felt happy in the consciousness of having, in some degree, I of the horizon, the firmament was thickly bestudded with recompensed him for his kindness to me. glittering stars. The air, too, was pure and refreshing; and "Will the witness please to state whether the accused my spirits became somewhat lighter under its exhilarating mentioned that he had, at any time, held intercourse with influence. Listlessly I strolled down the hill-side, until Girty, or any others on the side of the enemy?" This the little stockade fort and its few contiguous cabins question was asked by the foreman of the jury, who, from sundry trappings about his apparel, seemed to be a military man. I was confounded at the interrogatory, and hesitated making an answer. "I ask the court whether the question is proper?" said Captain Mitchell. "Mr. Gillespie is not a witness for the commonwealth." "The question is proper," replied one of the justices. "But, may it please the court," returned the Captain, "the accused is not on trial for offences committed since the finding of the indictment; and if the question really be proper, it should have its proper limits. If the witness can state that the accused confessed to him an intercourse with the enemy at any period previous to the date of the indictment, the evidence ought to be admitted; but if the intercourse was subsequent to that time, the testimony would be clearly improper." seemed blended in a single shapeless mass of darkness. In the margin of a grove of scrubby pawpaw bushes, I stretched myself at length upon the ground, and yielded up my mind to reflections upon the various exciting scenes which I had witnessed during the brief period I had been on the frontier. I had not long thus indulged myself, before I heard, near me, two or three sharp clicking sounds, which seemed to have been caused by the cocking of guns. My first impulse was to spring up and fly; but, upon a second thought, I became convinced that if I were beset by Indians, the attempt would expose me to certain death, while, if I remained in my place, there was a possibility that I might not be harmed. In the next minute, however, my apprehensions were removed, for a quantity of tobaccosmoke scented the air about my nostrils, and satisfied me that Murty O'Hanley was my neighbor. The clicking noise that so much disconcerted me, I at once attributed to the operation of striking fire with a steel and flint, which the Irish The justices, collecting their heads into the smallest possible compass, held a long conversation after the Cap-man constantly carried in his pocket. How he could have tain had spoken. There appeared to exist a difference of opinion among them; for, much significant shaking of heads took place during the conference. gotten out of jail, I was unable to conjecture; and the object of his visit to the place of my retreat was an equal mystery to me. After some little reflection, I concluded to "The court overrules your objection, Captain Mitchell," remain quiet, with the hope that something might transpire said one of their worships. "The jury may ask the wit-to give me at least a clew to solve the enigma of his chaness any questions relative to the accused's intercourse, at racter. Very shortly I heard the sound of approaching any time, with the enemy." footsteps, and could perceive the dim outlines of a human Captain Mitchell bit his lip with vexation and disap-form gliding cautiously towards O'Hanley. I felt anxious pointment, when he heard the decision of the court. My to keep my eyes upon him as long as possible, but the fear own feelings were perfectly agonizing; and I glanced at of discovering myself, made me afraid of changing the poMurty, and saw in his face a look of utter despair. The sition of my head. Foreman of the jury repeated his interrogatory, and I made "You find me, as usual, true to my appointment," said 1 studied answer in the affirmative. Question after ques-the last comer, whose voice I recognized as that of Girty's. jen followed, until I was compelled to relate every word of the account which Murty had given me, in the morning, of his dealings with Girty. After my examination, the ury rose, and filed to one corner of the cabin, where, one by one, they ascended a ladder to the upper story. I unlerstand they had some difficulty in agreeing; and it was ifter dark when they returned their verdict. They found he prisoner guilty; and he was sentenced to a few months mprisonment in the county jail. Thus, by the novel proedure of trying a man for an offence without a special inlictment, was the poor fellow convicted, and that, too, ipon the testimony of one who came into court as a witJess in his favor.