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with as much expedition as possible to proceed with the examination of his papers."That examination,” he replied, "does not concern me; I have orders merely to forward them to Petersburg, and you are to accompany them without delay." At first I was distressed at this answer, but soon recovering myself, I observed, that having never lived separately from my wife, I hoped she would be allowed to go with me. At first I thought he would have acquiesced in my desire, but upon some remark made to him by a secretary, he gave me a positive denial. I then told him I could not answer that my wife would not come and solicit his consent herself upon her knees. Spare me such a scene,' replied he; I am likewise a husband, and a father; I feel all the distress of your situa'tion; but I am not able to remedy it; I must execute my orders in the 'most exact manner: set off for Petersburg, justify your conduct there, and in a fortnight you may embrace your family again. Your 'wife shall remain here; make your'self easy, every thing shall be done for her that humanity and my own good wishes can suggest.'

·

"On saying this he conducted me to his chamber, and left me for a moment, to give orders which unfortunately concerned me too fatally. There was a young lady of a sweet and interesting countenance in the room, who appeared to be the governor's daughter: she was employed at her needle. On my entrance she saluted me kindly; did not speak, but sometimes raised her eyes from her work, and fixed them upon me. I thought I could perceive more compassion than curiosity in these soft looks, and I frequently heard a sigh escape her. It will easily be conceived, that the interest she took in my situation, did not contribute to allay my apprehensions. The governor soon returned. Things are no longer in Russia as they used to 'be;' said he, justice is now administered in the most scrupulous

'manner.'

"I have great reason then to be easy," replied I. He expressed much surprise that I had voluntarily returned, and above all, that I had brought my family with me. Indeed, a man who travels with bad designs, does not take with him his wife, three

children, an elderly governess, and two servants: I, therefore, who did so, must have been conscious of my own innocence, and easy in the confidence I reposed in the safe conduct granted by his majesty.

"A person in the uniform of the civil administration of Petersburg, was now introduced. Here,' said the governor, is the Aulic Counsellor Schstschekatichin, who will accompany you on your journey; make yourself perfectly easy, Sir, you are in good hands'."-This, however, did not turn out a true prediction. The time now came, however, for Mr. von K. and his lady to be separated, which scene we shall give in his own words.

"At length, towards the hour of seven, every thing being ready, I bade adieu to my afflicted family. How did my heart beat at this cruel moment! My hands trembled, my knees tottered, my eye-sight failed me ;-even at the present day I can. not recollect this separation without painful emotions.

"The reader will allow me to pause in this painful narrative. Neither my wife nor myself could weep; the source of our tears was dried up, and our hearts were wrung with inexpressible anguish. I kissed my children, I blessed them; their mother threw her arms about my neck, and fainted as she received my embrace.

"The secretary, who had hitherto appeared unconcerned, and had had recourse to common-place motives of consolation, could no longer refrain from shedding tears. Ah! if the kind hearted emperor (for such I know him to be) had been present, with what promptitude would he have put an end to this scene of affliction.

My wife, who could no longer return my caresses, continued to moan in a low and inarticulate voice; her eyes were closed; I imprinted a kiss on her lips, as if it were the last, and immediately tore myself away. My servants led me to the carriage and took leave of me, deeply afflicted. A crowd of spectators assembled under the gate-way had been dis persed, and the carriage was drawn up there to avoid notice. I mounted with trembling steps and was instantly driven away."-p. 78-80.

Our Author was now travelling, as he supposed, for Petersburg; but

toon after they passed through Riga he discovered that the route was changed, and that they were going to Tobolsk, in Siberia. Now driven almost to desperation, he began to think of attempting an escape. An opportunity speedily offered, and for Come days he was concealed in the woods, but hunger and fatigue soon compelled him to surrender, and he renewed his journey. Arrived at Tobolsk, he was received with much respect and tenderness, and hoped here, at least, to rest in peace; but his cup of affliction was not yet full. He was obliged to proceed to Kurgan, on the road to which Mr. von K. noticed a very curious article in natural history. At a few posts from Tuimen, I observed, in a marshy forest, a phænomenon, in botany, which I have mentioned, since my return, to several learned naturalists, none of whom had ever heard of it before.

