ed admittance therein by means of one of the fervants, to whom he difcovered himlelf. Felicia, although without receiving a line from her husband, ftill hoped that his feeming negle&t arofe from circumftances unavoidable; and de- Petulantus had not been long in his termined in her own mind to feek own houfe before he difcovered himout Petulantus; but upon making felf to his fervants in general, and this refolve known to Artifex, he commanded his fleward to lead him oppofed it, exclaiming, "It is mine inftantly to the apartments of his to feek out Petulantus! it is mine to lady. The fervant obeyed. When, punish those who fhall offer any in- as he walked through a long gallery, fult, either by word or action, to the decorated with the arms of his forewoman I adore." Then falling on fathers, he unhung a fword, which his knees before her, and taking her he took in his hand, and proceeded hand; which he drew away from to the door of the apartment whercin his inftantaneously, but which he was the fuppofed falfe Felicia, and again feized, and keeping hold of, having reached it, he made a pause; faid, “Deign, fair lady, to fmile on after which he took a phyal from his the man who can live only in your pocket, the contents of which he fmiles: a man who loves you dearer emptied into a cup he had brought than ever woman was beloved; and for that purpofe; then bidding the who now defpiles the ungrateful Pe. fervant leave him, he threw the door tulantus." Hold, moniter !" faid open with extraordinary violence, Felicia, who by an extraordinary ex- then prefenting himself before the ertion had extricated herfelf from his affrighted Felicia; who, after an agrafp, and rushed forward to the door larming fhrick, cried out, ""Tis of the apartment, and reached her Artifex!" then advancing forward, houfe-keeper's room before Artifex "Villain!" faid the," No, 'tis my had time to recover himself from her Petulantus !" She ran to embrace fevere repulfe. Felicia now called him-when he ftopped her, by fayher fervants to her affistance, to whom ing, "Stand off, falfe woman! it is The gave orders for the immediate indeed Petulantus! but no longer thy expulfion of Artifex from her house. Petulantus. Take this, prelenting Artifex, whofe heart was a com- the cup-or this, offering her the pound of cunning and villainy, fent fword-I am determined that you a falfe information to Petulantus of fhall die: your crimes are fo foul, the proceedings of Felicia, charging and of that monftrous nature, that you her with misconduct in a variety of muft contaminate the very ground on inftances; and fpared not to hint a which you tread." "Heaven !" exfufpicion of her infidelity. Petu- claimed Felicia, while the tears startlantus, upon receiving this advice, ed from her eyes, and her three chilbroke out into the most violent con- dren clung about her, "can this be demnation of his wife, and placed Petulantus? and can he, after to long the account of his not hearing from an abfence, return to his faithful Feher, or at leall from that difrelpectiul licia to be her murderer? No, it manner in which her letters were cannot be! It is fome dæmon that written, to the infamous conduct she has affumed his fhape only; but pofhad been, fince his abfence, in the feffes an heart as bafe as that of Arpurfuit of. He immediately pro- tifex." "Mention not the name," cured leave of abfence from his corps, replied Petulantus, “your tongue is and having in difguile reached the unworthy to fpeak of fo good a man.” castle where Felicia refided, he gain--"O my Lord! my Petulantus !” replied replied Felicia in an agony of defpair, "Artifex is a villain! fpare my life on what conditions you pleafe, until you are fatisfied of my honour and his perfidy. A little time, I hope, will develope this, at prefent, myfterious affair; and prove that your generous nature has been impofed on, and that my honour is fpotlefs." Petulantus now laid down the fword and the cup, and prefented to Felicia a packet of letters, faying, "Read thefe o'er; then tell me if they are fit for the eve of Petulantus." Felicia, having taken the letters into her hands, took off the uppermolt, and upon looking into the contents, fell on her knees before her husband, and with a look the molt expreffive of truth, anfwered him, It came not from her, although it had her fignature. "Your Felicia," continued the, "notwithstanding your flights, could never have been brought to write to you in fo cold, fo difreipectful a manner; here is the only remembrance I received from you during an eighteen months abfence."-She then prefented him with the letter before. mentioned, which Petulantus having read, he flood petrified with aftonifhment. He now ran to embrace her and his children; and it was foon after difcovered that Artifex, while in the confidence of both, had, by treachery, excited Petulantus to Jealoufy, and Felicia to revenge, in order to answer the baleit, the meanest of villainics, "That of feducing the wife of his friend." PRESENT STATE of RUSSIA. HE Empire of Ruffia, comprifing all its dependencies, very nearly contains an equal extent with all Europe. It is only in number of fquare miles about one fifteenth part lefs. This vast tract of territory comprehends a variety of nations and tribes, whofe manners and languages very materially differ. It has been divided into thirty-one Provinces, which contain no lefs than forty-three different nations. The population of Ruffia, however, bears but a fmall proportion to its great extent. At the very higheft computation that can be made, its inhabitants, including thofe of all its conquered provinces, do not exceed twenty-four millions. in Ruffia folely confists in the number of flaves which he himself poffeffes. Thus the lower orders of the Community are in the moll abject ftate of being to which human nature can be reduced.