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the wall, accompanied by the tears and wishes of the repentant beauty. In a short time, a shout from the menials announced that the adventure had been achieved; and Cunigunda, exulting that she was conquered, hastened into the court, which the triumphant knight was just entering, to meet his ardent caresses. But the knight stood aloof, gloomy and severe. "I can claim you," said he;" but I am come, and I have risked my life, not to win your hand, but to humble your pride, and punish your barbarity" and thereupon he read her a harsh lecture on the cruelty and arrogance of her conduct towards her suitors. The spirit of chivalry weeps at recording, that he finished his oration by giving the astonished beauty a box on the ear, sprung into his saddle, and gallopped forth from the gate. It was the Landgrave Albert of Thuringia, already a married man and who had long trained his favorite steed to this perilous exercise.-Russell's Travels.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

THE following sketch of the life and adventures of Crichton, may appear fabulous to those readers who are not familiar with his history, or the sources of our information. He blazed like a meteor for an hour, but was eclipsed too early to shed any lasting light on the world, and his history is read as a matter of wonder and astonishment, rather than useful information or improvement. He receiv

ed in his own day the epithet of "Admirable," and posterity have never been disposed to deny his just claim to that distinction.

JAMES CRICHTON was born in the County of Perth, in Scotland, in August, 1560, and boasted that he was sprung from the race of Scottish Kings. He had scarcely arrived at the age of twenty years, before he had run through the whole circle of the sciences, and could speak and write, to perfection, in the different languages. He had also become highly improved in riding, dancing, singing and in all kinds of instrumental music. Thus accomplished, he went to Paris, where he caused placards to be fixed upon the gates of the University, inviting all who were skilled in any art or science to dispute with him in the College of Navarre, that day six weeks, in any of twelve languages (naming them) and this either in verse or prose. In the mean time, he employed his time in field and military sports, or in balls and musical parties, or cards and other games. The disputation took place, and continued from nine in the morning till six in the evening, in which, in the language of his biographer, "he acquitted

himself beyond expression," and received a diamond ring and purse of gold from the president and professors. The next day he engag ed in a tilting match and won the prize fifteen times in succession. From Paris he went to Rome, where he gave a similar exhibition of his wonderful powers of mind. From Rome he went to Venice, where he received the thanks of the Doge and Senate for a speech of surprising eloquence which became the theme of admiration in the whole city. From thence he went to the University of Padua, then in great reputation. A meeting of all the learned men in the city was held, and Crichton opened it with an extempore poem, after which he disputed six hours with the most learned of the professors, and closed with an extempore oration in praise of ignorance. He here also continued a dispute upon scientific subjects for three days without fatigue, and won immense applause from crowded assemblies. From Padua he went to Mantua, where there happened then to be a famous gladiator, who had foiled the best fencers in Europe, and lately killed three eminent fencers in Mantua. Crichton offered to fight him for 1500 pistoles, and to drive him out of Italy. The Court attended the performance. Crichton at first stood upon the defensive, but soon pushing his antagonist with vigor, he ran him through the body in three places. He bestowed the prize, he had thus won, upon the widows of the three men who had been slain by the gladiator. He became tutor to the Duke's son who was of a dissolute habit of life.While thus engaged, he wrote a comedy of great merit in the representation of which he performed fifteen parts, and in such a manner that in every instance he appeared to be a different person.

During the Carnival in Mantua, he was attacked one night in the street by six persons in masks, all of whom he repelled, and disarmed their leader who begged his life and informed him that he was the Prince, his pupil. Crichton_begged pardon of the prince, and presented him with his own sword, which he took, and thus disarming Crichton, he ran him through the heart. The cause of this murder was never known. He was killed in the twenty second year of his age. From the portraits which remain of him, he appears to have been beautiful and elegant in face and form: his body and limbs though not muscular and athletic, were well proportioned and fitted for feats of agility.

VARIETY.

