One of the Spaniards, happening to ferve in the capacity of a gardener, was of moft effential ufe; for, having to cultivate a very extenfive piece of ground which lay along the fea-fhore, he undertook to dig, in a part of it little frequented, a cavern large enough to contain them all. As he could only work at it by stealth, it took him up no less than two years to complete it.

In the mean time, what with the money collected by alms, and what they earned by dint of labour, they had amaffed a fum fufficient to ranfom one Viano, a Majorcan; whom they pitched upon for the arduous undertaking, as well on account of his intimate knowledge of the coaft of Barbary, as for the implicit confidence which they all repofed in

him.

Although the redemption-money was ready, and the cavern completed, fix other months elapfed before all the captives found means to effect their efcape. At length, however, they were affembled: Viano was ranfomed, and parted; first folemnly pledging himself to ufe all poffible dispatch in procuring a veffel, and to return and liberate his country

men.

As Cervantes had all along been the foul of the undertaking, his ardor in no wife abated now. He took upon himself the greateft trouble, and ran the greatest risk. Every night, as foon as it was dark, he ventured out to purchase provifions; taking care always to be back before break of day.

The gardener was the only one of the confederated flaves that had not eloped; and for the very obvious reafon, that he could beft ferve the common intereft by remaining as he was. The appointment of any other to his place would, in all probability, have led to a difcovery of the cave. So long as he continued in

place, he might be confidered as a centinel on duty in a watch-tower, from whence to give alarm to the little garrifon in case of any enemy's approach; or, which was of equal importance, to apprife them of the coming of auxiliary troops. In other words, from the nature of his em ploy and his fituation, he was best enabled to regulate their movements; and at the fame time he could keep a conftant look out for the anxiously expected Majorcan.

Viano kept his word. He had no fooner arrived at Majorca, than he waited on the Viceroy ; . made him acquainted with his countrymen's fituation; and demanded (as it was a national concern) his affiftance. The Viceroy forthwith furnifhed him with a floop; and Viano joyfully fet fail for the coaft of Barbary.

He arrived at Algiers on the 28th day of Septernber, 1577; exactly one month from the day he quitted it. He had taken fuch very accurate note of the quarter where the garden was fituated, that he contrived, as had been concerted, to ftand in for it at the clofe of day.

The gardener, who had fome time perceived the veffel making for land, flattered himself that it might poffibly be Viano's. He kept his eyes fixed ftedfaftly upon it; his mind, the while, fufpended betwixt anxious hope and fearful difappointment. But when the veffel drew in fo near that he could defery the agreed-on fignal flying at the maft-head, how extravagant was his joy! He hastened to his fellows to communicate the felicitous tidings.

Delicious moment! What a tranfition from defpondency to joy! The care-worn wretches have already forgot their fufferings. They congratulate, they embrace each other; they fhed even tears of joy; and in wild tumultuous ecftafy hurry headlong out of their cavern.

It is even fo-the gardener has not deceived them:-It is; it can be no other than Viano's bark. And, look! the very fignal. Nearer, and yet a little nearer, and they defcry Viano himself standing at the helm. With what emotion they beheld him! they uplift their hands, and with one general voice, hail him their Deliverer.'

Now the veffel's keel is ploughing up the shore, and the mariners are letting down a ladder to facilitate their embarkation ;-when,ah! fad chance! a party of Moors at the very inftant appear, and feeing fo many chriftians affembled about a bark, give the alarm, fhouting, To arms!—to arms!' Viano put to fea again; and his miferable compatriots fled back with precipitation to their hiding place; there to bewail their cruel dilappointment.

Cervantes did every thing in his power to cheer his drooping companions. He bade them hope Viano would return; for fo he either really thought or affected to think.-But Viano was never more heard of.

As their minds grew more and more defpondent, their bodies kept pace in fufferance. From the dampnefs of their fubterraneous habitation, and for want of air and exercife, the major part of them fell dangerously ill. So long as Cervantes had ftrength fufficient left, he ministered to their wants; procured them proper aliment; tended upon, and comforted them; but at length falling fick himself, he was obliged to have recourie to others. He inftructed one of his companions, who was yet well, where he was to go, and how he was to conduct himfelf, in order to procure provifions.

As if the measure of their griefs was not yet full, this man, on whom their fecurity and very exiftence depended, proved a traitor. He went ftraight to Azan the King, and made VOL. III. No. 1.

difcovery of the whole-And having, the better to fecure his pardon, turned Mahometan, the infamous wretch unhesitatingly conducted a party of foldiers to the fpot where his countrymen lay concealed.

The wretched Spaniards were immediately feized and put in irons, and carried to the palace to receive fentence. When they came into the King's prefence, he promised them pardon, if they would discover their ringleader. That am I, (exclaimed Cervantes ;)-fave my innocent companions, and lead me to death.'