-They are the flaves of flaves, perhaps through feveral degradations. Ruffia is almost the only country in Europe in which the people do not enjoy a fhow of civil privilege, or fome kind of femblance of political right. The Sovereign is not only defpotic, but every individual fubject is a flave. The firft Noble of the land is the immediate flave of the Crown, and the wealth of every man A Ruffian peafant has no property, his miferable earnings, his offspring, and almost his life, are at the capricious difpofal of his matter. Divetted of property, expofed to unmerited cruelty and infult, and finking under oppreflion, he looks not be yond the gloomy period of the paffing hour. Indolence and incrtion are the confequence, and he fcarcely foars in mental endowment above the humiliating level of the irrational creation. The hereditary victim of avarice and oppreffion, he has no inducement to labour but the dread of punishment, and thus exposed to the unabating rigour of fome petty tyrant, his mind becomes hardened and inhuman. The The national character of the Ruffians, as it has been prefented by the most accurate and philofophic obfervers, is far from being favage or even unamiable. They poffefs firong fenfibility, from whence flow the brighteft effufions that decorate the human mind, but it is unhappily in them wholly uriubdued and undirected by reafon. Hence they are betrayed, not only into inconfiftencies, but often into crimes. Their feclings are ever in extremes. The moft trivial enjoyments elevate them to the fummit of happiness, the flightest dilappiontments plunge them to the lowest depths of defpair. Thofe of irregular fenfibility in any Country, are courageous or cowardly, according to the impulfe of the moment, unless their fenfibility be chaftifed and regulated by the calm fuggeftions of reafon. Steady and unmoveable refolution is founded alone upon fixed and undeviating principles. Mere animal courage is fubject to all the variations of our feeble nature. Hence, the Ruffians, acting upon no specific and permanent principle, are brave or daftardly, as the feelings of the moment infpire. Reflection never comes in aid of the frailties of nature, and at times even a distant and trivial danger appals him, while on other occafions he will act as if he were incapable of apprehenfion, conftitutionally deftitute of every fenfe of danger. In the armies of Ruffia, the latter fometimes produces the moft brilliant effects; while the former is guarded againit and corrected by the strictest military difcipline. The amount of the Ruffian army it is difficult at all times to afcertain with precifion, as its number depends upon the exigencies of the ftate and the will of the Sovereign. The Nobles, who are the hereditary flaves of the Crown, are obliged to furnish from among their vaflads any number that may be demanded, and thefa become from thenceforward the flaves of the Sovereign. The army of Ruffia cannot at prefent confift of leis than 400,000 men; and this number it is probable is never fuffered to diminish, notwithstanding the great and conftant loffes attendant upon a bloody war. It is obvious, that by her fimple mandate, the Emprefs of Ruffia could command the fervices in the field of any number of men fhe chofe; and that her own fovereign will would be a fufficient authority for them to over-run other kingdoms, or to perish in the attempt. The Ruffian foldier unites not with military fervice its brightest ornament, the feelings and the fentiments of a free and enlightened CITIZEN: of the juftice of the cause in which he is engaged, he is incompetent to judge-for neither the principles or the practice of moral justice have ever been made obvious to his dulled and violated fenfes, and he moves a devoted victim at the fhrine of lawless ambition and infatiable power. The revenues of the Ruffian empire are very confiderable indeed. They at prefent amount, upon a grofs calculation, to nearly five millions fterling annually, which, when the relative value of money in Ruffia is confidered, nearly equals the immenfe revenue of the British empire. The raifing or fubfiftence of a Ruffian army is attended with little expence to the crown. The revenues of the country are chiefly expended in the fupport of the court, which is beyond compare the moft fplendid and expenfive in Europe. There the luxuriance of Afia is affimilated with the polifhed tale of this quarter of the globe, and the aftonished fenfes are loft in the blaze of grandeur and magnificence that encircles the diadem of the Czarina. MAGAL MAGALHANES', VOYAGE in the SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN. [Continued from page 228.] HEY left Seville the 10th of . Auguft, 11g, and, accord. ing to Barros, failed from St. Lucar the 21ft of September; but Gomara fays the 20th of September, 1519. The first place they touched at was Teneriffe, one of the Canary Islands, from whence they failed the zd of October. There was a caravel came hither to them; Herrera fays, it brought fish for the fquadron; but Barros mentions a report, that it was fent to Magalhanes to advife him to be on his guard, and to inform him of the defign of the other captains not to fubmit to his orders. But Barros adds, "Although they after wards difobeyed Magalhanes, it is more likely this difobedience proceeded from his rough behaviour towards them in the courfe of the voyage, than from any premeditated refolution of theirs in the beginning of it; because, after paffing the river Plate, they began to feel the cold, and asked Magalhanes what courfe, he would follow, and what was his refolution, fince they could not find any ftrait or cape, which were what he depended