in the opportunity of paying my respects to one, | for the want of necessaries, the soldiers mutinied. whose services, in the cause of South American Apprised of the circumstance, he galloped to the Independence, were well known and appreciated in spot, attended by a single aid-de-camp. He found the United States, &c. He replied in the hap- the battalion under arms, and was told by the colopiest manner, and welcomed us warmly to Caracas, nel and officers, that the men refused to march, regretting, at the same time, that our brief sojourn until they were paid. He ordered those who were would prevent his extending to us those hospitali-determined not to march, to step a certain number ties which he should be happy to bestow. After of paces to the front. Eight or ten only did so. another walk through the garden, we were con- He then directed the Colonel to order the line to ducted to a large and handsomely furnished hall, present and fire at these ringleaders. The order where refreshments were served. He seemed quite familiar with our country and its institutions, and asked many questions about our leading politicians. After an hour's conversation, we left him, most favorably impressed with his manners and conversation.

was given, and obeyed. The party in front fell by the hands of their fellow mutineers. The mutiny was instantly quelled. The battalion marched and, in many a battle afterwards, wiped off the reproach of this momentary disaffection.

On the establishment of independence, his politiTo give a sketch of Gen. PAEZ's life would be cal influence was found to be as great as his milito write the history of the revolutionary struggle. tary reputation and, indeed, was the consequence I cannot, however, refrain from saying something of it. In Spanish America, there are few instances about one, who is, by far, the most remarkable of mere civilians acquiring, or maintaining for any man now living in Spanish America. The Revo- length of time, political power and influence. He lution found him a simple llanero, or herdsinan, on had, however, in the mean time, improved his mind, the vast plains, drained by the Orinoco; in no and, by diligent study, compensated for the want degree distinguished by education, or enlighten- of early education. He was represented to me as ment, from his associates. In fact, he was igno- a well read man--particularly in history and politirant of the alphabet, and as superstitious as any cal science-and an able writer. The "Llanero," of his class. He entered the army as a private, of 1812, is now certainly a man of polished and in a corps of Lancers, recruited on the plains. dignified exterior, whose manners would grace He soon distinguished himself by reckless bravery, any court in Europe. He is about 57 years of and personal prowess, of which many anecdotes age, of middle height, robust appearance, and mild are told, which though true, sound like romance. countenance. He has been accused in his military Bolivar-with the tact to appreciate men at their career, of cruelty and recklessness of life, and, in real worth, which he possessed, in a high degree, his political, of intrigue and ambition. But, in and which is, perhaps, as unequivocal a test of both these particulars, he must be judged, by the genius, as any other-quickly marked him for pro-circumstances in which he was placed, and not by motion, made him a Colonel, and, in less than two an abstract standard. There can be no doubt that years, his second in command. Entrusted with history will rank him second only to Bolivar, in an army, he manifested the high qualities of a the list of those military and political leaders to General, as, in the outset of his career, he had whom the revolutionary throes of Spanish Ameshown the more vulgar but dazzling attributes of rica gave birth. He retires from the presidency, dauntless bravery and restless enterprise. I can- which he has twice attained, next spring, and will, not enumerate the various battles, in which, as in all probability, be succeeded by Gen. SOUBLETTE, chief, or subordinate, he distinguished himself who is his favorite. It is to be hoped that he will but I must mention that, at Carabobbo, by taking the pass the remainder of his life in dignified retireresponsibility of charging, with his cavalry, with- ment and not jeopard his high reputation, by mixing out orders, he gained that important and decisive in any of the intrigues of the day. His country victory. I must also allude to two other incidents mainly through his exertions and policy, is now in his life-the one, perhaps, unprecedented in far ahead of most of the republics of the south, in military operations, and the other illustrative of intelligence and civilization, and is daily developing his decision of character and the influence which the elements of social order and national prosperity. he had upon the minds of his men. The Spaniards The gentlemen of the city dress generally after had a flotilla of gun boats, on the river Apure, the European fashion, and there are a good many which annoyed the patriot armies exceedingly, and French, German, English and American residents the destruction of which was much desired. PAEZ, here, whose manners and mode of living are more at the head of a body of cavalry, swam to the and more followed. A very elegant building, for flotilla and carried the boats by boarding, most of the accommodation of the executive offices, has the Spaniards were destroyed.-The other affair just been completed. The suite of rooms, inwas as follows. He had attached to his command, at Valencia, a battalion, composed of English and Irish. Their pay was in arrears, and, suffering

