will be necessary to plead to the charge, and al- addressed the Council. Most noble Seniors! can though the Council may not yet take evidence this Council admit the evidence of so vile a wretch against you; your person must be secured." Turn- as this assassin? One who has already confessed ing to Guisseppo, he continued: "The Council to crimes of so great a magnitude that they will will hear your defence." sink his soul to the utmost depths of perdition? Guisseppo scanned, (as well as the dim light of One who has endeavored to cast on this noble Counthe council-chamber would permit,) the counte-cil of Sicily's best blood, crimes which, if true, nances of the different members of the court. He would cry aloud to heaven for vengeance? Where, saw at once he was doomed, and he determined to Seniors, is your proof? Only this criminal, already leave on their memories a lasting impression of in your minds condemned; for, most noble Seniors, himself. Stepping into the centre of the council- you have produced no other." chamber, facing the Count De Palermo, with a firm voice he thus addressed him : Johnston was silent, the Count De Palermo made a sign to the Sereno, who stepped in front of Johnston and held up a cloak. The act of the watchman completely confused the Englishman, who became at once alarmed and agitated. He exclaimed, "Seniors, the marriage contract forbids a 'Cicisbeo.' I call for the marriage contract." Turning Most noble Count De Palermo, to you I have appealed for mercy. When you, with fawning flattery and sweet words, tempted me to crime and caused these hands to be bathed in the heart's blood of your brother, I was not backward in fulfilling your desires. Ah! Senior Count, methinks to Constantine, he demanded of him the marriage the same demon smile that shone over the dying contract. The Count De Palermo informed Johnbody of your kinsman is now a forerunner of my ston his plea would be accepted, but continued by sentence. You struck not the blow it is true, but observing that the time-honored customs of Sicily your gold gave it force, ha! ha! ha! Senior would not be forgotten. "This custom," conCosmo grant that favor to me now, which you tinued the Count, "of having a Cicisbeo, originated promised over the dying body of your most beau- with the crusaders, a holy love, cemented by purity tiful and angel wife. Shake not your head, Senior and the cross. If then this custom has been for Cosmo, I to be sure opened the passage for her once violated, you, sir Englishman, will have the pure soul to depart and leave your loathed em- benefit of the circumstance. Senior Constantine braces, but the tempting promises of your deceitful produce the contract, that we may examine jl.” tongue and gold strengthened the arm which gave The Count slowly opened the contract and read it. the death blow. Ah! methinks I see your hands He was silent some time after perusing it. Then grasping your wife's delicate throat to prevent her turning to Constantine, at the same time handing spirit passing out the right channel. Senior Pe. him the paper, remarked: "This contract forbids naro! do you look coldly on me too? Where is the a Cicisbeo." Johnston's face once more brightened, affectionate embrace given to your "dear Guis-but Constantine seizing the paper, and now becomseppo," when your father had lived too long and his ing agitated in his turn, exclaimed, "Ha! Senior, money bags haunted your heated imagination? I saw this contract previous to its being sealed, and Are you all bent upon my destruction? Is this hand it allowed a Cicisbeo. May it not have been alno longer serviceable? Or do you fear that a brother, tered? Seniors, I will relate an ancient legend, wife, or son, may use me in the same kindly office? Seniors, I am not guilty of this murder; (pointing to Johnston) there stands the assassin. "Twas his promises, his gold that did it. Ah! my lord Englishman, do you shudder! Guisseppo Muerto will not die alone, most noble Palermo. I appeal to the War Council." This rough defence, delivered with all the vehemence and gesticulation of an excited Sicilian, ap which caused all contracts to be printed under the authority of the Government. A young and jealous nobleman altered a marriage contract and was detected; since which time, they have been printed by authority of the Government only; the letters by a chemical process are dyed into the parchment, and cannot be wholly erased. If any erasures are attempted, a sponge moistened with vinegar and the original writing. I request the contract may wiped over the parchment will immediately restore be tested." peared to have a very serious effect with the Council. The Count Palermo was for some moments The Count received the parchment from Consilent, and appeared to be glued to his seat: he made several efforts to rise from his chair. At stantine and tested it according to his suggestion. last, livid with passion, he turned to Johnston and "Here it is. The word appears, 'Cicisben,' exclaimed the Count. Senior Englishman, you are informed him that the appeal of the wretch, Guisseppo, must be complied with, and both would be ordered to appear with Guisseppo Muerto, as an brought before the War Council. "But, sir Eng- accomplice in the