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to prosper and to increase her store. In fact, what we are about to quote proves that she was worldly-wise and a sound calculator.

It so happened, that the prince made Rachel's hotel his temporary abode, when he was commander of the Pegasus frigate, and sojourned in Barbadoes. This was a fine opportunity for the politic landlady; and one of her strokes of diplomacy was to dub the establishment with an imposing sign: it was now "The Royal Naval Hotel." This is not all :-" His Royal Highness had dined with the mess of the forty-ninth regiment, then on this station, and returning to the hotel in the evening, more than halfseas over, accompanied by some choice spirits of the corps, he commenced a royal frolic by breaking the furniture, &c.; and with the aid of his boon companions, carried on the sport with such activity, that in a couple of hours every article was completely demolished, the very beds cut up, and their contents emptied into the street. *** The sly and cunning Rachel sat quite passive in her great arm-chair at the entrance door of the hotel. Servant after servant came running to announce to her the destruction that was going on, but the social hostess moved not. It was all the same to her, and there she sat unruffled, and as if glued to the huge chair. She would, as each fresh communication was made, reply with perfect nonchalance, 66 Go, go long, man, da' no king's son! If he no do wha' he please, who d'en can do 'um?' Let he lone; lay he muse heself; da' no king's son! Bless he heart!" And with many other like expressions of indifference at what was going on, kept her seat as unconcernedly as if her house was in perfect tranquillity. It was, however, now time for the prince to return on board; and as he had literally (in nautical phrase) cleared the decks, he was taking his departure, when encountering Rachel still occupying the 'gangway,' he bid her good night,' and to crown the sport, upset her and chair together, leaving her unwieldy body sprawling in the street, to the ineffable amusement of the laughing crowd. Rachel showed no ire even at this,—but calling out in her sweetest dulcet tones, 'Mas Prince! Mas Prince! you come ma-morning, to see wha' mischief you been do!' and, after a little floundering and much assistance, she was reseated.

"To-morrow came-Rachel soon heard that the prince was to sail in the evening for St. Vincent. A clerk was here, a servant there, friends everywhere throughout the house, taking an inventory of the overnight's destruction; the good dame reserving to herself the privilege of valuing the articles; and before the sun's altitude had been taken on board the Pegasus, one of the satellites of the hotel was on the deck with a full, true, and particular account of the loss, destruction, and havoc of the preceding evening, accompanied with a humble petition for indemnity, the losses being stated at the trifling sum of 7001. sterling. Our generous-hearted tar, with a magnanimity as conspicuous in him after he became sovereign, as at this juvenile and sailor-like period of his life, made no question of the correctness of the account, but sent her an order for the amount on Firebrace and Co., (merchants of the town,) which was duly paid, and Miss Rachel thereby enabled to furnish the Royal Naval Hotel,' with more splendour than ever."

·

ART. XX.-The Works of William Jay. Vols. I. and II. Bartlett. THERE are now in the course of quarterly publication, the Works of William Jay, corrected and revised, with numerous additions by himself; the present volumes containing the Morning and Evening Exercises from January to June, of this well-known Nonconformist divine. The exercises are now printed together for the first time. We are astonished at the variety and unction that is to be found in these spiritual effusions. The head is filled and the heart warmed by them.

ART. XXI.-The Gaberlunzie's Wallet.

THERE are sterling things in this unpretending publication. The pictures as well as the prose and verse are in a vein that is strikingly characteristic of the feeling, the fancy, and the older customs of the Scotch. Indeed the melange possesses more than average merit, so far as the first number goes; and will, if the promise be kept up, serve to direct taste to a rich soil for culture and gathering in, whatever be the field for light and agreeable reading and graphic illustration that is contemplated.

ART. XXII.-Poems, written chiefly Abroad.

By M.

AFTER Byron; wild, improbable, and obscure enough. We particularly allude to the principal piece called "Cuillo." Even the suspicion of imitation, though the poetry and the composition go beyond mediocrity, which is not the case here, mars the interest which one takes in any imaginative work.

ART. XXIII.-Zachary Cobble; a Rigmarole in Rhyme.

A MISERABLE attempt to imitate Butler. The Hudibrastic knight in the present case is a schoolmaster, a reformer, and a canvassing candidate for some borough; but his adventures present neither sense nor truth; neither wit nor poetry.

ART. XXIV. Quæstiones Mosaicæ; or, the Book of Genesis compared with the Remains of Ancient Religions. By OSMOND DE DEAUVOIR PRIAULX, M.A.

THIS learned and ingenious work, on a subject which is suggestive of extremely curious and important points, must stand over till next month. Sundry other publications which we have received are in a similar posi

tion.

REVIEW.

THE

MONTHLY

JUNE, 1842.

ART. I.-American Antiquities, and Researches into the Origin and History of the Red Race. By ALEXANDER W. BRADFORD. New York.

