knave a knave. One of these incidents has been preserved. A draper of no honest reputation, being arrested by a merchant for a debt of two hundred pounds, Audley bought the debt at forty pounds, for which the draper immediately offered him fifty. But Audley would not consent, unless the draper indulged a sudden whim of his own: this was a formal contract, that the draper should pay, within twenty years, upon twenty certain days, a penny doubled. Á knave in haste to the means to procure a law-library, he invented a method to possess one without the cost; as fast as he learned, he taught; and, by publishing some useful tracts on temporary occasions, he was enabled to purchase a library. He appears never to have read a book without its furnishing him with some new practical design, and he probably studied too much for his own particular advantage. Such devoted studies was the way to become a lord chancellor: but the science of the law was here subordinate to that of a money-sign, is no calculator and as the cotrader. When yet but a clerk to the clerk in the counter, frequent opportunities occurred, which Audley knew how to improve. He became a money trader as he had become a law-writer, and the fears and follies of mankind were to furnish him with a trading capital. The fertility of his genius appeared in expedients and in quick contrivances. He was sure to be the friend of all men falling out. He took a deep concern in the affairs of of his master's clients, and often much more than they were aware of. No man so ready at procuring bail or compounding debts. This was a considerable traffic then, as now. They hired themselves out for bail, swore what was required, and contrived to give false addresses. It seems they dressed themselves out for the occasion: a great seal-ring flamed on the finger, which, however, was pure copper, gilt, and often assumed the name of some person of good credit. Savings, and small presents for gratuitous opinions, often afterwards discovered to be very fallacious ones, enabled him to purchase annuities of easy landholders, with their treble amount secured on their estates. The improvident owners, or the careless heirs, were entangled in the usurer's nets: and after the receipt of a few years, the annuity, by some latent quibble, or some irregularity in the payments, usually ended in Audley's obtaining the treble forfeiture. He could at all times out temporary dramatist describes one of the arts of those citizens, one part of whose business was To swear and break: they all grow rich by breaking!' the draper eagerly compounded. He afterwards grew rich.' Audley, silently watching his victim, within two years, claims his doubled pennies, every month during twenty months.The pennies had now grown up to pounds. The knave perceived the trick, and preferred paying the forfeiture of his bond for five hundred pounds rather than to receive the visitation of all the little generation of compound interest in the last descendant of twe thousand pounds, which would have closed with the draper's shop. The inventive genius of Audley might have illustrated that popular tract of his own times, Peacham's Worth of a Penny; a gentleman, who, having scarcely one left, consoled himself by detailing the numerous comforts of life it might procure in the days of Charles II. This philosophical usurer never pressed hard for his debts; like the fowler, he never shook his nets lest he might startle, satisfied to have them, without appearing to hold them.With great fondness he compared his 'bonds to infants, which battle best by sleeping. To battle is to be nourished, a term still retained at the university of Oxford. His familiar companions were all subordinate actors in the great piece he was per His partners dreaded the effects of his law-library, and usually relinquished a claim rather than stand a suit against a latent quibble. When one menaced him by showing some money-bags, which he had resolved to empty in law against him, Audley, then in office in the court of wards, with a sarcastic grin, asked Whether the bags had any bottom?' 'Aye!' replied the exulting possessor, striking them. In that case 1 care not,' retorted the cynical officer of the court of wards; forming; he too had his part in the scene. When not taken by surprise, on his table usually lie opened a great Bible, with bishop Andrew's folio sermons, which often gave him an opportunity of railing at the covetousness of the clergy! declaring their religion was a mere preach,' and that the time would never be well till we had queen Elizabeth's protestants again in fashion.' He was aware of all the evils arising out of a population beyond the means of subsistence, and dreaded an inundation of men, spread-for in this court I have a constant ing like the spawn of a cod. Hence he considered marriage with a modern political eocnomist, as very dangerous; bitterly censuring the clergy, whose children he said never thrived, and whose widows were left destitute. An apostolical life, according to Audley, required only books, meat, and drink, to be had for fifty pounds a year! Celibacy, voluntary poverty, and all the mortifications of a primi spring, and I cannot spend in other courts more than I gain in this.' He had at once the meanness which would evade the law, and the spirit which could resist it. The career of Audley's ambition closed with the extinction of the court of wards, by which he incurred the loss of above one hundred thousand pounds. On that occasion he observed that his ordinary losses were as the shav tive Christian, were the virtues prac-ings of his beard, which only grew the tised by this puritan among his money bags. Yet Audley's was that worldly wisdom which derives all its strength from the weaknesses of mankind. Every thing was to be obtained by stratagem, and it was his maxim, that, to grasp our object the faster, we must go a little round about it. His life is said to have been one of intricacies and mysteries, using indirect means in