And for thus shattering the prism of our fancy into a thousand fragments, by this hard fact-blow, we have forgiven Mr. Hildreth, and have read his history with an interest that we did not bargain for when we commenced; an interest that belongs to the events, and the clear classification and relation of them adopted by the philosophical author. Indeed we had not nearly finished the perusal of his work, when we became convinced that it is one of the providences, regarding intimately the progress of our race, that a calm, clear seeing, impartial philosopher, such as Hildreth is, should write the history of our country. Step by step he shows the growth of man, from the infant Puritan, with his narrow field of vision, his prejudices, his intolerance and tyranny, all of which, in the proud humility of his heart, he cherishes for God's sake, with a pious earnestness that makes us prone to forgive the mischief he works to Quakers, and all heterodoxy. Step by step is shown the growth of our Puritan fathers through tyranny, and resistance to tyranny, through the modifications of a religious faith, so stern and unyielding that its possessors would readily have taken the oath of eternal consistency. Their religious faith was hard and uncomfortable as their lot in the new world, and the circumstances they had escaped in the old; and all unconsciously that faith became softened, as life became less a struggle to them. The facts of this most interesting and most perfected of all human growths, the individual and national progression of a people to the highest civilization, and the broadest freedom on the face of the globe, are given with a calm, clear and impartial circumstantiality, which is worthy of our best acceptance.

It is one of the most interesting of human employments to watch the growth of our country's freedom, from germ to broad-spreading tree, and we recognise the full worth of Hildreth's fidelity, honesty and impartiality, as he guides us through the mazes of the development of this great republic. We look around us, and we look back, with a feeling of astonishment at this mighty fact of growth. We compare the magnetic telegraph and the messenger who went through the woods by spotted trees, with letters in his pocket, and a bag of parched corn, for sustenance on his long and weary journey, on his back. Not less wonderful is the change from tyranny to toleration in men's minds. We ask ourselves if we are the same people who fled from religious tyranny at home, and then hung Quakers, and pressed witches to death, and whipped delicate women; and then again rebelled against oppression, and after years of struggle have emancipated ourselves so far as to stand on the broad basis of universal suffrage, and to punish heterodoxy only by the pillory. of an opposite public opinion. To trace, simply and quietly, how all this is done, in company with one who will not deceive, even though we could wish it, and like true Yankees be willing to pay for it, is a most interesting and valuable employment of time.

The history of witchcraft is one of the most fascinating portions of this work. We subjoin an extract to show how the people seemed to be taking leave of their senses, and another to show that there were individual exceptions:

"The idea of fixed general laws binding the universe is of very modern origin, at least of very modern currency. Special supernatural interference served for ages as a compendious and comprehensive explanation of all rare and un

accountable events. The Protestants, while they rejected with passionate contempt the miracles and relics of the papal church, were yet by no means free from superstition. Eastern legends-derived, it would seem, to Europe, from the Paulicians, and through them from the Manicheans, and through them from the Persian Magi-legends which gave to the devil a great influence over the events of this world-had made a profound impression upon the Hussites and Lollards, forerunners of Luther's Reformation. For two or three centuries previous to Luther, the devil figures more and more in the popular mythology of Europe. Luther himself encountered the arch tempter, but put him to flight with an inkstand-truly, in his hands, a formidable weapon! The Protestants seem to have indemnified themselves for rejecting so many popish fables by remodelling the old Scandinavian, Classical, Oriental and Middle-Age legends on the subject of witchcraft into a somewhat new shape-a counterpart, as it were, to the Protestant theological system. A covenant was supposed between the devil and certaiu unhappy persons called witches-a sort of parody on the covenant between God and His holy elect. These witches, mostly ill-tempered old women, were supposed to have bargained away their souls for the privilege of vexing and tormenting their neighbors. Thus was afforded a ready explanation for a thousand cross-grained domestic accidents, constantly happening to the best of men, of a nature to be plausibly ascribed to some invisible spirit of vexation and malice. It was also a part of the supposed business of the witches to induce new victims to enter the compact."

