the Jesuit. In burning words, he described to him the passion which filled his soul, and declared

re.

make him forget thy birth, if we could give him a large sum of gold; but neither you nor I posa thousand times that death alone could extin-sess this valuable metal". guish it; that he was ready to undertake every "Gold!" hastily rejoined Camire, throwing thing to become worthy of her hand, and con- his arms round the old man's neck, cluded by asking his assistance to attain thisjoice my father! it only depends on me to prohappiness. cure some; the mountains where I formerly lived are filled with it; I know the road which leads to it. I will fetch as much gold as you desire; you shall offer it the Governor, and for so vile a gift he will bestow on me the most beautiful, the most virtuous being of the universe; and this fatal metal, which has been the cause of so many crimes, will still make two people happy.”

Maldonado listened to him with grief. "Oh! my son," said he, "how you afflict me, and how many evils do you prepare for yourself. You, who are acquainted with our morals, our cusoms, our respect for birth, and our passion for riches, can you suppose that the Governor of Paraguay will consent to bestow his daughter on a stranger !—an unknown, who possesses nothing; and whose project is, after my death, to go and live among the savages his brethren. The contempt in which you hold the vain idols which corrupted men adore I have not sought to combat in you, my son-I have held it sacred; but when a human being pretends, my dear Camire, to be above the errors inherent to humanity, he must renounce love: for that passion is sufficient to place us within the reach of all the prejudices of mortals, and all the caprices of fortuue. You excite my pity, my child! all remedies and advice are at present useless; it is hope that you stand in need of, and my affection would vainly seek to mislead me a while in order to deceive you. I only know of one method which might succeed the Governor's avarice might perhaps

The good Jesuit, whose heart always beat at the sound of happiness, shared his son's joy. The next day he repaired to Pedreras; but knowing well the character of him he wished to gain over, thought he might be allowed to employ a little cunning. He began by speaking of the difficulty of establishing Angelina in a way suitable to her birth; he then made him understand that by dispensing with nobility she would find husbands that would consider themselves very happy to lay a large fortune at her feet, and even to pay the uncle for the honour of his alliance; and seeing this overture did not displease Pedreras, he concluded by proposing his pupil, with an hundred thousand ducats.

[To be continued.]

E. R.

A TOUR THROUGII HOLLAND,'

Along the Right and Left Banks of the Rhine, to the South of Germany, by Sir John Carr, Author of the Stranger in Ireland; a Tour round the Baltic, &c. Phillips, June 1807.

THE extraordinary successes of the French have, for some time past, almost entirely close the avenues of the Continent against us; w have heard but little, and that very imperfectly, of the internal policy of those countries which have unhappily fallen under French domination; or, what is equally fatal in its result, under French influence. It is with pleasure, therefore, we turn our attention to a Tour made so lately as during last summer and autumn in that part of Europe, in which the arms or terror of the enemy have so irresistibly prevailed.

This must be our apology for giving, contrary to our practice, an account of this work in the present place.

A short time before Sir John Carr visited Holand, the Dutch, who seem to have been long destined to the broils of war and a variety of revolutions, experienced a new political change; they beheld their government transmuted from a republic into a kingdom, and a new dynasty of princes created for them by that wonderful and malignant spirit which has so long embroiled the repose of the world.

Our Tourist also continued his route along the right and left bank of the Rhine, the latter of which now forms the frontier of the French empire towards Germany; and also through several of the sovereignties which have been incorporated into a confederation, by which the imperial dig

nity so long exercised by the house of Austria in Germany has been annihilated, and Bonaparte declared chief of a new circle of feudatory princes.

