the mountain, for a couple of miles, and was nearly enemies were drawn together by the tie of comlevel. The road was scarcely as picturesque as that mon calamity." on the other side. We descended a long and steep I must not omit mentioning one memorial of the hill, passed the ruins of a chapel, destroyed by the catastrophe, which struck me as being in good earthquake, and found ourselves on the plain of taste. A church tower, in which was a clock, was the city. From the foot of this hill to Caracas-a thrown so far from its perpendicular as to stop the mile or more--there abounded, on either hand, works. The clock has been repaired, but, on one melancholy memorials of the awful catastrophe. of its faces, the hour and minute hands were perWhole squares of what was once the best built mitted to remain just where they pointed when the part of the city lay on either side of the road, a shock took place, so that the precise point of time heap of ruins. The exuberance of tropical vege- is still indicated. tation had, it is true, softened the harshness of their features, but casting your eye upon the surrounding hills, you saw indications of displacement and convulsion, which the lapse of thirty years has not mitigated.. Enormous fissures, in some places, and upheaved mounds of yellow earth in others, spoke most eloquently of the changes which the surface had undergone-Byron's magnificent apostrophe at Waterloo occurred to my mind, as susceptible here of literal application

"Stop! for thy tread is on an empire's dust, An earthquake's spoils are sepulchred below."

The site of Caracas is not perfectly level. It inclines a little to the northwest. The streets are well paved and kept remarkably clean. The style of architecture is the Moorish, which prevailed in Spain, at the time of the conquest of this country. The houses are built round a court, with piazzas, or corridors, and are generally two stories. A large door, on a line with the street, admits you into a sort of gateway, which is closed by a smaller door at the inner end, passing which, you find yourself in the lower corridor, and by a flight of steps, to the right or left, ascend to the rooms occupied by the family-the lower apartments being geneThis catastrophe took place, on the 26th March rally occupied as offices. The windows are large 1812, a festival of the church, Holy Thursday. and frequently unglazed. They generally have There was to have been the usual procession, and small balconies before them, in which are placed three or four thousand people were assembled in flower pots. The city has several fountains; inone of the principal churches, waiting for the mili-deed, wherever it was practicable to erect them, tary escort. In an instant, the building fell and the Spaniards seldom failed to leave these blesburied all the congregation in its ruins. It has never been rebuilt and is now a mound of rubbish, covered with weeds. A battalion of troops, paraded to join the procession, were drawn up in the court of their barracks, close to a wall, by the falling of which every man of them was crushed where he stood. Nearly ten thousand of the inhabitants perished, and nine tenths of the houses We rode up to the Leon de oro, or were levelled to the ground. The cathedral, built Lion"'—a very respectable hotel kept by a Frenchof stone, and every other stone building, escaped, man, After refreshing and refitting ourselves, we and yet there is a prejudice against houses of this sallied out, under the care of Mr. R. to see the material, they being deemed less safe than the sun- city. But mere brick and mortar have little inteburnt brick, or Pita, buildings. About 2,000 wound-rest for me, and I was not sorry, therefore, when ed were dug out of the ruins, many of whom we had completed our round. I was anxious to perished afterwards for want of food and atten- have an opportunity of seeing the President, Gen. tion. It being impossible to bury such a multitude of corpses, to prevent contagion, they were burned. Referring to Humboldt for a full account of this awful event, I content myself with making a single extract, touching the conduct of the sur

vivors:

sings. But, it is not my intention to give a minute
description of Caracas-I saw too little of it for
that purpose. The style of building is the same
throughout Spanish America, and, as I shall have
occasion to describe other cities,-after better op-
portunities of observation,-I must confine myself
to a personal narrative.
"Golden