tended for the use of the president on state occasions, is very handsome and furnished in the most costly manner. There are several newspapers

published in the city; the press, I believe, is free. | MENTAL GRANDEUR OF THE REIGN OF GEORGE III. I saw a large bookstore, in which were offered for

sale the standard works of French and English The splendor of the reign of George III. throws literature, and many books, the mere possession of Mr. Alison quite into raptures. How surpassingly which, forty or fifty years ago, would have endan-memorable have been the last seventy years! The gered liberty if not life. I could but be struck world has been almost recreated, and we use the with the peculiarly graceful carriage of the wo-term, with due reverence to that power, which men-even of the poorest class-and was reminded alone has wrought every change. Many eras stand of an impudent assertion I have somewhere met, forth prominent and wonderful, in the history of that it was a great mistake to suppose that French, human transactions; but, for the most part, they English, German or Italian women walked-walk-are distinguished by a few striking and important ing being an accomplishment confined exclusively events, confined to a few of the great classes of affairs. The era, to which we have alluded, to Spanish females. has been crowded thick with unparalleled and stupendous events, and every glory has combined to shed around it a halo of splendor. Signal as have been its military exploits and triumphs, they have been less so than its intellectual; and the former derive their highest grandeur from the displays of genius and science which they called forth. But words of ours will only weaken the force of Mr. Alison's eloquence. He shall speak for himself. No. 11, p. 360-364.

At 5 we repaired to the residence of the consul, where we had been invited to dine. His lady, a native of Cadiz, vindicates, in her personal appearance, the reputation for female beauty, long enjoyed by that city-and, O matre pulchra filia pulchrior. We passed a delightful evening. How much we enjoyed such society can be appreciated only by those who meet, in a far land, their fair country women.

July 10. At sunrise, we set out on our return. The sky was clear, and on gaining the top of the "The reign of George the III. embraces, bemountain I took, from a favorable point of view, a yond all question, the most eventful and important long, last look at the enchanting valley, and then period in the annals of mankind. Whether we closed my eyes, that I might not weaken the im- regard the changes in society, and in the aspect of pression by subsequent partial and imperfect glimp- the world, which occurred during its continuance, ses. The scene is daguerreotyped on my memory. or the illustrious men who arose in Great Britain We breakfasted again, at La Venta. In front of and the adjoining states during its progress, it must the house, I discovered luxuriant patches of mint, ever form an era of unexampled interest. Its which, by no unnatural association, reminded the commencement was coeval with the glories of the surgeon and myself of Old Virginia. We reached Seven Years' War, and the formation, on a solid Laguyara by 12, and at three went on board. I basis, of the vast colonial empire of Great Britain; was glad to tread the deck of the Falmouth again, its meridian witnessed the momentous conflict for and felt a degree of security, which I did not ex-American independence, and the growth, amid transperience, when on what here can scarcely be called atlantic wilds, of European civilization; its latter terra firma. Indeed, at Laguyara and Caracas, in days were involved in the heart-stirring conflicts of view of the awful memorials of the time, "when the French Revolution, and overshadowed by the temple and tower went to the ground," the stranger military renown of Napoleon. The transition from cannot feel altogether at ease, but walks the streets, the opening of this reign to its termination is not as one does a bridge, of whose strength he is doubt-merely that from one century to the next, but from ful. Laguyara and Caracas, in a straight line, are not more than 6 miles apart-the distance by the road is about 16 miles. The latter city is about 4,000 feet above the sea.

