pleased with the idea of a duel in his house, and earnestly besought them to adjourn to some other place. The stranger assured him that no blood should be shed, and begged to be indulged. After some parley the swords were brought, and he of the grey coat offered his rival the choice. They took their stand, and the officer, whose coat had two rows of remarkably large brass buttons upon it, commenced a furious attack upon his adversary, who, however, received him with the caution and quickness of an experienced swordsman, but did not lunge in return. "Do you fear to pass at me?" said the bully in a sneering tone. He had scarcely spoken when the stranger struck two of the large buttons from the breast of his antagonist's coat with the point of his sword, and they flew to the other end of the room. Ere the buzz of astonishment which this clever stroke caused had subsided, another button was dislodged. Incensed at this, the officer passed with still greater fury, but without effect; the stranger struck another button from his coat. Another and another was dexterously detached, and in a few minutes the whole were either carried away by the resistless point of the stranger's weapon, or hanging by the threads. He finished by dashing the officer's sword from his grasp, and applying the side of his own to the bully's shoulders, until he had fairly revenged himself, and then saluted him with the toe of his boot in a manner highly hurtful to the mental and corporeal feelings of a gentleman. The officer hastily quitted the room, boiling with rage and indignation, and the stranger, after bowing to the company, quitted the place with all possible dispatch, and left the city a short time afterwards, to avoid the consequences of his boldness. E. THE FIRE AND THE SCREEN. A FABLE. (For the Olio.) The bard of past or present days, They're quickly modelled to his mind, Animate or inanimate the same, With heroes oft more true and bold The host and guests awhile retire, He fondly courts some favourite scheme, Yet, urged by false, capricious views, H. INCE. SLAVERY IN ROME. THE treatment of slaves in ancient Rome has been so misrepresented by the anti-colonial party in this country, in pursuance of their odious schemes against our West India colonists, that we consider it necessary to show from undoubted authorities, the nature of Roman sla very; and although none of the classic writers give a distinct description of the treatment of Roman slaves, we find by incidental remarks, that masters had an absolute power over their slaves, whom they might scourge or put to death at pleasure and that this right was exercised with so much severity, especially during the most corrupt ages of the republic, that in the end, laws to restrain it became necessary. Tacitus tells us that (A.D. 57.) a decree of the senate, relative to revenge and security, declared that if any one was slain by his slave, execution should be done on the whole ! And it appears that (A.D. 61.) four hundred slaves in one family, without distinction of age, sex, or undoubted innocence, suffered death, in consequence of the assassination of their master, Pedonius Secundus, by one of their number, from motives of private revenge. Such were the mild laws of the Romans! It further appears that some slaves served as door-keepers, attended by a dog-both chained. That slaves were allowed a beggarly quantity of food, and if by presents or otherwise, they became possessed of property, they were obliged to make presents out of their peculium to their masters; when beaten, they were suspended with a weight tied to their feet, and the common capital punishment up to the time of Constantine was crucifixion. Vedius Pollio, a friend of Augustus, used to throw them into a fish-pond, to be devoured by lampreys. At one period, their masters could compel them to fight with wild beasts, and incredible numbers were destroyed as gladiators. "The common lot of slaves in general," says Dr. Taylor, (quoted by Parkhurst,) 66 was with the ancients, in many circumstances, very deplorable. They were held pro nullis, pro mortuis, pro quadrupedibus: for no men, for dead men, for beasts; nay, were in a much worse state than any cattle whatever. They had no head in the state, no name, tribe or register. They were not capable of being injured; nor could they take by purchase or descent; had no heirs, and therefore could make no will of course. Exclusive of what was called their peculium, whatever they acquired was their master's. They could not plead, nor be pleaded, but were excluded from all civil concerns whatsoever; were not entitled to the rights and consideration of matrimony, and therefore had no relief in case of adultery; nor were they proper objects of cognation or affi nity. They might be tortured for evidence; punished at the discretion of their lord, and even put to death by his anthe If such was the condition of the domestic slaves, the prædial were systemati cally treated with severity the most shocking. They appear to have been habitually worked in chains. Seneca speaks of Vasta spatia terrarum pervinctos colenda, and Lipsius, one of his comimentators, observes "the ancients cultivated, for the most part, all their lands by bound (or linked) slaves." Juvencius confirms this distinctly; stating that they" (the slaves)" usually ploughed the land, carried earth, and performed the other labours of the