The influence of affection and propensity on opinion and belief is finally illustrated by the following story. A fine lady and a curate were viewing the moon through a telescope. I perceive, said the lady, two shadows inclining to each other; they are certainly two happy lovers. Not at all, replies the curate, they are two steeples of a Cathedral.-Kaimes.

ARTFUL QUESTION.-Dominico, the harlequin, going to see Louis XIV. at supper, fixed his eye on a dish of partridges. The King who was fond of his acting, said, "Give that dish to Dominico." "And the partridges too sire?" Louis penetrating his art, replied, "And the partridges too." The dish was of gold.

DANCING.-When Commodore Anson was at Canton, the officers of the ship Centurion gave a ball. While they were dancing, a Chinese, who very quietly surveyed the operation, said softly to one of the company, "why don't you let your servants do this?"

WHITEFIELD.-Dr. Franklin, in his memoirs, bears witness to the extraordinary effect which was produced by Mr. Whitefield's preaching in America; and relates an anecdote equally characteristic of the preacher and of himself. I happened," says the doctor, "to attend one of his sermons, in the course of which I perceived he intended to finish with a collection, and I silently resolved he should get nothing from me. I had in my pocket a handful of copper money, three or four silver dollars, and five pistoles in gold. As he proceeded, I began to soften, and concluded to give the copper. Another stroke of his oratory made me ashamed of that, and determined me to give the silver and he finished so admirably, that I emptied my pocket wholly into the collector's dish, gold and all. At this sermon there was also one of our club, who, being of my sentiments respecting the building in Georgia, and suspecting a collection might be intended, had by precaution emptied his pockets before he came from home; towards the conclusion of the discourse, however, he felt a strong inclination to give, and applied to a neighbor who stood near him to lend him some money for the purpose. The request was fortunately made to perhaps the only man in the company who had the firmness not to be affected by the preacher. His answer was, "at any other time, friend Hodgkinson, I would lend thee freely; but not now, for thee seems to be out of thy right senses."

THE TALISMAN.

WORCESTER, SATURDAY, MAY 17, 1828.

So little of interest has occurred since our last that we have preferred occupying the space usually allotted to a summary of events, with miscellaneous matter selected from works of a popular character, rather than with any speculations of our own. Had we been inclined for the next Presidential election would furto annoy our readers with politics, the contest nish a constant supply of inflamatory materials. But as we disclaim any such intentions, we presume our readers will be pleased with the substitute we have made.

MORAL SENTIMENTS.

To insinuate a thing prejudicial to another, which we are not willing openly to avow, is a kind of mental assassination.

He is a brave man who dares to meet himself alone in the open field, to examine his heart, uninfluenced by the world.

The love of money is an opiate, that often lulls conscience asleep, and binds the judgment in chains.

They who are the least apt to offend, are the most ready to forgive.

In religious disquisitions, the tongue does not always represent the mind.

A man without discretion is like a ship without a helm.

Married,

In Lancaster, Mr. Joel Wilder, jun, to Miss Deborah H. Whitman.

In Oxford, on the 4th inst. by the Rev. Mr. Maynard, Mr. Charles J. Westcott, of Cranston, R. I. to Miss Melina Stone, of the former place.

In New Braintree, on the 5th inst. by Rev. field, to Miss Abigail Little, of New Braintree; John Fiske, Mr. George Merriam, of BrookMr. Augustus Makepiece, of Brookfield, to Miss Nancy M. Gleason, of New Braintree; Mr. Charles Wetherbee, of Brookfield, to Miss Abigail H. Bartlett, of New Braintree; Mr. James Joslyn, to Miss Francis Pierce, both of New Braintree.

Adaline Tidd of North Brookfield.

