Of endless glory, and perennial bays.
He idly reasons of eternity,

As of the train of ages,-when, alas!
Ten thousand thousand of his centuries
Are, in comparison, a little point,

Too trivial for account.- -O it is strange,
'Tis passing strange, to mark his fallacies;
Behold him proudly view some pompous pile,
Whose high dome swells to emulate the skies,
And smile and say, my name shall live with this
'Till Time shall be no more; while at his feet,
Yea, at his very feet, the crumbling dust
Of the fall'n fabric of the other day

Preaches the solemn lesson.-He should know,
That time must conquer. That the loudest blast
That ever fill'd Renown's obstrep'rous trump,
Fades in the lapse of ages, and expires.
Who lies inhum'd in the terrific gloom
Of the gigantic pyramid? Or who

Rear'd its huge wall?-Oblivion laughs and says,
The prey is mine. They sleep, and never more
Their names shall strike upon the ear of man,
Their mem'ry burst its fetters.

Where is Rome? .
She lives but in the tale of other times;
Her proud pavilions are the hermits' home.
And her long colonnades, her public walks,
Now faintly echo to the pilgrim's feet,
Who comes to muse in solitude, and trace,
Through the rank moss reveal'd, her honor'd dust.
But not to Rome alone has fate confin'd

The doom of ruin; cities numberless,
Tyre, Sidon, Carthage, Babylon, and Troy,
And rich Phoenicia-they are blotted out,
Half-raz'd from memory; and their very name
And being, in dispute !

CAPTURE OF MONTEZUMA.

1. IN 1518, the governor of Cuba, Don Velasques, projected an expedition against Mexico; and desirous to arrogate to himself the glory and advantages of the conquest, he conferred the command on Hernando Cortez, a bold adventurer, whose abilities were equal to any undertaking, and whose fortune and rank were not such as seemed calculated to inspire him with any higher ideas than of acting in perfect subordination to his employer. The event, however, proved contrary to the expectation of Velasques. Before the expedition sailed from Cuba, he began to suspect the aspiring ambition of Cortez, and resolved to deprive him of the command. But Cortez, apprised of his design, and perfectly secure of the attachment of his followers, immediately set sail with eleven small vessels, of which the largest was only 100 tons burden-three were of 70 or 80; and the others were only small open barks. His whole force consisted only of 617 soldiers and seamen, all volunteers, and men of the most daring resolution.

2. With this small force he undertook the conquest of a vast empire. Having landed on the continent, he laid the foundation of the town of Vera Cruz, and built a fortress sufficiently strong to resist the attacks of an Indian army. At his first arrival, he received a message from Montezuma, the Mexican emperor, requiring to know his intentions in visiting his country. Cortez announced himself as ambassador from the king of Spain, the most powerful monarch of the east; and declaring himself entrusted with such proposals as he could impart only to the emperor in person, requested to be immediately conducted to the capital. The Mexican officers hesitated at this request, which they knew would be extremely embarrassing to Montezuma, whose mind had become harassed with alarming apprehensions ever since he had heard of the landing of the Spaniards on his coast.

Who projected the expedition against Mexico?-When was it? To whom was the command of it given?-With what force did Cor tez attempt the conquest of Mexico?-Of what town did he lay the foundation on landing?-Who was the emperor of Mexico at this time?

3. During this interview, some painters, in the train of the Mexican officers, were employed in sketching, in their rude manner, the figures of the ships, the horses, the artillery, the soldiers, and whatever attracted their attention. Cortez perceiving this, and being informed that the pictures were de signed to be presented to Montezuma, in order to give him a just idea of those strange and wonderful objects, resolved to render the representation as striking as possible, by exhibiting such a spectacle as might give both them and their monarch an awful impression of the irresistible force of his arms. The trumpets, by his order, sounded an alarm; the troops in a moment formed in order of battle; both cavalry and infantry performed their martial exercises and evolutions; and the artillery thundering in repeated discharges, being pointed against a thick forest adjoining to the camp, The Mexicans were made dreadful havoc among the trees. struck with that amazement, which a spectacle so novel, so extraordinary, so terrible, and so much above their comprehension, might be expected to excite. Reports and representations of all these things were sent to Montezuma, who, as well as his subjects, conceived that the Spaniards were more than human beings, an opinion which Cortez took every opportunity of confirming and impressing on the minds of the Mexicans.

