from the native arts, by the great disproportion of the refinements in the former to the general average of the country. ments of which he has given figures. At a future period many aboriginal curiosities will, probably, be discovered by the European colonists, in tilling the ground: Mr. Polack found several pieces of obsidian, or volcanic glass, while turning up a garden on his estate in the Bay of Islands, which doubtless were originally brought from the southward by the natives, for the purpose of making chisels and other implements from the sharp angular points of the chrystallized substance. The that part of the island appears to have ceased at a very remote period, in consequence of the incessant wars between the tribes. "When we examine barbarous nations, we no longer find the uniformity which is so evident in civilized countries; however low their condition may be, they usually possess one or two processes so far surpassing the intellectual condition of the people, that we can with difficulty believe them to be of native invention. The boomerang of the New Hollanders, for instance, is a weapon far sur-manufacture of such instruments from obsidian in passing Australian ingenuity; the peculiarities of its shape, and mode of use, are such as necessarily to involve a long series of projectile experiments, before it could have been brought to perfection; but the Australians, as we now find them, are utterly destitute of the contrivance, the observation, and the patience, which such experiments would require. It was for some time believed that this weapon was peculiar to the islands of the Southern seas, and consequently, that it must have been a native invention; but on examination of the pictured representations on the Egyptian | monuments, we find that a weapon similar to the boomerang was employed by those who hunted water-birds on the Nile; and allusions to a missile of the same kind occur in the earlier Greek poets. "The advance in the arts among barbarians is usually found in weapons of war, or instruments of music. The contrast is very striking between the elaborate workmanship of a New Zealand spear, and the clumsy appearance of one of their fish hooks; the wooden club or sword is a formidable weapon in the South seas: but the substitute for the spade is the most miserable inefficient implement that can well be imagined. But among the New Zealanders, proofs have been recently discovered of a greater advance in the mechanical arts having existed at an unknown age, than they were found to possess when first their country was visited by Europeans. "From time immemorial, the New Zealanders have been in the habit of burying with their dead the favourite axes, and implements of stone, that were highly prized by their chiefs, while in this state of existence. Some years ago, the removal of one of these articles would have been deemed an act of impious sacrilege; but this feeling is fast disappearing, and the priests, who alone know where these sacred cemetries are situated, generally die, keeping the secret. But in 1835, Mr. Polack informs us, an influential priest was bribed to dispose of an ancient adze, called toki pu tangata by the people: it was extremely ancient, and had been buried in sandy soil for many years; the place of its interment was only known to the priest, who had noted the spot by the branching of a particular tree called Rátá. We afterwards discovered that had the circumstance been known of the priest having sold it, probably the infuriate sticklers for sanctity would have sacrificed the seller to their resentment. The adze was formed of a blue granite, inserted in a handle of the rátá, or red pine wood, carved agreeably to native taste. The instrument, from disuse, is scarcely to be met with in the country.' An engraving of the adze is given in Mr. Polack's very interesting work; and both in beauty of execution, and adaptation to its purpose, it is obviously superior to any of the other mechanical imple * Manners of New Zealanders, i. 70. "It is impossible to look at the specimens we possess of the tattooing of the New Zealanders, and the ornamental carvings on their boats and door-posts, without feeling convinced that the figures must have had some symbolic signification, the sense of which is lost. It is generally known that the pattern for tattooing is not capricious, but that it has direct reference to the tribe and rank of the individual. Tribes,' says Mr. Polack, are known by such distinctive marks, and many chiefs, whose countenances have never been seen by a distant tribe, are known simply by the distinguishing mark which has been peculiarly engraved on their countenances. We had several opportunities of testing this fact, from having taken some likenesses of the chiefs residing at the north, and on shewing them to some families resident at a distance upwards of four hundred miles, they were immediately distinguished and named, though no connexion existed between these persons, nor had they even at any period seen each other. Yet to Europeans, unobservant of national characteristics, and to new comers in the country, the marks of the moko appear as if