all things; but, if he walked in a labyrinth, it was to bewilder others; for the clue was still in his own hand; all he sought was that his designs should not be discovered by his actions. His word, we are told, was his bond; his hour was punctual; and his opinions were compressed and weighty; but, if he was true to his bond-word, it was only a part of the system to give facility to the carrying on of his trade, for he was not strict to his honour; the pride of victory, as well as the passion for acquisition, combined in the character of Audley, as in more tremendous conquerors. A faster by them; but the loss of this place was like the cutting off a member; which was irrecoverable.' The hoary usurer pined at the decline of his genius, discoursed on the vanity of the world, and hinted at retreat. facetious friend told him a story of an old rat, who, having acquainted the young rats that he would at length retire to his hole, desiring none to come near him, their curiosity, after some days, led them to venture to look into the hole; and there they discovered the old rat sitting in the midst of a rich parmesan cheese. It is probable that the loss of the last one hundred thousand pounds disturbed his digestion, for he did not long survive his court of wards. In how high a rank, observes another author, does that orator deserve to be placed, who, concealing a dagger in his vest, durst form the fearless resolution of sacrificing Robespierre in full senate, if his eloquence had failed to beat down the tyrant, and who overthrew him by the force of his words alone. Sufficient care has not been taken to record the terrible and vehement eloquence of Tallien in that decisive moment. Never perhaps did any orator combine such physical and moral powers to uncover an abyss and reveal its dangers to his affrighted hearers. Never was a more rapid and more terrible impulse communicated: his voice, his gesture, his broken words, his eyes flashing with anger and horror, the shuddering of his whole frame, all announced the sublimest effort of human eloquence. It triumphed; and had this been its only service to humanity, its blessings should be held in eternal memory. Hardly had Tallien finished, when Robespierre darted to the tribune. At the same moment, twenty members rush towards it. Instantly the whole mountain arose, and cries of Down with Robespierre,' 'Down with the tyrant, resounded from every side. Vadier, Amar, Bourdon de l'Oise, Lecointre de Versailles, Collot d'Herbois, Leonard Bourdon, Javogue, Legendre, even Billaud de Varennes, roused from his profound dissimulatio by a dexterous appeal from Tallie, spoke in succession. O what crimes, what hateful intrigues, what boody oppressions, what unheard of iiquities, were brought to light on that terrible morning! During more * A part of the hall so called. than two hours Robespierre was absolutely in convulsions; all the movements of his frame expressed the rage which devoured him. A hundred times did he demand permission to speak, and could not obtain it. He clung to the stair of the tribune, and could not be torn from it, and in this position the speakers who followed each other in rapid succession, seemed like so many divinities launching thunders at his head, and the countless details of his atrocities streamed upon him like a rain of fire. His strength at last gave way He sought He on every seat a resting place, and every where met with a repulse. was pursued from place to place with the bitterest reproaches. When he seemed nearly fainting, one said to him, 'You are choaked with the blood of Danton!' 'Wretch, touch not that bench,' exclaimed another, for there sat Vergniaux.' He advanced to the galleries, and raising his arm towards those who filled them, exclaimed, "Will you abandon me, will you suffer me to perish; me, your champion?' All were silent; and those very men who were posted there by himself, terrified at so unexpected a scene, remained motionless at his appeal. Robespierre, sinking with exhaustion, succeeded once more in reaching the front of the tribune. Thuriot was president. Robespierre exclaimed to him: President of assassins, for the last time I ask leave to speak.' this moment a general cry bursts forth At The decree of accusation to the vote!' The President put the question, and not a single deputy kept his seat." At this very time, when Robespierre seemed abandoned by all, and hunted to the very precipice of his fate, a dreadful proof was afforded of the awful ascendency which he had acquir ed. One member demanded to be included in his act of accusation, and when he was conveyed to prison by the gens d'armes, the jailors, one and all, refused to incur the responsibility of receiving him, and he was conveyed to the Commune, which immediately ordered the tocsin to be rung, and declared itself in a state of insurrection. Had Robespierre possessed common courage, he would probably even now have been victorious; but but he was wholly unmanned; he wept like an infant, and whined most lamentably about the ingratitude of men. In the mean time, the leaders of the opposite party acted with promptness and decision. Legendre, with great coolness, "It was, sir, to avoid interrupting the harmony either of my company or yours, that I complied with your arrogant demand; but that you may be satisfied courage may be found under a black coat as well as under a red one, I expect you will meet me to morrow morning at a certain place, without any second, the quarrel being entirely entre nous." The doctor further covenanted that the affair should be decided by swords. To all these conditions the officer assented, and the duellists met; but the moment the officer took the ground, the doctor pulled out a horse pistol. "What (said the officer) do you intend to assassinate me ?" "No, (re singly, entered the hall of the jacobins, and by his rude but vigorous eloquence, actually dispersed them, put out the lights, locked the doors, and carried the keys to the convention.Barras