PAEZ, of whose history I knew something. We repaired to his private residence, and were told he was, at the moment, taking his siesta. We were invited into a spacious and elegant garden, and requested to amuse ourselves until his excellency could be apprized of our visit. The garden was "Some, assembling in procession, sung funeral well worth seeing; it would be difficult to name a hymns; others, in a state of distraction, confessed fruit or plant of the tropics, which was not seen themselves aloud in the streets. "A number of growing here in full perfection. It was a delightmarriages were contracted by persons who had ful spot, and we could have spent the day in ramneglected, for many years, the sacerdotal benedic-bling through its shady walks. At length, we tion-children found parents, by whom they had observed a plainly dressed old gentleman, without never till then been acknowledged; restitutions attendants, approaching us It was the President. were promised by persons who had never been ac- We were introduced by Mr. R. and received in cused of fraud; and families who had long been the most courteous manner. I told him I rejoiced

in the opportunity of paying my respects to one, | for the want of necessaries, the soldiers mutinied. whose services, in the cause of South American Apprised of the circumstance, he galloped to the Independence, were well known and appreciated in spot, attended by a single aid-de-camp. He found the United States, &c. He replied in the hap- the battalion under arms, and was told by the colopiest manner, and welcomed us warmly to Caracas, nel and officers, that the men refused to march, regretting, at the same time, that our brief sojourn until they were paid. He ordered those who were would prevent his extending to us those hospitali- determined not to march, to step a certain number ties which he should be happy to bestow. After of paces to the front. Eight or ten only did so. another walk through the garden, we were con- He then directed the Colonel to order the line to ducted to a large and handsomely furnished hall, present and fire at these ringleaders. The order where refreshments were served. He seemed was given, and obeyed. The party in front fell by quite familiar with our country and its institutions, the hands of their fellow mutineers. The mutiny and asked many questions about our leading politi- was instantly quelled. The battalion marched and, cians. After an hour's conversation, we left him, in many a battle afterwards, wiped off the reproach most favorably impressed with his manners and of this momentary disaffection. conversation.

On the establishment of independence, his politiTo give a sketch of Gen. PAEZ's life would be cal influence was found to be as great as his milito write the history of the revolutionary struggle. tary reputation and, indeed, was the consequence I cannot, however, refrain from saying something of it. In Spanish America, there are few instances about one, who is, by far, the most remarkable of mere civilians acquiring, or maintaining for any man now living in Spanish America. The Revo-length of time, political power and influence. He lution found him a simple llanero, or herdsman, on had, however, in the mean time, improved his mind, the vast plains, drained by the Orinoco; in no and, by diligent study, compensated for the want degree distinguished by education, or enlighten- of early education. He was represented to me as ment, from his associates. In fact, he was igno- a well read man--particularly in history and politirant of the alphabet, and as superstitious as any cal science-and an able writer. The “Llanero,” of his class. He entered the army as a private, of 1812, is now certainly a man of polished and in a corps of Lancers, recruited on the plains. dignified exterior, whose manners would grace He soon distinguished himself by reckless bravery, any court in Europe. He is about 57 years of and personal prowess, of which many anecdotes age, of middle height, robust appearance, and mild are told, which though true, sound like romance. countenance. He has been accused in his military Bolivar-with the tact to appreciate men at their career, of cruelty and recklessness of life, and, in real worth, which he possessed, in a high degree, his political, of intrigue and ambition. But, in and which is, perhaps, as unequivocal a test of both these particulars, he must be judged, by the genius, as any other-quickly marked him for pro- circumstances in which he was placed, and not by motion, made him a Colonel, and, in less than two an abstract standard. There can be no doubt that years, his second in command. Entrusted with history will rank him second only to Bolivar, in an army, he manifested the high qualities of a the list of those military and political leaders to General, as, in the outset of his career, he had whom the revolutionary throes of Spanish Ameshown the more vulgar but dazzling attributes of rica gave birth. He retires from the presidency, dauntless bravery and restless enterprise. I can- which he has twice attained, next spring, and will, not enumerate the various battles, in which, as in all probability, be succeeded by Gen. SOUBLETTE, chief, or subordinate, he distinguished himself who is his favorite. It is to be hoped that he will but I must mention that, at Carabobbo, by taking the pass the remainder of his life in dignified retireresponsibility of charging, with his cavalry, with- ment and not jeopard his high reputation, by mixing out orders, he gained that important and decisive in any of the intrigues of the day. His country victory. I must also allude to two other incidents mainly through his exertions and policy, is now in his life-the one, perhaps, unprecedented in far ahead of most of the republics of the south, in military operations, and the other illustrative of intelligence and civilization, and is daily developing his decision of character and the influence which the elements of social order and national prosperity. he had upon the minds of his men. The Spaniards The gentlemen of the city dress generally after had a flotilla of gun boats, on the river Apure, the European fashion, and there are a good many which annoyed the patriot armies exceedingly, and French, German, English and American residents the destruction of which was much desired. PAEZ, here, whose manners and mode of living are more at the head of a body of cavalry, swam to the and more followed. A very elegant building, for flotilla and carried the boats by boarding, most of the accommodation of the executive offices, has the Spaniards were destroyed.-The other affair just been completed. The suite of rooms, 10was as follows. He had attached to his command, tended for the use of the president on state occaat Valencia, a battalion, composed of English and sions, is very handsome and furnished in the most Irish. Their pay was in arrears, and, suffering costly manner. There are several newspapers