* The unfortunate result of the trial completely annihilated dl the hopes I had cherished of bringing about the liberaion of Ellen. Overwhelmed with grief, I repaired to the rdinary, hard by, and went to bed, to endeavor to sleep way my sorrows. But all was in vain: I tumbled about in the bed several hours, when finding it impossible to comose myself to slumber, I threw on my clothes, and rushed sit of doors, without inquiring whither I was going. The kies were clear, and the round moon rode high in the heavens, while all around the silvery orb, even to the verge *The correctness of this account of O'Hanley's trial may be inferred from the following literal extract from the rder book of Ohio county court: "The Commonwealth v. Murty ohanly, for Disaffection o this State, the breach of a penal, and for the punishment of Certain offences, the Defendt. being Bound in Recogizance to this Coart. The Deffendt. came in to Coart and pleads not guilty; then came a Jury, viz: [Here the hames of the jurors are given.] who Bring a verdict for the Commonwealth: Murty ohanly to Suffer imprisonment from now to the first day of Septembr. next-then to pay a fine of Ten pounds, and to be dischargd, then upon taking the Oath of fidelity, or giving Security for his further Behaveor." "Fa'th, an' ye haven't much to brag on 'ither, scein'as I'm jist as thrue till the tryst as yerself," replied O'Hanley. The interlocutors could not have been over four or five paces from my head, when they spoke. "You have been acquitted, I suppose ?" observed Girty. "Yer out of it there a bit! I was condemned as a thraitor dog, that I am, fa'th!—and locked up in the jail in the bargain!" "How did you manage to get out of prison?" "Och, an' I've a way of my own in sich things, I have. But, by Shaint Patherick, it'll be bad luck till me, if the white paaple catch me hereafther-for, fa'th, I desarved worser traatment for my evil doings, than I resaved!" 66 Come, come, O'Hanley-none of that! You are a better man by far than hundreds of those who hold their heads above you. Bear in mind that better rewards await the faithful subjects of King George than any of these rebellious colonies can bestow upon his enemies. But what news have you of the border troops?" "Not much-barring that they're all gitting ready for a rig'lar skrimmagin'." "Then they are aware of my being on the lines?" "Not to my knowin'. They only belave it's better to kaap ready for fighting than to fight when they're not ready, jist." "Good thus far! I will make a descent upon them when they little expect me." "And that same thing ye can do dacently, jist !" "You may as well go with me to my camp, now, since it would be dangerous to linger in the settlements after your breaking jail. You shall be a great man among my people." "Ye spaak my own thinking, ye do! But afore I take my last laave of the white paaple, I'll jist spy around their sodgers a bit, for ayer own convanience. I'll maat you to-night, yit, at yer camp, savin' ye tell me where that same is." Girty supplied O'Hanley with the information he desired, my wish to proceed. I expected to be thwarted in my desire, but he instantly stepped forward, and placed me directly at her side. She was in a gentle slumber, sitting upon an outstretched blanket, and resting her face upon her hands, which were tied together, and placed in her lap. With the exclamation of "Ellen!" I softly laid my hand upon her shoulder. She started at the touch, and gazed wildly around her, before she looked in my face. When she discovered who I was, the harshness that overspread her countenance was immediately displaced by a smile of ineffable sweetness. "Oh, cousin Peyton!" she said, "we are now linked together in misery." "True," I observed, “in misery for the present; but-" I subjoined, trying to be a little pleasant, "I am not without hope that the day will yet come when we may be linked together in happiness." but I could not exactly catch the sound of his words. A puff of tobacco smoke, at this moment, from Murty's pipe, found its way into my mouth, and, in spite of my efforts to overcome its influence, caused me to cough. I sprang up to make good my retreat; and, at the same time, Girty uttered some words in Indian dialect, but in such a moderate tone of voice as indicated the hiding place of those for whom the exclamation was intended, to be near at hand. I had hardly leaped a dozen paces from my position, before I was seized by three or four Indians, and confronted by Girty himself. "As I live, the same fellow that escaped from our braves last night!" said the outlaw." The very same," I replied. 'Speak not another word, or your head shall be hewn into mince-meat!" This threat was accompanied by a look of fiendish ferocity; and I saw that I was under the necessity of submitting to the ruffian's pleasure. Without a moment's delay, my hands were bound together with one end of a rope of spliced tugs of deer-skins; the other end was placed in the fist of a stout Indian, who stationed himself behind me. A boyish savage now put himself in motion; and beckoning me to follow, I stepped after him with the firmness of a guilt-fulfilment." less hero marching to the place of his execution. For a Thanks, thanks, cousin Ellen! your words act like a time, we got along without much trouble; but after we balm to my bursting heart; your reached a more rugged part of the country, it was found "No more of this, at a time like the present, Peyton that I greatly retarded the march of the party, in conse- When danger and death hang over us, there are other sub quence of the irksome confinement of my arms, which ren-jects which should command our attention. So, a