by wandering colonies of Anglo-Americans wild republics of South America, the free in the mere spirit of adventure. It is not Guacho lives in a sort of clannish depenlong since a party of five women and two dence on the great proprietors. Nothing men arrived at an outpost in California: can be conceived more contrary to the they were the survivors of sixteen, and had lived for weeks on the bodies of their dead companions. The party had been sent forward for assistance by a band of emigrants who had been surprised, with their families and cattle, by the snow in the Sierra, under which, no doubt, they lie buried. Our astonishment at the extraordinary energy, and no less extraordinary restlessness of character, by which these obstacles are overcome, may be taken as a measure of the enormous impediments which they offer to the advantageous extension of American empire to the Pacific.

habits and feelings of the Anglo-American race; and, should the present form of the Republic last so long, it will be curious to see how a polity, whose extreme elasticity already enables it to comprehend the traders and manufacturers of the East, the farmers of the North-west, and the sugar and cotton planters of the South, within the same voluntary association, will be affected by the introduction of an element so new, and so unlike anything at present included in its dominion.

But the great Federation has withstood trials quite as severe. While the combinaThe wide region west of the Mississippi tion of surrounding political circumstances will therefore present, in the course of seems to indicate that it is only on the years, the aspect of an immense pastoral threshold of its momentous destiny, there country, resembling Australia and the States is a force and profusion of life in all its of La Plata in modern times. Such, at functions which bespeaks it equal to the least, must be its general character, though occasion. Without apparent root in the diversified by the cultivated valleys of its soil, without any hold on traditional observgreat rivers. Among the many varieties of ance, such as ancient monarchies possess; industry to which the versatility of Ameri- without that strength in its executive, by can genius has been applied, the rearing of which newer political bodies usually seek to stock has hitherto been the least favorite. supply their want of moral power; it has It is not a national pursuit. It is now already withstood tempest after tempest, chiefly confined to the unfavorable climate and outlived successive prophets of ruin. A of New England and New York; and is mere handful of provinces, casually united perhaps the least forward branch of agri-in resistance to England, and on the point culture throughout the States. Although population has begun to spread over the prairies for the last twenty years, scarcely a beginning appears to have been made in the art of turning them to that purpose which they are so peculiarly calculated to serve. But the time must arrive when these plains shall become the greatest sheep and cattle farms of the world-swarming with domesticated animals, as they once swarmed with wild, before the hunters of the East had made a solitude of them, and introduced that interregnum of desolation which now prevails. The Indians, indeed, must first have disappeared, or be in some way reclaimed from their predatory habits; but the former catastrophe seems fast approaching. The addition of this new component part to the existing members of the great Republic may give rise to some curious political speculations. It should seem that this species of industry cannot be carried on-at least, it never has been-except by large proprietors of flocks and herds; and the pastoral form of society has ever partaken of the patriarchal. Even in the

of falling to pieces when the necessity of resistance ceased, it acquired at that critical moment a new constitution, which knit the disjointed members firmly together. A second war, undertaken against the will of one-third of its component States, appeared to threaten it afresh with dissolution; it ended in strengthening the Union, through a new infusion of national spirit, and by rousing a common sentiment, which absorbed sectional jealousies and passions. Next came the consummation of the victory obtained by the democratic party in their long struggle with the federalists-a victory which seemed to threaten with speedy destruction the bond, which it had been the principle of the latter to vindicate and maintain. But Providence overruled this danger also to a contrary issue: for the State authorities, which could not long have endured the stricter yoke intended by the federalists, submitted easily to the modified control which the disciples of Jefferson vested in the central government. The nation overflowed across the bounding Alleghanies, and spread over the wide valley of