one age of the world to another. New elements of fearful activity were brought into operation in the moral world during its continuance, and new principles for the government of mankind established, never again to be shaken. The civilization of a New World, in this age, was contemporary

I have not mentioned that Laguyara suffered, from the earthquake, not less that Caracas. It has been more completely rebuilt, but vestiges of with the establishment of new principles for the the calamity are still apparent. More than four thousand of the inhabitants perished. I recollect, with pleasure, that the moment news of the event reached the United States, congress, then in session, voted $50,000 for the relief of the survivors. Two vessels were laden with provisions and arrived just in time to save many from perishing of famine. The act is still gratefully remembered

here.

government of the Old in its eventful days were
combined the growth of Grecian Democracy with
the passions of Roman ambition; the fervor of
plebeian zeal with the pride of aristocratic power;
the blood of Marius with the genius of Cæsar; the
opening of a nobler hemisphere to the enterprise
of Columbus, with the rise of a social agent as
mighty as the press, in the powers of Steam.
"But if new elements were called into action in

*This worthy gentleman is no more. He died in the the social world, of surpassing strength and energy, month of December last,

in the course of this memorable reign, still more

remarkable were the characters which rose to emi- ened reflection; Gray, whose burning thoughts had nence during its continuance. The military genius, been condensed in words of more than classic unconquerable courage, and enduring constancy of beauty; Burns, whose lofty soul spread its own Frederic; the ardent mind, burning eloquence, and pathos and dignity over the short and simple anlofty patriotism of Chatham; the incorruptible in-nals of the poor; Smith, who called into existence tegrity, sagacious intellect, and philosophic spirit of a new science, fraught with the dearest interests Franklin; the disinterested virtue, prophetic wis-of humanity, and nearly brought it to perfection in dom, and imperturbable fortitude of Washington; a single lifetime; Reid, who carried into the rethe masculine understanding, feminine passions, cesses of the human mind the torch of cool and and bloodstained ambition of Catharine, would alone sagacious inquiry; Stewart, who cast a luminous have been sufficient to cast a radiance over any glance over the philosophy of mind, and warmed other age of the world. But, bright as were the the inmost recesses of metaphysical inquiry by the stars of its morning light, more brilliant still was delicacy of taste and the glow of eloquence; Watt, the constellation which shone forth in its meridian who added an unknown power to the resources of splendor, or cast a glow over the twilight of its art, and in the regulated force of steam discovered evening shades. Then were to be seen the rival the means of approximating the most distant parts genius of Pitt and Fox, which, emblematic of the of the earth, and spreading in the wilderness of antagonist powers which then convulsed mankind, nature the wonders of European enterprise and the shook the British Senate by their vehemence, and blessings of Christian civilization-these formed roused the spirit destined, ere long, for the dearest some of the ornaments of the period, during its interests of humanity, to array the world in arms: earlier and more pacific times, forever memorable then the great soul of Burke cast off the unworldly in the annals of scientific acquisition and literary fetters of ambition or party, and, fraught with a greatness. giant's force and a prophet's wisdom, regained its "But when the stormy day of revolution comdestiny in the cause of mankind; then the arm of menced, and the passions were excited by political Nelson cast its thunderbolts on every shore, and convulsion, the human mind took a different direcpreserved unscathed in the deep the ark of Euro- tion; and these names, great as they are, were pean freedom; and, ere his reign expired, the wis-rivalled by others of a wider range and a bolder dom of Wellington had erected an impassable bar- character. Scott then entranced the world by the rier to Gallic ambition, and said, even to the deluge creations of fancy, and, diving deep into the human of imperial power, Hitherto shalt thou come and heart, clothed alike the manners of chivalry and no farther, and here shall thy proud waves be the simplicity of the cottage with the colors of stayed.' Nor were splendid genius, heroic vir- poetry, the glow of patriotism, and the dignity of tue, gigantic wickedness, wanting on the opposite virtue; Byron burst the barriers of wealth and side of this heart-stirring conflict. Mirabeau had fashion, and, reviving in an artificial age the fire of thrown over the morning of the French Revolution passion, the thrill of excitement, and the charm of the brilliant but deceitful light of Democratic genius; pathos, awakened in many a breast, long alive only Danton had colored its noontide glow with the pas- to corrupted pleasures, the warmth of pity and the sions and the energy of tribunitian power; Carnot glow of admiration;* Campbell threw over the had exhibited the combination, rare in a corrupted visions of hope and the fervor of philanthropy the age, of Republican energy with private virtue; sublimity of poetic thought and the energy of lyrical Robespierre had darkened its evening days by the expression, and striking deep into the human heart, blood and agony of selfish ambition; Napoleon had alone of all the poets of the age has, like Shaksrisen like a meteor over its midnight darkness, daz-peare and Milton, transplanted his own thought and zled the world by the brightness of his genius and expression into the ordinary language of the peothe lustre of his deeds, and lured its votaries, by the deceitful blaze of glory, to perdition.

