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CXXIII. APOSTROPHE TO THE OCEAN.

Byron. Childe Harold's Pilgrimage.-Canto IV. THERE is a pleasure in the pathless woods, There is a rapture on the lonely shore, There is society, where none intrudes,

By the deep sea, and music in its roar : I love not man the less, but nature more, From these our interviews, in which I steal From all I may be, or have been before, To mingle with the universe, and feel What I can ne'er express, yet cannot all conceal. Roll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean-roll! Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain ; Man marks the earth with ruin-his control Stops with the shore ;-upon the watery plain, The wrecks are all thy deed, nor doth remain A shadow of man's ravage, save his own, When for a moment, like a drop of rain,

He sinks into thy depths, with bubbling groan,
Without a grave, unknell'd, uncoffin'd, and unknown.
Thy shores are empires, changed in all save thee
Assyria, Greece, Rome, Carthage, what are they?
Thy waters wasted them, while they were free,
And many a tyrant since; their shores obey
The stranger, slave, or savage; their decay
Has dried up realms to deserts: not so thou,
Unchangeable, save to thy wild waves' play-
Time writes no wrinkle on thine azure brow-
Such as creation's dawn beheld, thou rollest now.
And I have loved thee, Ocean! and my joy
Of youthful sports was on thy breast to be
Borne, like the bubbles, onward: from a boy
I wanton'd with thy breakers-they to me
Were a delight; and if the freshening sea
Made them a terror-'twas a pleasing fear,
For I was, as it were, a child of thee,

And trusted to thy billows, far and near,
And laid my hand upon thy mane-as I do here.

OXXIV.-PUBLIC QUIETNESS FAVORABLE TO THE DISCUSSON OF A QUESTION OF PUBLIC INTEREST.

Exordium of Mr. Curran's Speech, on the trial of the Hon. Mr. Justice Johnson,* in the Court of Exchequer, Dublin, Feb. 4, 1805.

My Lords,-IT has fallen to my lot, either fortunately, or unfortunately, as the event may be, to rise as counsel for my client, on this most important and momentous occasion, Sorry am I that the task has not been confided to more ade. quate powers; but, feeble as they are, they will at least not shrink from it.

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I cannot but observe the sort of scenic preparation with which this sad drama. is sought to be brought forward. part, I approve it. In part, it excites my disgust and in. dignation. I observe, too, the dead silence into which the public is frowned, by authority, for the sad occasion. No man dares to mutter; no newspaper dares to whisper, that such a question is afloat. It seems an inquiry among the tombs, or rather, in the shades beyond them.

I am glad it is so-I am glad of this factitious dumbness; for if murmurs dared to become audible, my voice would be too feeble to drown them; but when all is hushed-when nature sleeps the weakest voice is heard the shepherd's whistle shoots across the listening darkness of the interminable heath, and gives notice, that the wolf is upon his walk; and the same gloom and stillness, that tempt the monster to come abroad, facilitate the communication of the warning to beware. Yes, through that silence, the voice shall be heard; yes, through that silence, the shepherd shall be put upon his guard; yes, through that silence, shall the felon savage be chased into the toil. Yes, my lords, I feel myself cheered and impressed by the composed and dignified attention, with which I see you are disposed to hear me, on the most important question, that has ever been subject to your consideration; the most import. ant to the dearest rights of the human being; the most deeply interesting and animating that can beat in his heart, or burn

*Judge Johnson was tried for having written some publications, al leged to be libellous, in which the conduct of Lord Hardwicke, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, was commented upon with great severity

upon his tougue. Oh! how recreating it is to feel, that occasions may arise, in which the soul of man may re-assume her pretensions; in which, even I can look up with calm secu. rity to the court, and down, with the most profound contempt, upon the reptile I mean to tread upon! I say reptile, my lords; because when the proudest man in society becomes so the dupe of his childish malice, as to wish to inflict on the object of his vengeance the poison of his sting, to do a reptile's work, he must shrink into a reptile's dimensions; and so shrunk, the only way to assail him, is to tread upon him.

CXXV.-THE IMPEACHMENT OF JUDGE CHASE.

Exordium of the Speech of Joseph Hopkinson, in the Trial of Samuel Chase, an associated justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, impeached by the House of Representatives, for high crimes and misdemeanors, before the Senate of the United States, 1805.