truce to d dered it next to impossible for me to pass any difficult places, See, we have a third participator in our wretchedness! Do such as fallen timber and abrupt declivities; so, after hold-you not know him, cousin ?” ing a brief consultation, the Indians released my hands, and looped the end of the rope around my waist. This arrangement enabled me to walk with greater facility to the place of our immediate destination, which we reached after a remarkably hasty march of three hours, or thereabouts. I now found myself in the midst of the party which had taken Ellen and myself, on the morning of the preceding day. Their camp was near the lower extremity of a small diamond-shaped island near the eastern shore of the Ohio river. Throughout its length and breadth, it was covered with tall bushes, with occasionally a large sycamore tree, stretching out its white, naked limbs above the unbroken mass of green foliage; and around the margin of the island was a profusion of scrub-willows, which, as the gentle breeze played along, capriciously buried for an instant the tips of their long, sweeping branches into the bosom of the noble river whose waters nourished their roots. The moon, which still rode in brightness in the clear firmament, imparted a silvery hue to the placid surface of all the surrounding water, except a narrow space contiguous to the drooping willows on the eastern bank of the island; while the light it furnished disclosed to view the magnificent scenery around, in glowing colors. I think I never beheld such a combination of real beauty. "I do not know," she said, after a pause, " that it would be proper to express my concurrence in what you have said, however much I might secretly desire to witness its I looked at the opposite side of the fire, and saw a man lying at length upon the ground-apparently asleep. Elea arose, and applying her mouth to the ear of the sleeper, said, "Uncle, cousin Peyton is with us!" The person to whom these words were addressed, letsurely raised his head from a pillow of leaves, and, to my surprise, disclosed the well-known features of my father. Did he do his duty?" inquired my father, half aslee half awake. "He is here-here, at your side, uncle," continued Elea At this last address, my father shook off his drowsiness, and after several efforts, placed himself upon his feet. "Peyton," he said, "I would shake hands with you, but you observe these unmannerly red-skins have bound my arts behind me, as a constable would secure a sheep-thief! am sorry," he continued, "to see such an active your th as Peyton Gillespie a prisoner to a handful of Indars." "It is not altogether my fault, father.” "And pray, whose fault else can it be? Why did you 3 defend yourself like a man? All this comes of thinking more of the women than of your fencing exercises." "But hear my story, father, and I am sure you will grad that I acted as well as I possibly could, under the circuar stances." "Let me tell my story, father." I then recounted all the mishaps which had befallen me since my departure from Fort Henry. The savages into whose presence I was ushered, seemed "Under the circumstances! Aye-every fellow that russ to be in a bad humor; and several of those from whose keep-away from the enemy has always plenty of circumstances ing I had escaped on the previous night, sprang towards me to plead in justification of his conduct." with uplifted tomahawks, evidently for the purpose of venting their pent-up malignity in making instant sacrifice of my life. The prompt interference of two or three Indians sheltered me from the wrath that was about to fall upon me; and after a violent quarrel, in which nearly every one present participated, I was conducted by my late Indian-driver towards the centre of the island. After a walk of some 50 or 60 paces, he stopped me, and with a good-natured smile, pointed his finger before him. Through a narrow vista in the bushes, I beheld a small fire, before which, with a joyous emotion, I perceived the beautiful individual for whose sake I was willing to lay down my life, at any time. Turning my face towards my conductor, I made a motion to signify "Could I have done better?" I asked, in conclusion "You make yourself out a greater blockhead than 1: you to be!" said my father. "Why did you not kill the d scoundrel that commanded the party at the rock? It won' have been an even game, as the drunken vagabonds to speak of could not have interfered in it. And then, 'sde Peyton! why didn't you dirk a couple of the red rast before you surrendered the last time? If you go on in th style, you will be a hero before your father, yet!" There are many reasons for believing that this is the But consider, my dear sir,island which lies opposite the mouth of Glenn's run, a small "When I encountered the knavish varlets this morning, stream emptying in the Ohio river a few miles above the city he continued, paying no attention to me, "I laid a tre of Wheeling, the site of Fort Henry. them dead at my feet, at the first onset, and would hate ronted the whole gang if they had not resorted to foul play. While I was busily contending with a fourth fellow, a squad of contemptible