performed by the same person from the same pattern, but the contrary is the fact, an exceedingly marked difference exists.' In another place he says, 'tattooing is the sign-manual and crest of a native chief. In title-deeds of land purchases, or receipts, of any description, the moko, or fac-similes, on the face of a chief, are correctly represented by him on paper. The initials, or crest on the seal, attached to the watch, or ring, of a Eurepean, is accounted by a native as the moko of its owner." But the portion of this extremely diversified work that we confess struck us with most interest, is that having direct or inferential reference to the traces of lost civili zation. "The infectious disorders which, in moments of profound peace, we have unfortunately introduced, have proved infinitely more destructive and merciless than our engines of war. By the smallpox alone it has been computed that half the Indian population of North America has been swept away. There is something particularly affecting in the idea of the inhabitants, even of a wigwam, being suddenly attacked by something from the Old World, which, almost on the selfsame day, has rendered them all incapable of providing for each other or even for themselves; and it is dreadful to consider in how many instances, by the simultaneous death of the adults, the young and helpless must have been left in the lone wilder ness to starve!' "Not only whole families,' continues the Re | naturally drive some of them to attempt tillage; but instead of making the attempt to teach the Indians a new means of obtaining subsistence, the Americans adopt the easy expedient of driving them beyond the frontiers, to enjoy temporary rest, until a new race of backwoodsmen shoulder their axes and 'go ahead' into this new territory." "Lexical conformity, that is, agreement between words, does not exist; but an examination of the structure pervading all the American languages, has established beyond all doubt, that they all form one individual family, closely knitted together in all its parts by the most essential of ties, gram viewer, but whole tribes, have been almost extinguished by this single disease, which is supposed to have proved fatal to at least seven millions of Indians. The Pawnee nation have been reduced by it from 25,000 to 10,000. When Mr. Catlin lately visited the Mandan tribe, it consisted of 2000 people, particularly distinguished by their handsome appearance, and by their high character for courage and probity. They received him with affectionate kindness, and not only admitted him to all their most secret mysteries, but installed him amongthe learned of their tribe, and afforded him every possible assistance. He had scarcely left them, when two of the fur traders unintentionally in-matical analogy. 'This analogy,' says Dr. Wisefected them with the small-pox, which caused the death of the whole tribe! Not an individual has survived; and had not Mr. Catlin felt deep and honourable interest in their fate, it is more than probable it never would have reached the coast of the Atlantic, or been recorded in history. And thus, by a single calamity, has been swept away a whole nation, respecting whom it was proverbial among the traders, that never had the Mandans been known to kill a white man !' But disease, however infectious, has not been so destructive in its influence as the introduction of ardent spirits, which has been sanctioned and encouraged by the American government, and defended by some public writers who affect to be greatly shocked at the British smuggling of opium into China. From the moment that the Indian, tastes the infernal fire-water,' he is a ruined man. Even in our own country, with all the moral restraints resulting from a high state of civilization, a habitual drunkard is universally deemed irreclaimable. But the uneducated savage, who has never been trained to check any impulse or control any passion, yields to the temptation at once; his strength decays, his health declines, his intellect suffers, his moral powers are overthrown —,and the being, thus degraded, is brought before us, and we are gravely asked, does such a creature possess capacities for civilization? Could men of this race have devised and erected structures which we, with all the means and appliances of modern art, can scarcely surpass? "Before we answer such a question-before we affirm that capacity for improvement is denied to any race of created men, we demand that the aborigines should be presented to us such as they were found by William Penn and his associates, not such as they have been made by the six or eight hundred traders scattered over the prairies; many, or rather most of whom have fled as outlaws from the world for the most horrible erimes, and who are daily employed in deluging the poor Indians with whiskey, in order to obtain their peltries for an indadequate consideration. An extensive and well-devised system has been framed for the demoralization, the degradation, and the final extermination of the aborigines of North America, and those who are ruthlessly carrying on the operation, tell us that because a race has declined it can never