informed, he replied, "God bless you, Hardy." And Hardy then left him-forever. 13. Nelson now desired to be turned upon his right side, and said "I wish I had not left the deck; for I shall soon be gone." Death was, indeed, rapidly approaching. He said to his chaplain-" Doctor, I have not been a great sinner"-and after a short pause, "Remember, that I leave lady Hamilton, and my daughter Horatia, as a legacy to my country." His articulation now became difficult; but he was distinctly heard to say, "Thank God, I have done my duty!" These words he repeatedly pronounced; and they were the last words which he uttered. He expired at thirty minutes after four-three hours and a quarter after he received his wound. 14. Within a quarter of an hour after Nelson was wounded, above fifty of the Victory's men fell by the enemy's musketry. They, however, on their part, were not idle; and it was not long before there were only two Frenchmen left alive in the mizen-top of the Redoubtable. One of them was the man who had given the fatal wound-but he did not live to boast what he had done. An old quarter-master had seen him fire; and easily recognised him, because he wore a glazed cocked hat and white frock. Two midshipmen, Mr. Collingwood and Mr. Pollard, kept firing at the top, and this quarter-master supplied them with cartridges. One of the Frenchmen, attempting to make his escape down the rigging, was shot by Mr. Pollard, and suddenly fell. But the old quarter-master, as he cried out, "That's he, that's he," and pointed at the other, who was coming forward to fire again, received a shot in his mouth, and fell dead. Both the midshipmen then fired, at the same time, and the fellow dropped into the mizen-top. When they took possession of the prize, it was found, that one ball passed through his head, and another through his breast. 15. The Redoubtable struck within twenty minutes after the fatal shot had been fired from her. During that time, she had been twice on fire, in her forechains and in her forecastle. The French, as they had done in other battles, made use, in this, of fire-balls, and other combustibles-implements of destruction, which other nations, from a sense of honour and humanity, have laid aside-which add to the sufferings of the wounded, without determining the issue of the combat-which, indeed, none but the cruel would employ, and which never can be successful against the brave. Once they succeeded in setting fire, from the Redoubtable, to some ropes and canvas on the Victory's booms. The cry ran through the ship; but it produced no confusion-the men displayed that perfect self-possession in danger, by which English seamen are characterised-they extinguished the flames on board their own ship, and then hastened to extinguish them in the enemy, by throwing buckets of water from the gangway. 16. What the English would have done from gallantry, some of the crew of the Santissima Trinidad did to save themselves. Unable to stand the tremendous fire of the Victory, whose larboard guns played against this great four-decker, and not knowing how else to escape them, nor where else to betake themselves for protection, many leapt overboard, and swam to the Victory; and were actually helped up her sides by the English during the action. The Spaniards began the battle with less vivacity than the French, but they continued it with greater firmness. The Argonauta and Bahama were defended till they had each lost about four hundred men-the St. Juan Nepomuceno lost three hundred and fifty. Often as the superiority of British courage had been proved against France upon the seas, it had never been more conspicuous than in this decisive conflict. Five of the English ships were engaged muzzle to muzzle with five of the French. In all five the French lowered their lower-deck ports, and deserted their guns; while the English continued deliberately to load and fire, till they had made their victory secure. 17. The total British loss in the battle of Trafalgar amounted to 1587. Twenty of the enemy struck; but unhappily the fleet did not anchor, as Nelson, almost with his dying breath, had enjoined a gale came on from the south-west; some of the prizes went down; some went on shore; one effected its escape into Cadiz ; others were destroyed; four only were saved, and those with the greatest exertions. The wounded Spaniards were sent on shore, an assurance being given that they should not serve till regularly exchanged; and the Spaniards, with a generous feeling, offered the use of their hospitals for their wounded enemies, pledging the honour of Spain that they should be carefully attended there. When the storm, after the action, drove some of the prizes upon the coast, they declared that the English, who were thus thrown into their hands, should not be considered as prisoners of war; and the Spanish soldiers gave up their own beds to their shipwrecked enemies. QUESTIONS. 1. In what ship was lord Nelson ?-2. How many of the Victory's crew were killed before she commenced firing?-3. On board of what French ship did the Victory run?-4. From whence was the ball fired that struck Nelson?-5. How long did he live after being wounded?-6. How many of the Victory's men within a quarter of an hour fell by the enemy's musketry?-7. Did the person who shot Nelson escape alive?—8. How long after Nelson was wounded, before the Redoubtable struck?-9. Of what did the French make use, in this battle, not practised by other civilized nations?—10. How many men were killed on board the Argonauta and Bahama?—11. On board the St. Juan Nepomuceno-12. What was the whole British loss?-13. How many of the French and Spanish ships struck to the English fleet?-14. How many of this number were saved by the British?-15. Why were they not all saved? THE FIELD OF BATTLE. THE sun had disappear'd beneath the flood, And careless trod among th' unburied dead. And friends and foes promiscuously strew How few of all who met with deadly zeal, The hatred which has lain them side by side! I pity such by hard condition led To be the passive instruments of power; Who sell their lives and liberty for bread To satisfy the cravings of an hour. No one so mean of all the brave who die, But calls some sympathizing sorrow forth; Small is the share of grief that meets the eye, Unnotic'd falls the tear for humble worth. Few see the father bending o'er the son, The sole sad prop on which his age depended; The helpless widow wandering alone, And thousand houseless orphans unbefriended. O could the wail of orphans reach his ear, O could th' ambitious once approach, and view O when will justice guide, and wisdom light, What is a nation's honour, if the price Then if the certain fruits of war are woe, HUMAN SLAVERY. 1. HISTORY presents to the eye of reason and humanity the shocking spectacle of an extensive system of slavery existing among the nations of antiquity. We have, in a general view of the social system of Rome, under the republican and imperial governments, seen the rigorous treatment of slaves in the early ages, and contemplated with pleasure the amelioration of their condition in the latter times of the republic, and under the government of the emperors. This happy change in the condition of slavery, proceeded from a variety of causes; and the establishment of Christianity at length added its benign influence to soften the condition of those unfortunate mortals, who were placed in that abject and depressed state. 2. The Christian religion was, indeed, peculiarly calculated to produce this happy effect. By teaching that the slave and his master must appear without distinction before the tribunal of the impartial Judge of all mankind, it held out to the former a strong inducement to a patient acquiescence in his condition, while it inspired the latter with sentiments of humanity and benevolence towards those whom Providence had thus placed under his authority. And although the system of slavery was not absolutely abolished on the estabment of Christianity, its hardships were considerably mitigated; for certainly no Christian, who was worthy of the name, could treat his slaves with unprovoked cruelty, or unnecessary rigour. 3. The subversion of the empire by the northern nations, by reducing slaves and their masters, for the most part, to the same state of villanage, under the feudal system, in a great measure annihilated the system of absolute personal slavery, as it had existed among |