lookers-on, outflanked me by making a circuitous march through the bushes, and then, coward-like, attacked me in the rear. I was therefore compelled to surrender, but it was done with honor to myself. Peyton, I fear you do not often look into Steuben?" A cou rative, the Indians, in a body, appeared before us. The lapse of several minutes brought Murty again to the fire. He looked unusually pleasant. "Steuben's system is not in use here, father." "Not used, you say! That accounts then for the long wars that desolate this country. If these copper-colored dogs would only fight fairly, an energetic commander, by pursuing Steuben's system, could exterminate the whole race of them in a fortnight. Steuben's theory is founded on purely scientific principles; and-but it is useless to preach sound military doctrines to you, as you are determined, I fiad, not to profit by them. We are now prisoners of warhandcuffed like spies of the enemy, and deprived by these ignorant ruffians of even the privilege of parole." Murty O'Hanley at this moment suddenly appeared be- fa'th, I was cute enough to make the spalpeen, Goorty, before us. "Misther Gillespie," he said, "I've come to spaak a few words till all of ye, and I'll do that same in plain English, as nobody here, barring our four selves, can understand a word of it. If ye'll all plaase yerselves a short bit longer as ye be, ye'll be put safe and snug into the hands of dacent white people. Ye may belave me, for, fa'th I'm a thrue friend till ye, and wish ye well, I do. I'll be back wid ye by the time the moon slides ahint the peak if yon hill, jist." "What is the meaning of all this, you impudent scoundrel?" demanded my father, in an angry voice. What does it maan, d'ye ax? Fa'th, and it maans a good deal, I should say! I'll tell you more, by-and-by." With this spicy rejoinder, the Irishman took my hands, and bound them in the usual way. "Now, Misther Gillespie," be continued, addressing me, "I've tould you big good news; and if I don't make my word good, you may scratch Murty O'Hanley's name out of the book of yer friendships." "Misther Gillespie," said he, "I am now parmitted to tell ye a mighty great sacret that not a blessed soul knows, barring Capthain Mitchell and my own self. Ye see, I've all along been a kind of ginteel spy for the Capthain; and, lave that I was a friend till him, and not till the commonwealth of Virginy, undher whose blessed sod I hope to have my ould bones laid when the time comes. So, ye see, I used to go from the Capthain till Goorty, and from Goorty till the Captain-always taking care to give Goorty a scrap of worthless news, jist to kaap up the desavement of the thing." "Can all this be true!" I inquired. "Sure, an' I will, may it plaase yer honor," replid O'Hanley. He then disclosed, in an incoherent discourse, the nature of the mysterious business in which he had been engaged. It appeared that he had pretended to enlist himself in the cause of the tories, which ensured him, at all times, free access to Girty and all the hostile Indians about He then went his way, leaving us in charge of two Indi- the frontier, by whom he was always treated with respect, ans, armed with guns, hatchets and knives, who seated them- and frequently employed to procure intelligence of the selves, respectively, at convenient places near my father and movements of the border troops. Instead, however, of conmyself, and gave us no cause to complain of their want of veying any valuable information to the Indians, he made it attention. After the departure of Murty, our conversation his business to keep Captain Mitchell constantly advised naturally turned upon the subject of our promised liberation of their operations. The services of Murty, in this capafrom the Indians. My father having but a limited know-city, were highly useful to Captain Mitchell; but as the ledge of O'Hanley, and being moreover a little piqued at him, secret of his real character could not be entrusted, for obowing to the bluntness of his address, affected to place no vious reasons, to any of the borderers, they regarded him as reliance upon his assurance; but Ellen, who had been made a disaffected person, and as dangerous to the peace of the acquainted with the Irishman's doings since her own cap-commonwealth. Hence, the poor fellow was arraigned beture, confessed that he had some good qualities, and seemed fore the bar of justice for his apparent toryism, and, without disposed to believe that his promise would be fulfilled. For a fair trial, thrown into jail, from which he was released, on my own part, I was not prepared to make up an opinion. the first night of his incarceration, through an ingenious The voluntary acknowledgment of his treason made by stratagem of Captain Mitchell. Girty's anxiety for the acO'Hanley to Girty in the bushes below Vanmetre's fort, when quittal of his supposed emissary, induced him, or the prehe had no suspicion of the proximity of a third person, and vious night, when the two were together, to propose an ar consequently could have had no sinister motive in so ex-rangement by which the result of the trial could be quickly pressing himself, led me to believe that