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blow, which levelled him with the earth! Roused to desperation, Cantwell started from the ground, and furiously seized a pistol which hung over the chimney-piece; when Seyward caught his wrist, and in the struggle an explosion took place, which alarmed the family, but no injury was done to the parties.

The reign of this artful hypocrite was now nea at an end. The Colonel, who had been as busy o of doors as Charlotte and Lady Lambert within had fortunately obtained some information against the Doctor, of so enormous a nature respecting some daring frauds he had committed, that he returned, with the officers of justice, to apprehend him as a cheat and an impostor.

The Doctor viewed them all with the most sovereign contempt, and proudly ordered them to quit the house. "I am master here (said the hardened wretch), and if I go none shall remain behind, I will lock up the doors of my own house."

Sir John beat his forehead in an agony of despair when Charlotte, clasping him round the neck, and kissing away the unconscious tears, which streamed down his cheek, bade him "be of comfort, that his fortune was yet in his own power." She then displayed to his enraptured view the original deed unsigned; and informed him, the parchment in the Doctor's possession, was a copy-but that her brother's name was inserted in place of Cantwell's.

Sir John now fell upon his knees, and offered the tribute of thanks to that almighty disposer of all things, who had been graciously pleased to watch over and preserve him from the snares of a villain; while Cantwell, pale, and trembling with rage, shame and disappointment, breathed the most bitter imprecations upon them all-and then ordered the officers to conduct him where they pleased.

Thus ended the career of this designing hypo

erite. Sir John, grateful for the interference of his children, endeavoured by every future act of kindness, to atone for his former injustice. He bestowed his daughter's hand upon the excellent Darnley, whose exertions, in conjunction with Sir John and Colonel Lambert, succeeded in rescuing the estimable Charles Seyward from the gripe of his atrocious guardian, and restoring him to the full possession of his mother's property.

Deceit! thy reign is short-Hypocrisy
However gaily dress'd in specious garb,
In witching eloquence, or winning smiles,
Allures but for a time-Truth lifts the veil,
She lights her torch, and places it on high,
To spread intelligence to all around.
How shrinks the fawning slave hypocrisy
Then when the specious veil is rent in twain,
Which screen'd the hedious monster from our view!
Beware, ye slaves of vice and infamy,
Beware choose not religion's sacred name,
To sanctify your crimes-your falsehood shield.
Profane not your Creator's boundless power,
Or lest his vengeance fall upon and crush ye.
It is an awful height of human pride,
When we dare robe ourselves in sanctity,
While all is dark impiety within!
This surely is the aggregate of sin,
The last to be forgive: by heaven or mán.

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-Now could I, Casca,

Name to thee a man most like this dreadful night;
That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars,
As doth the lion in the Capitol:

A man no mightier than thyself, or me,
In personal action; yet prodigious grown,

And fearful as these strange eruptions are.*

Ir was soon after the defeat and death of Pompey, and the victorious Cæsar's return, that the inhabitants of Rome were thrown into consternation by various prodigies! At noonday, in the marketplace, the bird of night sat hooting and shrieking; and on the following evening a storm arose so dreadful, that the earth itself seemed to totter! Living fire dropped from the heavens. A slave held up his hand, which seemed to flame, as if twenty torches were burning; and yet the hand remained unscorched. The graves yawned, and yielded up their dead. The noise of battle was heard in the air; with the neighing of horses, and groans of the dying. The forms of warriors were seen in the clouds, engaged in dreadful combat. A lioness whelped in the streets; and a lion paraded near the Capitol, glaring

on all who passed him, yet not touching any one. Wandering ghosts flitted about, uttering piercing shrieks. Women, with heads uncovered, were raving through the city, who declared they had seen men walk up and down the streets enveloped in flame; and more than possible horrors seemed accumulated! All trembled as they looked on one another, and seemed afraid to speak the dreadful horrors which filled their minds, at the sight and sound of these strange prodigies, which too surely foretold that some awful event, in the womb of fate, was ready to burst forth.

Yet, though so many hearts were filled with horror, some there were that enjoyed the scene, and insolently felt that their enormities were the cause of these emotions in the earth and heavens; calling themselves the glorious projectors of their country's freedom, instead of treacherous assassins, without justice or mercy, who under the specious mask of imputed service to the state, were only indulging their own spleen, envy, and ambition.

These men, who feared not the storm, were dark conspirators, plotting against the life of Cæsar; whose glories they envied, whose virtues they hated; making the charge of ambition stand as a plea against him, and an extenuation of their own vile intentions. Amongst the foremost of these, was Cassius Sabaco, husband of Junia, the sister of Marcus Brutus. This man, a warrior of eminence, and one who had rendered the state much service, conceived the most inveterate hatred against Cæsar, because he had bestowed the first vacant prætorship on Brutus, and only the second on him. The gallant services of Cassius, in the Parthian war, certainly gave him a superior claim. This, even Cæsar admitted; yet he had bestowed the situation on Brutus, as a tribute to his many virtues, and because he personally loved him; well knowing also

that he had sure and speedy means of rewarding Cassius for the delay. But the preference was an offence which Cassius could not forgive. Cæsar's great fame had long excited his envy; and now that envy was aroused to a thirst for vengeance: whilst the indulgence of these despicably selfish feelings induced him even to seek the life of Cæsar, though he veiled his own abject motives under the specious pretence of love to the commonwealth of Rome, and fear, lest the ambition of Cæsar should aim at the sovereignty, and transform the republic to a monarchy. This had indeed for some time been an expedicnt thought advisable by many, as the only mode of checking the progress of civil discord, and restoring peace to Rome and Italy; but others were of a different opinion and the vindictive Cassius, taking advantage of the unsettled state of the public feeling, pleaded the cause of Rome and liberty, amongst many of those discontented spirits, who require no greater stimulus to excite their malice, than the fame and prosperity of one above them. Cassius, brave, manly, and eloquent, was well calculated to take the lead of a factious multitude; but then he had judgment sufficient to point out to him the danger of any hazard. Cæsar was popular, was beloved, and looked up to with reverence: Cassius therefore, bold as he was, dared not venture any open steps against the object of his hatred, without the sanction of some one whose power and authority would put a colouring of justice upon his actions, and disarm the resentment which might follow. There was, in Rome, one only man thus calculated to aid his plots; and this one was the friend of Cæsar; loving and beloved by him: yet Cassius did not despair of gaining his assistance.

Marcus Brutus was a descendant from the illustrious Lucius Junius Brutus; he who expelled the Tarquins. Marcus was a great and exalted her.

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