ness; while others, not only in their immediate vicinity, but in different parts of the country, are crumbled, decayed, scattered, and buried, as if long ages had passed over them, before the foundations of the former were laid. There is every thing in the style and appearance of the ruins to favor this conclusion, and to confirm the opinion, that some of them are farther removed in their origin from the Toltecs, than the Toltecs are from us. Some of those described in the preceding chapters of this work, are manifestly many ages older than those of Chi-chen, Uxmal and others in Yucatan, which I visited on a former occasion. Having extended these remarks somewhat farther than I intended, perhaps I ought to apologize to the reader for asking his attention, a few moments, to another problem growing out of this subject, which has given rise to more discussion, and been attended with less satisfaction in its results, than any other. I refer to the origin of the ancient American races. From what quarter of the globe did they come? And how did they get here? The last question I shall not touch at all. It will answer itself, as soon as the other is settled. And, if that cannot be settled at all-if we are utterly foiled in our efforts to ascertain whence they came-it will be of little avail to inquire for the how. The learned author of "The Vestiges of Creation," and other equally profound speculators of the Monboddo school, would probably find an easy way to unravel the enigma, on their sceptical theory of the progressive generation of man. But regarding the Mosaic history as worthy not only of a general belief, but of a literal interpretation, I cannot dispose of the question in that summary way. I would rather meet it with all its seemingly irreconcilable difficulties about it, or not meet it at all, than favor the subtle atheism of these baptized canting Voltaires, and relinquish my early and cherished faith, that man is the immediate offspring of God, the peculiar workmanship of his Divine hand. There is nothing soothing to my pride of reason, nothing grateful to my affections, nothing elevating to my faith, in the idea that man is but an improved species of monkey, a civilized ourang-outang, with his tail worn off, or driven in. HOPE ON. BY THEODORE A. GOULD, ESQ. Hope on how oft the darkest night, Oh guard thy soul from sorrow's blight- Hope on though disappointment's wings Though slander drive her rank❜ling stings, If slave to poverty thou art, Bear bravely with thy lot: Though keen her galling chains may smart, Strive still to rend their links apart; Hope on for the desponding heart, God surely loveth not. Hope on! Hope on! though drear and dark, Thy future may appear; The sailor, in his storm-toss'd bark, Still guides the helm, and hopes to mark, Amid the gloom some beacon spark, His dangerous way to cheer. Though wealth take wings, or friends forsake, Stern Winter binds with ice the lake- And leave to God the rest. APPEAL IN BEHALF OF THE FAMINESTRICKEN IRISH. BY S. S. PRENTISS, ESQ. It is no ordinary cause which has brought together this vast assemblage on the present occasion. We have met, not to prepare ourselves for political contests, nor to celebrate the achievements of those gallant men who have planted our victorious standards in the heart of an enemy's country. We have assembled not to respond to shouts of triumph from the West, but to answer the cry of want and suffering which comes from the East. The Old World stretches out her arms to the New. The starving parent supplicates the young and vigorous child for bread. There lies upon the other side of the wide Atlantic a beautiful island, famous in story and in song. Its area is not so great as that of the State of Louisiana, while its population is almost half that of the Union. It has given to the |