In the preface, Sir John Carr states that the Tour was taken amidst many untoward and embarrassing circumstances, the melancholy effec: of war, and therefore trusts that his pages will be perused with indulgent candour. It will naturally be asked under what protection the author ventured upon a foreign and a hostile shore; this we know not better how to explain than in the author's own words, "the public shall be my confessor." "In the summer of the last year, whilst the larger portion of the civilized world was anxiously awaiting the result of our sincere negotiations for a peace, which, alas! the crafty Ministers of Napoleon never intended should be other than mere "Romans politiques." The desire of contemplating a country and a race of people to me entirely new, induced me to trespass upon their shores. I resolved upon visiting Holland, although in a state of reluctant war with my own country, of a war which yet permitted to her commerce a few stolen embraces with that of England, and which forced many a pursy Dutchman to lament the separation, and in the narcotic atsmosphere of his consoling pipe, wish for better times. In gratifying my wishes, I was guilty of assuming a character respected in every country, as well for its being most wisely and profitably at peace with all the world, as for its integrity and enterprize.

"I became an American, and by an act of temporary adoption fixed upon Baltimore, in North America, as the place of my nativity." Our author also observes, "The stratagem, if not perfectly blameless, was at least intended to be an inofensive one, I had no hopes of a peace, and consequently none of seeing Holland in a more regular mode.

"I went not to investigate the nakedness of the land, and by availing myself of its confidence to penetrate the military depôts, the deck, and arsenal of a country not in amity with my own. I abhor the character of the spy moving in a friendly garb, however useful his treachery may be to his employers. My. imposition extended no further than to enable me to make a picturesque tour through an almost aqueous kingdom, to view its natives in their ordinary habits, to glide upon their liquid roads, to saunter in their green avenues and flourishing gardens, and trace the wonderful results of that daring and indefatigable ingenuity, which has raised the permanent habitation of man in the ocean, and made successful inroads upon the physical order of the universe." After such a confession, we shall not withhold our absolution.

ing is properly noticed, particularly the singular manner in which nearly all the houses are built, so as to lean considerably forward in the street, which we do not recollect being noticed by other travellers. We also find (what is generally con|| sidered to be otherwise) that mendicity exists in Holland as well as in other countries. Upon this subject Sir John Carr remarks: "I soon found that the received opinion of there being no beggars in Holland, is perfectly erroneous. I was frequently beset by those sons and daughters of sorrow or idleness, who preferred their petition with indefatigable pursuit, but in so gentle tone, that it was evident they were fearful of the police." In his account of this city, some curious and interesting anecdotes are given of the family just raised to the throne of Holland, to which we refer our readers. In speaking of the Dutch language, our au hor observes: "It is generally understood that the language of Holland is divided into High and Low Dutch, whereas there is but one pure language as in England, which is called Neder Dutch; the language of the Netherlands, or of a country lying very low. In Holland, as in every o her country, there is a variety of provincial idioms; for instance, a raw native of Friczland would not be understood at Amsterdam." The Dutch have been long celebrated for the harmony of their chimes, or as they are called carillons, of which the following interesting account is given: "This species of music is entirely of Dutch origin, and in Holland, and in the countries that formerly belonged to her, can only be heard in great perfection.

"The French and Italians have never imitated the Dutch in this taste; we have made the attempt in some of our churches, but in such a miserably bungling manner, that the nerves of even a Dutch skipper would scarcely be able to endure it. The carillons are played upon by means of keys, communicating with the bells, as those of the piano forte and organ do with strings and pipes, by a person called the Caril loneur, who is regularly instructed in the science; the labour of the practical part of which is very severe, he being almost always obliged to perform in his shirt with his collar unbuttoned, and generally forced by exertion into a profuse perspiration, some of the keys requiring two pounds weight to depress them. After the performance the carilloneur is frequently obliged immediately to go to bed. By pedals, communicating with the great bells, he is enabled with his feet to play the base to several sprightly and even difficult airs, which he performs with both his hands upon the upper species of keys, which are projecting sticks, wide enough asunder to be struck with violence and celerity by either of the two hands