he was an evil genius, and that he meditated no good by his visit to the island. I learned from my father that he was taken by the Indians, early in the morning, while on his return from Buffalo creek. In consequence of the dire slaughter he made in the party that waylaid him, his captors treated him very harshly; and to place him beyond the immediate fury of the revengeful savages, several of their most influential warriors took him to the middle of the island, where, to his great surprise, he found Ellen. The great body of the Indians, he stated, bad been quarrelling at the foot of the island during the whole day, without doubt about the expediency of forthwith immolating him; and it was only at the close of daylight, when the necessity of quietness among them was indispensable to their security, that their passions were brought under a temporary subjection. Soon after the conclusion of my father's interesting nar ascertained. By this plan, Girty, at a particular time in the evening succeeding the trial, was to repair to a secluded spot near the courthouse, where Murty was to meet him, if acquitted; and in case of his failing to join him, the renegade was to understand that he was confined in prison. To this trysting place I had myself unwittingly strolled, a short time before the hour appointed for the interview, and was there captured in the manner heretofore stated. At the close of the conference, O'Hanley was informed of the precise place of Girty's camp; and this intelligence he repor ted to Captain Mitchell, to whom he repaired, alone, immediately after my departure. The Captain lost no time in arranging a plan to disperse Girty's party, and liberate the prisoners in their possession. After the plan had been fully matured, the Irishman rejoined Girty, and proceeded with him to the Indian camp-imparting during the journey, in order to keep up the deception, some correct information respecting the movements of the whites, but which could that's a'most here, for, d'ye see, the ould moon is now about be of no essential service to the outlaw. to lay himself down to slaap!" This last observation of O'Hanley, announcing the near emotions of joy-not unmingled, however, with those strange apprehensions of disappointment, which, on such occasions are sure to spring into existence. Our two Indian sentinels were leaning upon their elbows, in a position between sitting and lying, and seldom removed their eyes from 18. Murty carelessly placed himself at the side of my father, to whom he gave a few directions respecting the manner in which he was to act when the collision should take place on the shore. When they arrived at the camp, Murty found it necessary to the success of Captain Mitchell's plans, to have the In-ness of the time of our expected liberation, filled us with dians transferred from the island to the Virginia shore; and to effect this desirable object, he fomented the excitement which prevailed among them against my father, until they came very near taking the old gentleman's life. This furnished O'Hanley with a good pretext to solicit Girty to remove the Indians from the island. The latter individual instantly complied with the request. Captain Mitchell and his party, Murty stated, were, at the moment he was speaking, lying concealed at a convenient distance from Girty's position, and intended making the attack at the moment the moon should disappear behind the cliffs on the opposite side of the river. We learned from Murty that news of the capture of Ellen and myself, must have reached Fort Henry shortly after the event happened; for early on that evening, when Girty and his party, with Ellen, were encamped opposite the island, a runner came in, and reported that a number of Indian hunters were coming up the river bottom-land. Upon receiving this information, Girty, who was not at that time desirous of engaging in trifling rencounters, determined to baffle the movements of the white men; and with this view, he launched his canoes, and rowed his party over to the island. At the same time, a trusty Indian, was mounted upon Ellen's horse, and instructed to ride a few miles up the bank of the river, to the mouth of a creek, where he was to swim his horse over the larger stream, and continue on in the direction of the Sanduskey towns. As had been expected, this stratagem succeeded. The hunters were observed to follow the trail of the horse, and, when last seen, were crossing the river in the prosecution of their chase. With regard to ourselves, it was Girty's intention to start us all, under a competent guard, towards Sanduskey, on the coming morning, in case news of the return of the white hunters should be received previously; as he did not wish to expose us to the possibility of a recapture. O'Hanley informed us that Girty's present party was only a corps of observation of a considerable army of Indians, they lying upon the eastern fork of the Muskingum, awaiting orders from him to attack one of the chief forts on the upper Ohio. Presently, a tremendous yell from Girty's warriors reechoed through the welkin, and gave note that the attack by Captain Mitchell had been made. Our sentinels, at the