The King, ftruck with his magnanimity, remitted him his crime, and delivered him to his mafter Mami, with ftrict injunctions not to inflict punishment on fo brave a fellow. The reft too were pardoned, except the poor gardener, who was executed upon the spot.

Cervantes, hardly dealt with by fortune,-betrayed by a countryman, his friend too and companion,-one like himself, in mifery, and reduced again to the condition of a flave,inftead of giving way to defpondency, did but fo much the more impatiently ftrive to regain his liberty. Four feveral times he attempted it, but ftill without fuccefs. His laft scheme was worthy of a daring mind: it was no less than to caufe a general revolt of the flaves of whatfoever nationto overpower the Barbarians, and make himself master of the city.

The confpiracy was discovered; and Cervantes, though known to be the author of it, again efcaped punifhment. So true is it, that undaunted courage forces refpect even from our enemies.

It is probable Cervantes meant to fpeak of himself, when, in the ftory of The Slave,' (one of the most interefting epifodes in Don Quixote,') he fays, The cruel Azan king of Algiers, never fhowed any mercy, except to one Saavedra, a Spanish C

foldier;

foldier; who often times, at hazard of his life, formed enterprises of fo daring a nature, that the infidels are not likely foon to forget them.'

Though Azan fpared Cervantes's life, he did not choose to truft so formidable a captive in other hands than his own; and therefore purchased. him of his master Mami, and caufed him to be watched very narrowly.

Not long after he was in his poffeffion, the King was obliged to go to Conftantinople, but was willing to be rid first of a perfon whom he confidered in fo dangerous a light: he therefore gave intimation to Cervantes's relations of his captive ftate; in order that they might, if they thought proper, redeem him.

Cervantes's mother, who was fill living, a widow, and very poor, difpofed of what few valuables fhe had; and haftened with the product, about three hundred ducats of filver, to the Trinity Fathers at Madrid; whole particular bufinefs it was to negotiate for the ranfom of Spanish captives. This fum, though the widow's all, was not deemed adequate. The King infifted upon five hundred golden crowns. The holy fathers, for fuch, in this inftance, they may be truly called, compaffionating the widow's diftrefs, made up, with their own money, the fums required; and Cervantes was redeemed on the 19th of September, 1580, after a captivity of five years.

Upon his return to his native land, Cervantes, out of love with a military life, refolved to devote himself to letters. He fettled in lodgings with his mother; and indulged the pleafing hope, that by his labours he fhould be able to procure her a comfortable fubfiftence.

He was then three and thirty years of age. His first publication was Galatea:' of which he gave only fix books; but never finished it, although it met with a tolerable reception.

This fame year Cervantes married Donna Catharine de Pelacios; a lady of good family, and doubtless of great perfonal merit,-for he had no fortune with her. To fupport his family, he took to writing for the ftage; and he affures us, with very good fuccefs. Nevertheless, he foon quitted his theatrical concerns for an employ obtained at Seville, where he went to refide. It was there he wrote his Novels,' in which he has fo well pourtrayed the manners and vices of that great city.

Cervantes was in his fiftieth year, when business called him to La Mancha. The inhabitants of an inconfiderable village, called Argamazilla, upon fome frivolous pretext quarrelled with him, and dragged him to prifon; where he was a confiderable time confined. It was in that very prifon he began his incomparable

Don Quixote.' He thought to revenge himself for the ill treatment he met with, by laying the first fcenes of this hero's extravagances in that neighbourhood; though he forbore mentioning the name of that particular village throughout the whole romance.

He began with publishing only. the First Part of Don Quixote;' which not meeting with its deferved fuccefs, Cervantes, who knew thoroughly the difpofition of mankind, immediately wrote a little piece, which he entitled The Serpent.' This pamphlet, which is no where to be met with now (not even in Spain) feemed, on the face of it, to be a criticifm on Don Quixote;' but was in effect a cutting fatire upon the blockheads who detracted from the merit of that excellent work. Every body read the fatire; and Don' Quixote' thereby gained a reputation which its own intrinfic merit ought rather to have procured it.

Hereupon all the witlings in Spain combined against the author. Tho' ·

living

living themselves in a state of warfare and hatred one of another, they were not so occupied but they could obferve the hafty ftrides which our literary giant was making towards the temple of Fame; and they were fenfible that, he having once gained admiffion, the doors would be shut against them forever. For this reafon, they agreed for the prefent to lay afide their animofities; and not only patched up a truce amongft themselves, but entered into a league against their formidable rival. Against him they drew up all their forces; against him pointed their envenomed fhafts, and directed all their artillery but not in the way of honeft open enemies; not by boldly facing him in the field, but by harraffing him on his march. They attacked him, not as grammarians and philologifts, but as quibblers, cavillers; not with arguments, but infults: nor blushed they even to add the groffeft calumny to the most malicious criticism. In fine, Cervantes's growing fame proved more fatal to him than the neglect he had formerly experienced.

