6 saddle hallooing to those within. Soon a venerable looking gentleman, apparently some sixty years old, and six and a half feet in height, made his appearance at the door. I inquired, 'Does Judge Preston reside here?' He responded, 'My name is Preston; who art thou? I gave him my name, told him I was a minister of the Gospel, and expressed a desire to preach at his house, or some where else in the vicinity. He elevated his head, and scanning me with a piercing look, said with startling emphasis, Art thou a predestinarian? If thou art, there is the road, thou mayest pass on; no Quakers here to be hung.' I told him I was a Methodist preacher, and that I neither believed in nor preached Calvinism. In the most cordial manner he then invited me into his house, and sent messengers throughout the neighborhood to give information that there would be preaching at his dwelling that evening. The result was a good congregation of attentive hearers. At the close of the service the judge arose from his seat, his eyes red with weeping, and entreated me to leave another appointment, which I did for four weeks from that day. When I came the second time I was received by the family with every mark of attention, and was greatly encouraged to see the house filled with interested hearers. In the opening exercises I read the ninth chapter of the epistle to the Romans. I had not proceeded far when the judge arose, and with much feeling requested that I would not read that chapter, as the people would be much more benefited by hearing some other portion of the Bible. After a short pause, without any reply, I proceeded with the reading, observing, however, that the eyes of the congregation were turned toward the judge, who appeared much agitated. At the proper time I announced as my text Rom. ix, 22, 23: What if God, willing to show his wrath,' etc. When I had read it the judge, apparently overcome with emotion, instantly arose to his feet and said: Stocking, thee had better not preach on that text; that is the very key to Calvinism; thee can find a far better text than that.' Pausing a while, I resumed the subject, when the judge, as if he could no longer control his pent up feelings, sprang to his feet and poured forth a torrent of invective, calling in question the truth of the chapter, alleging that it was the key to Calvinism, that St. Paul was mistaken when he wrote it, and insisting that I should not preach on it. I respectfully requested the judge to be quiet and permit me to proceed. The people were now in the highest state of excitement, when his daughter, who was seated by his side, took hold of the skirt of his coat and earnestly entreated him to be seated and quietly listen to the preacher. After giving him the most positive assurance that the doctrines of Calvinism should not be advocated, I was permitted to conclude my sermon without further molestation. The service seemed to give good satisfaction to all, not excepting even the judge." There was perhaps a little more of the comical in this scene than was frequent, especially during the hours of public worship, in those early days. Still, strange things did often occur in connection with the labors of the first intinerants, with which it were easy to fill a volume, and of which the reader will find an entertaining variety in Dr. Peck's history. The "orthodoxy" of the judge, however, who is the hero of the scene so graphically described, we think not a little questionable. It would seem much more probable that he was an incipient Hicksite than an orthodox Quaker. Be this as it may, all must admit that he had singular notions, learned though he may have been, of what becomes the house and worship of God. Even these mirth-provoking scenes had, however, under the wise and be nignant economy of Heaven, their use. They were doubtless often beneficial even to the men who were, at the moment, most annoyed by them. Destitute, tempted, persecuted, worn down, without any certain dwelling-place, they were in constant danger of falling into despondency, if not utter discouragement. But by a kind of counter blow upon their feelings, even in the possible absence of higher motives and better influences, these ludicrous scenes often gave an upward direction to their animal spirits, and thus counteracted any existing tendencies to a morbid melancholy. At any rate, it is a historic fact that no men were ever more uniformly cheerful, more perfectly free from hypochondria, than these same care-worn and suffering itinerants. Underlying the whole, there was, doubtless, unyielding religious principle, there was strong faith, there was an unshaken trust in God, as well as quenchless love for humanity. But, at the same time, it is in exact harmony with God's visible mode of procedure to suppose that he may, and often does, make merely natural means tributary to high moral ends. The history of early Methodism in Old Genesee, though somewhat miscellaneous and fragmentary, as all first histories-histories of recent events-necessarily are, is nevertheless a book of great merit. It is in the writer's best style. The author has not only taken great pains to collect materials, but has displayed his well-known skill in the use he makes of them. They are generally arranged with a master's hand. As is perfectly natural, the southern wing of the Conference in question receives a larger share of Dr. Peck's attention than any other portion of it. Methodism was first planted in the Wyoming Valley, and consequently had a longer historical day there, and of course more historical material, than elsewhere in the specified field. In some sense, the Church in the Valley is "the mother of us all." From thence came our first evangelical supplies. Preachers from the South made their way to us through the Susquehanna Valley, a few years at least, before they were joined by those from the East, coming up through the Mohawk Valley. Besides, the author's longer residence and more ample acquaintance in Northern Pennsylvania gave him special advantages in acquiring historical data from that portion of the field. With the same facilities he would doubtless have known more, and consequently would have been enabled to say more, of the northern and western portions of our territory. As a first effort, however, at collecting and systematizing the more important facts and incidents in the history of this pregnant conference, Dr. Peck has done all one man could be expected to do. Other hands must now contribute to the common stock, so that the still future annalist may be supplied with material out of which to form a homogeneous and comprehensive whole. So far as Canada is concerned this work is now being done by a competent hand, whose annals, it is said, will open a rich mine of ministerial romance. Black River Conference, the northern wing of Old Genesee, should soon furnish her quota. When she shall have done so, and when the long-promised "Genesee Vine," by the Rev. Manly Tooker, shall hang out her ripened fruit, then Dr. Stevens will be fully furnished for his final volume. In the mean time let every