and down the paffage, and feeing neither man, woman, nor child, I went out without farther attention.

In my return back through the paffage, I heard the fame words repeated twice over; and looking up, I faw it was a starling hung in a little cage-“ I can't get out I can't get out," faid the ftarling.

I ftood looking at the bird: and to every perfon who came through the paffage it ran fluttering to the fide towards which they approached it, with the fame lamentation of its captivity-"I can't get out," said the ftarling-God help thee, faid I; but I will let thee out, coft what it will; fo I turned about the cage to get the door; it was twisted and double twisted so fast with wire, there was no getting it open, without pulling it to pieces-I took both hands to it.

The bird flew to the place where I was attempting his deliverance, and thrusting his head through the trellis, preffed his breast against it, as if impatient— I fear, poor creature! faid I, I cannot fet thee at liberty-"No," faid the ftarling--"I can't get out—I can't get out," said the starling.

I vow I never had my affections more tenderly awakened: nor do I remember an incident in my life, where the diffipated fpirits, to which my reafon had been a bubble, were fo fuddenly called home. Mechanical as the notes were, yet fo true in tune to nature were they chanted, that in one moment they overthrew all my fyftematic reafonings upon the Bastille; and I heavily walked up stairs, unsaying every word I had faid in going down them.

Difguife thyfelf as thou wilt, ftill, Slavery! faid I -still thou art a bitter draught! and though thousands in all ages have been made to drink of thee, thou art no lefs bitter on that account.-'Tis thou, thrice sweet and gracious goddefs! addreffing myfelf to LIBERTY, whom all in public or in private worship, whofe taste is grateful, and ever will be fo, 'till NATURE herself fhall change-no tint of words can fpot thy fnowy mantle, or chymic power turn thy fcreptre into iron

with thee to fmile upon him as he eats his cruft, the fwain is happier than his monarch, from whofe court thou art exiled.Gracious Heaven! cried I, kneeling down upon the last step but one in my afcent

-Grant me but health, thou great Bestower of it, and give me but this fair goddefs as my companion and fhower down thy mitres, if it feems good unto thy divine providence, upon those heads which are aching, for them.

SENT. JOURNEY, P. 134.

THE CAPTIVE.

PARIS.

THE bird in his cage purfued me into my room;

THE

I fat down close by my table, and leaning my head upon my hand, I began to figure to myself the miferies of confinement. I was in a right frame for it, and fo I gave full scope to my imagination.

I was going to begin with the millions of my fellowcreatures born to no inheritance but slavery ; but finding, however affecting the picture was, that I could not bring it near me, and that the multitude of fad groups in it did but diftract me

-I took a fingle captive, and having first fhut him up in his dungeon, I then looked through the twilight of his grated door to take his picture.

I beheld his body half wasted away with long expectation and confinement, and felt what kind of ficknefs of the heart it was which arifes from hope deferr'd. Upon looking nearer, I faw him pale and feverish: in thirty years the western breeze had not once fann'd his blood-he had feen no fun, no moon, in all that time -nor had the voice of friend or kinfman breathed through his lattice:-his children

-But here my heart began to bleed-and I was forced to go on with another part of the portrait.

He was fitting upon the ground upon a little straw, in the fartheft corner of his dungeon, which was alternately his chair and bed: a little calendar of small fticks were laid at the head, notch'd all over with the dismal days and nights he had passed there—he had one of those little sticks in his hand, and with a rusty nail he was etching another day of mifery to add to the heap. As I darkened the little light he had, he lifted up a hopeless eye towards the door, then caft it down-fhook his head, and went on with his work of affliction. I heard his chains upon his legs, as he turned his body to lay his little stick upon the bundle

-He gave a deep figh-I faw the iron enter into his foul-I burst into tears-I could not fuftain the picture of confinement which my fancy had drawn.

SENT. JOURNEY, P. 138.

THE DWARF.

WAS walking down that lane which leads from the

IWAS

Caroufel to the Palais Royal, and obferving a little boy in some distress at the fide of the gutter, which ran down the middle of it, I took hold of his hand, and help'd him over. Upon turning up his face to look at him after, I perceived he was about forty-Never mind, faid I; some good body will do as much for me when I am ninety.

I feel fome little principles within me, which incline me to be merciful towards the poor blighted part of my fpecies, who have neither fize or ftrength to get on in the world.-I cannot bear to fee one of them trod upon; and had fcarce got feated befide an old French officer at the Opera Comique, ere the difguft was exercifed, by feeing the very thing happen under the box we fat in.

At the end of the orchestra, and betwixt that and the firft fide-box, there is a fmall esplanade left, where, when the houfe is full, numbers of all ranks take fanctuary. Though you ftand, as in the parterre, you pay the fame price as in the orchestra. A poor de

fencelefs being of this order had got thruft, fomehow or other, into this lucklefs placethe night was hot, and he was furrounded by beings two feet and a half higher than himself. The dwarf fuffered inexpreffibly on both fides: but the thing which in commoded him moft was a tall corpulent German, near feven feet high, who stood directly betwixt him and all poffibility of feeing either the stage or the actors. The poor dwarf did all he could to get å peep at what was going forwards, by feeking for fome little opening betwixt the German's arm and his body, trying first one fide, then the other; but the German ftood fquare in the most unaccommodating posture that can be imagined—the dwarf might as well have been placed at the bottom of the deepest draw-well in Paris; fo he civilly reached up his hand to the German's fleeve, and told him his distress -The German turn'd his head back, look'd down upon him as Goliah did upon David-and unfeelingly refumed his pofture.

I was just then taking a pinch of fnuff out of my Monk's little horn-box-And how would thy meek and courteous spirit, my dear Monk! fo temper'd to bear and forbear!-how fweetly would it have lent an ear to this poor foul's complaint!

The old French officer feeing me lift up my eyes with an emotion, as I made the apostrophe, took the liberty to ask me what was the matter?—I told him the story in three words; and added, how inhuman it

was.