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changed. This dreadful fcene lafted feveral days and the whole country was laid wafte. The inhabitants fed to the utmost parts of the land, to escape the terrible con dagration.

7. On the firft eruption of the fire, the river Skapta wds confiderably augmented, but on the 11th day, the waters were dried up. The next day, a prodigious ftream of red hot lava was discharged from the earth and ran down the channel which the river had left, and overflowing the banks, rofe to a great height and spread defolation over the whole adjacent country.

8. The fiery ftream then afcended the channel, and mounting high, it destroyed the village of Ruland, though fituated on a bill, confuming the houfes and every thing that flood in its way. It fpread, till it had converted a tract of 36 miles of country, into a fea of fire. It then changed its course to the fouth, and after filling the channel of the Skapta for fix miles, it burft upon a wide plain, carrying flaming wood on its furface, and overwhelming the earth with torrents of liquid fire.

9. It continued thus to spread from June 12 to Auguft 13, when it ceafed to extend itfelf, but continued to burn. When any part of the furface acquired a cruft by cooling, it was foon broken by the mass of fire below, and then tumbling among the melted fubftance, it was toffed about with prodigious noife and crackling, and small spouts of fire were continually footing into the air.

10. When it left the channel of the Skapta, this mafs of fire was 400 feet in depth. It ran in every direction where at could find a vent, and deftroyed a number of villages. In one place it came to a Cataract of the river of 14 fathoms high, where it fell with a tremendous noife and terrible convulfions. In another, it stopped up the channel of a river, filled a large valley, and deftroyed two villages, tho it ap proached no nearer than 600 feet.

11. Other villages were inundated by the waters rivers, driven from their channels by the fiery torrent. At Jaft having filled all the valleys to the South, it changed its courfe to the North, and spread over a tract of country 148 miles in length and 36 in breadth. It dried up several

rivers and formed lakes of fire. At laft on the "16th of Auguft, the eruption ce afed.

12. The whole extent of ground on three fides covered by this dreadful inundation, was computed to be go miles long and 24 broad; and the depth of the lava from 100 to 120 feet. Twelve rivers were dried up—20 villages deftroyed and a confiderable number of people. The extent of the ground covered on the north was not afcertained. Some hills were melted down-others covered, and the whole had the appearance of a fea of red hot melted metal.

13. After this eruption, two new Idlands rofe from the fea. One in February 1784, rofe about 100 miles fouthwest of Iceland, it was about 3 miles in circumference and a mile in height. It burnt with great violence, fending forth prodigious quantities of fand and pumice stones. Both Iflands have fince difappeared.

Extract from the Oration of Thomas Dawes, Esq. delivered at Boston, July 4, 1787.

*TH

'HAT Education is one of the deepeft principles of Independence, need not be labored in this affembly. In arbitrary governments, where the people neither make the law nor choose those who legiflate, the more ignorance the more peace.

2. But in a government where the people fill all the Branches of the fovereignty, intelligence is the life of liberRyAn American would refent his being denied the uf of his musket; but he would deprive himfelf of a ftronger Safeguard if he fhould want that learning which is neceffary. to a knowledge of his conftitution.

3. It is eafy to fee that our agrarian law and the law of education were calculated to make republicans; to make men. Servitude could never long confift with the habfts of fuch citizens. Enlightened minds and virtuous minners lead to the gates of glory. The fentiments of independence must have been connatural in the bofoms of Americans; and fooner or later must have blazed out into public action.

T

Independence fits the foul of her refidence for every noble enterprize of humanity and greatnefs. Her radiant fmile lights up celeftial ardor in poets and orators,

yeho found her praifes through all ages; in legiflators and philofophers, who fabricate wife and happy governments as dedications to her fame; in patriots and heroes, who shed their tears in facrifice to her divinity.

5. At this idea do not our minds fwell with the memory. of chefe whofe godlike virtues have founded her moft magnificent temple in America? It is eafy for us to maintain her doctrines, at this late day, when there is but one party, on the fubject, an immenfe people. But what tribute shall we beftow, what facred pæan fhall we raise over the tombs of those who dared, in the face of unrivalled power, and within the reach of majesty, to blow the blaft of freedom throughout a fubject continent..

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6. Nor did thofe brave countrymen of ours only express the emotions of glory; the nature of their principles in fpired them with the power of practice, and they offered their bofoms to the fhafts of battle. Bunker's awful mount is the capacious urn of their afhes: but the flaming bounds of the univerfe could not limit the flight of their minds.