be improved. But the very fact of the Indians having become degraded is a clear proof that their intellect is not stationary. The fact that they have received corruption, is evidence that they are susceptible of amelioration. We have already shewn that it is far more difficult to civilize hunting than agricultural tribes; but we not did say that the case of the hunters was utterly hopeless. As enclosed and cultivated land extends, the sheer pressure of want would man, is not of a vague, indefinite kind, but complex in the extreme, and affecting the most necessary and elementary parts of grammar; for it consists chiefly in the peculiar methods of modifying conjugationally the meanings and relations of verbs by the insertion of syllables; and this form led the late W. von Humboldt to give the American languages a family name, as forming their conjugations by what he termed aggluti nation.' "Nor is this analogy partial; it extends over both the great divisions of the New World, and gives a family air to languages spoken under the torrid and arctic zones by the wildest and more civilized tribes. This wonderful uniformity,' says Malte Brun, in the peculiar manner of forming the conjugations of verbs from one extremity of America to the other, favours in a singular manner, the supposition of a primitive people, which formed the common stock of the American indigenous nations.' The languages of the New World, therefore, when carefully examined, instead of proving diversity of origin, exhibit on the contrary divergence from a common centre of civilization. But "There was, no doubt, a marked difference between the religious systems of the Mexicans and Peruvians: that of the former was gloomy, sanguinary, and based upon fear; that of the latter was cheerful, mild, and founded upon love. this marked dissimilitude by no means proves that the two systems may not have been derived from the same root. There is just the same difference between the two great sects of India; the worshippers of Vishnu the Preserver, and of Siva the Destroyer. Both religions were elementary ; that is, they were based on the worship of some object, power, or principle of nature; either physical objects, as the sun, the moon, the earth, etc., or abstractions, as the creating, preserving, and destroying; or, what seems to have been most usual, the object and the principle may have been combined, and the physical phenomena worshipped mainly, or only, as the expressions of a creating or destroying power. From this common starting point, it is very possible to derive the most oppo site creeds, according to the prevalence of grati tude or fear in the minds of those by whom the first elements are wrought into a system. Aud the system of sacrifice adopted by a nation will at once shew which principle has prevailed in the developement of its religion, for sacrifices may be either offerings to testify love, or bribes to avert danger. Wherever there is an organized priesthood, and especially where there is a sacerdotal caste, we find the more gloomy creed and the cruel weakened the sacerdotal power, a tendency to a ritual prevalent; but where circumstances have more cheerful faith and milder observances becomes manifest. The religion of colonies generally exhibits this improvement on the creed and worship of the parent state. The Carthaginians brought the worship of Moloch with them from Palestine, but they never indulged in such sanguinary rites as were used by their ancestors in Canaan. It was among the Grecian colonies of Asia Minor, that the Hellenic religion assumed the poetic form in which it is presented to us by Homer, for in the dramatic poets, and particularly in Eschylus, we find traces of a darker creed, which favoured human sacrifices. In the countries adjacent to Hindústan, which indubitably derived their religion along with the first elements of civilization from India, it is not Brahminism which prevails, but Buddhism, a mixed political and philosophical reform of the ancient Hindú faith. "The difference between the religious systems of Mexico and Peru is not, in fact, greater than that between those of India and Ceylon, or Brahminism and Buddhism. It is a singular coincidence that the Peruvians had one Buddhistic notion prominent in their creed, the successive incarnations of Deity in the persons of their rulers; there is a perfect similarity between the attributes of the Incas of Peru and the Lamas of Tibet. It deserves to be added, that in the provinces where the empire of the Incas was not established, human sacrifices were as common as in Mexico. "When we comppre two systems of religion, which were originally derived from the same elements, but which became wholly different in the course of their respective developements,-such for instance as the creeds of the Pelasgi and the Hellenes, of the Brahmins and the Bhuddhists, and most probably of the Mexicans and Peruvians,-we shall find that the system which most closely assimilated the deities to human form was the most favourable to purity of morals and developement of intellectual power. In Asia, where the human form was attributed to the gods, it was but a secondary