man in a state of intoxication: they strive to express passions which they do not feel, and nothing is more ridiculous than a person in a violent rage, when no other individual is moved."

This excellent critic concludes his work by deploring the loss of that noble eloquence, which was heard in the flourishing days of Athens and Rome. This he attributes to the loss of their liberty. "It is impossible," he says, " for a slave to be a sublime orator." When we come to speak of the decline of letters in Greece and Rome, we shall perceive the justice of this observation, and that the same corruption which produced the downfal of ancient governments, hastened that of the fine arts.

I. E. H.

FOR THE PORT FOLIO.

TORDENSKIOLD, THE DANISH ADMIRAL. ADMIRAL TORDENSKIOLD, was, in the literal sense of the words by which he was designated, on being raised to the honours of nobility-thunder (Torden) to the enemy, and a shield (Skiold) to his own country. Never did any nation produce a naval hero more humane, magnanimous, intrepid, valiant, and full of resour ces than Peter Vessel; who, from being a tailor's apprentice, rose to the dignity of a vice admiral, and a nobleman. He was born at Drontheim, in Norway. The present opportunity does not admit of a detail of the multifarious and splendid exploits of this wonderful character; but the rapidity of his promotion will no doubt be deemed perfectly conclusive of the importance of his services.

By his daring attack on the Swedish port of Dynekil, where Charles XII. had assembled a great number of vessels, laden with ammunition and provisions, which were all captured or destroyed by the Danes, Tordenskiold effectually frustrated the schemes of the Swedish king against Norway, in the year 1716. His frequent descents on the coasts of Sweden were always attended by those beneficial results to his country, which a century afterwards, were so fondly anticipated by the illustrious Nelson, from the employment of a floating army, as he expressed himself.

It redounds exceedingly to the honour of Tordenskiold, that his patriotic antipathies as a Norwegian, and his resentments

as a loyal subject of the king of Denmark, on no occasion betrayed him into an aggression on the unarmed inhabitants of Sweden. He inspired them with terror only, never with horror; and his gallant companions in arms proved that they were actuated by the same spirit of humanity which distinguished their leader. After the capture of the town of Marstiand, the inhabitants were placed in the most cruel predicament, by the firing from the adjacent fort, which was kept up for the purpose of dislodging Tordenskiold. He instantly wrote to the Swedish governor, entreating him to cease firing until the inhabitants of the town, and such effects as could be removed, were placed in safety. His proposal was complied with, to the great joy of the inhabitants, who had not been taught to expect such benevolence from an enemy, whose name they employed as a bug-bear to frighten their children.

Among his own countrymen, and more especially among those under his command, Tordenskiold possessed all the respect and affection, which his exalted character, and the brilliancy of his exploits so justly entitled him to. His country to him was the highest consideration on earth; his bitterest personal enemy, he no longer regarded as his foe when he proved himself a friend to Denmark. Thus captain Vosbein, of the navy, had been repeatedly guilty of breaches of duty, accompanied by marks of disrespect to Tordenskiold, which induced the admiral to transmit complaints to the admiralty, and at the same time to despatch an order for putting captain Vosbein under arrest. Before the order could be executed, captain Vosbein had the good fortune to fall in with a Swedish vessel of far superior force, which he most gallantly engaged, and after a desperate action, succeeded in capturing. Tordenskiold was so struck with captain Vosbein's exploits that he instantly forgot all his offences, and not only addressed a congratulatory letter to him full of the warmest expressions of friendship and regard, but recommended the captain so strongly to the admiralty and to the king, that he was promoted to the rank of commodore.

The life of Tordenskiold abounds with instances of the most adventurous intrepidity and determined valour. He once went on shore in Sweden with a small party to obtain intelligence, and unfortunately fell into an ambush, whence some Swedish dragoons

sallied forth. Tordenskiold's men took to their heels, and he was for once compelled to turn his back on his foes; he was however overtaken before he could reach the beach by one of the dragoons, who placing himself between Tordenskiold and the water called upon him to surrender. Tordenskiold who grasped his naked sword, said he would surrender; upon which another dragoon rode forward to take his sword, but Tordenskiold instantly cut off the dragoon's hand; and exclaiming, "not this time," leaped between the other two dragoons, and threw himself into the sea. Placing his sword in his mouth, he swam to his boat, pursued indeed by the dragoons, as far as they could follow him; but Tordenskiold being a skilful and swift swimmer, and they being without fire-arms, he succeeded in effecting his escape.

