gotten, that a broad tract of mountains extends in a south-westerly direction from Jake Champlain, to the north-eastern corner of Pennsylvania. These render the space they occupy less valuable, and make the communication more difficult; but during the last five years, so many turnpike roads have been made, and so many more are now making, that the transpor tation will soon be easy throughout, saving always the effect of distance. Nature presents also great facilities for inland navigation. That of the Susquehannah has been practised with success from above Tioga down to Baltimore. That of the Mohawk is so much improved, that the merchant at Utica sells goods as cheap as at Albany, and gives nearly the same price for produce. It must be noted also, that the mountains last mentioned, do not form a continued chain, but lie in detached masses. Those who ascend the Mohawk river to Rome in a batteau, are already on the western side of the mountains, and can in the same boat descend by Wood Creek, Oneida lake, and Oswego river, to lake Ontario.

Hitherto the advantages to be derived from the navigation of the St. Lawrence have been unnoticed; but they are eminent, and the more so from that constant fullness of the stream which has already been mentioned. From the sea port of Montreal to the mouth of lake Ontario, merchandise is transported for one dollar per hundred weight, a small addition to the value. The navigation downwards is much less expensive; and by means of it, timber, which in clearing many parts of America must be destroyed, can be turned to good account. Many productions sell as high at Montreal as at New York, some higher. From the hills south-east of the St. Lawrence pour down numerous streams, which give value as well as health and beauty to that country. The coincidence of these things, with an uncommon fertility of soil, have induced numbers to come in from the eastern states; and there is every reason to believe that all the land fit for culture will be speedily settled.

TO BE RESUMED.

ANECDOTE AND WIT.

No. 41.-JOHN I. OF PORTUGAL.

JOHN was so secure in the affections of his subjects, that he frequently walked abroad without any attendants. In one of his morning perambulations, he chanced to observe an old man, who was lame and blind, at the opposite side of a rivulet, waiting till some one came to guide his steps over a plauk thrown across it. As there was no one at hand but the king, he instantly approached him, threw him on his shoulder, and carried him in that posture to the end of the next road. The poor man, surprised at the ease with which he was carried, exclaimed, "I wish Don John had a legion of such stout fellows, to humble the pride of the Castilians, who deprived me of the use of my leg."

Here, at the request of the king, he gave a short account of the several actions in which he had been engaged. In the sequel his majesty recollected that this was Fonseca, the brave soldier who had courageously fought by his side in the memorable battle of Aljubarotta, that fixed the crown on his head. Grieved to see him in such a distressed state, he desired him to call next morning at the royal palace, to know how he came to be neglected by his servants in power. "For whom shall I enquire," quoth the brave Belisarius. "For your gallant companion in the battle of Aljubarotta," replied the king, departing.

A person who stood at a distance, and witnessed the scene, shortly after accosted Fonseca, and informed him of what his sovereign had done. Ah," said he, when he recovered from his surprise," I am now couvinced of the truth of what has so often been asserted; the shoulders of monarchs are certainly accustomed to bear great burdens. I rejoice in having devoted the prime of my life to the service of one who, like the prince of Uz, is legs to the lame, and eyes to the blind."

DR. HENNIKER.

THIS gentleman being in private conversation with the great earl of Chatham, his lordship asked him, amongst other questions, how he defined wit? "My lord," said the Doctor, "wit is like what a pension would be, given by your lordship to your humble servant, a good thing well applied."

WHO IS A GENTLEMAN?

IN the year 1791, an action was brought by Mr. Burden against Mr. Rhodes, for the sum of 120/, which the defendant, as clerk of the course, had received as a deposit, being the amount of money subscribed for a sweepstakes, to be run for by hunters, which were to be rode by Gentlemen, on Knavesmire, in the York spring meeting, and to which the plaintiff set up a claim, he being a subscriber to the sweepstakes, and his horse having won the race.