At Rotterdam, every object particularly strik-edgeways, without the danger of hitting either

of the adjoining keys. The player uses a thick || standing the severity of British blockades,

leather covering for the little finger of each hand, to prevent the excessive pain which the violence of the stroke necessary to produce sufficient sound requires. These musicians are very dexterous, and will play pieces in three parts, producing the first and second treble with the two hands on the upper set of keys and the base, as before described By this invention a whole town is enter tained in every quarter of it; that spirit of industry which pervades the kingdom, no doubt originally suggested this sudorific mode of amusing a large population, without making it necessary for them to quit their avocations one moment to enjoy it. The British army was equally surprised and gratified by hearing upon the carillons of the principal church of Alkmaar their favourite air of "God save the King," played in a masterly manner as they entered that town." Sir John Carr observes that the same thrifty spirit, united to the beneficial effects of public and expanded education, preserved the monuments and works of art in Holland from violence during the fury of the revolution which annihilated the Stadtholderate.

An interesting account is given of the revolution, which changed the republic into a royal government. In the new constitution, which is given nearly at full length, (and which, by the bye, unnecessarily swells the volume), we notice the following striking features: the guarantee of the national debt; the free and unqualified exercise of religion; the predominant, or, as we think, Sir John Carr ought to have called it, the despotic authority vested in the King. The esta blishment of the Salique law, that only natives shall be eligible to any offices under the state, exclusive of those immediately appertaining to the King's household; that the royal revenue shall be two millions of florins, or about two hundred thousand pounds; and that the royal palaces shall be confined to three; namely, the Hague, the Houses in the Wood, and at Soetdyke. As this constitution has not yet had time to shew whether its fruits will be palatable to the Dutch or not, the author contents himself with merely, and we may add perhaps unnecessarily, submitting it to the comment of his readers.

The descriptions of the several towns through which Sir John Carr passed, are enlivened with brief but interesting, and not generally known, anecdotes of the most distinguished among the Dutch painters.

It appears that the Hague has materially suf fered by the revolution, much more so than the commercial towns, owing to the resources which they derived from a high and unsubdued spirit of commerce and enterprize, notwith

and the vigilance of British cruisers. We also find that the universities here participated in the melancholy effects of war, which has very much reduced the number of its students, by attracting them to the army.

The principal objects in Amsterdam are briefly noticed. In the description of the Stadt House, there is a curious account of the prisons and the state of the prisoners confined in dungeons, which form part of the foundation of that stupendous pile, which must prove interesting to every humane reader.

Of the canals in this great city our author thus speaks:-"the canals of this city are very convenient, but many of them mest offensively im pure; the uniform greenness of which is checquered only by dead cats, dogs, offal, and vegetable substances of every kind, which are left to putrify at the top, until the canal scavengers remove them; the barges used on these occasions present a very disgusting appearance; the mud which is raised by them forms most excel|| leat manure, and the sum it fetches in Brabant is calculated to be equal to the expence of the voyage. Some of the most eminent Dutch physicians maintain, that the effluvia arising from the floating animal and vegetable matter of these canals is not injurious, and in proof, during a contagious fever which ravaged this city, it was observed that the inhabitants who resided nearest the foulest canals were not infected, whilst those who lived near pure water only in few instances escaped; but this by no means confirms the asser. tion, because those inhabitants who lived adjoin. ing to foul canals were inured to its contagion, from its habitual application; for the same reason medical men and nurses generally escape infection, from being so constantly exposed to it."

The ladies of Holland are spoken of very handsomely by our Tourist, and are represented as observing the French fashions in their attire. There is a charming anecdote given in the account of the resuscitation societies, of the heroic humanity displayed by the present Emperor of Russia, in saving a poor fellow-creature from a watery grave in Lithuania. Our fair readers will smile at the account given of a very singular establishment, called the work-house of Amsterdam, where "husbands upon complaint of extravagance, drunkenness, &c. duly proved, send their wives to be confined, and receive the discipline of the house; and wives their husbands, for two, three, and four years together."

