spirits of his antagonists rendered it necessary for him to undertake, either in his own person, or by proxy. Among the latter may be reckoned the celebrated victory obtained by Lord Nelson, in the bay of Aboukir.

Finding, however, his health considerably impaired by the fatigue of his very laborious service, he was compelled to return to England in the month of July, 1799, and, after a long struggle with disease, was fortunate enough to overcome the only enemy of whom he could stand in dread, He recovered his health in so great a degree as to enable him, in May, 1800, to take upon himself the command of the Channel fleet. His lordship continued on this station till the 21st of February, 1801, when he was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty, which situation he filled till 1804, when he resigned, and Lord Melville was appointed his successor. After this, age and infirmity precluded the earl from entering into any active business; but he was always zealous in the welfare of the navy, and readily gave his advice on all occasions. On the 14th of March, 1823, he died at the advanced age of 88 years; and on the 25th of the same month Parliament unanimously voted that a monument should be erected to his memory, at the public expense.

In all his actions he evinced an ardent zeal for the honor of his country and the peace of the world, the alleviation of the horrors of war when it lay in his power, and attention to the sick, to prisoners, and generally to the unfortunate. He was conspicuous for the disregard of all personal considerations, for his enmity on all occasions to the corrupt application of the public money, and for his judgment in rewarding talent.

The following anecdotes may serve to show his prompt and decisive character, whenever difficulty or danger appeared:

During the time he was in co~

operation. with Sir Charles Grey, in the West Indies, about the year 1794, there were some circumstances attending the procedure of a convoy of merchants' ships to Europe, on which he wished to consult the different masters. A signal was made to this effect-the masters of the merchantmen attended on board the Admiral's ship; he stated to them the motives which had influenced him to convene them, and requested their sentiments on the subject. Finding that each delivered his opinion as his respective interest dictated, the Admiral endeavoured to show the expedience of unanimity, but without effect; at which, much irritated, he hastily paced the deck, loudly snapping his fingers, singing, with a voice of no common strength. "Sing tantarara, rogues all, rogues all; sing tantarara, rogues all ;" and repeated it with such vehemence, that the masters, dreading some more impressive marks of the Admiral's displeasure, hastened out of the ship without further communication, and the convoy was despatched to England on his own plan, but without the concurrence his solicitude for the common interest of the trade, had in vain endeavoured to procure.

In the early part of the year of the blockade at Cadiz, there ap peared one night every indication of an approaching gale of wind: it shortly took place, aud rapidly increased to such a height, as to threaten the destruction of several, if not all, the ships then at anchor. The only means of warding off the present danger was to veer away more cable, but this could not be instantly given in command, as no night-signal was yet established for this purpose. Suddenly he called for the boatswain and all his mates,

stationed them on the poop, gangway, and forecastle, and told them to pipe together, loudly, as when veering cable; this was heard on board the surrounding ships, when the captains rightly conceiving the Admiral was veering cable, direct

ed the same to be done on board their respective commands, and the fleet rode out the gale in safety.

At the commencement of the winter of 1798, the dock-yard at Gibraltar was employed on the repairs of some of the ships under the Earl of St. Vincent's orders: conceiving his presence would accelerate the public service, he quitted the Ville de Paris, then bearing his flag off Cadiz, and took up his residence at the garrison. On his requiring that the work-men in the dock should commence their employment at day-break, which was at this season at five o'clock, he

was informed that the gates were not opened until an hour after that time; he therefore applied to the governor, General O'Hara, for an alteration in the hour accommodated to this early duty. "The men," said the governor, "will not be able to see.' "6 Perhaps not," said his lordship, "but they can hear me." The request was granted; the Earl of St. Vincent was ever at his post at the dawn of day, with stentorian voice directing the business; and from the insignia of his rank, with which he was decorated, he was metaphorically styled "The morning star."