"On a spot about six hundred paces over, appeared an innumerable quantity of red flowers, and on the top of each there seemed to lie a large flake of snow. Their appearance struck me, and, alighting from the carriage, I gathered several of the fowers, which, I shall now endeavour to describe. On a stalk of about five inches in height, the leaves of which, as well as I can remember, resemble those of the lily of the valley, hung a kind of purse, not unlike a workbag, about an inch and an half square, with tendrils dangling from the upper end, as it were, for the purpose of tring it up. This bag, which both within and without was of fine deep purple colour, was furnished with a leaf in the form of a heart, proportioned to the other parts of the flower, the top of which was as white as snow, and the bottom of the same colour as the bag. This leaf opened and shut with ease, and served in some sort as a lid. I am unable to express how beautiful this flower (which I must observe had no smell) appeared to the eye. I fear I have not been able to describe it with any degree of preciseness, being but a Bovice in the science of botany. I can, however, positively assert, that it would prove a very beautiful ornament to any garden. The great quantity of them which I saw, induced me to believe it was a common flower in biberia, and I therefore neglected to

take any of them with me. I have regretted this a thousand times since; for I looked in vain for the flower on my return, and I could find no one that was acquainted with it.” Vol. ii. p. 33-35.

At Kurgan he was committed to the care, and recommended to the kindness of the first magistrate, who treated him with much kindness, and afforded him every practicable alleviation of his situation. He found a companion in misery, in a Polish gentleman of the name of Sokoloff, and he sometimes went out in company with him a shooting. He had contrived to forward a memorial to the emperor, but had no expectation that, if at all, he could receive any farther intelligence of his fate before the end of August.

"It was now the seventh of July: the morning was fine, and I was engaged, as usual, in drawing up the story of my misfortunes, when at about ten o'clock, M. de Gravi came in, and after a few words of ordinary chat, took up a pack of cards, as he most commonly did, to play at the game of grande patience, which he often carried so far as to put my patience to a severe trial. I was some. times whole hours a witness to his pastime, for the good man could not conceive it possible that any one's time at Kurgan was valuable, and particular an exile's. He continued to play till eleven o'clock: during this time I walked up and down the room in ill-humoured silence, with out taking any notice of the game, except once, when he asked me with what view he should turn up the cards: Consult the oracle,' said I, peevishly, whether I am to see my

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family shortly.' The deal proved fortunate, and he was highly delighted that they were soon to be with me. At length he recollected he had business to dispatch, and took his leave.

"I continued my task. In the middle of a period, my servant interrupted me by saying, Well, Sir, we have some more news.'

"i paid little attention to him, concluding he was going to entertain me with some new love-affair; (for he had had twenty, and some of no common sort, since he had resided here) and without taking my pen from the paper, I turned myself half round to ask him what the news was.

This moment a dragoon is arrived to take you away,' said he, Struck with terror, I started from my chair, and looked him full in the face, without being able to utter a single world. Yes, yes,' continued we shall perhaps set off this very day for Tobolsk.'

he,

How!' was all I was able to say. "Instead of answering me, he brought a man to me, who had seen the dragoon, had heard him speak of his commission, had accompanied him to M. de Gravi's, and from thence had run to my lodging to be the first bearer of the news; but who was totally ignorant of the dispatches that were brought.

"What had I to expect? My liberty? Alas, no! for in such case, why was I to be taken back to Tobolsk The nearest road lay through Ekatarinabourgh, and why make a circuitous journey of five hundred verstes? Besides, the answer to my memorial could not arrive for a considerable time to come. I had therefore nothing better before me than the horrid prospect of being trans ported from Tobolsk further up the country, perhaps to Kamtschatka. I remained a considerable time in great perturbation of mind, till, rousing myself from a painful train of thought, I took the quire of paper on which I had been writing, together with all the bank notes I had left, and concealed the whole under my waistcoat. I waited for more than ten minutes in the most painful state of suspence, for the arrival of my sentence.

"These ten minutes are to be numbered among the most dreadful of my life. At last I perceived from my window M. de Gravi, accompanied by a crowd of people, turning the corner of the street, and in the midst of them I discerned a dragoon, with a plume that covered his hat: they were too far off for me to observe the expression of their countenances; and I remained more dead than alive, waiting to know my fate.

"I walked with trembling steps about the room, and again drawing near the window, I could distinguish the features of M. de Gravi, which seemed to be very composed. A ray of hope now gleamed upon me, yet heaviness still pressed upon my

heart.