THE early history of the aborigines of America has been for a series of years taking a deeper hold on literary attention, not only among the modern settlers in that vast continent, but in Europe. This increase of interest must accompany the extension of a liberal curiosity, the subject being in itself one of extraordinary antiquarian importance, and bearing also closely upon questions concerned about intellectual as well as physiological capacity and development. But there are circumstances which may be characterized as accidental that lend to inquiries relative to the origin and the remote condition of the Red Indians a paramount value, and specialities of the most pressing description. This race, which, from being the sole possessors of the Western hemisphere, the new world which Columbus discovered and opened to the old, has dwindled into fractions of people, fast becoming less and less, with a principle of decay mingled in their institutions, or pervading their customs, which threatens their extinction in the course of a few generations. However we may regard the causes which have produced this result, and wherever we may incline to fix the responsibility of having put these causes in operation, we ought not the less to value all memorials that give us an insight into the habits, the opinions, or whatever serves to throw light upon the past as well as present state of the fated race. In the same degree that we deplore the hard destiny that is hunting it down, and feel a sorrowful conviction that it is inevitable, we shall prize all evidences that are recorded to assist us, and those who may come after us, in judging of the obscure but important points offered to investigation by the Red Indians.

We have alluded to the obscurity of the points to be investigated relative to the Red men. One cause, quite independent of the rest, which must attach to remote periods in the history of rude races, darkens the present subject. This arises from the disposition of the Indians to wrap themselves up in a close reserve before the Whites, VOL. II. (1842.) No. II.

M

-at least all of them, with whom they have not become familiarized by long intercourse. Rapid observers, such as all travellers are, see little except this assumed exterior, which is intended to conceal, perhaps to mislead. And it is most naturally impenetrable in proportion to the inquisitiveness which assails it. Yet some things remain to meet the eye of patient and discriminating inquiry, which lend clues when no positive guide can be found. It is true that such materials for illustration have in very many instances appeared, rather as the result of casual than of professional and enlightened research. It is only within late years that systematic inquiries, for example, into the curious principles of the languages and intellectual character of the Red men have been made; while these efforts have been due, almost entirely to individual enterprise. No doubt literary associations have been called to act, but rather as auxiliaries than principals, in these researches. One of the most promising of these has been the American Antiquarian Society, which commenced with the monumental history of the Indians, particularly west of the Alleghanies. But not to trouble ourselves with naming with any degree of fulness or precision many of the societies or the individuals who have set forward in the great American field of antiquity, we may mention that one of these labourers, Mr. Schoolcraft, a Superintendant under the government of the United States in the Indian Department, who besides the opportunities he thus enjoyed of making researches among the Aborigines, was enabled by a marriage to a lady of Indian descent, to cultivate a most intimate familiarity with the native tribes,-has devoted the most zealous attention to the "Mental Characteristics of the North American Indians," having published some time ago a number of "Oral Tales," as fruits of his researches and studies, gathered from friendly and related natives, at his own fireside and elsewhere, when the parties had thrown off the reserve habitual to them under most connexions with the Whites.

Mr. Schoolcraft says, in the work mentioned, that he has made collections respecting the Indians which furnish materials "for separate observations on their oral traditions, fictitious and historical; their hieroglyphics, music, and poetry; and the grammatical structure of the languages, their principles of combination, and the actual state of their vocabulary." How far, since the publication of the "Oral Tales," he has proceeded with his labours, or with making their results the subject of new volumes, we know not: but we have mentioned these circumstances and his case in order to support the opinion, that materials exist which may enable patient and skilful students to ascertain with considerable accuracy, in the course of the inbringing of the harvest, not only what are the mythological opinions and the intellectual features of the Indians at recent periods, but what was the condition of their mind, tastes, and history in the primeval ages.

Mounds and ditches very conclusively show the sites of ancient labour. A clay pot, or an arrow head, clearly enough demonstrates the state of the arts among the people who used these articles. But oral language seems to be the chief object which can, in any degree, supply literary data about a people who are wholly destitute of books. It enables us, in a manner, to speak with by-gone generations, by supplying facts for analogy and comparison; and the inquiry is, the nearest equivalent which rude nations present for literature. We may put by Indian tradition, as not entitled to respect, after the lapse of a few generations from any given era, and as wholly inadequate to furnish a clue to their ancient migration and origin. And still less can be gleaned from their hieroglyphics, which have been written, as they still continue to be, not on stone, as in Egypt, but upon wood and bark. Their paintings, or rather their stainings, on rocks have been but partially examined. Nor have we such descriptions of their implements of stone, baked earth, bone, wood, and copper, as seem sufficient for a true understanding of the ancient state of arts among them. We therefore incline to think that the most enduring, intelligible, and abundant "monuments" which the Indian tribes possess, are to be sought in their language, in their language both as studied according to its sounds and syntax, and as couched in their tales and legends.

A collection of legends or traditions made amongst a number of aboriginal tribes may convey a body of informing hints with regard to the remote history of such a people. But we do not so much allude to the direct nature of these hints, as if they were to be trusted to like faithful and precise records of events; but to the conclusions to which they may lead as monumental signs. Language we hold to be the strongest and the most lasting affiliation between nations. It may be modified, it may be obscured, until all obvious traces of connexion are lost. But the patient investigator will ere long discover hidden relationships. For example, Mr. Schoolcraft has been enabled to ascertain affiliations between tribes, by the hints afforded in language, which congregate such tribes into larger classes than was previously admitted.

Again, with regard to the affinity of nations, as proved or illustrated by sounds and syntax, there are to be found in the principles of language most remarkable evidences and tests. Mr. Jefferson has observed that the best proof of such an affinity is contained in their languages, and that a knowledge of the dialects spoken by the American tribes would afford the most certain testimony with regard to their origin. He regrets that so many of the earlier tribes had been suffered to pass away, without there having been collected and recorded the requisite data on this head, for literary purposes. "Were vocabularies formed," he adds, " of all the languages spoken in North and South America, preserving their appellations of the

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