Died,

Some years ago, when the famous Dr. Leib was figuring in political life, prejudices were strong, and party feeling ran high-application In North Brookfield, by Rev. Thomas Snell, was made to the Legislature of Pennsylvania | Mr. John Weston of New Braintree, to Miss to incorporate a "Life Insurance Company" for the term of fifty years. A zealous member rose and addressed Mr. Speaker with "Sir, 1 dont't like this bill, and I shan't vote for it. The petitioners have asked to be incorporated to insure lives for fifty years, and what will be the consequence of granting their prayer? why, the first thing you'll know that devil of a Dr. Leib, will get his life insured for the whole time, and we shall have him tormenting us for a half a century to come."

In this town, on the 28th ult. Mrs. Dolly Chadwick, wife of Mr. Isaac Chadwick, aged 61.

In Cincinnati, Ohio,on the 22d ult. Ephraim
Wilder Fairbanks, of Oakham, aged 24.
In Grafton, on the 1st inst. Mrs. Lucy
Wheeler, wife of Martin Wheeler, aged 31.

POETRY.

A MOTHER'S GIFT.
Remember, love, who gave thee this,
When other days shall come:
When she, who had thy earliest kiss,
Sleeps in her narrow home.
Remember; twas a mother gave
The gift to one she'd died to save.

The mother sought a pledge of love,
The holiest for her son,

And from the gifts of God above,
She chose a goodly one.
She chose for her beloved boy,
The source of light, and life, and joy,

And bade him keep the gift,-that when
That parting hour would come,

They might have hope to meet again,
In an eternal home.

She said his faith in that would be
Sweet incense to her memory.

And should the scoffer in his pride,
Laugh that fond faith to scorn,
And bid him cast the pledge aside,

That he from youth had borne,
She bade him pause, and ask his breast,
If he, or she had loved him best.

A Parent's blessing on her son
Goes with this holy thing:

The love that would retain the one
Must to the other cling.
Remember! tis no idle toy,

A mother's gift-Remember, boy!

DRUIDICAL CHORUS

On the landing of the Romans. From the "Welsh Melodies," by Mrs. Hemans. By the dread and viewless powers, Whom the storms and seas obey, From the dark Isle's mystic bowers Romans! o'er the deep away. Think ye 'tis but nature's gloom, O'er our shadowy coast, that broods? By the altar and the tomb, Shun these haunted solitudes. Know ye Mona's awful spell? She the rolling orbs can stay, She the mighty grave compels Back to yield its fetter'd prey. Fear ye not the lightning's stroke? Mark ye not the fiery sky? Hence, around our central rock Gods are gathering, Romans fly.

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THE SKY-LARK.

Bird of the wilderness,

Blithesome and cumberless,

Light be thy matin o'er moorland and lea! Emblem of happiness!

Bless'd is thy dwelling-place!

O to abide in the desert with thee.

Wild is thy lay and loud,
Far in the downy cloud;

Love gives it energy, love gave it birth.
Where, on the dewy wing,
Where art thou journeying?

Thy lay is in heaven, thy love is on earth.

O'er fell and fountain sheen, O'er moor and mountain green, O'er the red streamer that heralds the day; Over the cloudlet dim,

Over the rainbow's rim,

Musical cherub, hie, hie thee away.

Then when the gloaming comes,
Low in the heather-blooms,

Sweet will thy welcome and bed of love be!
Emblem of happiness!

Bless'd is thy dwelling-place!

O to abide in the desert with thee!

Ladies Album, Philadelphia, do. Bachelor's Journal, Boston, do. 3,00

R. I. American, Providence, semiweekly, 3,50 Microcosm,

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inclined to bend the purposes of others to his own, while they were kept in ignorance of his views. I have seen him fix his eagle eye upon a sailor, and require of him to look him steadily in the face for five minutes, and then dismiss him without a comment or a reason for so doing but I would bet my life almost that he had one.