"The people were now in the yard. M. de Gravi looked up at my

window, perceiving me there, and saluted me in a gay and friendly man

ner.

"I felt my heart grow lighter,-I attempted to go out to meet him, but was unable; I remained quite motionless, and fixed my eyes upon the door of the chamber;-it opened -I endeavoured to speak, but continued speechless.

"Prosdawläja, wui wobodni—' I congratulate you,-you are free!'as he uttered these words, the good De Gravi threw himself into my arms, and shed tears of joy. I saw nothing, heard nothing, felt only the tears of De Gravi wet my cheek, while my own eyes remained dry. The cry of prosdawläja was repeated by all around me-every one strove to be first to embrace me, and my servant too pressed me to his heart. I permitted all these proceedings, still looking at them with silent stupor: I could neither thank them nor utter a word." p. 99-105.

The dragoon immediately delivered to our Author a letter of recall, with a power to command every thing necessary for his speedy and comfortable return. So soon as he recovered his surprize, he began to prepare for his journey, took leave of his newly acquired friends, and sat out with all possible expeditionchiding the slowness of his conductors, and wishing for wings, instead of a kibbick, to convey him. When he came to Petersburgh, his first enquiry was naturally after his wife and family, who had arrived before him; and a friend undertook to prepare them for an interview, of which the following is Mr. K.'s account.

"I was conversing with M. Fuchs, when Graumann, with the countenance of an angel, burst into the room: Your wife is here,' said he. I could not contain myself, but uttered a loud cry of joy. M. Fuchs had the delicacy to retire, to avoid disturbing the first moments of our reunion. Graumann was gone to conduct her to me. I stood trembling at the window, which was just over the gateway: I saw my wife enter; I staggered toward the door; she rushed in, and fainted in my arms.

"Who can attempt the description of such a scene! I pity the man who cannot enter into my feelings on this occasion. Yes, there are moments in life which counterbalance

years, that compensate for a series of years of misery! I would not in this moment have relinquished for the world the remembrance of what I had suffered; the enjoyment of this one moment overbalanced it all.

"With the assistance of my friends, I had placed my wife on the only chair the room afforded: kneeling down and hiding my face in her lap, I wept such tears as I had never wept before, and waited till her senses should return. She recovered, and hanging affectionately over me, mingled her tears with mine. My friend walked silently about the room; he was much affected; he was not an indifferent spectator of this affecting scene; he shared in the transports of it. Generous man! This hour has recompenced thee for all thou hast done for me and mine: thou hast enjoyed a scene which is not often represented on the great stage of the world, and thou felt that my disinterested friendship had contributed to prepare it. After the first transports of delight had in some degree subsided, after we had recovered our speech, what questions we had to ask! What answers! What broken recitals and narrations! How often did we interrupt each other, and smile and kiss off the tear that bedewed our cheeks! it seemed as if our graves had been opened, as if we were rising from the earth, and had become two celestial substances." p.

190-192.

The conversation that followed, it may easily be anticipated, related to their mutual sufferings, and is highly interesting, but we cannot stay to transcribe it. In a short time, our Author was introduced to the emperor, who not only received him graciously, but loaded him with honours and emoluments, placing him at the head of the theatre at Petersburgh. This situation was very irksome and troublesome, but could not be refused: in a short time, however, Mr. von K. found means to rid himself of the burden, on receiving a commission to draw up a description of the new palace of Michailoff, which Paul considered as the eighth wonder of the world. This description was nearly finished at his death; and extracts are given of it in the third volume.

One circumstance is, however, related in the close of the second vo

lume too remarkable to be passed over. All Europe remembers the famous challenge of Paul to his brother potentates, which it now appears was written by his own hand in French, and our Author was employed to translate it into German.

The death of this sapient emperor seems no where to have been more welcome intelligence than at home; and the suddenness of it is a lesson of wisdom and moderation to thrones in general.

"The first measures adopted by Alexander, his proclamation, the first orders he issued, all tended to encourage and confirm the confidence with which his subjects beheld him ascend the throne of his forefathers. He solemnly promised to tread in the steps of Catherine II. of glorious memory; he allowed every one to dress according to his own fancy; exonerated the inhabitants of the capital from the troublesome duty of alighting from their carriages at the approach of any of the Imperial family; dismissed the court-advocate, who was universally and justly detested; suppressed the secret inquisition, that had become the scourge of the country; restored to the senate its former authority; and set at liberty the state prisoners in the fortress. What a spectacle to see these unfortunate people released from captivity, mute with surprise at their delivery, taking their happiness for a dream, and with trembling steps seeking their respective homes.