"Reason and common sense at last found an advocate in Robert Calef, a citizen of Boston, sneered at by Cotton Mather as a weaver who pretended to be a merchant,' and afterward, when he grew more angry, as a coal sent from hell' to blacken his character-a man, however, of sound intelligence and courageous spirit. Calef wrote an account, also handed about in manuscript, of what had been said and done during a visitation of the Mathers to this afflicted damsel, an exposure of her imposture and their credulity, which so nettled Cotton Mather, that he commenced a prosecution for slander against Calef, which, however, he soon saw reason to drop. Calef then addressed a series of letters to Mather, and the other Boston ministers, in which he denied and ridiculed any such compacts with the devil as were commonly believed in under the name of witchcraft. The witchcraft spoken of in the Bible meant no more, he maintained, than hatred or opposition to the word and worship of God, and seeking to seduce therefrom by some sign'-a definition which he had found in some English writer on the subject, and which he fortified by divers texts.

"It was, perhaps, to furnish materials for a reply to Calef, that a circular from Harvard College, signed by Increase Mather, as President, and by all the neighboring ministers as fellows, invited reports of apparitions, possessions, enchantments, and all extraordinary things, wherein the existence and agency of the invisible world is more sensibly demonstrated,' to be used as some fit assembly of ministers might direct.' But the invisible world was fast ceasing to be visible, and Cotton Mather laments that in ten years scarce five returns were received to this circular."

Closely connected with this is the account of the advent of Quakerism in New-England. Our Pilgrim fathers gave a similar welcome to both witches and Quakers, and they searched for "Devil's teats," and other evidences of witchcraft, on the first female ministers of the Quaker sect who came amongst them in 1656. These were imprisoned and banished; others came to share the same fate. Some of them returned, and one woman found a mission to go to Constantinople, to convert the Mussul

mans.

"The Mahommedans," says Mr. Hildreth, "find it difficult to distinguish between inspiration and insanity, and regard with veneration and awe all persons of exalted imagination. The Quaker prophetess passed unharmed through the Turkish armies, and was even admitted to an au

dience of the Grand Vizier." In this instance, the barbarous Turks appear to much better advantage than our barbarous Christian forefathers. Opposition and oppression wrought their usual results. The Quakers, like other enthusiasts who believe they have a mission to the world, were always sure that they were needed where they were not wanted, and they went accordingly, The principal men of Rhode Island, who were nursing the germ of religious freedom in a most praiseworthy manner, were applied to by the Commissioners of the United Colonies, to reject and cast out the Quakers. They replied as follows:-" To those places where these people are most of all suffered to declare themselves freely, and are openly opposed by arguments in discourse, they least desire to come, so that they begin to loathe this place, for that they are not opposed by the civil authority, but with all patience and meekness are suf fered to say over their pretended revelations; nor are they like or able to gain many here to their way. Surely, they delight to be persecuted, and are likely to gain more adherents by the conceit of their patient sufferings than by consent to their pernicious sayings," Mr. Hildreth remarks upon this :-"But neither good advice nor good example made any impression on the United Colonies. A new law of Massachusetts, imposing fines on all who attended Quaker meetings, or spoke at them, did but increase the disposition to speak and to hear. In spite of whippings, brandings, and cropping of ears, the banished Quakers persisted in returning. They flocked, indeed, to Massachusetts, and especially to Boston, as to places possessed with the spirit of intolerance, and therefore the more in need of their presence and preaching." Our recent Mormon experience may show us that we have not yet fully profited by the example of our forefathers, and may justify this extract from the record of this almost, or, we might well suppose, quite forgotten persecution. To stamp fanaticism with the character of true religion, with many, the die of persecution is alone needed. This is one of the important lessons that the American people, as a whole, have not yet learned. It is hoped they may have it perfect before the advent of another Joseph Sinith-a murdered man, whether he was knave, fanatic or fool, or a compound of all. Witchcraft seems to have existed in all ages, under different names, and that it is petted, tolerated and taught at the present day, by some of the learned of the land, under the name of Mesmerism, is one of the pleasantries of the nineteenth century. When no human opinion is rejected, scorned or persecuted, till it has been weighed, examined and tested, then the day of human freedom will not only have dawned, but have reached high noon. The precursor of this day is thus noted by Hildreth in the progress of our history:

"Abandoning a thought which for centuries had dazzled the imagination of Christendom, giving rise to a thousand heroic efforts, but the impracticability of which was now becoming apparent, the revivalists fell back on the notion of individual salvation. Adopting a Quietistic theory, leaving politics to worldly men, or the Providence of God, it became their prominent idea not to save the commonwealth, but to save themselves. Religion, so conspicuous hitherto as the glowing, sometimes lurid, atmosphere of our historical picture, fades henceforth, and almost vanishes away."

