a gay and commanding voice; "you are making very ungentle love, Clodius."

The whole party started. Cæsar had mingled with them unperceived.

Saved by Cæsar.

The sound of his voice thrilled through the very heart of Zoe. With a convulsive effort, she burst from the grasp of her insolent admirer, flung herself at the feet of Cæsar, and clasped his knees. The moon shone full on her agitated and imploring face; her lips moved: but she uttered no sound. He gazed at her for an instant- raised her-clasped her to his bosom. "Fear nothing, my sweet Zoe." Then, with folded arms, and a smile of placid defiance, he placed himself between her and Clodius.

Clodius staggered forward, flushed with wine and rage, and uttering alternately a curse and a hiccup.

"By Pollux, this passes a jest. Cæsar, how dare you insult me thus ?"

A jest! I am as serious as a Jew on the Sabbath. Insult you. For such a pair of eyes I would insult the whole consular bench, or I should be as insensible as King Psammis's mummy."

"Good gods, Cæsar!" said Marcus Cœlius, interposing; "you cannot think it worth while to get into a brawl for a little Greek girl !"

66

Why not? The Greek girls have

used me as well as those of Rome. Besides, the whole reputation of my gallantry is at stake. Give up such a lovely woman to that drunken boy! My character would be gone for ever. No more perfumed tablets, full of Vows and raptures. No more toying with fingers at the circus. No more evening walks along the Tiber. No more hiding in chests or jumping from windows. I, the favoured suitor of half the white stoles in Rome, could never again aspire above a freed-woman. You a man of gallantry, and think of such a thing! For shame, my dear Cœlius! Do not let Clodia hear of it." While Cæsar spoke he had been engaged in keeping Clodius A drunken at arm's length. The rage dispute. of the frantic libertine increased as the struggle continued. "Stand back, as you value your life," he cried; "I will pass."

"Not this way, sweet Clodius. I have too much regard for you to suffer you to make love at such disadvantage. You smell too much of Falernian at present. Would you stifle your mistress? By

steady eye the descending hand of Clodias, arrested the blow, seized his antagonist by the throat, and flung him against one of the pillars of the portico with such violence that he rolled, stunned and senseless, on the ground.

"He is killed," cried several voices. "Fair self-defence, by Hercules!" said Marcus Coelius. "Bear witness, you all saw him draw his dagger."

"He is not dead-he breathes," said Ligarius. "Carry him into the house; he is dreadfully bruised."

The rest of the party retired with Clodius. Cœlius turned to Cæsar.

"By all the gods, Caius! you have won your lady fairly. A splendid victory! You deserve a triumph."

"What a madman Clodius has be come!"

"Intolerable. But come and sup with me on the Nones. You have no objection to meet the Consul?"

"Cicero? None at all. We need not talk politics. Our old dispute about Plato and Epicurus will furnish us with plenty of conversation. So reckon upon me, my dear Marcus, and farewell."

Cæsar and Zoe turned away. As soon as they were beyond hearing, she began in great agitation,

66

Zoe warns Cæsar.

Cæsar, you are in danger. I know all. I overheard Catiline and Cethegus. You are engaged in a project which must lead to certain destruction." "My beautiful Zoe, I live only for glory and pleasure. For these I have never hesitated to hazard an existence which they alone render valuable to me. In the present case, I can assure you that our scheme presents the fairest hopes of success."

"So much the worse. You do not know-you do not understand me. I speak not of open peril, but of secret

• Cic. in Pis.

treachery. Catiline hates you;-Cathegus hates you ;-your destruction is resolved. If you survive the contest, you perish in the first hour of victory. They detest you for your moderation; they are eager for blood and plunder. I have risked my life to bring you this warning; but that is of little moment. Farewell!-Be happy."

Cæsar stopped her. "Do you fly from my thanks, dear Zoe ?"

"I wish not for your thanks, but for your safety;-I desire not to defraud Valeria or Servilia of one caress, extorted from gratitude or pity. Be my feelings what they may, I have learnt in a fearful school to endure and suppress them. I have been taught to abuse a proud spirit to the claps and hisses of the vulgar;to smile on suitors who united the insults of a despicable pride to the endearments of a loathsome fondness;-to affect sprightliness with an aching head, and eyes from which tears were ready to gush ;-to feign love with curses on my lips, and madness in my brain. Who feels for me any esteem, any tenderness? Who will shed a tear over the nameless grave which will soon shelter from cruelty and scorn the broken heart of the poor Athenian girl? But you, who alone have addressed her in her degradation with a voice of kindness and respect, farewell. Sometimes think of me,-not with sorrow;-no; I could bear your ingratitude, but not your distress. Yet if it will not pain you too much, in distant days, when your lofty hopes and destinies are accomplished,-on the evening of some mighty victory,-in the chariot of some magnificent triumph,think on one who loved Unselfish love. you with that exceeding love which only the miserable can feel. Think that, wherever her exhausted frame may have sunk beneath the sensibilities of a tortured spirit,-in whatever hovel or whatever vault she may have closed her eyes,-whatever strange scenes of horror and pollution may have surrounded her dying bed, your shape was the last that swam before her sightyour voice the last that was ringing in her

ears.

