;-
Then o'er my spirit, like a sudden flame,
The memory of our love exultant grew,

M.

I turned to thee, no answering glances came
For thy sweet head was bowed as flowers with dew;
Yet my veiled eyes I felt were deeply fraught
With a responsive beam of kindling thought.

RICHARD JII. *

III. Shakspeare was a poet, and he wanted a subject; he was a Lancasterian, and he wished that subject to be the enemy of the House whose cause he had espoused. He was a very curt narrator of events (though Marlborough did say that he was the best of all historians; in some respects, such as giving a vivid impression of the times in which his hero lived, beyond all doubt he was ;) but after this Shakspeare was but a poet; he drew upon his fancy always when it was necessary to supply his facts.

After him came a historian more generally read than any other that has written our language, who seems, strangely enough, to have taken up the cudgels for the house of Lancaster, three hundred years after the quarrel had been extinguished in the death of all the parties and who perverted history even more than Shakspeare. This may be accounted for, in a very great degree, by Hume's inattention to business. There are still existing, it has been said, in the Foreign Office, piles of documents, which were ordered to be copied out for him-they stand just as the clerks copied themthey were never examined by him and there they will remain to the end of all time, a monument of a historian's indolence and a warning to those who put their faith in history.

When Horace Walpole first published his "Historic Doubts," Hume was placed in a very awkward attitude. The proof of it may be seen in his Notes to the second edition of his history. The advantage was evident; the man of letters-the mere scholar-had beaten the professed historian at his own weapons-upon his own field of conflict-and, evidently, under all the disadvantages which superior opportunities could afford to the latter. The fact was sufficient to prove that though David possessed some of the highest requisites for making a historian-though he had the most insinuating and most delightful of all possible styleshe was yet deficient in one particular, which of late, and only of late, has begun to be thought an important ingredient in the character of him who writes history. David had no sort of care or predilection for facts; not more than Livy had, whose history we have always thought one of the most splendid romances we ever read. The two men were alike in one particular; they were both men of genius-they resembled each other also in another, they took no pains to find out whether they were writing truth or falsehood, but only followed the bent of their own fancy. A splendid work, not a historical record, seems to have been equally the

Genius, like the rays of the sun, illuminates every thing it touches; yet, like those very rays, it often presents the objects on which it falls in a false light. Perhaps the truth of this observation was never more fully illustrated than in the history of the character, whose name stands at the head of this article. Like many others, who have fallen upon evil times in their generation, and become the scape-goats of history, the probability is growing every day stronger that he has been greatly misrepresented that he was, by no means, the monster we have been taught to believe-that he was at least as good as any of his contemporaries-and that many of those contemporaries are responsible object of both. Livy, to gratify the prejudices of his nation, chose to perpetuate numberless anti

* RICHARD III. as Duke of Gloucester and King of Eng. quated Roman lies with regard to Hannibal the land. By Caroline A. Halsted.

Carthaginian; Hume, to tickle his own country

men, seems to have resolved that no slander that | BLACK PRINCE, who was the eldest of them all, and had ever been propagated against Cromwell should upon whom the crown would of course have defind its grave, at least in his day. Hume would volved, having died, his son, (Richard II.,) sucnot look at the records after they were copied out ; | ceeded to the throne. In the year 1399, this prince, Livy, we doubt not, never took the trouble to ex- who seems to have inherited none of the qualities amine whether there was even any record of the events he describes or not. Livy wrote most eloquently and most musically; so did Hume. The Roman's introduction of Hannibal, on the stage, surpasses almost all we have seen in history; we say almost because we mean to give place to his great rival's description of Cromwell's death.

of his father, or grandfather, was deposed by his own near relation, Henry of Bolingbroke, who was the oldest son of John of Gaunt, duke of Lancaster, whose name is so familiar to all the readers of Shakspeare.

It is proper to mention in this connection, that before the dethronement of Richard II., ParliaWe only compare these two great national his- ment taking matters into their own hands, had altorians, for the purpose of showing that the highest ready nominated as his successor Roger Mortielements which enter into a genius for writing his- mer, Earl of March, who was the grandson of Litory, that is for making history agreeable to the onel, Duke of Clarence, which Lionel was the elman who reads it, are very apt to be wanting in der brother of John of Gaunt, the "time honored him who attends to the more important part of re- Lancaster," who has become so famous as the procording facts as they really are, and vice versa. genitor of the family of Lancaster. It is evident, They seem also, in part, to illustrate the cause therefore, that the claims of those who were dewhy the character of Richard III. has been always scended from the Duke of Clarence, according to pursued with execration by all the readers of Eng- the feudal ideas of the rights of property, were supelish History. Let us now return to that monarch—rior to the claims of those who were descended from to Mrs. Halsted's book-and to the various chroni- John of Gaunt. The house of Lancaster, how cles that have recorded the wars of the Two Roses. ever, was powerful and wealthy, far more so, for Richard, as the reader very well knows, was the the time, than any other of king Edward's delast monarch of the illustrious house of Plantagenet, scendants. It retained possession of the crown and fell in battle at the early age of thirty-two. for three reigns, Henry IV., V. and VI, all having He is represented, by the great dramatist, as show- successively worn it. The reign of the last of ing an instinctive thirst for blood two years before these monarchs was one of the longest recorded in he was actually born.-as committing many crimes the whole history of England-we believe the very at a period when he must have been in his nurse's longest with the exception of George III. The poet was excusable-he had little to do with facts-all he wished was a position to show off his hero-but for the historian there is

arms.

no excuse.

Lionel, Duke of Clarence, left an only child, Philippa, who married Edward Mortimer, Earl of March, and whose son, Roger, inherited all the titles thus concentred. This son, however, died beWe regard the present work-that of Mrs. Hal- fore the deposed monarch; and Henry IV. imprissted as a real acquisition to literature, not for oned his heir, a child of seven years, at Windsor its style, but for two qualities which would have Castle, in order that his rich possessions might stood very low in the eyes of the two great nation- enure to the benefit of his son, the Prince of Wales, al historians to whom we have already alluded, afterwards Henry V.: one of the most famous Hume and Livy. Her book is distinguished by monarchs in English history, and especially well deep research into the history of the age on which known to all readers of Shakspeare, as the "mad she professes to descant, and she never speaks out prince"-the companion of Falstaff and Poinsof the record. She has the advantage of Walpole the especial favorite, in one word, of the great in one particular, while she is behind him in ano- dramatist himself, who seems to have derived his ther; she cannot speak in the same style of simple, affection for, and prejudices in favor of, the family easy elegance, by which all he has written is mark-of Lancaster, from this splendid creation of his ed, and which, in our opinion, has never been ri- genius. That “ Hal," as Shakspeare calls him, vailed by any male writer who ever existed; but in some degree deserved the enthusiastic devotion she has had an opportunity which was denied to he always manifested for his memory, there can him; that of more thoroughly inspecting the rec-be no doubt; and the fact that a most intimate ords of the eventful times of which they treat than friendship sprung up between him and the impriswas ever afforded to any other person, or at least oned Edward Mortimer, is sufficient to establish to any other person who has thought proper to it. Mortimer made no opposition to him, though take advantage of it. Our limits forbidding us to his claims were in law superior, but on the contraextract from the book, we merely propose to give ry was through life a devoted friend and follower. the reader some general idea of its contents. Things stood thus during the reigns of Henry IV. and his son.

Edward III., it is well known, had seven sons and five daughters, all by one marriage. The

The fifth son of Edward III. was Edmund Lang