one, who would be either instructed or amused, procure and read Dr. Peck's book. The romance, the pious chivalry, the heroic exploits of Early Methodism cannot fail to interest, whatever may be the reader's particular religious views. To those who cordially sympathize in the Wesleyan reformation, the perusal will be not only pleasing, but eminently profitable. We will only add that the volume before us is of the same form and style as that of Dr. Stevens's History of Methodism, and is a fine specimen of what Carlton & Porter are in the habit of doing at 200 Mulberry-street, New York. ART. V. VITTORIA COLONNA. Life of Vittoria Colonna. By T. ADOLPHUS TROLLOPE. New York: Sheldon & Co. Memoir of Vittoria Colonna. By JOHN T. HARFORD, Esq., D.C.L., F.R:S. London: Longman, Brown, Green, Longman, & Roberts. VITTORIA COLONNA, the most distinguished poetess of Italy, was born in 1490, two years before the discovery of the New World. The noble and princely house of Colonna, long the lords of great possessions, had recently been enriched by Martin, the Colonna Pope, the great uncle of Fabrizio, Vittoria's father, by the bestowment of many beautiful towns and castles in the hills to the east and southeast of the Campagna. It was in one of these, the Castle Gondolfo, on the wooded heights that overlook the picturesque town of Marino, that Vittoria was born. Her parents had chosen this charming spot among the hills that encircle the lovely lake of Albano to enjoy their first years of wedded life, and peace smiled on the land for the period, unusually long in those troublous times, of eight years. When Vittoria was four years of age, Charles VIII. of France, aided by the Colonnas, invaded Naples, was crowned king, and was speedily driven out of his newly-acquired kingdom by Ferdinand of Arragon. The new king, who reigned but little more than a year, to secure the continued adherence of the Colonnas, who now ranged themselves under his banners, betrothed Vittoria to the son of the Marquis of Pescara, Ferdinand d'Avalos, a child of her own age. The marquis died the following year, and the young Ferdinand, with his betrothed wife, was placed under the care of his eldest sister, Costunza d'Avalos, the widowed Duchessa di Francavilla. Well was it for Vittoria that she fell into such wise and gentle hands. So highly did Ferdinand esteem the duchess, that on the death of her husband he made her governor and chatelaine of Ischia, one of the most important posts in the kingdom. In addition to the prudence, energy, and fidelity necessary for such a trust, her intellectual culture well qualified her to direct the education of children born to high destinies. Vittoria in after years recurs with fond affection to her memories of this romantic isle. A safe and sheltered home it proved for the Roman girl, whose birthplace would have afforded her no sufficient protection. The order for its destruction was issued by Pope Alexander Borgia in 1501, but it seems not to have been executed, as we read that the pretty town of Marino was burned by order of Clement VII. in 1526. We have scarce any record of Vittoria's childhood and youth, which passed in great tranquillity. One noteworthy event occurred when she was eleven years of age. Her father then visited the island in company with Frederic, the last and best-beloved of the Arragonese kings, who, forced to abandon his dominions to the French monarch, found refuge here with his wife and two children for several months. So richly gifted were Vittoria and her betrothed husband, that it is not to be wondered at that their childish affection deepened into an ardent attachment. Vittoria had the highest style of Roman beauty, luxuriant golden hair, a finely-developed brow, large thoughtful eyes, and regular features; and Pescara with his auburn hair, his aquiline nose, his large eyes, soft and gentle when they rested on her, but at times full of fire, his stately bearing, his brief speech, in keeping with his Spanish lineage, his poetic taste and knightly accomplishment, might well win the love of the playmate of his childhood. Her hand was sought by many illustrious suitors, among them the Dukes of Savoy and Braganza, but she was faithful to her early engagement. After a visit to the home of her parents, who seemed strangely content to resign to other hands the childhood and girlhood as well as womanhood of their daughter, so richly endowed with all those gifts and graces that win the fondest affection, Vittoria, escorted by a large company of Roman nobles, journeyed from Marino to Ischia, where, with much pomp and splendor, the marriage was celebrated on the 27th December, 1509. Two years of tranquil happiness passed swiftly away, leaving no records of their peaceful progress. The youthful noble began to think it a life of inglorious ease; and though there were those who would have dissuaded the last scion of a noble house from thus early beginning his career of arms, his voice was still for war. In company with his father-in-law he set off for Lombardy, and joined the Papal and Spanish army under the walls of Ravenna. It was an inauspicious moment for the young soldier to begin his military career, as the army which he joined was totally defeated by the French. He fought bravely, and, sorely wounded in his face, was left for dead on the battle-field, where he was picked up and taken prisoner to Milan. He beguiled the solitary hours of his captivity by writing a Dialogue of Love, addressed to his wife, to which however we cannot refer for information as to the tone of his thoughts and feelings, for men have willingly let it die. The poem in which the thoughts of the young wife found expression is interesting, as being the first of those poetical efforts that have made her name so famous. It is an epistle of one hundred and twelve lines, addressed to her husband, and though classical and elegant, betrays no deep and impassioned feeling. This captivity was not of long duration. As soon as his wounds were healed the prisoner was released, through the good offices of Trivulzio, a general in the French army, who had married Pescara's aunt, on the payment of a ransom of six thousand ducats, and he returned to gladden the heart of his lovely wife. War, however, was to be his life-long occupation, and he allowed himself brief intervals of rest at home. This visit, though only of a few months' duration, was the longest he was ever to know of domestic satisfactions and joys. Early in 1513 he rejoined the army in Lombardy, and distinguished himself not only for his bravery and military skill, but for his cruelty and ferocity, his stern discipline, and for the wide-spread misery that he caused. The great captain was honored and rewarded, and borne onward in a full tide of prosperity. In the mean while Vittoria remained at Ischia, where the Duchessa di Francavilla held her island court, to which was attracted a goodly company of poets and men of letters, who delighted to sing the praises of this "Proud rock! the loved retreat of such a band Of earth's best, noblest, greatest, that their light Q |