4. Montezuma afterwards sent many ambassadors to the Spanish camp with rich presents, expressing the greatest friendship for Cortez and the sovereign of Castile; but constantly requesting him to depart from his dominions. This was the purport of every message from the Mexican monarch. Cortez, however, continuing to advance, the request was changed into a command; Montezuma absolutely forbade him to approach the capital, and required his immediate departure from the country. The Spanish general, however, determined to proceed to Mexico, and concluded an alliance with several of the Mexican chiefs, who being weary with Montezuma's tyranny, took this opportunity of revolting against his government. Cortez soon perceived, that although the Mexican empire was extensive, populous, and powerful, it was very far from being firmly consolidated, a

What method did Cortez take to impress the Mexican officers with the power of the Spaniards?-What method did Montezuma adopt to conciliate Cortez ?

circumstance which inspired him with new hopes of effecting its subjugation.

5. Previous to the commencement of his march towards Mexico, Cortez represented to his followers, that it would be the highest degree of folly to think of returning to poverty and disgrace, after having spent their whole fortunes in the equipment of the expedition; that they must absolutely resolve either to conquer or perish; that the ships were so much damaged, as to be unfit for service; and that their small force would derive a very considerable accession of strength from the junction of 100 men necessarily left with the fleet. By these arguments, he convinced them of the necessity of fixing their hopes on what lay before them, without ever looking back, or suffering the idea of a retreat to enter their minds. With the consent of the whole army, the vessels were stripped of their sails, rigging, iron-work, and other articles, which might become useful, and afterwards broken in pieces. "Thus, by an effort of magnanimity, to which," says Dr. Robertson, "there is nothing parallel in history, 500men voluntarily consented to be shut up in a hostile country, filled with powerful and unknown nations; and having precluded every means of escape, left themselves without any resource but their own valor and perseverance."

6. Cortez landed in Mexico on the 2d of April, 1518; and on the 16th of August, he began his march towards the metropolis, with 500 foot, 15 horse, and 6 field pieces. The rest of his men were left to garrison the fort of Vera Cruz. In his progress, he was interrupted by a war with the Ilascalans, a numerous and warlike people, whose impetuous valor, however, was obliged to yield to the superiority of European weapons and tactics. The Ilascalans, who were inveterate enemies to the Mexicans, having experienced the valor of the Spaniards, whom they regarded as invincible, concluded with them a treaty of peace, and afterwards of alliance; and contributed in no small degree to the success of their enterprise. Cortez, with his Spaniards, accompanied with 6000 of his new allies, now advanced towards Mexico. They were met, in different parts of their journey, by messengers from Montezuma, bearing rich presents, and sometimes in

To what desperate measure did Cortez and the Spaniards repostų before marching for Mexico?

viting them to proceed, but at others requesting them to retire. No measures were taken to oppose his progress; and such was the embarrassment of the Mexican monarch, that the Spaniards were already at the gates of his capital before it was determined whether to receive them as friends or enemies.

7. Mexico, seated on islands near the western side of the lake, was inaccessible except by three causeways, extending over the shallow waters. The Spaniards being arrived on the borders of the lake, advanced along the causeway with great circumspection; and on their near approach to the city, they were met by about 1000 persons clothed in mantles of fine cotton, and adorned with plumes. These announced the approach of Montezuma, and were followed by about 200 others in an uniform dress, adorned also with plumes, and marching in solemn silence. Next appeared a company of a higher rank, in showy apparel; and in the midst of them was Montezuma, in a chair or litter, richly ornamented with gold, and feathers of various colors, and carried on the shoulders of four of his principal officers, while others supported a canopy over his head. Thus the Mexican monarch, surrounded with barbaric pomp, introduced into his capital the subverter of his throne. He conducted the Spaniards into the city, assigned them quarters in a large building encompassed with a stone wall, with towers at proper distances, and containing courts and apartments sufficiently spacious for their accommodation, and that of their allies. Here Cortez planted the artillery, posted sentinels, and ordered his troops to preserve the same strictness of discipline as if they had been encamped in the face of an enemy.

8. During some time the greatest harmony subsisted between the Spaniards and Mexicans; and Montezuma made presents of such value, not only to Cortez and his officers, but also to his private men, as demonstrated the opulence of his kingdom. The Spaniards, however, soon began to reflect on their situation, shut up in Mexico, and surrounded by the waters of its lake. And the Ilascalans had earnestly dissuaded Cortez from venturing to enter a city of so peculiar a situation as Mexico, where he might be shut up as in

How is Mexico situated?