From Holland Sir John Carr departed for the Rhine, where he met with ample subjects for his pen and pencil.

In the beginning of Chap. 22. a singular adventure which occurred to the author, is related,

in which his liberty, if not his life, was in imminent peril, and displays by what artful stratagems the French police is supported.

A description of the principal cities on the right and left banks of the Rhine, and of their political and social state, since the horrors of war have been removed from them, is given. The author proceedert as far as Darmstadt, when hostilities, which were just commenced against Russia and the state of the Continent, obliged him to return.

The volume is embellished with twenty exquisite engravings by a distinguished artist, from drawings made on the spot by Sir John Carr, and is in no respect inferior to his other productions. Though in some instances the lively imagination of Sir John Carr leads him into the error of verbose composition, and words are sometimes more redundant than ideas; though the sober narrative of the traveller some.

|| times condescends to supply original information by the records of magazines and the collections of newspapers; and the simplicity of good sense yields to the unmeaning melody of poetic nonsense, yet will the lines of Sir John Carr not only amuse the hours of leisure, but improve those of thought.

When the "bird's eye view" which our author takes of a country is considered, the greatest credit is due to his industry and observation, and our wonder is excited, not at his opportunity to see so little, but at his ability to write so much. He appears indefatigable in his study of countries and manners, and his remarks and observations are in general well expressed, penetrating and just. Upon the whole, we recommend this work to the notice of all those who cultivate a spirit of inquiry, and are interested in the state and history of other nations.

AN HISTORICAL ESSAY ON THE SECRET TRIBUNALS IN GERMANY.

THE curiosity of the public was strongly excited some years since by the allusions that occur in Hermann of Unna, and several other novels, to a powerful society, once existing in Germany under the name of the Secret Tribunals. || As no satisfactory account has hitherto been given of the nature and origin of this singular society, we have been led to suppose, that a brief narrative of its institution and original tendency would, by no means, be displeasing. On this presumption we present it to our readers from the third volume of Veit Weber's (Sagen der Vorzeit) Traditions of Antient Times.

When after a war of thirty-three years, the Emperor Charles I. had subjected the Saxons to the sway of his sceptre, and compelled them to worship the cross, the conquered districts were divided by him into counties and bishoprics. On the conclusion of a peace, in the year 803, the Saxons, amongst other privileges, attained permission to retain their national laws, under the inspection of imperial judges (counts,) and to be entirely exempted from the control of the bishops, except in spiritual matters. Several counties and bishoprics composed a delegate county (send grafschaft), which was superintended by an imperial delegate (send-graf), whose office was to watch over the preservation of civil and ecclesiastic order, to unite the private and often clashing interests of the counts and bishops for the Emperor's service.

appeal from the country and provincial tribunals, and to give judgment, and enforce execution in cases relating to property, personal liberty, breach of the public peace, apostacy, and transgressions committed against the church, they sat in judgment three times a year, in an open field, when all the hereditary proprietors of the district were unexceptionally bound to appear. On these occasions, the ancient national laws of the Saxons, as well as the privileges and restrictions granted by the Emperor, were discussed, the lawful sales of estates confirmed, and all illegal actions committed since the last session, reported. On these heads, the community consulted the decrees of the law, and pronounced decisive sentence, provided every thing were perfectly clear, and no capital crime could be proved.

Illegal actions, at that time, were divided into such as admitted reparation, and such as did not (ablösliche, and unablösliche). The former, for instance, calumny, manslaughter, &c. might be compensated by fines, whilst the latter, treason, assassination, adultery, &c. were punished with death. In the latter class of offences were comprized, apostacy, sorcery, sacrilege, contempt of the christian festivals, profanation of christian tombs, and conspiracies against the worshippers of the cross. In all cases of this kind, the trial was begun in the public session, but concluded before a private or secret tribunal. The whole community, by right, should have pronounced Invested with the power to decide in matters of sentence in open court upon the guilty, but the