murder he stands charged with, to be tried by the laws of Messina, and if guilty, to lishman, this Council will hear and record any debe executed, according to our customs, in secret." fence you may wish to make." The Count left his seat, and the remainder of the Johnston, agitated and pale, his lips quite livid, Council followed him. At the moment of leaving the council-chamber he turned to the guard and ing the stiletto from her hand, threw her upon her told them to take the prisoners hence. Guisseppo knew the force of these remarks. Turning to Johnston and making a most profound bow, he said, "We are likely to visit the shades together, my lord Englishman." Johnston turning to the guards begged them not to allow the assassin to kill him by his taunts before his time. Guisseppo laughed, and turning to leave the apartment with the guards, sarcastically replied, "Let the gentleman follow." CHAPTER X. knees, exclaiming, "Now, vile wretch, prepare to make your journey to the shades, screech forth your last ave,' treacherous hell-cat, and die." Every nerve and muscle of Guisseppo appeared affected and convulsed; he lifted the stiletto, and only awaited the fulfilment of his last command, before he plunged it into her heart. But the latter coolly replied, "How brave old Guisseppo is! my death is your death; release me one moment and I promise to set you at liberty." Guisseppo appeared astonished, not only at her coolness, but at her remarks also. He at once released her. On rising to her feet she said, "Listen, Guisseppo, you once did me a service, you saved me from this Cosmo; he would have executed me for a sorceress; take this cloak and signet ring; you then can pass the sentry in safety; leave me your old cloak; now haste, haste." "Thanks, thanks, good Ercola; but stop, will you not be endangered?" She The cell in which Guisseppo was placed communicated with the council-chamber, through which any of the members could pass, each having a secret key. Guisseppo, on arriving at his cell, threw himself carelessly on the floor and was in a few moments asleep; nor did he awake until the morning light shone into the narrow window of his cell. Slowly rising from his hard bed, and surveying the room, he men- "No, no; I have provided for that. Haste to tally soliloquized, "These are pleasant apartments my hut, where you will find my son Fraola." forsooth, but I gave the Council a hard thrust, Guisseppo wrapped himself in the cloak, took the which they will not be likely to place among their ring, and handing the stiletto to Ercola, he left the records. I am to be arraigned before the War prison. "Ah! exclaimed Ercola, Senior Cosmo Council, some secrets will then be disclosed by old is to be here soon to make all sure. Beware SeGuisseppo, which will make my judges and former nior; you have a woman's wits to encounter." A employers blush. Let me see; there is the Count slight noise here arrested her attention. De Neapole, the devil take him, he is as savage as quickly concealed herself behind one of the pillows a tiger and as brave as a lion, and has no more con- which answered the double purpose of supporting science than Ercola, the witch of Etna, who told the roof, and having prisoners chained to it. Senior me I would die a natural death. Then there is Cosmo entered the cell cautiously muffled in his Senior Cosmo, a precious villain with a chicken-cloak; he called in a low voice for Fraola, and was heart, who would send me from this chamber a answered by Ercola, who assumed the voice of her much shorter way to purgatory than by the Coun- son. "Fraola, is it done?" enquired the Count. cil." Guisseppo had progressed this far in his "If so come this way, I have something else to soliloquy, when he heard a slight noise near him, and turning, he discovered a person close by, muffled in a cloak. Believing it to be one of the Council, he drew himself up to his full height and stood ready to defend himself. "Who are you? one of the Council I suppose, speak." world a fiend." communicate to you." Ercola advanced a step, and perceiving Cosmo feeling in his bosom, stopped a moment and replied, "I am here, Senior Cosmo, come near Senior, I will whisper something to you." Ercola advanced, and ere Cosmo could accomplish his object she buried her stiletto between his shoul"I am," replied the person, "in the eyes of the ders. Cosmo drew his stiletto and stabbed at random, exclaiming, "I am murdered, there is dim"Friend, enemy, or devil, what is your business in my sight, good heaven forgive me," and he ness?" demanded Guisseppo. fell back without a groan. Ercola took from his "I am Ercola, the witch of Etna." At this finger a ring and passed by the secret passage out announcement Guisseppo for a moment appeared of the prison, leaving Cosmo wrapped in the cloak to be overcome with rage. At the top of his voice of Guisseppo. he exclaimed, "Out, vile sorceress, you are a false prophetess. Where is your easy death bed?' Do these cold floors resemble downy feathers? are these clanking chains the soothing words of friends? Out upon thee!" - CHAPTER XI. We must now convey the reader to the cell in which Johnston was confined. The two prisoners "Guisseppo," replied Ercola, "your old enemy, the had