the Mississippi, and it was pronounced by class of evils which are submissively endured friends, as well as enemies, that the exten- for many years, until they appear to have sion of empire would inevitably lead to dis- become a part of the very constitution of ruption. Contrary to all anticipation, this society; but against which, sooner or later, very extension has preserved the unity of public indignation suddenly rises, shatterthe republic. The growing separation of ing to pieces the whole edifice in its impaNorth and South, divided in interest, and tience of the rotten materials. It is not hostile in feeling, was prevented from for strangers to estimate the real amount coming into direct collision by the intro- and pressure of danger of this description duction of the new Western States. This on the institutions of a foreign country. third and powerful element kept the others They can but compare and balance the statetogether in compulsory harmony; and, in ments of native observers; and, in doing the same manner, every subsequent addi- so, they are bound to make great allowtion has tended to strengthen the fabric ances for the exaggerations both of honest rather than to bring it down. The wider patriots and disappointed partisans. Nor the dominion of the federation spreads, the would we willingly give vent to the gloomy greater the number of local interests and anticipations which must inevitably arise, populations comprehended within its boun- were we to adopt too literally the descripdary, the less appears to be the probability tions given by Americans themselves, of the that any particular local interest can recent workings of some of the most imthreaten the general weal-that dissensions portant parts of their system. For the between particular sections are destined to day, which shall see that vast dominion endanger the security of the Union. It parcelled out between independent and jarhas stood the shocks of commercial distress, ring States, imitating, with ampler means and the extravagance of commercial pros- and fiercer resolution, the mutual hatred of perity; it has not been enfeebled by the the wretched republics of Spanish descent impulse given to party spirit under a long-however that day may be invoked by opand idle peace; it seems to encounter no pressed neighbors and by political enemies material danger from the questionable suc--will retard, for generations to follow, the cesses of a war of invasion and of conquest; progress of America, which is the progress for wars waged, like those of the Carthagi- of the human race in its widest and freest nians, by hired armies and jealously- field of action. controlled generals, are not very likely to produce a Cæsar or Napoleon. As far as human sagacity can foresee, the clouds which enveloped the birth of the confederacy have cleared away. There is no pecuDESTRUCTION OF CHARTLEY-HALL, THE SEAT OF liar political danger now impending, which EARL FERRERS.-Shortly after twelve o'clock on has not been incurred and surmounted Tuesday morning, a fire broke out at the above already, and of which American statesmen seat, which (with the exception of the servants' cannot estimate the amount, and may not apartments) has been reduced to a heap of ruins tobe expected to guard against the shock.gether with the furniture, library, and armory. The fire was first discovered by Mr. Leadbetter, the butler, Yet the changeful aspect of the times fills who was awakened by hearing a sort of crackling the mind of the calmest observer with mis-noise, as if some persons were attempting to break givings; and, while he gazes with admira- into the mansion. He dressed himself as hastily tion and awe on the portentous fabric of discovered that the house was on fire and that the as possible, and, upon going from his bedroom, he American greatness, he shrinks from found- flames were issuing from the drawing-room wining any confident speculations on its perma-dows. Expresses were immediately sent off for the nence. There is a secret enemy within, fire-engines from Uttoxeter and Stafford, and about three o'clock the Stafford engine, with Inspector who noiselessly saps the strongest institu- Wollaston and assistants, arrived; but the fire had tions. If the North American republic gained such an ascendency that all that could be should fall to pieces in our day-and we done was to save the servants' apartments, and it believe that every friend to human happi- appeared that no engine was kept at Uttoxeter. So ness must now wish the catastrophe averted great was the heat of the fire, that, upon looking over the ruins, the swords from the armory were -it will probably be neither from conquest found blended together, and the books were one nor defeat, external prosperity nor adver- black mass. It is reported that the property is insity, but from moral weakness at home. sured, but to what extent could not be ascertained. The mansion had lately been under repair, and the The corruption of the administrative de-noble earl was expected there in about a fortnight partments of a government is one of that from Staunton Harold.

From Fraser's Magazine. HINTS UPON HISTORY.

The

fact for history; history has it not. Yet | Had he asked himself how long, on a flat the narrow escape of W- was worthy of sandy shore any where, much less on that being placed upon record; "Blifil and burning shore, bodies washed up would reBlack George "" were nothing to it. main visible, he must have felt that he was Belsham called Junius a liar, and charg-recording what was not true--what could ed him with falsehood; almost every his- not be true hardly of a single bone of those torian, too, has done something very like who died in that "glorious victory." this upon the mere take-for-granted of his writers of history must look to it in future, own mind. It was impossible that dukes and not copy the marvels of wonder-writing and great men of that day could be guilty travellers without reflection. We must not of many things which Junius charges upon have strained inferences drawn from prethem. Why impossible? because they were mises which could supply them to no other dukes! No other answer can be given. It upon earth but their own exclusive underappears from Horace Walpole's disclosures, standings. Some, it is true, have extraorthat these charges were essentially true. dinary gifts in vision. A writer has spoken Now, the mere opinion of an historian is no of one Ketellus, who had an especial better than our own, unless he wrote what grace" to see devils and to talk with them! he saw. He must give us fact, and we shall be content to draw our own conclusions. We do not want the virtues nor vices of the world exaggerated; neither do we want palliatives. Let us be as if set on a high mountain, from thence beholding the tumults, chances, hopes, fears, depressions, and elevations of the past with indifference; we thus shall be better able to take lessons for the present time. Why, then, should we not have the truth, and nothing but the truth, as far as human fallibility will permit? But have historians given this? nay, have they extracted the truth even from memoirs ?

There is Southey, one of the most credulous of mankind, who has been praised for his Life of Nelson, the style of which is admitted to be beautiful: he has been praised for history full of errors; for biography is history: while his Peninsular War, the Duke of Wellington said, would do as well for that as for any war-not better. Well, these have been lauded to the skies.