published in the city; the press, I believe, is free. | MENTAL GRANDEUR OF THE REIGN OF GEORGE III. I saw a large bookstore, in which were offered for

sale the standard works of French and English The splendor of the reign of George III. throws literature, and many books, the mere possession of Mr. Alison quite into raptures. How surpassingly which, forty or fifty years ago, would have endan-memorable have been the last seventy years! The gered liberty if not life. I could but be struck world has been almost recreated, and we use the with the peculiarly graceful carriage of the wo-term, with due reverence to that power, which men-even of the poorest class-and was reminded alone has wrought every change. Many eras stand of an impudent assertion I have somewhere met, forth prominent and wonderful, in the history of that it was a great mistake to suppose that French, human transactions; but, for the most part, they English, German or Italian women walked-walk-are distinguished by a few striking and important ing being an accomplishment confined exclusively events, confined to a few of the great classes of to Spanish females.

At 5 we repaired to the residence of the consul, where we had been invited to dine. His lady, a native of Cadiz, vindicates, in her personal appearance, the reputation for female beauty, long enjoyed by that city-and, O matre pulchrá filia pulchrior. We passed a delightful evening. How much we enjoyed such society can be appreciated only by those who meet, in a far land, their fair countrywomen.

affairs.

The era, to which we have alluded, has been crowded thick with unparalleled and stupendous events, and every glory has combined to shed around it a halo of splendor. Signal as have been its military exploits and triumphs, they have been less so than its intellectual; and the former derive their highest grandeur from the displays of genius and science which they called forth. But words of ours will only weaken the force of Mr. Alison's eloquence. He shall speak for himself. No. 11, p. 360–364.

July 10. At sunrise, we set out on our return. The sky was clear, and on gaining the top of the "The reign of George the III. embraces, bemountain I took, from a favorable point of view, a yond all question, the most eventful and important long, last look at the enchanting valley, and then period in the annals of mankind. Whether we closed my eyes, that I might not weaken the im- regard the changes in society, and in the aspect of pression by subsequent partial and imperfect glimp- the world, which occurred during its continuance, ses. The scene is daguerreotyped on my memory. or the illustrious men who arose in Great Britain We breakfasted again, at La Venta. In front of and the adjoining states during its progress, it must the house, I discovered luxuriant patches of mint, ever form an era of unexampled interest. Its which, by no unnatural association, reminded the commencement was coeval with the glories of the surgeon and myself of Old Virginia. We reached Seven Years' War, and the formation, on a solid Laguyara by 12, and at three went on board. I basis, of the vast colonial empire of Great Britain; was glad to tread the deck of the Falmouth again, its meridian witnessed the momentous conflict for and felt a degree of security, which I did not ex-American independence, and the growth, amid transperience, when on what here can scarcely be called atlantic wilds, of European civilization; its latter terra firma. Indeed, at Laguyara and Caracas, in days were involved in the heart-stirring conflicts of view of the awful memorials of the time, "when the French Revolution, and overshadowed by the temple and tower went to the ground," the stranger military renown of Napoleon. The transition from cannot feel altogether at ease, but walks the streets, the opening of this reign to its termination is not as one does a bridge, of whose strength he is doubt-merely that from one century to the next, but from ful. Laguyara and Caracas, in a straight line, are not more than 6 miles apart-the distance by the road is about 16 miles. The latter city is about 4,000 feet above the sea.