affair; the indispensable means of presenting them to the senses, and nothing more. Hence the greater part of the Asiatic nations never hesitated to depart from the human form, or to disfigure it, in order to strengthen the symbolical representation. The Hindu makes no scruple of giving his gods twenty arms; the Phrygian Diana had as many breasts; the Egyptians gave their deities the heads of birds and beasts. All these disfigurations have a common origin; the human form was but a subordinate object, the chief aim was a more distinct designation of the symbol." STANZAS. Where is gone the radiant lightness, Like a lute whose tones are dead; All is wither'd, silent, shaded. Where have boyhood's feelings fied? What though deep we drain the wine-cup- Often when the look is proudest, And song and jest when circling most free- Oh! how oft are bitter mockery! Ghosts of boyhood's feeling fied! F. HERNANI. Ar length the wished-for day arrived, and I received my discharge from the Legion. A vessel was to sail from Santandre on the third day for London, and having made all my arrangements to set out next morning for that port, in order to be ready for embarkation, I sallied out towards evening to take a last survey of the position of the contending armies, and to bid farewell to my less fortunate companions. of all. In my early days of service with the British Legion, I recollected him, though evidently shaken in health, and with the gloom of some unforgotten sorrow graven on his face; yet, an active and most efficient officer. But a few months in the service of Queen Christina had made a woful change in his appearance. He had advanced to middle age, and had held a commission in the British army; but he had been long retired from the service, and had lived for several years in a comfortable and contented home, whence he had been driven, I could learn, by unexpected and undeserved misfortune. Many an actor in scenes of youthful folly and un I advanced a little way in front of our position, and being wearied by my necessary preparations during the day, weakened as I was by want of sufficient nourishment, and the hardships which all of us had undergone, I sat down at the foot of a tree to rest my-deserved afflictions, were assembled in that self and look about me. I had been so long seated that the shades of night were closing over the scene; and though my eyes had at first been fixed on the opposing lines of Don Carlos, I must confess that my every thought, nay, even my very consciousness of being, had wandered away many many miles to my home and my friends, whom I hoped so soon to revisit. I sat so long that at last it became necessary to think of retiring, when my former captain approached the spot, and leaned against the tree beside me. 66 Sayers," said he, "I am worn out utterly. Another week of this kind of life will end my troubles. The flesh is worn from my bones by sickness, hardships, and privations, and I am required to go on an advanced picket to night, whilst my limbs are scarcely able to support me. I observed you sitting here, and with difficulty dragged myself so far. I did not wish to interrupt you before, for I too have known the luxury of such anticipations as you now enjoy; the truest, the best, perhaps the only joys, which many men are fated to enjoy, but"-he ceased abruptly, and a sigh, such as comes but once from the breast of man, explained the rest too truly. With an altered tone he continued, "could you take this night's duty for me, for I am utterly unable ?” Hayden was one of those men, who, with scarce an obvious effort of their own, steal into the affections of all who, in the turmoil of life, still preserve some traces of our earlier and better nature. Kind, generous, mild, and brave, he was the unpretending friend collection of thoughtless boys and disappointed men,-those for whom life was still untried, and those who had found its young hopes deceitful. His habits of retirement, and his advancing years, had rendered Hayden unfit for such a campaign as we had encountered; and if I, in the vigour of youth, and with a strong constitution, was forced to admit that my spirit was broken and my strength exhausted, it is easy to conceive what must have been the sufferings of Hayden. Under these circuumstances, I should have been willing enough to oblige him in this instance, but I dreaded some entanglement which might delay my so much wished for departure-therefore I answered. "What have I to do with pickets or duties now; you know I have got my discharge, and am about to set out for home to-morrow." "Ah, I know that," said he," and a fortunate fellow you are, to be able to quit this land, and happier still to have a home to go to," and he sighed deeply-"nevertheless," he continued, "you might do me this one service to night, the last probably which man shall do me, unless I may be lucky enough to find some one, to rake a little of this Spanish earth over my bones." I was deeply affected by the tone of utter desolation in which these words were spoken, and, whatever might be the result, I could hold out no longer. "Well," I said, "if you get the directions from the