been confined about two in the morning. The Senior Cosmo, employed my son to assassinate you excitement and fatigues of the trial had so comin this prison; he gave him his signet ring and this pletely overcome Johnston that he fell asleep almost stiletto; but I have undertaken to do the deed for instantly on taking possession of his miserable cell. him." Guisseppo sprang towards her and wrench-Nor did he awake until the hand of his friend Wes VOL. X-87 Guisseppo, smothering his feelings, replied, "Yes, my lord, the wind is fair, and my saint propitious." ton was placed upon his shoulder to arouse him. | suaded his friend to let him assume his dress, and He started in alarm, exclaiming "Hah! the demons take charge of the boat. At the time appointed are here," but on becoming fully aroused, his as-Johnston arrived in Sera; he looked along the quay tonishment was doubly increased by discovering his and recognized his friend's boat by the streamer. friend. His first expression was, "Good heaven Looking around, he saw by the faint light of the what do I see my friend! Weston, oh! that you moon a solitary boatman. Addressing him in Itashould see me, thus manacled, a criminal." Wes- lian, he said, Ah, good boatman, St. George' ton enquired if he was prepared to die? "Death, attend you, is the wind fair, and your saint propiWeston? death? the grave? Oh horrible, to die tious?" in a foreign land, a criminal, side by side with a base assassin, one who during his whole life has been an eternal drinker of blood! oh! my friend, a few short hours and the sun of my life sets! nor have I prepared myself for an eternity of darkness and annihilation, neither have I had time to reflect whether the opening of the secret door of eternity will be as we are taught to believe, an entrance into torments everlasting-beginning without end, the spirit writhing and sinking in torments far beyond the extension of thought, forever seeking repose, yet finding naught but accumulating despair." Here he clenched his hands and sank on his knees. His friend touched him on his shoulder and told him he could save him. "Well, I am glad to hear it, then haste, good boatman, time is precious." Johnston was struck with the constant repetition of his words, and testily remarked, “Come friend, cast loose your boat, then ply your oar, gain the offing, spread your sails to the propitious breeze, and have a quick trip to Palermo." Guisseppo could no longer control his passion, but suddenly seizing Johnston by the throat be threw him upon the ground, drew his stiletto, held it a moment suspended over his head, and asked him through his teeth, "My lord, do you recognize my face? Prepare to follow Gerald De Cheveta." "Me," he exclaimed, "oh! save me! Weston. My heart quails at death, I am not prepared to meet an offended Supreme Being. I cannot bear the The Englishman had merely time to exclaim, thought of being so suddenly thrust into eternity." villain," before the stiletto of Guisseppo was Oh! save me, if you can! How can you do it? Look at the solidity of these prison walls, and these massive chains." "Johnston, my dear friend, be composed, I have several swift horses between here and the village of Sera. At the quay you will sec a boat waiting with a streamer flying, having on it my family's coat-of-arms. Say to the boatman, St. George; he will understand you; take that boat, go to Palermo, the packet for Malta will by that time be ready to sail, she is now in port. Once in Malta under the English flag, the devil take the Sicilians. Here are the tools to take off the irons. Your trial before the Council would not have taken place before to-morrow; by that time you will be coasting it. I have arranged my liberation with our Consul, and will be in Palermo in time to see you safe on board. Now farewell, and haste, recollect the watchword, 'St George.' The witch, Ercola, lived near the foot of Mount Ætna, but having been compelled to reside on the estate of the Count De Cheveta, her son Fraola had, through the kindness of Gerald, procured a boat and become a fisherman. It was this boat Weston had engaged for Johnston. Guisseppo immediately on his release, fled to Ercola's temporary rendezvous, and there learned from Fraola, that his boat had been engaged to take an English lord, escaping from Messina, to Palermo. Guisseppo at once suspected it to be Johnston and easily per buried in his breast. Guisseppo immediately arose, and Johnston in his dying agony drew a pistol and fired at random. The ball lodged in the side of Guisseppo, who staggered and fell across the gunwale of the boat, along side of the quay, dragging Johnston with him who sank into the bay. The report of the pistol drew the attention of Fraola, who immediately sprang to his feet, and finding Guisseppo wounded and dying conveyed him to his mother's hovel. The Count De Cheveta and family immediately after the death of Gerald, returned to their country seat, and upon the conviction of Johnston, communicated the circumstance to Ada. The assassination of her cousin by her husband, and the incarce ration of the latter deprived her of her reason. She remained a few days in a state of stupor, nor could the skill of the best physicians, and the kind and