ple; Southey, embracing the world in his grasp, arrayed the heroism of duty and the constancy of "In calmer pursuits, in the tranquil walks of virtue with the magnificence of Eastern imaginascience and literature, the same age was, beyond tion and the strains of inspired poetry; while the all others, fruitful in illustrious men. Dr. Johnson, sparkling genius of Moore, casting off the unworthe strongest intellect and the most profound ob- thy associations of its earlier years, fled back to server of the eighteenth century; Gibbon the archi-its native regions of the sun, and blended the sentect of a bridge over the dark gulf which separates timent and elevation of the West with the charms ancient from modern times, whose vivid genius has tinged with brilliant colors the greatest his- It is only, however, to his descriptions of nature, and torical work in existence; Hume, whose simple a few of his reflections, that this high praise is due. Genebut profound history will be coeval with the long rally speaking, his sentiments and characters exhibit a and eventful thread of English story; Robertson, chaos of ill-regulated passion, which will be intelligible or who first threw over the maze of human events the interesting but to the spoiled children of fashion or selflight of philosophic genius and the spirit of enlight-indulgence—that is, a limited portion of mankind,

of Oriental imagery and the brilliancy of Asiatic | genius, the remotest generations of mankind will thought. be blessed.

"But the genius of these men, great and im- "In no age of the world has the degrading effect mortal as it was, did not arrive at the bottom of of long-continued prosperity, and the regenerating things they shared in the animation of passing influence of difficulty and suffering on human events, and were roused by the storm which shook thought, been more clearly evinced. The latter the world; but they did not reach the secret caves part of the eighteenth century, the reign of Louis whence the whirlwind issued, nor perceive what XV., the Regent Orleans, and Louis XVI., were spirit had let loose the tempest upon the world. characterized by the flood of selfishness and corIn the bosom of retirement, in the recesses of soli- ruption, the sure forerunners, in the annals of natary thought, the awful source was discovered, and tions, of external disaster, or internal ruin. Fancy Eolus stood forth revealed in the original Antago- was applied only to give variety to the passions-nist Power of wickedness. The thought of Cole-genius to inflame, by the intermixture of sentiment, ridge, even during the whirl of passing events, dis- the seductions of the senses-talent to obscure the covered their hidden springs, and poured forth in Creator from whom it sprung. The great powers an obscure style, and to an unheeding age, the of Voltaire, capable, as his tragedies demonstrate, great moral truths which were then proclaiming in of the most exalted as well as varied efforts, were characters of fire to mankind; Wordsworth, pro- perverted by the spirit of the age in which he found and contemplative, clothed the lessons of lived. He wrote for individual celebrity, not eterwisdom in the simplicity of immortal verse; Mack-nal truth; and he obtained, in consequence, the intosh, rising, like Burke in maturer years, above natural reward of such conduct-unbounded prethe generous delusions of his yet inexperienced life, sent fame, and, in some respects, undeserved, perwanted only greater industry, and a happy exemp-manent neglect." The ardent and more elevated, tion from London society, to have rivalled Thu- but unsteady mind of Rousseau, disdained such decydides in the depth of his views, and a biographer grading bondage. The bow, bent too far one way, like Boswell, to have equalled Johnson in the fame recoiled too far another; and the votaries of fashion, of his conversation; while Chalmers, bringing to in an artificial age and a corrupted capital, were the cause of truth and the interests of humanity a amused by the eloquent declamations of the recluse prophet's fire and an orator's genius, discerned in of Meillerie on the pristine equality of mankind, the indifferent or irreligious spirit of the former the social contract, and the original dignity of the age the real cause of the dangers of the present; savage character. Raynal, deducing the principles and in the spread of Christian instruction, and the of humanity from the wrong source, traced with prevalence of religious principle, the only power persuasive fervor, but with no prophetic foresight, that ever has, or ever will, successfully combat, the establishments of the European in the two either in political or social evils, the seductions of hemispheres; and, blind to the mighty change passion, the delusions of error, and the powers of which they were destined to effect in the condition wickedness.