This may seem a strange germ of freedom and toleration, but that man has got a good way toward both, who thinks that he had better mind his

own business than another's, and who considers that he needs saving as much as his neighbor. He then begins to cease to impose himself and his opinions upon others as the only condition of their salvation. This minding one's own business, is the beginning of the end of all tyranny. Of all the great names that adorn our history, perhaps no one did more to free us from mental slavery than Franklin. Our historian bears honorable testimony to his deeds as follows;

“Franklin was more than a mere party politician. Owing, among other things, to the intermixture of languages, races and sects, the important subject of education had been almost as much neglected in Pennsylvania as in NewYork. Franklin projected an academy and a free-school, which became presently a College, and, finally, the University of Pennsylvania. He promoted, also, the foundation of the Philadelphia Library and of the Philadelphia Hospital. The first native of America who wrote the English language with classic taste and elegance, he edited, printed and published the first American periodical Magazine. But this experiment was premature, and after a year or two, was discontinued for want of support. Presently he became famous for his electrical discoveries, which gave him a reputation in Europe such as no other American has ever acquired."

We love to take every legitimate opportunity to inscribe the revered name of Franklin in sight of Americans.

Hildreth is a historian of most truthful and methodical accuracy. His style is clear, concise and charming, though without figurative ornament. He makes points like the point of a diamond. His analysis of motives and causes stamps him as a philosopher of the first rank.

To those who think his work superfluous because we have other histories, we have only to say, that the fact that we have steamboats, is no argument against a railroad and locomotive, or vice versa. Our country

has grown rich enough to indulge in a variety of talent and genius, as well as in a variety of material goods.

EARNING A LIVING;

A COMEDY, IN FIVE ACTS.

ACT V.-SCENE III. (Concluded.)

(Enter SERVANT)

Serv. A boy below, sir, wishes to speak to Mr. Glumly.
V. Send him up. [Exit servant.

1

(Enter Boy)

Boy. Here's a note from Mr. Barbow, sir. Wants an answer.

G. (after reading with some appearance of surprise.) Here-wait-find a chair there in the entry, will you? (Exit Boy.) Vansittart, can I write a line. V. Certainly. (Arranges a place for him.) (To Hollybush.) It was a strange pique he took against them. That India voyage was the cause of it all, but I never could understand how.

J. H. No; it was not the India voyage.
V. Yes.

Do you mean Duperu's voyage?

J. H. Why, what had Hay and Hartington to do with that?

V. Your brother suspected that they were Duperu's principals. He tried to get it out of me, but I would say nothing.

J. H. I didn't know he had any such idea.

G. Now, gentlemen, just look here a moment. Boy (calling) come in here. (Enter Boy.) Tell Mr. Barbow that you heard me read his letter and my answer to these gentlemen.

Boy. Yes, sir.

G. Do you know Barbow, Vansittart?

V. Yes; he is an editor, is he not?

G. In a small way, he has been; but latterly his chief industry has been to write for my magazine. I gave him double charity. First, I published his articles, and then I paid him for them.

V. Mercy is twice blessed.

G. Yes; but these blessings are both for him that takes. Well, now, this fellow wants the magazine; and I promised it to him after a sort. I meant to give it to him after my marriage, and I told him so.

J. H. Can he manage it?

G. I don't know. But he came to my room, and contrived to steal a paper of mine, of which he thinks he can make an instrument to bully me, and now he demands a formal obligation for the transfer of the magazine.

J. H. Or else he will show you up?

G. Yes. He started the matter yesterday, and I gave him a set-down which I supposed was effectual, and I meant to forgive him. But now, see what he writes to me. (Reads.)

"SIR: You gave me some abusive language yesterday, which you may find occasion to repent. It has produced in my mind the opposite effect from what you wished. I am satisfied, on reviewing your whole conduct. that you do not mean to give me the magazine, and that you think I will keep quiet till you are married, and then you may defy me. I therefore demand a formal writing, binding you to assign me the magazine; otherwise I will consider that matter as ended, and do what I can to be revenged. Your promise by itself is not worth a straw; which remark I make to you, upon due deliberation, and from a thorough knowledge of your character.

"Your obedient servant,

"T. G. BARBOW."