constant attentions of her father, mother and brother arouse her. Heart broken and emaciated she breathed her last, singing the favorite song taught by her to her cousin when a child. A simple white marble cross only marks the spot of her interment, and near it stands the plain tombstone of Gerald De Cheveta, with the following inscription, "Gerald De Cheveta assassinated." Constantine took the place of his father at the Councils, while the latter retired to the village of Sera, to spend, as he justly remarked, "The remains of a disappointed old age." THE COLONIAL HISTORY OF VIRGINIA. TO THE LEGISLATURE OF VIRGINIA : the Legislature, during its last session, were enabled to perform such an act of justice, as to lend fifteen thousand dollars to the Medical College of Richmond, at a time, too, when they were raising In the last number of the Southern Literary the taxes of the people. Hence arose the applicaMessenger, the proposition was made to your hono- tion of the Colleges of the State for Legislative rable body, to send an agent to England to procure aid. With their application, the present proposisuch materials as her archives might afford for the tion is not intended to interfere; but they can wait History of our State. In resuming this important if necessary until this paramount object is first acsubject at this time, we must ask your indulgent complished. The Literary Fund, then, not only attention, since it will be entirely out of our power to devote much time to the arrangement of our remarks. We are forced to write currente calamo; but it is a source of great encouragement to reflect, that the subject is one which so strongly commends itself, as scarcely to require any studied exposition. No claim is preferred for originality in the plan proposed. It has often been suggested, and has met the approbation of nearly every one to whom it has been mentioned. Indeed it lies upon the very surface of utility, and, as already shewn, has been profitably embraced by other States. If the present effort, however, to induce your honorable body to imitate such laudable examples, be crowned with success, it will be a cause of no little pride and rejoicing to us to share in the credit of effecting so desirable an object. It has been truly said, "That man is not the discoverer of any art who hear him. furnishes the requisite means; but its very nature first says the thing; but he who says it so long and so loud and so clearly, that he compels mankind to Other persons had noticed the effect of coal-gas in producing light; but Winsor worried the town with bad English for three winters, before he could attract any serious attention to his views. Many persons broke stone before Macadam, but Macadam felt the discovery more strongly, stated it more clearly, persevered in it with greater tenacity, wielded his hammer, in short, with greater force than other men, and finally succeeded in bringing his plan into general use." Whether the present application shall be successful depends upon your sense of its value and importance. We pledge ourselves to persevere in it, but hope to be relieved from the necessity of "worrying you with bad English, for three winters." We know that this is a period of taxation and indebtedness, but the appropriation requisite for the object herein proposed will neither increase the taxes nor the debt of the State, whilst it so nearly concerns the honor and lofty character of Virginia, as to demand immediate action. Her early heroes are without a monument, long periods of her government without a record, and her annals imper- This might be taken for granted. It results from fect and unknown. Whilst this condition of things the nature of public transactions, from the plain is so eloquently appealing to her rulers, her Lite- necessities of society and the demands of its memrary Fund, after supplying all the demand for pri- bers; from the known wishes, wants and practice mary Education and for other accustomed purposes, of every civilized community. Fame demands a is annually overflowing. After every ordinary perpetuity; virtue and heroism their monuments; draft has been made upon it, a yearly excess from and ambition the stimulus, which the Hope of transits income of some $13,000 returns to become a mission to future ages alone can impart. The part of its permanent capital. Hence it was that' progress of society and the mere sequence of events Having pointed out the means of defraying the expense of the plan proposed, and presented the foregoing general remarks in support of it, we will proceed to a more definite view of the subject, by enforcing the following propositions : 1. Every independent State should have a complete set of its public records, and a history fairly and impartially embodying them. must, in every land blessed with letters, neces- | colonies to the king of England, has also written a sarily require a record. history of Virginia, from the settlement to the year 1725. 