"I saw an old colonel of the Cossacks and his son brought from the fortress to Count de Pahlen's apartments. The story of this generous youth is extremely interesting. His father had been dragged, for I know not what offence, from Tscherkask to Petersburg, and there closely imprisoned. Soon afterwards his son arrived, a handsome and brave young man, who had obtained in the reign of Catharine II. the cross of St. George, and that of Wolodimer. For a long while he exerted himself to procure his father's enlargement by solicitations and petitions; but perceiving no hopes of success, he requested, as a particular favour, to be allowed to share his captivity and misfortunes. This was in part granted him; he was committed a priso ner to the fortress; but was not permitted to see his father; nor was the

unfortunate old man even informed that his son was so near him. On a sudden the prison bolts were drawn, the doors were opened, his son rushed into his arms; and he not only learnt that he was at liberty, but at the same time was informed of the noble sacrifice which filial piety had offered. He alone can decide which information gave him most delight. I saw him several mornings together in Count de Pahlen's audience chamber; he still wore his long beard, reaching down to his waist. He commonly sat in the recess of a window, with downcast eyes, and without paying the least attention to the

bustle of the surrounding scene. His

son, whose noble countenance shone more resplendent from the conscious ness of his own heroism, than did his breast decorated by the two orders which he wore, walked about the room and conversed with his acquaintances.

it opened a way for his return, the narrative of which, with the circumnstances attending it, occupy chiefly the remainder of this volume, and of the work.

XLIII. A DISCOURSE, delivered April 6th, 1801, in the Middle Dutch Church, before the New York Missionary, at their Annual Meeting. By JOHN N. ABEEL, A.M. (one of the Ministers of the above Church.) 8vo. 67 pp. Printed by Collins and Son, New York.

Atas as of late attracted much

S this Discourse is on a subject

public attention, as it appears to be the composition of a man of talents and respectability, and especially as it is not imported for sale, we may be permitted to pay it more attention than we should think ourselves warranted in paying to a single sermon in our own country.

"The audience chamber was indeed a rich field of observation to a lookeron at all conversant with the human The preacher selects for his text heart; and though I had no particu- the well known prophecy of Haggai, lar business there, I continued to pass (ch. ii. 6, 7.) relative to "the desire several hours on the spot every mornof all nations," and after a short exing, nor did I ever leave the groups that ordium, he divides his discourse into surrounded me, without having add- two parts. I. He proposes to attend ed to my stock of this species of to the character under which the proknowledge. By way of contrast to phet represents the Messiah; and the affecting scene I have just relat- 11. "To the events which develope ed, I shall give the reader an anec- the plans of his grace, and prepare dote of a livelier cast: It happened, I the way for the establishment of his think, the day after the emperor's kingdom." Under the first," the dedeath. The room was extremely sire of all nations," is considered asfull; there were probably some hun-"the source of that information which dreds present: I was warming my. self at a stove, when suddenly there was a great murmur, and the company, one after another, all rushed to the windows, and kept looking into the street as if something very wonderful had happened. Curiosity at length drew me from the stove; it was with difficulty I could share the interesting spectacle. At length I got through the crowd, and what was the mighty affair? Why truly the first round hat that had passed by. This round hat appeared to make more impression upon the minds of the company, than even the liberation of the state prisoners had done: nothing was to be seen but cheerful laughing countenances. Such creatures are men!" p. 75-80.

The accession of the new emperor was a happy event also to Mr. K. as

they need-the only acceptable sacrifice for sin-the dispenser of those present blessings which they most ardently desire-and in all these respects, literally the desire of the Jew, and the hope of the Christian.”

From this part of the Sermon we select the following passage, which speaks of Christ as the dispenser of blessings the most desirable-blessings which result from the propagation of Christianity.

"If the best system of morals, enforced by the strongest motives, contribute to the perfection of the human character; if the contemplation of boundless excellence exalt the soul; if love, joy, and peace, residing in the heart, and leading to whatsoever things are lovely and of good report, ensure the testimony of a good conscience; if the firm persuasion of a

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