Yet turn your face to me, Cæsar. Let me carry away one last look of those features, and then-" He turned round. He looked at her. He hid his face on her bosom, and burst into tears. With sobs long and loud, and conclusive as those of a terrified child, he poured forth on her bosom the tribute of im

of similar loveliness and similar devotedness of affection mingled, in all my boyish dreams of greatness, with visions of curule chairs and ivory cars, marshalled legions and laurelled fasces. Such I have endeavoured to find in the world; and, in their stead, I have met with selfishness, with vanity, with frivolity, with falsehood. The life which you have preserved is a boon less valuable than the affection"

"Oh! Cæsar," interrupted the blushing Zoe, "think only on your own security at present. If you feel as you speak,but you are only mocking me,-or perhaps your compassion

"By Heaven!-by every oath that is binding

"Alas! alas! Cæsar, were not all the same oaths sworn yesterday to Valeria? But I will trust you, at least so far as to partake your present dangers. Flight may be necessary:-from your plans. Be they what they may, there is one who, in exile, in poverty, in peril, asks only to wander, to beg, to die with you."

"My Zoe, I do not anticipate any such necessity. To renounce the conspiracy without renouncing the principles on which it was originally undertaken,-to elude the vengeance of the Senate without losing the confidence of the people, -is, indeed, an arduous, but not an impossible, task. I owe it to myself and to my country to make the attempt. There is still ample time for consideration. At present I am too happy in love to think of ambition or danger."

They had reached the door of a stately palace. Cæsar struck it. It was instantly opened by a slave. Zoe found herself in a magnificent hall, surrounded by pillars of green marble, between which were ranged the statues of the long line of Julian nobles.

"Call Endymion," said Cæsar.

The confidential freed-man made his appearance, not without a slight smile, which his patron's good nature emboldened him to hazard, at perceiving the beautiful Athenian.

"Arm my slaves, Endymion; there are reasons for precaution. Let them relieve each other on guard during the night. Zoe, my love, my preserver, why

are your cheeks so pale? some bloom into them. tremble ! Endymion, a flask of Samian and some fruit. Bring them to

my apartments. Zoe."

This way, my sweet

WE espouse no party. Zadig himself did not listen to the miserable controversy between Zoroaster and his griffins with more composure and impartiality than we hope to employ on most of the subjects which interest politicians. We

are neutrals neutrals Neutrals. after San Miguel's own heart-desirous only to mitigate the evils which we cannot avert. If we ever descend into the field of battle, it will be with the feelings not of combatants but of Sisters of Charity. It will be our object, not to fight under the banners of either army, but to render the offices of humanity and courtesy to both

Question of slavery.

On the question, however, which we are about to discuss, we think we may, without inconsistency, take a decided part. It is a question which does not promote the objects, or rest upon the support of any faction. It is a question which has united men of all sects and parties; which has combined Tories with Reformers, and Prelates with Field Preachers; above all, it is a question which involves the interests of the most miserable and degraded race which ever existed in a civilized community. On all these grounds we shall, without hesitation, lend our strongest support to those principles of humanity and justice, which alone can constitute the substantial prosperity of states, and the durable glory of statesmen.

Sixteen years have elapsed since the abolition of the slave trade. During that period, the friends of Abolition of freedom slave trade. humanity and

have anxiously looked for some alteration in the system of colonial bondage. It might have been supposed that the improvements which could not be expected from the mercy of the planter, would be at length produced by his cupidity, and that the cessation of the traffic in human flesh and blood, as it increased the value, would also increase

the comforts of the slave. It might, at least, have been imagined, that the planters would for the future abstain from all practices that might tend to diminish the number of those whom they could no longer replace by fresh importations. It is surely time to inquire whether those expectations have been fulfilled, or whether the abuses of our colonial system have become too deeply seated to be eradicated, even by the avarice which created them.

What, then, is the present state of the negroes in our West Indian Islands?