one age of the world to another. New elements of fearful activity were brought into operation in the moral world during its continuance, and new principles for the government of mankind estabI have not mentioned that Laguyara suffered, lished, never again to be shaken. The civilization from the earthquake, not less that Caracas. It of a New World, in this age, was contemporary has been more completely rebuilt, but vestiges of with the establishment of new principles for the the calamity are still apparent. More than four government of the Old: in its eventful days were thousand of the inhabitants perished. I recollect, combined the growth of Grecian Democracy with with pleasure, that the moment news of the event the passions of Roman ambition; the fervor of reached the United States, congress, then in ses-plebeian zeal with the pride of aristocratic power; sion, voted $50,000 for the relief of the survivors. the blood of Marius with the genius of Cæsar; the Two vessels were laden with provisions and arrived just in time to save many from perishing of famine. The act is still gratefully remembered here.

opening of a nobler hemisphere to the enterprise
of Columbus, with the rise of a social agent as
mighty as the press, in the powers of Steam.
"But if new elements were called into action in

This worthy gentleman is no more. He died in the the social world, of surpassing strength and energy, month of December last.

in the course of this memorable reign, still more

remarkable were the characters which rose to emi- | ened reflection; Gray, whose burning thoughts had nence during its continuance. The military genius, been condensed in words of more than classic unconquerable courage, and enduring constancy of beauty; Burns, whose lofty soul spread its own Frederic; the ardent mind, burning eloquence, and pathos and dignity over the short and simple anlofty patriotism of Chatham; the incorruptible in-nals of the poor;' Smith, who called into existence tegrity, sagacious intellect, and philosophic spirit of a new science, fraught with the dearest interests Franklin; the disinterested virtue, prophetic wis- of humanity, and nearly brought it to perfection in dom, and imperturbable fortitude of Washington; a single lifetime; Reid, who carried into the rethe masculine understanding, feminine passions, cesses of the human mind the torch of cool and and bloodstained ambition of Catharine, would alone sagacious inquiry; Stewart, who cast a luminous have been sufficient to cast a radiance over any glance over the philosophy of mind, and warmed other age of the world. But, bright as were the the inmost recesses of metaphysical inquiry by the stars of its morning light, more brilliant still was delicacy of taste and the glow of eloquence; Watt, the constellation which shone forth in its meridian who added an unknown power to the resources of splendor, or cast a glow over the twilight of its art, and in the regulated force of steam discovered evening shades. Then were to be seen the rival the means of approximating the most distant parts genius of Pitt and Fox, which, emblematic of the of the earth, and spreading in the wilderness of antagonist powers which then convulsed mankind, nature the wonders of European enterprise and the shook the British Senate by their vehemence, and blessings of Christian civilization-these formed roused the spirit destined, ere long, for the dearest some of the ornaments of the period, during its interests of humanity, to array the world in arms: earlier and more pacific times, forever memorable then the great soul of Burke cast off the unworldly in the annals of scientific acquisition and literary fetters of ambition or party, and, fraught with a greatness. giant's force and a prophet's