on. Magalhanes replied, that they should not trouble themselves about it; that he knew very well what he was about; and that he was anfwerable, not they, for what might happen." Here Barros expofes his malevolence; for, in the first place, it does appear, that Luys de Mendoça, had fhewn a fpirit of difobedience before their departure, for which he had been reproved by the King: fecondly, from Barros's charge it does not appear Magalhanes was blameable for any rudeness in his behaviour, though their enquiries could proceed from nothing but a fpirit of mutiny or defpondency." VOL. III. No. 5. Herrera. After leaving Canarys, Capitana steered fontanyes fouth, and fometimes fouth by weft; in the firft watch they bore down to him, and afked what courfe he fteered ? the pilot replied, fouth by weft. It having been determined the Sunday before to fteer fouth-weft into 24° N. latitude, as was contained in the route given at Seville, figned by Hernando Magalhanes, Juan de Cartagena afked how he came to change the courfe? Magalhanes faid, he was to follow, and not ask questions: Cartagena rejoined, that it appeared to him that council was to be taken of the pilots, maflers, and feamen, without acting fo very precipitately; fince it was not right, having determined one thing, to do another fo foon; having agreed with the captains, &c. to fleer a different courfe from what he fteered, and having amended the fecond route given at St. Lucar, conforming it to the first; for he faid, it was an error of the pen in faying they were, on leaving Teneriffe, to fteer fouth till paft the fhoals of Rio Grande; and that on that course they would fall in with the coaft of Guinea, in fight of Cape Blanco: wherefore it was thought not convenient for their voyage to get fo near that coast. "Magalhanes replied that was given amended, in cafe any fhip had loft company of the fquadron, and for nothing more; that they were to follow him, as their duty directed, by the flag in the day, and by the light at night. "On the 13th December they arrived at Rio Janeiro; the natives prefently came off in canoes with plenty of provifions, fowls, maize, parrots, and many other birds and fruits; they exchanged for a facecard feven or eight fowls, and offer E ed ed a flave for a hatchet; but the gneral ordered that none, on pain of death, fhould purchase flaves, but only eatables, to give the Portugaefe no room to complain, nor to get flaves aboard to confume the provisions. "They failed the 27th December; they made Cape Sta. Maria on the 11th of January, 1520, which Caravallo, the pilot, knew by three hills appearing like iflands, from the relation of Juan de Lisboa, a Portuguefe pilot, who had been there." "On Monday, the 6th of January, they failed from the river Plate, and entered St. Julian river on Eafter evening. On Eafter-day the general ordered every body afhore to hear mafs; every body went, except Luys de Mendoça, captain of the Vitoria, and Gafpar de Quefada, captain of the Concepcion. Juan de Cartagena being in arrest on account of fome infults he had offered the captain-general. Magalhanes thought much that these captains did not go afhore, and confidered it as a bad fignt." Barros fays, in this river Magal hanes and the other captains confulted about the voyage which they had made, and were to make: upon this, opinions were different; but Magalhanes gave no ear to any objection against proceeding. In confequence, he faid, he would winter in the river, but that at the beginning of the fummer, he would continue his courfe to 75°, and feek for the expected cape, or trait. Magalbanes added, that the Norway and Iceland feas were as navigable as that of Spain, though in a higher latitude; and that he could fee no reason why the fea they were going to fhould not be fo. And becaufe Magalhanes fhewed himfelf in this converfation independent||, and not fubject to the votes of the other captains and pilots, there were great murmurings; the chief * Gafpar. + 2d April.-Barros. and moft intelligent people affirmed, that his difcovery was of no value to the King of Spain, for any cape or ftrait, even in the latitude they were then in of 50°, was not in a climate to be navigated at fuch a diftance. The Norway and Iceland feas were navigable, as Magalhanes had urged, but that they were fo only to the people of thofe countries, or fo near them, that, in a space of fifteen days, they could reach the most remote ; whereas it required no less than fix or feven months to fail from Spain to fuch remote parts of the world, through fo different climates and feafons. Befides, fuppofing it was eafy to fail round the oppofite fea-coaft, which, however, was not yet difcovered, the fmall profit arifing from the Maluco clove could not counterbalance both the lofs of men in that navigation, and the infinite fums of money requifite for it. Such was the difcourfe of the most knowing perfons, but the rest imagined Magalhanes intended to restore himself to the king of Portugal's favour, by leaving them in fome wild place, where they would unavoidably perish; and afterwards return himself to Portugal." Herrera does not mention this confultation; he only fays, "The armada being arrived at the bay St. Julian; it appearing expedient to the captain-general to winter there, he ordered an allowance of provifions : whereupon the people, on account of the great cold, begged him, that fince the country was found to extend itself towards the Antartick, without fhewing a hope of finding the cape of this land, nor any ftrait; and as the winter was fetting in fevere, and fome men dead for want, that he would increase the allowance or return back, alledging, that it was not the King's intention that they should feck out what was impoffible, and that ↑ Herrera. Isento. |