presses and necessities, earning their bread as underlings in the royal English navy.

"But, above all, my Lord, I think I see our ancient mother, Caledonia, like Cæsar, sitting in the midst of our senate, ruefully looking round about her, covering herself with her royal garment, waiting the fatal blow, and breathing out her last," looking to where the squadron (a soi-disant independent party) sat, "with an et tu quoque, mi fili !”

Following up the affecting image thus presented to his hearers, he proceeded to charge the advocates for the union with conspiring to give the death-blow to their country; and called on all who would avoid participating in the damned guilt, to join with him in protecting it from violation.

"Shall we not," he exclaimed, "speak for that for which our fathers have fought and bled? Shall the hazard of a father unbind the ligaments of a dumb son's tongue? And shall we be silent when our more than father-our country, is in danger?"

After speaking for some time in the same strain, he made a solemn pause.

My lord," he said, "I shall here make a pause, till I see if his grace, the lord commissioner, will receive any proposals for removing misunderstandings from amongst us, and putting an end to our fatal divisions. Upon honour, I have no other design; and I am content to beg the favour on my bended knees."

He stopped, and threw himself upon his knees. None interposed. He could expect none to interpose; but the impression upon the house was very powerful. He then arose, and finished his speech.

A considerable time elapsed before any member on the opposite side attempted to speak. At length, the Earl of Marchmont rose, and said, "My Lord Chancellor, and gentlemen, I have heard a long speech, and a very terrible one; but it only requires, I think, this short reply: Behold, I dreamed; but, when I awoke, lo! I found it was all a dream!"

NAVAL ORATORY.

Admiral Blake, when a captain, was sent with a small squadron to the West Indies, on a secret expedition against the Spanish settlements. It happened in an engagement, that one of the ships blew up, which damped the spirits of the crew; but Blake, who was not to be subdued by one unsuccessful occurrence, called out to his men, "Well, my lads, you have seen an English ship blown up; and now, let's see what figure a Spanish one will make in the same situation!" This well-timed harangue raised their spirits immediately, and in less than an hour he set his antagonist on fire. "There, my lads," said he, "I knew we should have our revenge soon."

LORD DUNCAN.

During the mutiny which unfortunately appeared to pervade almost the whole British navy, in 1797, Admiral Duncan was blockading the Dutch fleet. The disaffection raged to such an extent in his squadron, that he was left with only three ships, but with these he still remained firm in his station off the Texel, and succeeded in keeping the Dutch navy from proceeding to sea.

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The speech which he made on this occasion to the crew of his own ship, on the 3d of June, 1797, was an admirable specimen of artless and affecting eloquence. His men being assembled, the admiral thus addressed them from the quarter-deck : My lads, I once more call you together with a sorrowful heart, from what I have lately seen of the disaffection of the fleets; I call it disaffection, for the crews have no grievances. To be deserted by my fleet, in the face of an enemy, is a disgrace which I believe never before happened to a British admiral; nor could I have supposed it. My greatest comfort, under God, is, that 1 have been supported by the officers, seamen, and marines, of this ship; for which, with a heart overflowing with gratitude, I request you to accept my sincere thanks. I flatter myself much good may result from your example, by bringing those deluded people to a sense of the duty which they owe, not only to their king and country, but to themselves. The British navy has ever been the support of that liberty which has been handed down to us by our ancestors; and which, I trust, we shall maintain to the latest posterity, and that can only be done by unanimity and obediThe ship's company and others, who have distinguished themselves by their loyalty and good order, deserve to be, and doubtless will be, the favourites of a grateful country; they will also have from their individual feelings a comfort which must be lasting, and not like the fleeting and false confidence of those who swerved from their duty. It has often been my pride with you to look into the Texel, and see a foe which dreaded coming out to meet us. My pride is now humble indeed! My feelings are not easily to be

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expressed! Our cup has overflowed, and made us wanThe all-wise Providence has given us this check as a warning, and I hope we shall improve by it. On him, then, let us trust, where our only security can be found. I find there are many good nren among us; for my own part, I have had full confidence of all in this ship; and once more beg to express my approbation of your conduct. May God, who has thus so far conducted you, continue to do so! and may the British navy, the glory and support of our country, be restored to its wonted splendour, and be not only the bulwark of Britain, but the terror of the world! But this can only be effected by a strict adherence to our duty and obedience; and let us pray that the Almighty God may keep us in the right way of thinking. God bless you all." The crew of the Venerable were so affected by this impressive address, that on retiring there was not a dry eye among them.

LORD CHATHAM.

"I must tell thee, sirrah, I write Man, to which title age cannot bring thee."

SHAKESPEARE.

In the parliamentary session of 1740, Sir Charles Wager brought in a bill for the encouragement of seamen and speedier manning the royal navy, which was strongly opposed by Mr. Pitt. His speech on this occasion produced an answer from Mr. H. Walpole, who in the course of it said, "Formidable sounds and furious declamation, confident assertions and lofty periods, may affect the young and unexperienced; and perhaps the honourable gentleman may have

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contracted his habits of oratory, by conversing more with those of his own age than with such as have had more opportunities of acquiring knowledge, and more successful methods of communicating their sentiments." Mr. Walpole added some expressions, such as vehemence of gesture, theatrical emotion, &c. which he applied to Mr. Pitt's manner of speaking. As soon as he sat down, Mr. Pitt rose and made the following admirable reply:

"The atrocious crime of being a young man, which the honourable gentleman has with such spirit and decency charged upon me, I shall neither attempt to palliate or deny; but content myself with wishing, that I may be one whose follies may cease with their youth, and not of that number who are ignorant in spite of experience.

"Whether youth can be imputed to any man as a reproach, I will not assume the province of determining. But surely age may become justly contemptible, if the opportunities which it brings have passed away without improvement, and vice appears to prevail when the passions have subsided. The wretch that, after having seen the consequences of a thousand errors, continues still to blunder, aud whose age has only added obstinacy to stupidity, is surely the object of either abhorrence or contempt, and deserves not that his grey head should secure him from rebukes.

"Much more is he to be abhorred, who as he has advanced in age, has receded from virtue, and becomes more wicked with less temptation; who prostitutes himself for money which he cannot enjoy, and spends the remains of his life in the ruin of his country.