Mr President,-WE cannot remind you, and this honor. able court, as our opponents have so frequently done, that we address you, in behalf of the majesty of the people. We appear for an ancient and infirm man, whose better days have been worn out in the service of that country, which now degrades him; and, who has nothing to promise you, for an honorable acquittal, but the approbation of your own consciences. We are happy, however, to concur with the honourable managers in one point-I mean, the importance they are disposed to give to this cause. In every relation and aspect, in which it can be viewed, it is, indeed, of infi. nite importance. It is important to the respondent, to the full amount of his good name and reputation, and of that little portion of that happiness, the small residue of his life may afford. It is important to you, senators and judges, inasmuch as you value the judgment, which posterity shall pass upon the proceedings of this day. It is important to our country, as she estimates her character for sound, dignified, and impartial justice, in the eyes of a judging world. The little, busy vortex, that plays immediately round the scene of action, considers this proceeding, merely as the trial of Judge Chase, and gazes upon him, as the only person interested in

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the result. This is a false and imperfect view of the case. It is not the trial of Judge Chase alone. It is a trial between him and his country; and that country is as dearly interested as the judge can be, in a fair and impartial investigation of the case, and in a just and honest decision of it. There is yet another dread tribunal, to which we should not be inattentive. We should look to it with solemn impressions of respect. It is posterity-the race of men, that will come after When all the false glare, and false importance of the times shall pass away--when things shall settle down into a state of placid tranquillity, and lose that bustling motion, that deceives with false appearances; when you, most honorable senators, who sit here to judge, as well as the respondent, who sits here to be judged, shall alike rest in the silence of the tomb, then comes the faithful, the scrutinizing historian, who, without fear or favor, will record this transaction; then comes a just and impartial posterity, who, without regard to persons or to dignities, will decide upon your decision. Then I trust, the high honor and integrity of this court, will stand recorded, in the pure language of deserved praise, and this day will be remembered in the annals of our land, as honor, able to the respondent, to his judges, and to the justice of our country.

CXXVI. THE CHARACTER OF JUDGE CHASE,

Peroration of the same Speech.

Mr. President,-Ir is not unusual, in public prosecutions, for the accused to appeal to his general life and conduct, in refutation of the charges brought against him. How proudly may the respondent make this appeal! He is charged with a violent attempt to violate the laws and constitution of his country, and to destroy the best liberty of his fellow citizens. Look, sir, to his past life, to the constant course of his opin ions and conduct, and the improbability of the charge is manifest. Look to the days of doubt and danger; look to that glorious struggle, so long and so doubtfully maintained, for that independence we now enjoy, for those rights of self.

government you now exercise, and do you not see the respondent among the boldest of the bold, never sinking in hope or in exertion, aiding by his talents, and encouraging by his spirit; in short, putting his property and his life in issue on the contest, and making the loss of both certain, by the active part he assumed, should his country fail of success? And does this man, who thus gave all his possessions, all his energies, all his hopes to his country, and to the liberties of this American people, now employ the small and feeble remnant of his days, without interest or object, to pull down and destroy that very fabric of freedom, that very government and those very rights, he so labored to establish? It is not credible; it cannot be credited, but on proof infinitely stronger than any thing, that has been offered to this honorable court on this occasion. Indiscretions may have been hunted out by the perseverance of persecution; but I trust, most confidently, that the just, impartial, and dignified sentence of this court, will completely establish to our country and to the world, that the respondent has fully and honorably justified himself against the charges now exhibited against him; and has discharged his official duties, not only with the talents that are conceded to him, but with an integrity infinitely more dear to him.

CXXVII. GREAT BRITAIN ABJURING THE SLAVE TRADE.

Extract from "The West Indies," a Poem, by James Montgomery.
HIGH on her rock, in solitary state,
Sublimely musing, pale Britannia sate;
Her awful forehead on her spear reclin'd,
Her robe and tresses streaming with the wind;
Chill thro' her frame foreboding tremors crept ;-
The Mother thought upon her sons, and wept;
-She thought of Nelson, in the battle slain,
And his last signal beaming o'er the main;
In Glory's circling arms the hero bled,
While Victory bound the laurel on his head;
At once immortal, in both worlds, became
His soaring spirit and abiding name :

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