the rich harvest, and field after field fell before their sturdy strokes; groupes of women and children roved along the fields, sported in the publie paths, and, void of all apprehension, joined in the lively dance, and while they inhaled the breezes of health, proclaimed in the most expressive manner the blessings of liberty and peace! A croud now appeared, advancing from the entrance of the town, as it approached the objects gra dually became distinct; in the middle of it I perceived a regular procession, it was headed by a youth bearing a banner, on which was a beautiful dove descening from heavend with an olive branch in its mouth, and on a flying scroll these words, The festival of Peace! A great number of young men succeeded, marching four abreast, and bearing a multitude of warlike instruments-a band of music followed then a body of beautiful young women, all dressed in a simple uniform of white, their hair wreathed with olive, and from small baskets which they held in their hands they scattered a variety of flowers as they went on; these were designed as a compliment to a long train of aged men and women, who marched next, and contemplated with grateful pleasure, the latter part of the path of life strewed with flowers by their own offspring-the next party which appeared was an interesting one indeed, it consisted of a great number of healthy laughing infants and children, carried in the arms of their mothers, sisters, and nurses; and happily intimated how, by the wise appointment of heaven, infancy treads on the heels of old age, and that though individual existence is constantly decaying, the species remain in full vigour from one generation to another. Another band of music succeeded, and was followed by a number of ministers of religion, directing, at proper intervals, the gratitude of the day, to its grand and ultimate object, the ETERNAL FOUNTAIN OF LOVE AND PEACE! A long train of the magistrates and principal inhabitants of the place, before whom, on a carriage drawn by oxen, was a fine olive tree prepared for planting in the earth, closed the procession. A vast multitude, of all ages and conditions, and of both sexes, attended its progress, and with every demonstration of joy joined in the hymns of peace, which were chaunted as it moved along. The whole body approached the place where I stood; an altar of green turf was soon erected, the banner which had led the procession planted in it, and the young women approaching in order to deposit round it their baskets and their flowers. They stood in a circle round the altar, and, while the music played. a solemn symphony, they formed with incredible dispatch a number of flowery wreaths. The old people now drew up in a circle likewise, and, upon a signal given, as they marched slowly round, each had a chaplet of flowers placed on their heads by the fair hands which had formed them, while every voice united in singing Respect to age, when youth bestows, This was a part of the ceremony almost too interesting for some that were engaged in it to bear— the delight which many of the parents felt at being thus publicly honoured by their children, was so great, that had not their feelings been relieved by showers of tears, they could not have continued the march-and never did many of those lovely forms, who were engaged in this part of the ceremony, appear so transcendently beautiful, as when, with trembling hands, they placed the garlands on the heads of their parents, The happy circles now: blended together, stood in ranks on each side of the altar, and the division of infants and children approached; each child had a small sprig of olive in its hand, and as it passed the altar, it threw it at the dove; those that were able joined their little hands, and as the music which accompanied them played the most simple and lively tunes, almost every little frame acknowledged the animation it felt; their eyes sparkled, their cheeks glowed, and their little limbs in the most sportive and artless manner kept a sort of wild time to the sounds which they heard again the chorus was full, and every voice repeated Age of innocence and love, Sacred to the peaceful dove: Long may your happy bosoms know, The circles on each side of the altar now removed to a greater distance, and the last part of the ceremony began; the young men who had brought the warlike instruments advanced to the middle of the area, and opening to the right and left, the ministers of religion came forward and laid the first billets of a pile, which was soon encreased to a considerable magnitude by the contributory pieces of the magistrates, and the numerous train which followed them-every spectator, that was furnished for the purpose, and could get near enough, was eager to add a stick to the burnt-offering-when it was properly disposed, the bearers of the warlike implements, marching to the sound of every musical instrument that was present, surrounded the pile, and hurled upon it in the most promiscuous man ner, swords, spears, shields, helmets, guns, bows and arrows, standards, pikes, axes, and every ancient and modern implement of destruction to which war had given birth-a universal shout attended this action-and when silence was restored, one of the priests, a man a little beyond the middle of life, whose countenance was full of intelligence and benevolence, stepped forward, and in a short harrangue expatiated upon the injustice and misery of war in general, and upon the frivolous and criminal causes to which most particular wars are to be ascribed" Let us hope," said he, "that this night of ignorance and barbarity is for ever closed that the children of men from this moment will be too enlightened, and too virtuous, to seek for individual honour and happiness at the dreadful price of general injustice and murder. God of Peace! accept the offering that we now make at thy altar.-May the flames which are about to consume these instruments of death, burn up at the same time those prejudices and passions by which they have been fabricated-as the smoke into which this pile of destruction will soon be dissipated, may those be scattered who delight in war!-may their place upon earth be no more found-and, warm as the flame which is now about to aspire to heaven, may the purest affections of benevolence and virtue glow in the bosoms of all thy offspring! "The conclusion of this address was the signal for those who had been lighting their torches to apply them to the pile; a number of persons, selected from all the divisions of the procession, engaged in this expressive emblem of their abhorrence of war, and their unfeigned joy at the restoration of peace. Old men and women, young men and maidens, magistrates and ministers of religion, fathers of families, and those who had not yet encircled themselves with the nuptial tie, even several young children were in structed how to set fire to that pile, in which it was ardently hoped that war might perish for ever. The pile had been so judiciously disposed, that the air had free circulation, the blaze therefore soon became strong and general-an immense column of smoke rose in the air-bright were the flames which darted their wavy spires beneath it-one after another the implements of destruction sunk in the midst the banner, with the dove upon it, was carried with enthusiasm round the circle, by those who had kindled the fire-universal acclamations accompanied its progress the bands of music all struck up, and an appropriate overture preceded the following choral hymn Hence for ever, God of war, Perish the destructive blade, See the crackling flames ascend, Burning cities mark thy sway, Every useful art retreats, Frighted at the loud alarms; Genius and science leave their seats, |