field, in chains." At night they were shut up in prisons -many of them built under ground. In old age, they were, even by the Roman Cato, says Archbishop Potter, "turned out to starve, or allowed to die of hunger. A master of a family should sell his old oxen, all his sheep that are not hardy; he should sell his old waggons, and his old instruments of husbandry; he should sell such of his slaves as are old and infirm, and every thing else that is old or useless." Up to the time of the Emperor Claudius, "the custom," says Rees, "of exposing old, useless, or sick slaves, in an island of the Tiber, there to starve, seems to have been pretty common in Rome." Masters were restrained from liberating more than a very small number of their slaves; and even after manumission the most unjust severity was exercised towards them-such was the system which has, most impudently, been held forth by the "philanthropists" as having been superior to that now prevalent in the British West Indies! Mon. Mag. MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS' FAREWELL Fare thee well, thou sunny land, Where my heart's best hopes are lying; Ling'ring on the deck I stand, Whilst thy shores are backward flying, Twilight o'er the hills is stealingHark! was that a vesper bell Softly o'er the waters pealing? No-'twas fancy-Fare thee well! Never shall I hear it falling Calmly, sweetly on mine ear, As an angel's voice were calling In its hallow'd tones to prayer: Men against their God rebelling, Who the holy church disdain. Scorners, too, have fixed their dwelling In the land where I must reign. A FEW TRAITS IN THE LIFE OF GASPARONI, THE ITALIAN BANDIT, They IN the year 1820, being in the vicinity of Monte Comodo, situated in the Comarca, on which mountain is a convent of Camaldolesian friars, who were reported to have great riches, and whose isolated situation has often tempted the avarice of Gasparoni; he resolved, if possible, to carry off the prior and a few of the heads of the establishment, knowing that he could obtain for them a heavy ransom. Towards dusk, he surrounded the monastery with about a dozen of his followers, and knocking at the portal, entered without any opposition on the part of the inmates, with two companions. were seated at their evening repast,-the person of the bandit was not unknown to them, and they received him with as much sang froid as their terror would allow them to muster. He was, of course, invited to join them, which he accepted. Every thing that the convent could produce was laid before him. He ate heartily, and by his quiet demeanour lulled the suspicions of the friars, who joined with him in the laugh, and pledged him frequently in the cup. It was, however, but of short duration; whether he disliked leaving such good fare, or that he was unaware how the time flew, I know not. A shrill whistle was heard, followed by a shot through the windows of the apartment in which they were carousing. The friars were thunderstruck, when Gasparoni politely told them not to be alarmed, as the shot and whistle merely proceeded from his friends, who were on the outside awaiting him. He then explained to them it was his intention to return the compliment paid him, by requesting the company of the prior and a few of his lay brothers, to spend a few days with them in the woods, where they would have the opportunity of exercising their calling by administering ghostly consolation to his disconsolate companions. The prior, who knew the uselessness of remonstrance, accepted the invitation with as good a grace as possible, and a few moments after saw them journeying on to the bandit's temporary residence. A.fortnight was allowed them to procure the funds requested for their ransoin; the sum, however, was not so exorbitant as he usually demanded on such occasions, perhaps in consideration of the good treatment he had received from them. The police, however, soon had information of what was going forward; and the Roman government, always anxious for the honour of the cloth, sent a large body of troops to the spot, who surrounded his retreat on the fifth day, hoping to reduce the little fortress by famine. They held out, however, to the tenth day, when, seeing the impossibility of procuring food, they selected an unfrequented path, by which they retreated, leaving the friars fortunately with whole skins, though nearly starved to death. This happening during Lent, Gasparoni jocosely remarks, that they were the only good friars that had ever existed, as they had literally followed the example of their blessed Master by fasting in the wilderness. Shortly after this circumstance, being on the look-out for travellers on a small mountain to the left of the post-house of ***** on the road to Terricina, a large travelling-carriage, with imperials, and all the outward trappings of some rich nobleman, was observed to be ascending gradually a short but steep hill, drawn by four post horses, with two men on the dicky, and a female behind. Scouts were immediately sent in every direction, in order to apprize the band of the approach of the patrole, should they be in the neighbourhood. Every precaution was taken to secure so apparently valuable a prize. The carriage was stopped by two of the bandits, and a few random shots sent whizzing over the heads of the leaders, to warn the travellers of the imprudence of resistance. The carriage door was