of the species, diffused those pernicious dogmas "The French and German writers, justly proud which have now blasted the happiness of the negro of the literary fame of their own countries during race, both in the French and the English colonies; this memorable reign, will hardly allow that their and sought to deduce, from the commencement of illustrious authors should be grouped around the the vast change destined to spread the Christian throne of George III.; and will point rather to the faith over the wilderness of nature, arguments Revolution, the empire of Napoleon, or the War of against its celestial origin. Every department of Independence, as marking the period on Conti-thought, save one, was tainted by the general nental Europe. But, by whatever name it is called, wickedness and blindness to all but present objects the era is the same; and if we detach ourselves which prevailed. Man's connexion with his Maker for a moment from the rivalry of nations, and anti-was broken by the French apostles of freedom; cipate the time in future days when Europe is regarded by the rest of the world as a luminous spot, exceeding even Greece in lustre, and from whence the blessings of civilization and the light of religion have spread over the globe, we shall feel reason to be astonished at the brightness of the constellation which then shone forth in the firmament. It is pleasing to dwell on the contemplation. Like the age of Pericles in Grecian, or of Augustus in Roman story, it will never again be equalled in European history; but the most distant ages will dwell upon it with rapture, and by its

Every bookseller in France and England will now bear testimony to the fact, that there is no voluminous writer whose works remain so dead a stock as those of Voltaire; and this is decisively proved by the extremely low price which the numerous editions of his works bear. His tragedies are noble works, and will live forever; but his romances have already descended to the vault of all the Capulets. His historical writings, compared with those in France which followed the Revolution, appear lifeless and uninteresting. His skeptical dogmas, so far from being regarded as the speculation of a powerful mind in advance,

are now seen to have been the blindness of a deluded one, in rear of the momentous age to which his later years were prolonged.

proved to be effectual in correcting it, Lamartine, gifted at once with an orator's fervor and a poet's fire, has traced in strains of almost redundant beauty the steps of an enlightened European pilgrim to the birthplace of our religion and the cradle of our race. May the seeds scattered by these illustrious men not fall on a barren soil and perish by the wayside, nor yet be choked amid briers, but bring forth good fruit, in some fifty fold, some eighty, and some a hundred !*