TORDENSKIOLD is a name frequently met with in the annals of Denmark. A singular anecdote is connected with one of the bravest individuals who ever bore the name -the renowned Admiral Tordenskiold*, of the days of Frederick IV. While he was yet a young and undistinguished naval officer, he chanced to be in the hall of the royal palace at the time that the king, wearied with the flatteries of some courtiers, who were congratulating him on the success of his war with Sweden, exclaimed, "Ay, I know what you will say, but I should like to know the opinion of the Swedes themselves." Tordenskiold slipped unobserved from the royal palace, hurried to his ship, set sail, and was in an hour on the coast of Sweden. The first sight that caught his eye on landing was a bridal procession. Hastily seizing bride, bridegroom, minister, peasants, and all, he hurried them aboard, and returned to Denmark. Two hours had scarcely elapsed from the moment of the king's expressing his wish, when Tordenskiold, stepping

For an account of this brave officer see page 209.

from the crowd of courtiers who surrounded his majesty, informed him that he had now an excellent opportunity of gratifying his wishes, as Swedes of every class of society were in waiting. The astonished monarch, who had not yet missed the young captain from the hall, demanded his meaning; and on being informed of the adventure, summoned the captives to his presence. After gratifying his curiosity, he dismissed them with a handsome present, and ordered them to be conveyed back to Sweden. The promptness of young Tordenskiold was not forgotten, and he speedily rose to the high admiralship of Denmark, a post which he filled with more glory than any other of his countrymen, either before or since.

A tar who objected to the trim of a ship he was persuaded to enter, made the following answer to the recommendation that she was well 'coppered :" I don't care, I would'nt enter if she was coppered with gold."

Having Brains.-A young and gallant officer of the sister kingdom, being struck on the head with a

musket ball, the surgeon on examining the wound, pronounced it dangerous, for they could see the brain. 66 Faith, then," said he, quite coolly, "you'll oblige me by sending a small parcel of it to my father; for, by the he powers, would never believe I had a mor

sel."

Poetical Scraps.

ST. GEORGE'S CROSS.

" THE METEOR FLAG OF ENGLAND."

[The following little specimen of enthusiasm, we copy from The London Weekly Review. It appears to have been written by an English officer in the Colombian service, who during a fatiguing and fruitless campaign under General Urdaneta, suddenly arrived on the banks of the majestic Orinoco. While viewing the grandeur of the broad stream, a small trading schooner, with the ensign of his native land, darted on his astonished eye, and with the proud feelings of an Englishman long absent from his beloved isle, and with the full consciousness of patriotic devotion he poured forth the following effusion.]

I've seen the motley cohorts train'd where star-deck'd banners* flew,

And coldly view'd the standard wave that urg'd the sable crew;

For all the gems their mountains yield can ne'er their stars emboss

With half thy lustrous wreaths of fame, my gallant country's Cross.

The foes that throng Iberia's tower† its basis undermine;

Fell treason scar'd the Drapeau Blanc‡, and bade its lilies pine;

Beyond the bounds for mortal flight would Gallia's eagles soar,

His stricken pinions droop'd, and lo! his

ærial course was o'er:

'Mid these convulsions, firm and free, th trophies still engross

The changeless homage of the world, my hallow'd country's Cross.

While yonder broad and glowing disk illumes these cloudless skies,

May moral splendor gild the land o'er which thy pendant flies;

May hope and peace concurrent throw their genial mantles o'er,

And freedom's shining panoply warn despots from ber shore!

And, fir'd by undivided love, may Britons boldly toss

Their joyful hands, and shout acclaim, God save ST. GEORGE'S CROSs!

G. L. C.

STEADY, PORT.-A SONG. Night had spread her heaviest glooms,

All but the watch were fast asleep; When right-a-head a vessel looms,

Ploughing fast the stilly deep. The quarter-master tends the wheel, And sings as on the chase we steal,

Steady, Port-a little steady.

All hands are called, no seaman rests,
While the boatswain hoarsely cries,
Up all hammocks, down all chests,
While each man to his station flies.
The quarter-master, &c.

A few broadsides decide the fight;
Her colors struck, bespeak dismay;
The prize is ours, the helm we right,
And now for England bear away.

The quarter-master, &c.
And now with love's sweet hope imprest,
Bill throws the lead, with skilful hands;
He finds the soundings in his breast,
His Sally and his native land.
The quarter-master, &c.

*The Colombian Ensign. + The Spanish Ensign. The White Flag of France, The Standard of Napoleon.