opened, and the usual words of the bandits," Faccia a terra," were pronounced, when a fashionable young man alighted and complied with the order. The traces were immediately cut, and the trunks opened, when, to their no small surprise and mortification, they were discovered to be empty. The young man was asked an explanation; to which he replied, he was Count C***** of Florence; that having stopped at Rome on his way to Naples to join his father, he had lost a large sum of money at play, and had been obliged to dispose of his wardrobe and jewels to assist paying his "honourable debts." After having searched his person, and not finding a single sous, Gasparoni inquired how he intended reaching Naples without money; and was answered, that on arriving at Terricina, he should endeavour to dispose of his carriage, and embark by sea for Naples. The men on the dicky and the woman behind were in similar situations, being strolling players who were journeying on foot to Terricina, and whom the Florentine from compassion had picked up on the road. It was fortunate for the poor count, as Gasparoni told him, that he had met him on a Friday, or he would have paid dearly for having deceived galant' uomini (honest men) by such appearance, and putting them to the trouble they had had. He contented himself, however, with giving him a box on the ear which felled him to the ground, and after admonishing him to be more careful for the future in making so dashing an appearance with empty pockets, gave him two Louis to pay his expenses on the road, and a pass to protect him from any others of the band that he might meet with on his journey. He One, perhaps, of the most deliberate and cold-blooded murders ever committed, and at which the mind revolts with horfor, was perpetrated by this inhuman monster on a poor shepherd, under the following circumstances. Calling one morning at his hut, he demanded some ricotta, (a kind of cheese made from sheep's milk by boiling it in an immense copper). He was answered there was not any, as it had been all sent to the town of Frosignone, about three miles distant, the preceding night; but that if Gasparoni would return the next morning some should be put aside for him. left the hut perfectly satisfied, promising to return. In the mean time, the shepherd sent word to the authorities of Frosignone of what had transpired, and begged that a few gens-d'arme might be sent to his hut in the night, in order to secure the bandit when he returned. Gasparoni, however, who kept a number of spies, was immediately informed of the circumstance, and, of course, failed in keeping his promise. Notwithstanding, a few days afterwards he returned, being well aware that the police had retired from the hut. The shepherd was standing at the door, and inquired of him why he had not kept his word, adding, that he was much disappointed, as he had prepared a good repast for him. were disappointed," replied Gasparoni, as well as many others, and I ain now come to excuse myself." The copper was on the fire, nearly full of sheep's milk; when it boiled, he ordered two of I know you his men to strip the unfortunate man and throw him into the milk. This order was immediately complied with. Five other poor wretches, who were assistants of this shepherd, amongst whom were his brother and son, were then made to sit round the fire. The poor shepherd, after boil ing about an hour, was drawn from the cauldron, and cut open by this inhuman monster; then, taking out the entrails of his victim, and dividing the body amongst the affrighted labourers, he obliged them, under pain of suffering the same fate, to eat nearly the whole. The son of the shepherd, a young lad, refused; he lost all courage his horror overpowered him, and he fainted. Gasparoni, not at all diverted from his horrible object of revenge, and learning from his companions that it was the son of his victim, took the fainting boy from the ground, and plunged him, with his own hands, into the still boiling cauldron. He then with his infernal associates left the spot, threatening a speedy return if any alarm should be given in the town of what had occurred. For. Lit. Gaz. THE NECROMANCER OF RED- BY HORACE GUILFORD. It was the sweet and golden hour, When pour'd the vesper sun Its treasures on REDMARSHAL TOWER, The portal moves, and o'er the green Of the pleached lime trees' flowery screen, In lordly garb arrayed, It is Redmarshal's haughty Lord, Bearing a wand and sheathless sword, Eastward his footsteps go! Where yon fair pile-an octagon, The Library-But not to pore On wisdom's classic flowers, Or court the illumin'd missal's lore, The Baron sternly paces o'er Soft turf and lime-tree bowers. Ah, no -for only when the west Those hours alone unfold the tome His foot falls on the fragrant sod, His cap the lime flowers fan. His furr'd robe floats 'mid bower and tree, What accents soft implore? "Ah, gracious Lord! that still to me And enter this old place?" He turn'd, the orphan child was there, "No, dearest, no !-for shrieking ghost Doth haunt yon moukish ceil; And grinning fiend, that long hath tost On Phlegethon's infernal coast, There seeks a rest from hell!" Full true he spake; and when the child No answer to his horrid vows The ungrateful Demon made; Black noxious smoke the flames inclose, "The price of sinful power is paid, No more then my purchased aid, That orphan's heart is bared." |