The question in this action was simply, whether Mr. Rowntree, who rode the plaintiff's horse, was a Gentleman or not? On one side it was proved that Mr. R. was an old man with one eye, dirty leather breeches, and an old wig not worth eight pence,' that he had not the appearance of a gentleman: that he 'dined with farmers at a shilling ordinary,' &c. &c.:" and it was asserted by one witness, that if he had dared to lay claim to the rank of a gentleman on any race ground in England, he would infallibly have been kicked off the course.'

Mr. Law, on the other side, after defining a Gentleman to be a man who possessed a good education, liberal manners, moral good conduct, and independency of station,' shewed that it had been clearly proved that Mr. R.'s moral character was in high estimation, that his education had been unimpeached, and that he enjoyed an hereditary estate of 1607. per annum; and he severely ridiculed the reflections which had been thrown out against his dress, his keeping company with farmers, &c. &c.

The jury being, very wisely, of opinion that worth makes the man, and want of it the fellow,' returned a

verdict for the plaintiff, to the great dissatisfaction of many of the gentlemen jockies' who were present.

THE LAST FRIEND:

A RESPECTABLE character, after having long fi gured in the gay world at Paris, was at length compelled to live in an obscure retreat in that city, the victim of severe and unforeseen misfortunes. He was so indigent that he subsisted only on an allowance from the parish. Every week a quantity of bread was sent to him sufficient for his support, and yet, at length, he demanded more. On this the curate sent for him. He went. "Do you live alone?" said the curate. "With whom, sir," answered the unfortunate man, "is it possible I should live? I am wretched, you see that I am, since I thus solicit charity, and am abaudoned by all the world." "But, sir," continued the curate, if you live alone, why do you ask for more bread than is sufficient for yourself?" The other was quite disconcerted, and at last, with great reluctance, confessed that he had a dog. The curate did not drop the subject. He desired him to observe, that he was only the distributor of the bread that belonged to the poor, and that it was absolutely necessary that he should part with his dog." Ah, sir," exclaimed the poor man, weeping, "and if I should lose my dog, who is there then to love me?". The good pastor, melting into tears, took his purse, and giving it to him, "Take this, sir," said he," this is mine-this I can give."

WEAK NERVES.

A CLERGYMAN at Oxford, who was very nervous and absent, going to read prayers at St. Mary's, heard a showman in the High-street, who had an exhibition of wild beasts, repeat often," Walk in without loss of time. Alive! alive, ho!" The sounds struck the absent man, and ran in his head so much, that when he began to read the service, and came to the words in the first verse, "and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive," he cried out, with

a louder voice, "Shall save his soul alive! All alive! alive ho!" to the astonishment of the congregation.

THE POWER OF MELODY.

ANTHONY RAFF, a celebrated singer, was born at Bonn, in 1710. He was at first a pupil of Bernacchi, and afterwards resided for a long while in Italy, where his talents at length procured for him the Order of the Golden Spur. To him is attributed the following adventure; which is considered as a proof of the most striking effect that ever was produced by music. The Princess Belmonte Pignatelli had recently lost a husband whom she tenderly loved; and though a month had elapsed, she hadneither uttered a single complaint, nor shed a single tear. Towards the close of the day she was taken into the gardens, but neither the sight of the most beautiful sky, nor the union of every thing which art can add to the charms of nature, nor even the softening obscurity of evening, nothing could restore to her those sweet emotions, which, by opening a vent to sorrow, almost always prevent it from being poignant and insupportable. Raff, who was then at Naples for the first time, wished to see the gardens, which were celebrated for their beauty; and he was allowed, on condition that he should not go near the grove where the princess was. One of her female attendants, however, who knew that Raff was in the garden, proposed to Madam de Belmonte, not to hear him, but merely to allow him to come and pay his respects to her. The princess made no reply; and this being considered as a consent, Raff was sent for, and was instructed in the part which he was to play. Aftersome moment's silence, the same female entreated that she would at least allow such a famous singer to sing a few passages from a song of Rolli or Metastasio. No positive refusal being given, Raff stepped a little aside, and sung the first stanza of a very affecting song by Rolli, which begins with this verse "Solitario bosco ombroso." His voice, which was then in its perfection, and one of the finest and most touching that was ever heard the simple but expressive melody of this little air; the words, perfectly adapted to the place, the