7. They fled to the union of kindred fouls, and those who fell at the ftraits of Thermopyla and thofe who bled on the heights of Charlestown, now reap congenial joys in the fields of the bleffed.

I.

GENERAL WASHINGTON'S RESIGNATION.
Mr. President.

HE great events on which my refignation depend ed having at length taken place, I have now the honor of offering my fincere congratulations to Congrefs, and of prefenting myfelf before them to furrender into their hands the truft committed to me, and to claim the indul gence of retiring from the fervice of my country.

2. Happy in the confirmation of our independence and fovereignty, and pleafed with the opportunity afforded the United States of becoming a refpectable nation, I refign with fatisfaction, the appointment I accepted with diffi dence: a diffidence in my abilities to accomplish fo arduous a talk, which, however, was fuperceded by a confidence in the rectitude of our caule, the fupport of the fupreme po wer of the Union, and the patronage of Heaven

3. The fuccessful termination of the war has verified the moft fanguine expectations; and my gratitude for the in terpofition of providence, and the affiftance I have received from my countrymen, increafe with every review of the mos hentous conteff.

4. While I repeat my obligations to the army in generat fhould do injuftice to my own feelings not to acknowledge, in this placey,the peculiar fervices and diftinguifhed merits of the gentlemen who have been attached to my perfon during the late war.

5. It was impoffible the choice of confidential officers to compofe my family fhould have been more fortunate. Per mit me, Sir, to recommend in particular those who have continued in the fervice to the prefent moment, as worthy of the favorable notice and patronage of Congrefs.

6. I confider it as an indifpenfable duty to clofe this laft folemn act of my official life by commending the interefts of our dearest country to the protection of Almighty God, and those who have the fuperintendence of them to his holy. Reeping.

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7. Having now finifhed the work affigned me, I retire from the great theatre of action; and, bidding an affectis onate farewel to this auguft body, under whofe orders I have fo long acted, I here offer my, commiffion, and take my leave of all the employments of public life.

Dec. 23, 1783

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G. WASHINGTON.

SINGULAR INSTANCE OF PATRIOTISM. DWARD the Third, King of England, after the battle of Creffy, laid siege to Calais. He had fortified his camp in fo impregnable a manner, that all the efforts of France proved ineffectual to raife the fiege, or throw fuccours into the city. The citizens, however, under the Conduct of count Vienne, their gallant governor, made an admirable defence,

2. Day after day the English effected many a breach, which they repeatedly expected to ftorm by morning; but when morning appeared they wondered to behold new ramparts nightly raifed, erected out of the ruins which the day had made.

France had now put her fickle into her fecond harvest, fince Edward, with his victorious army, fat down before the

town. The eyes of all Europe were intent on the iffue. The English made their approaches and attacks without remiffion, but the citizens were as obftinate in repelling all their efforts.

4. At length, famine did more for Edward than arms. After the citizens had devoured the lean carcafes of their half starved cattle, they tore up old foundations, and rubbish in fearch of vermin; they fed on boiled leather, and the weeds of exhaufted gardens; and a morfel of damaged corn was counted matter of luxury.

5. In this extremity they refolved to attempt the enemy's camp. They boldly fallied forth: the English joined battle, and, after a long and defperate engagement, count Vi enne was taken prifoner; and the citizens, who furvived the flaughter, retired within their gates.

6. On the captivity of their governor, the command des volved upon Euftace Saint Pierre, the mayor of the town, man of mean birth, but of exalted virtue. Euftace foon found himself under the neceffity of capitulating, and offer ed to deliver to Edward the city, with all the poffeffions and wealth of the inhabitants, provided he permitted them to depart with life and liberty,

7. As Edward had long fince expected to afcend the throne of France, he was exafperated to the laft degree against thefe people, whofe fole valor had defeated his warmeft hopes; he therefore determined to take an exemplary revenge, though he wished to avoid the imputation of cruelty.

8. He anfwered by Sir Walter Mauny, that they all deferved capital punishment, as obftinate traitors to him their true and notable fovereign; that, however, in his wonted clemency, he confented to pardon the bulk of the plebeians, provided they would deliver up to him fix of their principal citizens, with halters about their necks, as victims of due atonement for that fpirit of rebellion with which they had e common people. 9. All the remains of this defolate city were convened in the great fquare; and like men arraigned at a tribunal from whence there was no appeal, expected with throbbing hearts the fentence of their conqueror. When Sir Walter had declared his meffage, confternation and pale dismay

inflamed the

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