orderly-room to that effect, I have no objection to do so much for you, under a clear understanding, however, that | been used to little better at home, and saw no I act as your substitute only." As I arose great changes for the worse in those circumfrom my seat to accompany him to the stances, which had put our better nurtured rear, Hayden grasped me by the hand, and English almost hors de combat. With the I could see the tears gush from his eyes, as aid of these, some bushes were collected, he gazed into my face. He spoke not a and a fire made on the ground floor; I word, and I felt in my soul, that a noble stretched myself down beside it, to wear away heart was breaking. Supporting his totter- the time with reflection. ing steps, we proceeded to the rear. The necessary order was got; and having conveyed Hayden to his comfortless hut, and laid him on his bed of damp straw, I proceeded to unpack my sword, which, after events will show, was never destined to ornament that hook over my aunt's mantlepiece, for which I intended it; and rolling myself in my watch-coat, with the twenty men who were appointed for the duty, I proceeded to our picket station. The position in which I now found myself was our most advanced post, and right in front of the enemy's centre. It was a small cottage, standing by itself, with only a few bushes and the remains of a garden hedge behind it, the front being quite exposed, and almost in line with a small battery of the enemy. It was clear to me that this was a position which I could not long hold, if the Carlist leader had any wish to dislodge me; and our leaders seemed to be pretty much of the same opinion, as they had erected an earthen breastwork, with a shallow trench before it, about a hundred yards behind the house, which should serve as a place of retreat in case of attack, and a rallying point from which to check the advance of the enemy. However, I had nothing for it but to make the best of circumstances, such as they were. So, having planted the sentries, I proceeded to make myself as comfortable as I could. There was a loft to the cottage, which was gained by a trap-door and a ladder; thither the main body of the guard ascended, and having stretched themselves along the boards, were immediately buried in sleep. Amongst those whom I now commanded, there were three or four Irishmen, and it was astonishing to observe what spirit and activity these men still manifested. They had suffered the same hardship as the rest, and from their utter carelessness had, I think, endured still greater privations. There was scarcely an appearance of flesh on their limbs; yet, notwithstanding all, whilst the rest of the Legion were, in truth, totally unfit for duty, they were active and sprightly, and still exhibited their national vivacity. Why, I cannot tell, but so it was, as every one knows who witnessed the scenes of the late Spanish warfare; but perhaps the poor fellows had It was a The first two hours passed without any alarm; and having roused up my Irish friends, who were stretched beside the fire, I proceeded to relieve the sentinels outside. clear star-lit night, through which objects could be seen, though indistinctly, at some distance. Every thing seemed quiet in the camp of the enemy, and having gone my rounds and discovered nothing to excite attention I returned again to my quarters. The relieved men, fortunately for themselves, overcome as they were with watching and fatigue, did not care to ascend to their comrades above, but flung themselves on the floor, and were immediately one and all sound asleep. I lay down beside them to continue my melancholy ruminations; and, truly, no one ever did "chew the cud" of reflection more bitterly than I did then. I thought of the day when I was about to make application for a commission, at the Spanish office in the West Strand. How, with a friend who had likewise the same object in view, and the same anxious hopes as myself, I walked for more than an hour up and down the southern Arcade, awaiting the opening of those doors within which were soon to be determined the fates of so many anxious expectants. How we did talk of what was to come; and what visions of future joy passed before us;honours and wealth, the well-earned rewards of merit and success. And when those doors were opened, how eagerly did we rush in with the rest, who thronged the lobby and the stairs. There were men of middle age, young men, and many whom I may call boys, all eager for the same object, which unpropitious fate suffered many to succeed in; and when one more favoured than the rest re-appeared from the folding doors, within which the distributor of (as we thought) fortune's chosen favours was ensconced, with smiling face, and the credentials of success in his hand, how he was stared at, as if the embryo of some future Wellington or Napoleon! Yet, where are they now? Many mouldering amongst the rocks and wilds of Spain, and many gone home shorn of their limbs, broken in spirit, and ruined in constitution-veterans at eighteen, to be nursed by their friends, whose fondest hope was to see them push their own way with credit through the world. Well, |