When the brave Admiral Kempenfelt, who was unhappily lost in the Royal George, was coming into Portsmouth to have his ship paid off, one of his barge's crew eyed a gold laced velvet waistcoat which his commander wore, and with great earnestness, and in his best sea fashion, begged his honor would tell him who made it. The Admiral, guessing his intention, gave him the necessary information. When Jack went ashore, he forthwith applied to the Admiral's tailor, who, knowing the humors of such customers, went with him to buy the materials, and at last asked him what he would have the back made of. "Made of," exclaimed Jack, " why the same as the front to be sure." The tailor remonstrated, but to no purpose, so the waistcoat was made and put on with an old tarry jacket over it, to the no small amusement of his messmates. The Admiral, a few days after, passing up the High [No. 23.

Street, met his man in this curious
dress, rolling along and singing,
"How pleasant a sailor's life passes,

Who roams o'er the watery main;
No treasure he ever amasses,

But cheerfully spends all his gain." The strange appearance of Jack caused the Admiral to laugh most heartily, and the merry fit was not a little increased, when Jack, coming up to him, lifted the hind part of his jacket, and shewed his gold laced back, roaring out, at the same time, " Damme, old boy, no false colors for Jack, stem and stern alike, your honor!"

66

EDDYSTONE LIGHTHOUSE. That, supported on a rock, Which nor storm nor time can sliock, Amidst the snares of errors night, Still guides bewildered travellers right. REV. G. WOODLI Y.

Light-houses were known to ancients. The light-house, or Phi of Alexandria, built on the is!

of Pharos, at the mouth of the Nile, was much celebrated, and gave its name to all buildings erected for similar objects. This Pharos was a magnificent tower, consisting of several stories and galleries, with a lanthern at the top, in which a light was kept continually burning, and might, it is said, be seen at the distance of a hundred miles. It was accounted one of the seven wonders of the world, and was erected by Sostrates, a famous architect of of Cnidos, though some say it was built by his father Deiphanes. The several stories were adorned with columns, balustrades, and galleries of the finest marble and workmanship. Some of the bistorians add, that the architect fixed lookingglasses against the highest galleries, which reflected the distant vessels as they sailed along. The Pharos cost Ptolemy Philadelphus 800 talents.

The two most celebrated lighthouses in Great Britain are those of Eddystone and the Bell Rock, the latter of which is not improperly called the Scottish Pharos, and is situated on the north-eastern coast of Great Britain, about twelve miles from Forfar.

The Eddystone Light-house is situated nearly south-west from the middle of Plymouth Sound, and about fourteen miles from Plymouth. About three leagues beyond Plymouth Sound, in a line nearly between Star-point and the Lizard, lie a number of low rocks, exceedingly dangerous at all times, but especially when the tides are high, which render them invisible. On these rocks it had long been thought necessary to place some monitory signal. But the difficulty of constructing a light-house was great. One of the rocks indeed, which compose this reef, is considerably larger than the rest: yet its dimensions are still narrow; it is often covered with water, and frequently, even in the calmest weather, surrounded by a swelling sea, which

makes it difficult to land upon it; and much more so to carry on any work of time and labor. The uncommon tumult of the sea in this place is occasioned by a peculiarity in the rocks. As they all slope and point to the north-east, they spread their inclined sides, of course, to the swelling tides and storms of the Atlantic. And as they continue in this shelving direction many fathoms below the surface of the sea, they occasion that violent working of the water, which the seamen call a ground swell. So that after a storm, when the surface of the sea around is perfectly smooth, the swells and agitation about these rocks are dan gerous. From these continual eddies the Eddystone derives its name.

The first light-house of any consequence, erected on this rock, was undertaken by a person of the name of Winstanly, in the reign of King William. Mr. Winstanly does not appear to have been a man of solidity and judgment sufficient to erect an edifice of this kind. He had never been noted for any capital work; but much celebrated for a variety of trifling and ridiculous contrivances. If you set your foot on a certain board in one of his rooms, a ghost would start up; or if you sat down in an elbow chair, its arms would clasp around you. His light-house, which was built of wood, partook of his whimsical genius. It was finished with galleries, and other ornaments, which encumbered it, without being of any use. It was, however, on the whole, much admired as a very ingenious edifice, and Winstanley certainly deserved the credit of being the first projector of a very difficult work. He had fixed it to the rock by twelve massy bars of iron, which were let down deep into the body of the stone. It was generally indeed thought well founded; and the ar chitect himself was so convinced of its stability, that he would often say, he wished for nothing more than to be shut up in it during a violent