for they declared there was no God, in whom to France since the Revolution, is to be discerned the trust in the great struggle for liberty. Human havoc prepared by the labors of Voltaire and the immortality,' says Channing, 'that truth which is Encyclopædists, and the long-continued corruption the seed of all greatness, they derided. To their of previous literature. But the nobler fruits of the philosophy man was a creature of chance, a com- suffering of the Revolution are already apparent pound of matter, a worm, soon to rot and perish in the highest class of intellect, whence change, forever. France failed in her attempts for freedom whether for good or evil, ever originates. Guizot through the want of that moral preparation for has brought to the history of civilization the light liberty without which the blessing cannot be se- of true philosophy and the glow of enlightened cured. Liberty was tainted by their touch, polluted religion; Cousin, in the midst of philanthropie by their breath; and yet we trusted it was to rise labor and vast information on the vital question of in health and glory from their embrace.'* In the education, has arrived at the eternal truth, that exact sciences alone, dependant upon intellect only, general instruction, if not based on Christian printhe native dignity of the human mind was asserted; ciple, is rather hurtful than beneficial, because it and the names of D'Alembert, La Grange, and La opens new avenues to moral corruption, without Place, will remain to the end of the world among providing the only antidote which experience has those who, in the loftiest subjects of inquiry, have extended and enlarged the boundaries of knowledge. "But more animating times were approaching fast corruption had produced its inevitable fruits, and adversity, with its renovating influence, was about to pass over the moral world. The Revolution came with its disasters and its passions; its overthrow of thrones and destruction of altars; its woes, its blood, and its suffering. In the general deluge thus suddenly falling on a sinful world, the mass of mankind in all ranks still clung to their "Germany is a younger branch of the same illusformer vices. They were, as of old, marrying and trious family, but from the time that her language giving in marriage when the waters burst upon has been cultivated by native writers, she has adthem. But the ark of salvation had been prepared vanced in the great race of mind with extraordiby more than mortal hands. The handwriting on nary rapidity. Last of the European surface to the wall was perceived by the gifted few to whom be turned up by the labors of the husbandman, her Providence had unlocked the fountains of original soil has been found to teem with the richness of a thought, and in the highest class of intellect was virgin mould, and to exhibit the sparkling of hitherto soon to be discerned the elevating influence of trial untouched treasures. In reading the recent poets and suffering upon the human mind. While the and great prose writers of that country, we feel as if innumerable votaries of Revolution, borne along on * Sir James Mackintosh, thirty years ago, observed this the fetid stream which had burst from the corrup-remarkable change in French literature, and deplored that tions of previous manners, were bending before the it had not then made its appearance among English writers. altar of Reason, Chateaubriand ventured to raise "Twenty years ago," says he, "the state of opinion seemed again, amid the sneers of an infidel age, the standard to indicate an almost total destruction of religion in Euof ancient faith, and devoted the energies of an in- rope. Ten years ago the state of political events appeared to show a more advanced stage in the progress towards trepid, and the genius of an ardent mind, to demon- such a destruction. The reaction has begun everywhere. strate its relation to all that is beautiful, or great A mystical spirit prevails in Germany; a poetical religion and elevating, both in the moral and material world. is patronized by men of genius in France. It is adopted in Madamo de Staël, albeit nursed in the atmosphere of some measure by Madame de Staël, who finds it, even by philanthropic delusion, and bred up with filial piety the help of her reason, in the nature of man, if she cannot so deeply perceive it in the nature of things. In England at the feet of Gamaliel, arose, amid the tears of no traces of this tendency are discoverable among men of humanity, to nobler principles; combined the re-letters, perhaps because they never went so near the oppofinements of sentiment with the warmth of elo- site extreme; perhaps, also, because they have not suffered quence and the delicacy of taste, and first announced, from the same misfortunes." MACKINTOSH's Memoirs, i., in a philosophic survey of human affairs, the all-408. What a curious and instructive passage to be written important truth that there are but two eras in the thirty years ago, midway between the experience of the French and the commencement of the English Revolution! history of the species-that which preceded and The days of anxiety, contest, and suffering have come to that which followed the establishment of Chris-England from the effects of that very organic change in tianity. Seeds, whether for good or evil, sown in which Sir James Mackintosh himself, in his latter days, the human mind, generally take half a century to bring their fruit to maturity; and in the general profligacy and irreligion of the urban population in * Character of Napoleon.

from the spirit of party, against his better judgment, was led to concur; and with them, the resurrection of the religious spirit in the works of philosophy, literature, and philanthropy, of the want of which he then was led to complain.