wisdom, regained its "But when the stormy day of revolution comdestiny in the cause of mankind; then the arm of menced, and the passions were excited by political Nelson cast its thunderbolts on every shore, and convulsion, the human mind took a different direcpreserved unscathed in the deep the ark of Euro- tion; and these names, great as they are, were pean freedom; and, ere his reign expired, the wis-rivalled by others of a wider range and a bolder dom of Wellington had erected an impassable bar- character. Scott then entranced the world by the rier to Gallic ambition, and said, even to the deluge creations of fancy, and, diving deep into the human of imperial power, 'Hitherto shalt thou come and heart, clothed alike the manners of chivalry and no farther, and here shall thy proud waves be the simplicity of the cottage with the colors of stayed.' Nor were splendid genius, heroic vir- poetry, the glow of patriotism, and the dignity of tue, gigantic wickedness, wanting on the opposite virtue; Byron burst the barriers of wealth and side of this heart-stirring conflict. Mirabeau had fashion, and, reviving in an artificial age the fire of thrown over the morning of the French Revolution passion, the thrill of excitement, and the charm of the brilliant but deceitful light of Democratic genius; pathos, awakened in many a breast, long alive only Danton had colored its noontide glow with the pas- to corrupted pleasures, the warmth of pity and the sions and the energy of tribunitian power; Carnot glow of admiration;* Campbell threw over the had exhibited the combination, rare in a corrupted visions of hope and the fervor of philanthropy the age, of Republican energy with private virtue; sublimity of poetic thought and the energy of lyrical Robespierre had darkened its evening days by the expression, and striking deep into the human heart, blood and agony of selfish ambition; Napoleon had alone of all the poets of the age has, like Shaksrisen like a meteor over its midnight darkness, daz-peare and Milton, transplanted his own thought and zled the world by the brightness of his genius and expression into the ordinary language of the peothe lustre of his deeds, and lured its votaries, by ple; Southey, embracing the world in his grasp, the deceitful blaze of glory, to perdition.

arrayed the heroism of duty and the constancy of virtue with the magnificence of Eastern imagination and the strains of inspired poetry; while the sparkling genius of Moore, casting off the unworthy associations of its earlier years, fled back to its native regions of the sun, and blended the sen timent and elevation of the West with the charms

"In calmer pursuits, in the tranquil walks of science and literature, the same age was, beyond all others, fruitful in illustrious men. Dr. Johnson, the strongest intellect and the most profound observer of the eighteenth century; Gibbon the architect of a bridge over the dark gulf which separates ancient from modern times, whose vivid genius has tinged with brilliant colors the greatest his- * It is only, however, to his descriptions of nature, and torical work in existence; Hume, whose simple a few of his reflections, that this high praise is due. Genebut profound history will be coeval with the long rally speaking, his sentiments and characters exhibit a and eventful thread of English story; Robertson, chaos of ill-regulated passion, which will be intelligible or who first threw over the maze of human events the interesting but to the spoiled children of fashion or selflight of philosophic genius and the spirit of enlight-indulgence—that is, a limited portion of mankind,

of Oriental imagery and the brilliancy of Asiatic genius, the remotest generations of mankind will thought.

be blessed.