sound, sprang upon the fire to extinguish it. While they were doing this, Murty artfully reached his hand behind my father's back, and sundering the tugs that confined his arms, placed a knife in one of his liberated hands; then seizing his tomahawk, and actively leaping forward, he buried its edge into the back part of the head of one of the savages, who immediately fell headlong into the partially quenched fire. The other Indian uttered a piercing cry, and endesvored to make his escape; but my father rushed towards him, and, with a well-directed thrust, drove his knife to is hilt in his back. The wounded savage turned about, and with his tomahawk aimed a blow at the head of his ope nent. The latter, however, with a sudden sweep of ha muscular arms, frustrated the Indian's design; and, after a desperate contest, succeeded in throwing him at full lengh upon the ground. Murty, who had in the meantime despatched to his satisfaction the first sentinel, now went to my father's assistance. Uplifting his tomahawk, which was covered with the reeking blood of his victim, be forced downward with all his remaining strength, and laid open the brain of the prostrate antagonist of my father. Both the Indians now being despatched, O'Hanley ser ered the ligatures which bound Ellen and myself; after which we all repaired, without a moment's delay to the p per point of the island, where Ellen was lifted into the ca noe, and Murty pushed off with her towards the shore. The contest between the commands of Captain Mitchel and Girty, was conducted without fire-arms; but the inces "Fa'th!" said Murty, after he had finished his story, "and sant yells and shouts of the belligerent parties, made I'm right down sorry that I'm now obleeged to quit my ould evident that it was no less fierce on that account. The trade; but I must give it up, beca'se the Capthain's got to strife was of short duration. The yells of the savages soon show good cause for chaating the sheriff out of his prisoner. subsided, and the victorious cheers of the white men alene Besides that, Goorty's a mon of big gumption, and he'll find were heard. In the intervals between these shouts, thé out my evil tricks by the time he gits lambasted by the Cap-noise of a violent disturbance of the water fell upon sür thain-success till him!-But, hist !" he exclaimed, in continuation; "a canoe is coming over till the island! If Goorty fetches his ugly face here, ye must all saam downhearted, to kaap up the desavement, jist." Girty soon strode into our presence, and giving a hasty glance at the ligatures around our wrists, seemed satisfied that we were properly secured. "I did not notice your canoe!" he observed to Murty. "Nor n'ither ye shouldn't," replied the Irishman, "for d'ye think I'd laave it floating about in the open water, as the fool white people do? No, fa'th! I hauled it in the bushes to kaap it safe, jist-Indian-like!" "Right, Murty; but the precaution was unnecessary on the island. See well to the prisoners, particularly to the old man." ears, indicating that the defeated Indians were making theat escape across the river. During the time we were awaiting the return of May, with his canoe, we heard a great bustle in the interior part of the island. A portion of the retreating Indians, it wond seem, had come upon it to carry their prisoners with them in their flight; and discovering that we had left the fire, and killed the sentries, they set about searching for us. Mary. however, reappeared, and rowed us across to the short be fore they reached the upper point of the island. The Indians sustained a very trifling loss in the skimrast, as they retreated as soon as they discovered that they were attacked by superior numbers. Captain Mitchell's mea were unscathed in the conflict. We remained upon the ground until after daybreak, when no enemy being discern able, Captain Mitchell escorted us in safety to Fort Heary, "Ay-Ay; thrust me for that!" returned O'Hanley as Girty departed-for the shore. "He skeert me," he contin- Murty O'Hanley never served out his term of imprisonued, after a minute had gone by, "when he spoke of the ment in the county jail. I am unable to state, technicaly, canoe, for he was right enough in obsarving that he didn't how his release was obtained; but I know very well that see it. Ye see, Misther Gillespie, I jist agreed wid myself the border people were so enthusiastic in their admiration to row the little craft to the upper p'int of the island, to sarve of his conduct, that the verdict of the jury was set aside ty us to retraat in good order when the time comes on-and universal consent. LETITIA ELIZABETH LANDON.