:

After skimming through the mist for two days, (of which I have spoken) I happened to be on the deck with Capt.-I was in conver

THE STRANGE COMBAT. IT was during the last war of this country with Great Britain, that circumstances led me to be a passenger on board of one of our large merchantmen, in which I had embarked what little property I possessed; our seas were at that time covered with small privateers belonging to both belligerents, who did more mischief to the commerce of both nations, than the several public armed vessels of either.-sation with him, as to the probability of reachThey almost invariably eluded the pursuit of the large frigates and ships of the line, by hauling sharp on the wind, when they discovered an enemy; and their peculiar schoonerrig, and being built expressly for sailing, would give thema distinct advantage over their square sailed enemies, in beating to windward. Again their lighter draught of water, when near the shore would frequently enable them to run so close in, that they could not be attacked unless in boats; and every one who has ever read the account of that attack upon the privateer Neufchattel, by the boats of the Endym-looking, sharp built, tall rigged, port bearing ion (I believe) which engagement happened near Nantucket, will easily see how little force it requires to beat off boats, or sink them previous to boarding. Be these things as they may, I return to my story. We had been sailing for two days with a good breeze, though now and then it would lull, and then we sagged heavily along through a fog, almost as dense as the waters which bore us.

We were not far from our port, and our captain was willing to crowd sail night and day, as the risk of capture was superior to that of shipwreck, or disaster from a crippling of our spars. Our ship was of about 400 tons, heavily laden and not a swift sailor. Her captain was a man of shrewd judgment, of inflexibility of purpose, and rather given to taciturnity. He was of a slight figure, gentlemanly to his equals, decided and prompt to those under him in his orders, and in exaction of their fulfilment. His keen dark eyes, and naval officer gait, showed a kind of courage, which one would call daring, if they had watched his countenance on particular occasions. Yet at other times, he seemed rather to be the careful mariner who would reef for safety, when safety apparently did not require it. He was one of those kind of men, who seemed to be

ing our port free form the enemies cruisers.— He replied with his usual brevity the fog and carrying sail, alone will save us; I am a made man if we escape; if not, I am ruined.' He said this in the same tone of voice that he would have a common order-he looked up and said, sternly, there is a fog eater-at this moment the sun seemed to flash upon our deck and the fog rose from the sea like the hoisting of a curtain at the Theatre,-a smart breeze took us back, and before an order was given, we saw directly under our lee, a little black

schooner, whose decks were crowded with men,-'I know her,' ejaculated our captain: the next thing, there came a ball dancing across our bows in imitation of a distracted porpoise. Our captain took the helm from a sailor, and gave orders to lay to.-Another shot came within a few feet of the captain's head, and passed through the main-sail, which he seemed to regard as little as he would the flapping of the wing of a sea-gull. But his countenance grew dark and terrific-he had not a gun on board. The privateer braced sharp on the wind, and at the second tack came within musket shot; a boat came on board and we were ordered under the pigmey's lee, in the style of an admiral in the British Navy. In the mean time the wind had freshened, and the captain had privately given orders to have every sail in readiness for instant setting. The boat left us, and we tore down apparently for the purpose of fulfilling the command which had been given us. To secure and pack my papers was but the work of a moment, for an anticipation of the event of capture had placed me on my guard in this particular.

When

I returned on deck, we were almost withir hail of the stranger, under a flowing sail ;which, in order to bring us to a proper luff un

to the mercy of the deep, and of God, so many unprepared souls, was an act unworthy of a mortal. He even regretted that he was left alone to mourn over them. He insisted that their ghosts would haunt him in sleep--and he

der the lee of the privateer, would seemingly require to be immediately taken in. The captain was still at the helm, and he was intent, apparently, upon coming as near the stern of the opposite vessel as was possible, though at times he seemed to grasp the whole of the lit-prayed that the thunders of eternal vengeance

·

might visit the head of its infamous projector. He described the terrific shrieks of those who went down with him--the rattle in the throats of the drowning--the crush which laid open his favorite vessel's side, even below her water mark--and yelled out anathema's upon its heartless author.