Whether from the tyranny of the kings of Spain, or her fub-tyrants the priests (be it remembered that it is ftill an abfolute monarchy, and the inquifition fubfifts in full force)that nation has been justly reproached with being very far behind the reft of Europe in learning. At the time, in particular, in which Cervantes lived, men of real knowledge and found judgment were very rare. So few indeed were they who had tafte enough to relish the humour, or difcern the beauties of his writing, that, overawed by the hoft of fcribblers in combination against him, he durft not for many years put any thing to prefs. His means of fupport thus cut off, he fell into extreme indigence.

Happily for him, the Count de Lemos and the Cardinal of Toledo were

not infenfible of his worth, and occafionally relieved him. Their patronage and bounty, which Cervantes's grateful nature infinitely magnified, were continued to him to his death; but were neither proportioned to their rank and ability, nor to his penury and merit.

Cervantes eagerly embraced the firft occafion which prefented of teftifying his fenfe of the Count's favours, by dedicating to him his Novels; a work which made its appearance about eight years after the First Part of Don Quixote.' The year following he published his Journey to Parnaffus.' Neither of these productions turned to much profit: and the Count's pecuniary affiftance was fo very trifling, that to keep his family from starving, he was conftrained to publifh Eight Plays,' which had been refufed at the theatre.

It was Cervantes's hard lot to fuffer great humiliation as well as great mifery. An Arragonian, who called himself Avellaneda, had the impudence to publish, during our author's life, A Continuation of Don Quixote.' A moft wretched performance it was faid to be; wholly devoid of wit, fpirit, or tafte: but it abounded in fcurrility and perfonal abuse of poor Cervantes. This circumstance alone, which ought to have rendered Avellaneda and his work together odious, brought them both into repute.

Our author anfwered this unmerited abufe, as all abuse is beft anfwered, by taking no manner of notice of it; but contented himself with publishing A Second Part of Don Quixote,' more excellent, if poffible, than the Firft.'

Every one was now convinced of Cervantes's fuperior talents; and yet,

(how unjuft mankind are!)—the more reason they had to be fatisfied with our author's worth, the lefs they feemed difpofed to pals cenfure on

his execrable rival. Spain is not the only country in the world where malice is let loose to hunt down real merit, and detraction is taken into favour. As long as Cervantes lived, Avellaneda was talked of: as foon as he was dead, Avellaneda was forgotten.

The Second Part of Don Quixote' was the last of our author's writings published in his life-time. He was at work upon his Perfiles and Sigifmunda,' when he was attacked by a dropfy, of which he died. As he was fenfible how fmall was his chance of cure, he grew very anxious to complete the work; and by too conftant application, aggravated his diforder, and thereby accelerated his death.

As Cervantes, his whole life thro', had borne up manfully against the heaviest preffure of misfortunes, his fortitude did not at the laft forfake him. Four days only before he died, he ordered his romance, Perfiles,' to be brought him; and in his then weak flate, and with a feeble hand, traced out the Epiftle dedicatory to the Count de Lemos. This Dedica tion is too remarkable to stand in need of apology for inferting it here. To Don PEDRO FERNANDES DE CASTRO, Count of LEMOS, &c. &c.

"We have an old Spanish Romance, the beginning of which is but too applicable to my prefent condition :

Death has faft hold of me, yet I
Would write to you before I die.

This is exactly my cafe. Yesterday I received extreme unction; to-day I am at the point of death; and am forry that I cannot therefore properly exprefs to you my congratulations upon your fafe return to Spain. The pleasure that it gives me might, one would think, be the means of faving my life; but-God's will be done.

"Your Excellency will know at leaft that my gratitude has lafted as long as has my life.

"I regret that it is not in my power to finifh certain of my works which were intended to be dedicated to your Lordship, viz. The Garden Calendar;'- The Great Bernard ;'

and the Laft Part of Galatea,' for which I know you have a fort of partiality. But, to accomplish all this, I had need beg of the Almighty to work a miracle in my favour; whereas my moft earnest prayer is,-that He will keep your Excellency in his fpecial care.

MICHAEL DE CERVANTES." Madrid, April 19, 1616.

The twenty-third of the fame month he died, aged fixty-eight years fix months and fome days.

He who could manifeft upon fo many trying occafions fuch spirit and intrepidity-could coinport himself, when a captive, as Cervantes didcould write fuch a book as Don Quixote,' and in a prifon too-and could pen fuch a Dedication on his death-bed, was certainly a man above the ordinary ftamp.

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