"But the genius of these men, great and im- "In no age of the world has the degrading effect mortal as it was, did not arrive at the bottom of of long-continued prosperity, and the regenerating things they shared in the animation of passing influence of difficulty and suffering on human events, and were roused by the storm which shook thought, been more clearly evinced. The latter the world; but they did not reach the secret caves part of the eighteenth century, the reign of Louis whence the whirlwind issued, nor perceive what XV., the Regent Orleans, and Louis XVI., were spirit had let loose the tempest upon the world. characterized by the flood of selfishness and corIn the bosom of retirement, in the recesses of soli-ruption, the sure forerunners, in the annals of natary thought, the awful source was discovered, and tions, of external disaster, or internal ruin. Fancy Eolus stood forth revealed in the original Antago- was applied only to give variety to the passions-nist Power of wickedness. The thought of Cole-genius to inflame, by the intermixture of sentiment, ridge, even during the whirl of passing events, dis- the seductions of the senses-talent to obscure the covered their hidden springs, and poured forth in Creator from whom it sprung. The great powers an obscure style, and to an unheeding age, the of Voltaire, capable, as his tragedies demonstrate, great moral truths which were then proclaiming in of the most exalted as well as varied efforts, were characters of fire to mankind; Wordsworth, pro- perverted by the spirit of the age in which he found and contemplative, clothed the lessons of lived. He wrote for individual celebrity, not eterwisdom in the simplicity of immortal verse; Mack- | nal truth; and he obtained, in consequence, the intosh, rising, like Burke in maturer years, above | natural reward of such conduct-unbounded prethe generous delusions of his yet inexperienced life, sent fame, and, in some respects, undeserved, perwanted only greater industry, and a happy exemp-manent neglect. The ardent and more elevated, tion from London society, to have rivalled Thu- but unsteady mind of Rousseau, disdained such decydides in the depth of his views, and a biographer grading bondage. The bow, bent too far one way, like Boswell, to have equalled Johnson in the fame recoiled too far another; and the votaries of fashion, of his conversation; while Chalmers, bringing to in an artificial age and a corrupted capital, were the cause of truth and the interests of humanity a amused by the eloquent declamations of the recluse prophet's fire and an orator's genius, discerned in of Meillerie on the pristine equality of mankind, the indifferent or irreligious spirit of the former the social contract, and the original dignity of the age the real cause of the dangers of the present; savage character. Raynal, deducing the principles and in the spread of Christian instruction, and the of humanity from the wrong source, traced with prevalence of religious principle, the only power persuasive fervor, but with no prophetic foresight, that ever has, or ever will, successfully combat, the establishments of the European in the two either in political or social evils, the seductions of hemispheres; and, blind to the mighty change passion, the delusions of error, and the powers of which they were destined to effect in the condition wickedness.

of the species, diffused those pernicious dogmas "The French and German writers, justly proud which have now blasted the happiness of the negro of the literary fame of their own countries during race, both in the French and the English colonies; this memorable reign, will hardly allow that their and sought to deduce, from the commencement of illustrious authors should be grouped around the the vast change destined to spread the Christian throne of George III.; and will point rather to the faith over the wilderness of nature, arguments Revolution, the empire of Napoleon, or the War of against its celestial origin. Every department of Independence, as marking the period on Conti- thought, save one, was tainted by the general nental Europe. But, by whatever name it is called, wickedness and blindness to all but present objects the era is the same; and if we detach ourselves which prevailed. Man's connexion with his Maker for a moment from the rivalry of nations, and anti-was broken by the French apostles of freedom; cipate the time in future days when Europe is re

garded by the rest of the world as a luminous spot, * Every bookseller in France and England will now exceeding even Greece in lustre, and from whence bear testimony to the fact, that there is no voluminous the blessings of civilization and the light of reli-writer whose works remain so dead a stock as those of gion have spread over the globe, we shall feel Voltaire; and this is decisively proved by the extremely low price which the numerous editions of his works bear. reason to be astonished at the brightness of the His tragedies are noble works, and will live forever; but constellation which then shone forth in the firma- his romances have already descended to the vault of all the ment. It is pleasing to dwell on the contempla-Capulets. His historical writings, compared with those in tion. Like the age of Pericles in Grecian, or of France which followed the Revolution, appear lifeless and Augustus in Roman story, it will never again be uninteresting. His skeptical dogmas, so far from being equalled in European history; but the most distant ages will dwell upon it with rapture, and by its

regarded as the speculation of a powerful mind in advance,

are now seen to have been the blindness of a deluded one,

in rear of the momentous age to which his later years were prolonged.