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tle privateer at a glauce; his brow was knit, and the veins on his forehead seemed to be swollen--he heeded nothing around him. At this moment he gave the word "square away,' which brought our bows on the centre of the vessel of our enemy--luff' said its captain; at the same moment, the flash of a gun and its ball were both seen and heard from the port Our captain had been standing a little disholes of our antagonist-it raked us fore and tance from the birth of his foe, but now walkaft,' cutting every thing before it; anothered up and placed his keen dark eye upon him, moment, the bow of our heavy vessel struck and asked, do you not know me?" the quarter of the privateer with a tremendous plied, I must have seen you before, I know crash--another moment and she passed over not where.' There was one of those pauses her, and nothing was to be seen of our captur-like lulls in a gale at sea. Your privateer er but a few floating barrels, some spars, and was stationed at Gibraltar, by the name of human beings who had escaped for a few moin February 1812, was it not?' A groan ments the yawning deep. Never shall I for- succeeded, from the shaking auditor. I know get the cry which came from that vessel, as you and your vessel then--you spoke wrongour own was passing over it: it was allied to fully of my sister-Henry struck you and you nothing human; it was of such shrill distress, stabbed him with your dirk-he recovered,and that a maniac's imagination alone could grasp he challenged you-you fought and killed him its dreadfulness. Our vessel was immediate--I was on the battle ground--you afterwards ly laid too, and our boat was out to pick up such as survived. Our captain gave the helm to the mate, and went to the bows to ascertain our own damage, which was found not to be excessively severe; though our bow sprit, fig-graven on my brain-I have rewarded your ure head and cut water, were carried away. and a leak was sprung but yet not such an one as would be of serious inconvenience. Among those who were so strangely precipitated into the caverns of the sea, one alone was found alive who had risen to its surface. It was the captain; he was the commander of the privateer, of six guns and fifty men, in the British employ. When taken up he was insensible, and remained so for a long period; after a while, when he found himself in a strange vessel, all seemed to be as a dream to him.

and there, repeated exultingly your charge, when he was a corpse--I then challenged you and you sneaked off to your ship and did not meet me--I knew your vessel, for its form was

treachery, and when we reach our port and you cease to be my guest, I will give you an opportunity of righting yourself from this charge, viz: You were an American, fostered by our family, have turned traitor to your country, aspersed a female who rejected your suit, are a murderer of her brother, a villain whose only absence from meanness is a passing show of courage. The first thing you have to do, sir, when you land, is to meet me in what is termed an honorable way, and that too sir, before our sails are taken from the yards. This cabin is yours and the steward will do your biddings until then.'

We sailed on heavily without falling in with another vessel for some days. The moon came up one night in remarkable splendor, and as I was leaning over the bulwarks, I saw the captain of the privateer come from the gangway, and as the moonbeam fell on his countenance, I observed it was peculiarly wild and sad. I endeavored to engage him in conversation-in reply to some question, he ob

On a recovery from his trance, and when the facts flowed like a dark flood upon his memory, he seemed to recollect the consequences of his adventure with our clumsy merchantman. He stated that he was leaning upon the taffarel, when our vessel struck his privateer, and that when he ordered the gun to be fired, as we came suspiciously near, it was his first intimation of the intention of our commander. Still he declared it to have been a dastardly act, that previous to our understand-served, 'I have been a black hearted villain.' ing whether he was friend or foe, and when, Sharks were playing around us as if revelling from the act of our pretending to obey his or- in the flood of the lunar ray. I passed from der, he might have presumed there was no him to our captain, who seemed lost in deep treachery intended him; for us, without mov- and bitter contemplation-the very sound of ing, without even a hint of resistance, to bear my voice seemed to startle him before I had directly upon his smaller craft, and by the uttered a sentence, we heard a splash in the weight of our ship and not by the bravery of water and saw distinctly our former foe on our sailors, to sink as fine a crew as ever man- the sea-he raised his hand as if bidding us ned a privateer's deck-to send, not in open farewell, when a shark of uncommon size turncontest, but by assassin, and viper-like guile, "ed on his back and with one snap of his e

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