tempt to enslave this people (to keep them enslaved will be impossible, no citadel, no guards, no foreign force will be sufficient) or be content with the authority which we have voluntarily entrusted to you. That this last may be your decision we sincerely wish, both for our sakes and your own. For once again remember, that that dominion alone is durable which is founded on the voluntary submission of the people. Do not, therefore, blinded by ambition, force yourself into a situation where you can neither remain, nor yet mount higher, but must of necessity fall, to our great detriment and your own certain destruction." Delle Historie, 1. 2. p. 106. This rational and benevolent exhortation had no effect on the callous mind of Walter. He persisted in his detestable design, and became master of Florence. But so intolerable was his yoke, that in the short space of ten months, an insurrection of the people took place, and he was compelled to fly from Florence. The above extracts from these two works of Machiavel speak for themselves. I have only to add, that they are not partially selected, but that their spirit is that of the whole. I shall in the next section minutely examine his principal political work, “ The Prince," and submit to the inquiry of my readers, whether it be in reality a contradiction of the other works he has left behind him. [To be continued.] FOR THE PORT FOLIO.-AN OLD JOKE. EVERY one has heard the story of a man who, when looking at a house, asked the servant, a pretty girl, whether she was to be let with it?" No, sir," she replied, "if you please, I am to be let alone." The origin of this jest or pun is not so well known, and it will surprise some people to learn that it is to be found in a pious writer who was born in the year 1592-viz. Francis Quarles. ON THE WORLD. This house is to be let for life or years, Her rent is sorrow, and her income tears; Cupid, 't has stood long void; her bills make known, She must be dearly let, or let alone. FOR THE PORT FOLIO.-CITY OF WASHINGTON. COST OF THE PUBLIC EDIFICES AT THE CITY OF WASHINGTON. MR. OLDSCHOOL, THE following is an estimate of the value of the public property in the city of Washington, and at the quarries. This estimate is founded on a report made by the late superintendent of the city, to the secretary of the treasury, dated the 27th of February, 1816:-Of the well known rise in the value of property in this place, since that date, I have taken no account, preferring to be under, rather than over the real estimate. 9th December, 1817. 5185 building lots, estimated at $180 (the average amount of former sales) per lot, 541 acres of ground reserved for the use of the United States, estimated at the same rate, though deemed of much greater value, would amount to $933,300 740,000 Wharves and water lots in the city, and free stone quarries at 40,000 $1,713,300 The whole first cost of the public buildings, previous to the destruction by the enemy, in August, 1814, appears, from the proper books, to have been: $333,207 04 479,262 57 308,808 51 48,955 28 44,058 54 $1,214,291 94 The actual disbursements for rebuilding these edifices, under the act of 15th February, 1815, was, on the 1st of January, 1818, as follows: The United States. The cost of the public buildings up to the date as above, 1,895,746 11 CR.-By the sale and value of the public lots, &c. &c. Balance, 1,713,300 182,446 11 1,895,746 11 To probable increase in value, for the balance, 182,446 11 It results from the foregoing statements, that no part of the cost of the public buildings will be paid by the people of the United States, as has been erroneously stated. I am, &c. FOR THE PORT FOLIO-—A SAGACIOUS CRITIC. In one of the fables of Lemonier, by which the poet endeavoured to inculcate the mischievous effects of excessive taxation, the following line was inserted in the original: "Ce que vous dis-là, je le dirois au roi."* The censor blotted it out. The poet remonstrated, but in vain. After having taken a walk in the street, Lemonier returned, reciting this line: "Ce que je vous dis-là-tais toi." This alteration was approved, and the censor did not perceive that the satire was only become more pointed. * What I say to you there, I would say to the king. FOR THE PORT FOLIO.-SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. THE following extracts from the minutes of a Jockey Club, which existed in 1766-73, and was composed of the most distinguished gentlemen of this city, may be interesting to some of our readers: The races were run on the Centre Square, and the people appear to have been summoned together by the sound of a drum. On one occasion it was "Resolved, That the bell-man be sent round the city, to request the inhabitants to keep their dogs at home." "Mr. Vice President (S. Moylan) informed the Club, that Mr. James Pemberton had applied to him, as a member of the Club, requesting that the time of the Philadelphia races might be altered, as they were fixed for those days when the yearly meeting of the Friends is held in this city." The day was changed accordingly. The names of several young ladies, whom we now recognize amidst groups of grandchildren, appear as subscribers to a purse of 501. The impropriety of this practice was, however, felt: and "after much debate, it was resolved that no further application be made to the ladies for a continuation of their subscriptions." FOR THE PORT FOLIO.-BAR JOKE. THE members of the Verulam (Law) Club, in Lincoln's Inn, had their spoons lately stolen by a thief, who was detected in the fact; and on prosecuting him at the Old Bailey, the barristers were rather perplexed as to the property. The case being referred to Mr. Jekyl, he observed, that there were two points for their consideration: "these spoons," said he, " are marked with the head of lord Bacon, and the words Verulam Club. Now as to the Verulam Club, you are all subscribers, and therefore joint proprietors; but to which of you the head of lord Bacon belongs, I am not able to determine!" 416 POLITICAL STATE OF ALGIERS. On the Political State of Algiers, the effects of the recent English expedition, and the best line of policy in regard to the Barbary States; with observations, by an Italian gentleman, recently returned from captivity in that country. [Continued from page 390.] THE example of the Order of Malta was not lost upon the sultans. They found, in the Grecian islands, a numerous population, inured to a seafaring life; despotism had been yet unable to employ it in forming the imperial fleets; but Selim and Soliman encouraged their subjects to arm vessels to attack all the christians, as the knights of Malta attacked all the musulmen. The life of a pirate, like that of a military partisan, presents to bold and enterprising spirits all the charms of independence. Men who would have exerted their very utmost activity to avoid being put on board the fleet of the captain pacha, were eager to arm vessels themselves for this petty warfare, and excellent mariners were soon formed under the banner of the crescent. The two brothers, Horuc and Ariadeno, who bore each the surname of Barbarossa, distinguished themselves in this career. These brothers, particularly the second, founded the piratical republic of Algiers, in imitation of the Order of Malta. They even sanctified piracy by religious fanaticism, and they promised to the soldiers who combated for the faith, at once the pillage of the infidels upon earth, and a happy eternity in heaven. The supreme power at Algiers, as at Malta, was reserved to the foreign militia, who came to serve for the honour of religion in both republics; the reigning soldiery was recruited by voluntary enlistments in countries of the same faith, to the exclusion only of the country in which it reigned. In both the militia reserved to itself the right of electing its chief; and the dey, like the grand master, was, for the soldiers, the first among his equals; for the inhabitants an absolute sovereign. Distinctions of birth were not known among the Turks, so that the proofs of nobility demanded at Malta could not be required at Algiers; yet the ortes of Algiers were composed of freemen, while the janissaries of Constantinople, and the mamelukes of |