His attack on the shipping of Gottenburgh is an instance of boat-service, which may well be compared with the most brilliant achievements of that kind recorded in the naval annals of any country. The Swedes had captured some small armed and trading vessels from the Danes, while they lay at anchor off the coast of Sweden; Tordenskiold determined to obtain redress, and marked out Gottenburgh for the scene of his enterprise. He set off in the evening with ten lanches and contrived to elude the vigilence of the Swedish guard vessels; he passed unobserved by the fortress of New Elfsborg, and in the best order possible reached the fortress of Old Elfsborg by which the shipping was protected. Tordenskiold disembarked his men, who seized the Swedish guard, spiked the guns on the fortifications, and began to warp the ships out of the harbour. Independently of the vessels taken from the Danes, the harbour contained a new 36 gun frigate, several galleys, a bomb and a ship fitted for a powder magazine, every one of which Tordenskiold captured. But the intricacies of Gottenburgh river obliged him to set fire to the prizes except a few of the recaptured Danish vessels. The inhabitants of Gottenburgh and the garrison of New Elfsborg were thrown into the greatest consternation; they stared and wondered how their ships moored in a secure harbour could possibly blow up one after another, and this in some measure enabled the gallant Tordenskiold to complete his retaliation effectually. When Tordenskiold had re-embarked his men, and proceeded to join his

ships in the offing he was hailed by a Swedish boat. He replied "Tordenskiold! I have been here to teach your governor vigilance." On repassing the fortress of New Elfsborg a tremendous fire was kept on the Danish boats, but fortune continuing to favour Tordenskiold, no material injury was done either to his men or to his boats.

Of his determined valour, the following example may give an adequate idea. Being ordered to quit the Norway station he set sail for Copenhagen, in a small Swedish prize, mounting two guns, with a crew of twenty-two hands. In the course of the voyage he was overtaken by a Swedish sloop of war. Against such a disparity of force the bravest man would have been justified in declining a contest; but difficulties and dangers only crowded upon Tordenskiold to afford him more exquisite delight in overcoming them. He placed both the guns on one side of the vessel, and made the necessary arrangements for keeping up a brisk fire of musketry. Two servants he directed to be at his side, to load his rifles as fast as he discharged them.

The first broadside from the Swedish sloop killed and wounded some of Tordenskiold's crew; and the kind of resistance which he made appeared so trifling, that the Swedes called out to him to surrender. The Danish admiral replied, that they were fighting with Tordenskiold, who never thought of surrendering.

At length, however, Tordenskiold's vessel appeared unable to sustain a longer conflict, when the Swedish commander, waving his hat exclaimed, " I am happy to have it in my power to carry Tordenskiold to Gottenburgh!" "Neither you nor any other Swede shall ever do that," replied Tordenskiold, and shot the Swedish captain at the instant. Tordenskiold then ordered his musicians to strike up a national air, which the crew accompanied with hearty cheers. The notion of Tordenskiold's invincibility at this moment recurred to the Swedes with such force that they sheered off

During the action Tordenskiold had been in great want of bullets; he was not however at a loss, but made use of English block tin, which he cut into pieces for the purpose.

The manner in which he obtained possession of the Swedish fortress of Marstrand, deserves to be noticed as an apt illustration of the fertile resources of his mind.

When he had taken the town, he wrote to the commandant of the fort, informing him that he had resolved to take the fort, that he had plenty of troops, and that he expected a speedy reinforcement of a whole army for the purpose of effecting ulterior objects. With a view to impose on the credulity of the commandant, he added, that he might send an officer to view his troops, and preparations, and he would find all that he had advanced to be true. The Swedish commandant took Tordenskiold at his word and despatched a captain to review the Danish troops. When the captain produced his credentials, Tordenskiold told him, without hesitation, that his wish should be complied with, and in his hearing ordered the troops to be mustered in the streets. Tordenskiold then invited the Swedish captain to breakfast, and after the repast they walked out to view the soldiers. But Tordenskiold had drawn his men up in so artful a manner, that as soon as a certain body of them had been reviewed, the party slyly stole into another street, and were again drawn up. The Swedish captain surrounded by Danish officers, who kept him in constant conversation, did not perceive the stratagem, and returned to the commandant, whom he assured, that the whole town of Marstrand was lined with Danish troops: upon which the fort surrendered.

The fame of Tordenskiold was so well established abroad, as well as at home, that his majesty king George the First of England, expressed a wish to see the Danish admiral In obedience to that monarch's desire, Tordenskiold accordingly set off, and by the way stopped some time at Hamburgh. Here a Swedish colonel Stael happened to excite considerable attention, among the higher orders of society, by pretending to have in his possession a snake with seven crown'd heads. The circumstance attracted the notice of a youth in the suit of Tordenskiold, whose curiosity easily prompted him to pay the Swedish colonel a visit. He did not however see the snake, but was enticed to play, and lost a great deal of money. Tordenskiold was informed of what had happened, and being one day at the house of the burgomaster when the story of the snake became the topic of conversation, took occasion to declare that the fellow who pretended to possess the snake in question, was nothing but an arrant knave, who had tricked an inexperienced youth of his suit out of a large sum of money.