and Leonard Bourdon collect-plied the doctor) but you shall instanted some battalions of national guards, and their columns met at the house of the Commune. They ascended the staircase amid shouts of vive la convention,' and the reign of Robespierre was at an end. ANECDOTE OF DR. YOUNG. Dr. Young was once on a party of pleasure with a few ladies, going up by water to Vauxhall, and he amused them with a tune on the German flute. Behind him several officers were also in a boat rowing for the same place, and soon came alongside the boat in which were the doctor and his party, the doctor, who was never conceited of his playing, put up his flute on their approach. One of the officers instantly asked why he ceased to play, or put up his flute? "For the same reason (said he) that I took it out to please myself." The son of Mars very peremptorily rejoined, that if he did not instantly take out his flute, and continue his music, he would throw him into the Thames. The doctor, in order to allay the fears of the ladies, pocketed the insult, and continued to play all the way up the river. During the evening, however, he observed the officer by himself in one of the walks, and making up to him, said ly put up your sword and dance a minuet, otherwise you are a dead man." The officer began to bluster, but the doctor was resolute, and he was obliged to comply. "Now, (said Young) you forced me to play against my will, and I have made you dance against yours; we are therefore again on a level, and whatever other satisfaction you may require, I am ready to give it." The officer acknowledged his error, and the affair terminated in a lasting friendship. REAL GREATNESS. There are few characters that sparkle upon us with a lusture more endearing than that of Commodore Macdonough. In the decisive engagement on Lake Champlain, in the midst of action, he reproved one of his officers for taking the name of the Deity in vain. He is now actively engaged in the distribution of the word of immortal life, and does not blush to associate the name of Christian to that of hero. In the late cruise under Commodore Steward, he was thought to transgress the rules of naval discipline, and was by that commander, for such an offence deprived of his sword. The crew, anxious to testify their esteem for a character so highly beloved, wished to present him with a sword, a proposition which he generously and nobly declined, until his own sword should be restored by the sentence of a court-martial. On his return to his native country, he had the heroism, the magnanimity, to acknowledge his error, and was immediately reinstated in his former rank and dignity. There is something in this conduct so far superior to that personal haughtiness that disdains all compromise, and seeks revenge only by blood, that we scarcely know in what terms to express our esteem and veneration for such a character. He ren Commodore Macdonough, is above risquing his life in a duel; he feels the claim of Christianity no less than that of his country upon him, both of them contradict the wanton exposure of life in single combat. Afterwards we hear of his benevolence. ders his service as a mediator to prevent a duel between Commodore Barron and Commodore Rodgers, both of whose lives may have been preserved by this timely interference. We love to gaze at the star-crowned laurel of victory; and there is something in this Christian elevation of the soul, that dares to acknowledge an error, so brilliant, that even the glory acquired on Lake Champlain, in the contemplation of this spectacle, fades from our eyes. Courage is a mere animal virtue; it may even depend on a callous insensibility of nerves; but Christian courage is very diffirent-it dares to acknowledge its own defects and errors, and the star of conquest gleams with a double splendour, when it twinkles on the front of Christian magnanimity. Balt. Chron. MODE OF CATCHING MONKIES. The ring-tailed monkey, called in Spanish, mona, is common to South America. The monkies are very artful and mischievous; and if annoyed, frequently attack their disturber from the tops of trees, with nuts and stones. The negroes in the colonies have a ludicrous method of catching them; which is by putting a lump of sugar into the hole at the end of an empty cocoa-nut shell, laying it on the ground, and strewing some sugar round it.The monkey, whose curiosity prompts him to search the spot you have left, no sooner tastes the sweet repast, than in search of more, he puts his paw into the shell, and grasps the sugar; but as the hole is just large enough to admit his withdrawing it empty, he is so tenacious of his prize, that he is easily surprised-the large shell fixed at his paw. ITINERANT PRIESTS IN BRAZIL. Certain priests obtain a licence from the bishop of Pernambuco, and travel through these regions with a small altar, constructed for the purpose, of a size to be placed on one side of a packsaddle; and they have with them all their apparatus for saying mass. Thus with a horse conveying the necessary paraphernalia, and a boy to drive it, who likewise assists in saying mass, and another horse, on which the priest himself rides, and carries his own small portmanteau, these men make in the course of the year between 150 and 200£-a large income in Brazil, but hardly earned, if the inconveniences and privations which they must undergo to obtain it are taken into consideration. They stop and erect the altar, wherever a sufficient number of persons who are willing to pay for the mass is collected. This will sometimes be said for three or four shillings: but at other times, if a rich man takes a fancy to a priest, or has a fit of extreme devotion upon him, he will give eight or ten mil reis, (two or three pounds;) and it does happen that one hundred mil reis are received for saying mass, but this is very rare ; at times an ox, or a horse, or two or three, are given. These men have their use in the world: if this custom did not exist, all form of worship |