They are compelled to labour without remuneration. Their master has the sole power of determining the nature, the degree, and the duration of their labour, and the amount of the pittance which is to prolong their wretched and hopeless existence.

They can acquire no property of any description. Whatever their own labour may produce, whatever the bounty of others may bestow, belongs to their

master.

They may be sold at the pleasure of their owner, or at the suit of his credi tors. The colonial codes consider them merely as the personal property

Present state of negroes.

of the planter; who is, in consequence, always permitted, and often commanded, to separate them from all with whom they are connected by the ties of blood or friendship. As often as a blank is drawn in the precarious lottery of the West Indian sugar trade, this horrible transfer takes place. The nearest rela tives, the dearest friends, are for ever torn asunder; and the law itself interferes, to turn into the bitterness of death, the last consolation which the charities of human nature afford to the last extreme of human misery.

The slave can appeal to no court of law. He can bring no action. He can undertake no prosecution. He can bear no testimony against a white offender.

Free persons in the West Indies.

The law takes no cognizance of any crime perpetrated by a free person, unless it can be proved by the evidence of free witnesses. And in these colonies, be it remembered, the free inhabitants form so small a proportion of the population, that such evidence can rarely be procured.

The person of the slave is almost wholly in the power of his master. He works under the lash. He is driven forward like a horse, scourged if he comes too late, scourged if he fall behind the line of his fellows. There is no exemption for the women, too often the sport of an unmanly cruelty, and an unrefined desire. Age, weakness, sickness, pregnancy, are excuses the overseer accepts or rejects at pleasure. The law universally recognizes the power to punish his bondsmen with the cart-whip or the stocks. From extreme outrage, from mutilation, and murder, it does, indeed, accord to these human chattels a nominal protection. But of what avail is this privilege? Neither the injured negro, nor any of his companions in servitude, can appear in a court of justice. A white prosecutor and white witness

Courts of justice.

must be procured. Let us suppose all these difficulties surmounted; others more formidable still remain. Tyranny, when driven from the outworks with which the law surrounds her, takes refuge within the more impregnable rampart of depraved feelings and manners. The criminal is to be tried before men who, as the colleagues of his inordinate power, are not disposed to look with severity on its abuse, and who are generally prepossessed in his favour, by community of interest or of guilt.

The strength of this defensive league of oppression is best illustrated by examples. It is not long since the grand jury of one of the islands regarded the Governor as a nuisance, and this intolerable insult was offered to the representative of the king, to a most estimable man, (who has uniformly been mentioned with respect by persons of all opinions in England), solely because he interfered on behalf of some oppressed female slaves. The case of Hodge of Tartola is sufficiently remarkable to become a concise recapitulation. That man put a slave to death with circumstances of hideous and ineffable cruelty. He con

Hodge of Tartola.

tinued after this event to mingle in society, without calling forth, as it appears, any strong expression of public detestation. A private quarrel induced some person to bring the case forward. It was proved by overwhelming evidence, that he had committed a murder as wanton and barbarous, we will venture to say, as any recorded in the annals of criminal jurisprudence. To acquit him was impossible. The jury recommended him to mercy. The Governor refused to listen to the recommendation. In England, it would have been difficult to protect such a monster against the rage of the people during his passage from the bar to the prison. But so deeply did the colonists resent the execution of one of their own body for so venial a trespass that it became necessary to proclaim martial law, in order to prevent a tumult and a rescue.

Cruelty of Huggins.

We will advert to one other case. A wretch named Huggins, in the public market-place of Nevis, ordered several negroes to be flogged with a barbarity which ruined the health of all; it was supposed to have occasioned the death of one of them. A pregnant woman was among the number; and that nothing might be wanting to this horrid outrage against human nature, the horrible office was performed by the brother of one of the sufferers. The law of the island assigns a limit to the number of lashes which a master may inflict at one time. This limit Huggins had far exceeded. He was brought to trial. The crime had been committed in open dayin the most public place in the colony. The defence was rested upon this principle, that the law had been passed solely to silence the clamours of the fanatics in England; that it was never meant to be obeyed, and that it would be unjust and impolitic to punish the violation of it. Huggins was acquitted; and probably while we are writing this narrative of his former exploits, he may be employed in flogging another slave to death.

But we will not multiply anecdotes of this painful description. We might, God knows, fill volumes with narratives of West Indian cruelty and injustice. It is sufficient to observe, that, where the greatest crimes so often elude justice, it must be easy to inflict, with impunity, every petty suffering and privation.

The condition of servitude in our colonies is perpetual. The master cannot