* |of the extracts will be regulated according to the interest, which they may be thought likely to inSeldom has the public sympathy been more spire among the readers of the Messenger. At all keenly excited than when the sudden and strange events, they will be novel and entertaining, and death of "L. E. L." was announced in the news- presented, less as specimens to illustrate critical papers. The details of the event were given in reviews than articles perfect in themselves, and the English journals, and were transferred to our better worthy of perusal than the original essays, own. It will be remembered that she was found tales and poems which form the staple of our peby her maid-servant, just as the last embers of life riodical publications. We are satisfied to comwere expiring. She was extended upon the floor, mence the series with so interesting a work, as and, in her hand, were grasped a handkerchief and that which now lies in the beautiful typography of a small phial, labelled "Hydrocyanic acid." This the English press upon our table, and which we deadly poison, commonly known as Prussic acid, are about to ruthlessly cut in pieces for the entercould have been used, it was conjectured, for no tainment of those intelligent spirits, by whom disother purpose than as a quick and sure means of plays of real talent can never fail to be appreciated. self-destruction. It appeared, however, that she The life of LETITIA ELIZABETH LANDON was had been afflicted with a severe, nervous affection chequered by few important events. The current in the face-similar to neuralgia; and hence arose of her days flowed on, with no uneven motion, to the conviction that she had perished in couse- the dark gulf in which it was lost forever. True, quence of an injudicious use of Prussic acid there was here a ripple, and there a whirlpool; here as a remedy. This conviction has been subse- an eddy, and there a foam; here it was softened quently fortified by proof of so positive a kind, by a shadow, and there it was blackened by a that no doubt can be entertained on the subject. cloud-but of what stream, even if it were but for We have thought it best to state this fact with dis- a little way on this earth, cannot the same be tinctness, as preliminary to the extracts we are said? She was annoyed by envy-but what posabout to offer from the mnemoir of her life, and from sessor of talents is not she was assailed by slanher hitherto unpublished writings; because we de-der-but who is not? Had she been as pure as ice, sire to remove from the memory of the reader, a as chaste as snow, she could not have escaped disagreeable impression which may have been de- calumny; it happens that there is very little ice rived from the remarks of the newspapers, which or snow in the poetical character, and we suppose recorded the fatal termination of her existence. that L. E. L. must plead guilty of having a warm As the rites of sepulture are among many nations heart, which led her into indiscretions, but not into denied to the suicide, so do we deny all place of crime-not into the wickedness of which the busy kind respect in our minds to one who has violated tongue of malice accused her. Conscious of the the divine law, and, by a single, wicked act, rushed purity of her motives, she was unguarded in her unannealed into the presence of the Creator. It conduct; so long as she was unreproved by her is a happy relief to know that so wretched a catas-own conscience, she recked little of the comtrophe did not conclude the history of the young ment and cavil of the world. Herein was her and lovely woman, whose genius so often delighted mistake-nay, it was a capital error, a fault of us, and whose fame was cherished in our country which a well-regulated mind could never be guilty. with hardly less fondness than in her native Eng- It is foolishness to brave the opinion of mankind; land. The appearance of Mr. Laman Blanchard's it is madness to violate the conventional rules of book was looked for with great interest, because it decorum. Yet Miss Landon did both; she was was expected to dispel the doubts which darkened frank, inconsiderate, confiding, gay in disposition, around her remembrance; that it has done so, the cordial in manners, ardent in attachment. The fair-judging cannot fail to acknowledge. woman who obeys impulse, is sure to become its victim. How different are our second thoughts from our first; and yet how seldom do the im pulsive stop to think them! If they did, they would cease to be impulsive. Miss Landon thought The volumes before us have not been republished; we received the English edition, when but a short time from the press of Colburn, through the hands of an attentive correspondent residing in London, to whom we expect to be indebted for many similar quickly, and acted on the thought; she was a creafavors in future. Indeed, we have entered into ture of impulse-this we gather from many traits arrangements, by which the earliest copies-if not of character developed in this memoir, and from the proof sheets-of the best books published in her letters; by which it is copiously interspersed. England, will be regularly transmitted to us. Of She paid dearly for her independence on public these, we shall give such criticisms, and make such opinion; the most cruel things were said of heruse as their merits will authorise. The number had half of them been founded in truth, her name *LIFE AND LITERARY REMAINS of L. E. L., by Laman would have been so crusted with infamy, that its Blanchard, in two volumes. London; published by Henry sound from the lips of a female would be a disColburn, Great Marlborough Street, 1841. grace. They were none true-not one; she was VOL. VII-68 |