2. Virginia has no history worthy of the name, and there are many and great breaches in her public records. Mr. Jefferson says, "he is agreeable enough in style and passes over events of little importance;" The Colonial History of Virginia extends through and Burk says, that "although more diffuse than a period of one hundred and sixty-nine years, from Beverly and more graceful and correct, he has little 1607 to 1776. The gallant Capt. Smith, whose more of detail." There are also extant a brief hisliterary seems little less conspicuous than his mili- tory by Hamer, and a few pamphlets. These, with tary spirit, was the earliest historian of Virginia; one exception are the only printed histories of the but his work comes down only to the year 1624. ancient Colony; and they have long since disapIt was written in pursuance of a resolution offered peared from the shelf of the bookseller, and are to by himself, in the council, that some one be appoint-be found in comparatively few libraries. Besides ed to prepare a memorial of what had transpired covering so little space, all do not contain an adein the Colony. Whereupon he was requested to quate memorial of the periods through which they undertake the task. extend. If such a history was needful then, in the begin- The only remaining History of Virginia is that ning of events, how much more so now, when so of Burk, Jones & Girardin, in 4 vols. 8 vo-pubmuch is past that needs to be perpetuated. Mr. lished in Petersburg, 1805-16. Of these, we shall Jefferson says of Smith, "he was honest, sensible venture to speak freely our own opinion; and surely and well informed; but his style is barbarous and no work of the same extent, that aspires to the diguncouth. His history, however, is almost the only nity of history is liable to so many and so great source from which we derive any knowledge of the objections. Mr. John Burk, a native of Ireland, infancy of our State." Burk says, "Smith's is a is the author of the first three volumes, which consort of Epic History or romance, where the author, tain a treatise on navigation and maritime dislike Ossian, recounts his achievements in the spirit covery in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, a which he fought. His narrative, however, occa- long disquisition about the Indians, which was insionally discovers much good sense and raises no tended for a history of the United States and which inconsiderable interest. It is moreover the ground he could not forbear to stick in, and a general hiswork of succeeding histories, and is valuable as a tory of the Colonies, besides the History of Virpiece of rare and curious antiquity." But this his-ginia, many portions of which are meagre in the tory, rare, curious and truly valuable as it is, com- extreme. A striking instance of this occurs in the prises the incidents of only seventeen years. A third volume, where he devotes only eleven pages gentleman of this state, of indefatigable research, to the events of nineteen years, from 1723 to 1742. has lately discovered in a Northern Library another work of Capt. Smith, published in 1608, which of course contains the events of only one year. The Rev. William Stith, a native of Virginia, and President of William and Mary College, has also written the history of the colony for the space of about twenty years. Of him Mr. Jefferson says, "he was a man of classical learning and very exact, but of no taste in style. He is inelegant. therefore, and his details often too minute to be tolerable." Beverly, also a native, has written the history of Virginia from the first propositions of Sir Walter Raleigh to the year 1706. He errs on the opposite extreme from Stith, comprising ninety-nine years in a fraction of the space which Stith devotes to twenty. Burk says, "Beverly is a mere annalist of petty incidents, put together without method, and unenlivened by any of the graces of style. He is moreover the apologist for power, in which respect also, he differs essentially from Stith, who on all occasions displays a manly contempt and defiance of injustice and tyranny." Sir William Keith, a Governor of Pennsylvania, and the same. we think, who proposed a most arbitrary and insidious scheme of oppression over the This meagreness was produced partly by the im possibility of procuring better materials and partly by inactivity in research and in availing himself of the records within his power. He seems even to delight in the opportunity of abandoning his subject and expatiating at large in some wider field. He has fully carried out the idea expressed by himself: "A correct History of Virginia," says he in the Preface to his first volume, “would be the history of North America itself, a portion of the globe, which enjoying the invaluable privilege of selfgovernment, promises to eclipse the glory of Rome and Athens." One of these rhetorical flourishes, for which he is not a little notable, appears to please him more than a historical fact. His style is very defective and entirely unsuited to historical writing. He abounds with errors, and enjoys a singular facility of leaping over difficulties and solving doubts. Then, almost entire provinces of history are neglected, or only alluded to, and you may peruse his whole writings and have no conception of the growth and progress of the colony and of its most important internal regulations. The fourth volume is a continuation by Skelton Jones, a Virginian, and Louis Hue Girardin, a Frenchman. Jones' portion is very short and hardly |