Taking up the Life of Nelson the other day, we find Southey, who had crossed the sea, and ought to have known what that element and its shores are, gravely recording that Dr. Clark, about three years after the battle of the Nile, found the remains of the slain on the shore of Aboukir Bay!*

* The mendacious, much-lauded Dr. Clark, in his Travels, gives an account of a magnificent entertainment which the Anglo-Indian army gave to that of Europe, when the former arrived in Egypt to co-operate in the conquest, under Abercromby. The Doctor, as an eye-witness, describes the gorgeous display of Eastern luxuries exhibited upon the occasion, startling the reader with the sudden revival of Oriental grandeurs in the Anglo-English camp. What the real truth was the reader may see in the Memoirs of Sir David Baird, who laments that, from the non-arrival of their baggage, they had none of the

Hume did not know the distance from Worcester to Shrewsbury; he would not rise and cross his study to seek a reference; yet where fact may be wanting in proof, we find no deficiency of partial inference and false coloring. A writer, it will be admitted, has often to combat his own party bias, and sometimes his own incredulity, when he casts his regard upon the ever-varying hues of men and things. The stream of time, in the space of a few short years, sweeps away shoals and abrades promontories, until no semblance of them remaining, their ever having had an existence becomes doubtful, without much pains-taking reference. We are seldom aware of the extent of change things undergo sometimes, in a space of time wholly irreconcilable in our own view with any but a long-protracted period. The events of the last fifty years have effected more extraordinary alterations in the world than the century and a half preceding had done; and these alterations are most of them within the reach of human memory. Yet, though thus proximate, they are forgotten by most of those who lived through them. Only a few of the living take notes of the events that have passed by them, as they themselves went jog-trot along the highway of life. They were too much occupied with their own cares or pleasures, and in old age have forgotten most of the remarkable events of their own time, because the records of their own selfishness supplanted those of a different character; they can always go back to incidents affecting themselves alone; for the mass of mankind, though neither comcommonest conveniences to offer for the accommodation of their friends; they were forced to stick candles upon hoops to light up the tables. Poor Bruce was censured for what he was not; Clark has never been censured for what he too truly was.

posed of individuals of sense nor even of instance it is more than usually untenable, strong passions, are uniformly interested. | from the history of the parties. Before we Hence works of genius and taste are secon- can adopt an idea so contrary to the expedary things in countries where the people rience of all time, as well as to the knowdo not find an interest, or something to be ledge of those acquainted with the world, got by esteeming them; an abstract love we must admit, with the uneducated, that for them belonging only to cultivated intel- the place makes the man. It is true, that, lect and an extended mind. History would in externals, we should be ashamed to act find a wonderful aid, if only two or three as people distinguished in life, people of living men, contemporaries in public life, rank and fashion, acted a few years ago. had noted, as they came upon the stage of Our vices may be as great, but, at all events, humanity, all they saw or knew, as old Pe- we are properly ashamed to display them; pys has done-two or three only at a time, we are grown more discreet in our great during the successive centuries from the world; we cover ourselves in the sight of Conqueror. We should then get at those others with a mask of external morality: virtues and crimes of men which partial his- this is one step gained, at least. What torians gloss over, or could gain little individuals of rank, what peeresses or ladyknowledge of, or that have departed into commoners, would now attend public masoblivion. The changes have been so strange, querades, where princes of the blood and and often so momentous in their nature, their companions of easy virtue, and paraeven within the scope of human memory- sites of all sorts, mingled as well? Yet they are so antagonist in their character to this continually occurred at the old Panwhat preceded them, and what preceded is theon masquerades. The thing is perfectly so strange to the present generation, that incredible now. A British lady of rank in either case no one takes them in. would feel indignant were it supposed that A few days ago we took up the papers of she could be present at such a place; yet Nelson, which, with those of Wellington, was the pride of rank as great then as it is are invaluable as historical documents, now-perhaps morality was as prevalent; though different in their nature, the one but it is no small advantage to see the degiving a picture of the individual, the other sire prevail, in all ranks, of shunning, berelating only to public events. They are fore the public at least, the appearance of lasting monuments of the distinguished evil. Still, no one would judge nowadays names they commemorate, a hundred times by a man's position in life of the quality of more worthy, and also more imperishable, his moral feeling.

than the brass castings-statues they can Fact is everything, surmise can only be scarcely be called--with which, in our low admitted when tenable. We do not assent state of art, commonplace minds imagine to such inferences. We know two indi

we confer the more lasting renown-the viduals, one of whom has not long paid the glorious and immortal memory! Admira- debt of nature, who were well acquainted ble as guides for history, the memoirs of with all three-with Nelson, Sir William Nelson furnish an instance of those deduc- and Lady Hamilton; who had visited Sir tions to which allusion has been before William at Naples, and had entertained made, and the circumstances attendant all three in England. We know one indiupon them having happened within human vidual, yet living, an officer who was with memory, admit of being established for ever, Nelson ten years, and we were acquainted ́ one way or another. We could have done with three of his officers in the Victory. it ourselves, from information equal to per- Again and again was Lady Hamilton's dusonal knowledge. There must surely be pery of that great man talked over by them some living who could have done it from and us, always terminating in the admission that very knowledge. Thus, for example, that it was one of the most extraordinary the editor of the work seems to think that cases of the power of woman on record. the conduct of Lady Hamilton and Nelson Lady Hamilton not only damaged the great was, at one time, guaranteed against equi- seaman in the matter of morality, but her vocality by the fact of Sir William Hamil- influence cast the only blot upon his fair ton's station in life. Now this is the sort fame as a British officer. Captain Foote's of inference too frequently employed in his- statement is substantially true. Nelson tory of every kind, and is that to which was a simple-minded man, who, from being recourse should never be had but when de-incapable of deceit himself, did not easily monstration is impossible. In the present credit it in another. He was a man of con