COMMODORE EDWARD PREBLE was born August 15, 1761, in that part of Falmouth in Casco bay which is now Portland in the state of Massachusetts. His father was the honourable Jedidiah Preble, who was a brigadier-general under the government of the Massachusetts bay; and after the revolutionary war began, a member of the council and senate. He died in the year 1783, aged 77.

Edward Preble from early childhood discovered a strong disposition for hazards and adventures, and a firm, resolute, and persevering temper. Possessing an athletic and active frame, he delighted in exertion, and particularly in sporting with a gun, in which he displayed superior skill. His constitution, naturally robust, was corroborated by this athletic exercise.*

The Editor anxiously hopes that the candid and accomplished scholar, and the generous and partial friend, who has so admirably acquitted himself in recording the exploits of the gallant Preble, will forgive a brother for the exercise of a brother's privilege. With all the diffidence of virgin modesty, we have ventured, in the present instance, under the sanction of a liberal permission, to vary our author's phrase. The Biographer is not ignorant of the Editor's partiality to the Roman idiom; and, for the choice of one word, we

His father, with a view to a college education and liberal profession for his son Edward, placed him, at a suitable age, at Dummer academy, Newbury, then under the care of the late Mr. Samuel Moody, a celebrated teacher. Here he was employed in Latin and other studies, and though the bias of his nature to action and enterprise proved an overmatch for the attractions of literature and sedentary occupation, his time at school yielded valuable fruit. The correctness and propriety of expression in his letters and orders, the quality and cast of his conversation, and the general resources of his mind showed him indebted to early culture as well as to the opportunities he enjoyed from much intercourse with the world and his standing in society. He doubtless with others experienced the benefit of having a preceptor who made it his care and gratification to discover and fan the spark of honourable ambition in the minds of his pupils. He was particularly attentive to their characteristic individual traits; and fond of viewing them on the most favourable and indulgent side. He was struck with the marks of a fearless invincible spirit in Preble; and though aware of its disadvantages and hazards to its possessor, was disposed in this instance, accompanied as it was with ingenuous feelings and a disdain of all baseness, to regard it as a prognostic of good. A single anecdote in illustration we venture to record, trusting that none of our readers, young or old, will receive it in ill part, or think it capable of any evil use. The good preceptor, with a dear love for his pupils, was liable sometimes to gusts of passion, portentous in appearance, though commonly harmless in effect. On one occasion, our hero in an encounter with a schoolfellow, had given a blow, which covered his face with blood. On the boy presenting himself in this

appeal to the good taste of Mr. HUME, who, by the by, was rather more addicted to the use of the Gallic, than of the Latin construction. In the initial chapter of his History of England, the first and fairest of his productions, when describing the despotism of the druids over the consciences of the abject populace, he concludes the paragraph in the following manner: "Thus the bands of government, which were naturally loose among a rude and turbulent people, were happily corroborated by the terrors of Superstition.” Moreover; the word occurs repeatedly in the Ramblers; and who will dare to deny the authority of doctor JOHNSON?

plight in school, and announcing Preble as the author of his misfortune, the master's ire was raised to a tempest-seizing the fireshovel, he sprung towards the offender, and aimed a blow at his head; which, however, he took care should just escape on one side of his mark and fall on the desk. He repeated the motion, bringing down his deadly weapon on the other side with the utmost violence. The boy never changed his attitude or countenance, sitting perfectly erect and looking calmly at the assailant. The latter, from being pale and quivering with rage became instantly composed, and turning away exclaimed "that fellow will make a general." Against the wishes and hopes of his father Edward persisted in that predilection for the sea which he had always shown; and leaving school after two or three years, he entered on board a ship. His first voyage was to Europe in a letter of marque, captain Frend. On their return, they had a severe time on the coast through head winds and extreme cold. The young sailor was conspicuous for his activity and usefulness in this trying exigence.

About the year 1779 he became midshipman in the state ship Protector, 26 guns, commanded by that brave officer, John Forster Williams, who has always spoken with emphasis of the courage and good conduct of Mr. Preble, while in his ship.

On the first cruise of the Protector, she engaged off Newfoundland, the letter of marque Admiral Duff of 36 guns. It was a short but hard fought action. The vessels were constantly very near and much of the time along side, so that balls were thrown from one to the other by hand. The Duff struck, but taking fire about the same time, she in a few minutes blew up. Between thirty and forty of her people were saved and taken on board the Protector, where a malignant fever soon spread and carried off two thirds of captain Williams's crew. He returned to an eastern port, and landing his prisoners and recruiting his men sailed on a second cruise. Falling in with a British sloop of war and frigate, the Protector was captured. The principal officers were taken to England, but Preble, by the interest of a friend of his father, colonel William Tyng, obtained his release at New-York and returned to his friends.

He then entered as first lieutenant on board the sloop of war Winthrop, captain George Little, who had been captain Williams's second in command in the Protector, had scaled the walls of his pri

son at Plymouth, and with one other person escaping in a wherry to France, took passage thence to Boston.

One of Mr. Preble's exploits, while in this station, has been often mentioned as an instance of daring courage and cool intrepidity not less than of good fortune. He boarded and cut out an English armed brig of superior force to the Winthrop lying in Penobscot harbour under circumstances which justly gave the action great eclat. Little had taken the brig's tender, from whom he gained such information of the situation of the brig, as made him resolve to attempt seizing on her by surprise. He run her along side in the night, having prepared forty men to jump into her dressed in white frocks, to enable them to distinguish friend from foe. Coming close upon her he was hailed by the enemy, who, as was said, supposed the Winthrop must be her tender, and who cried out, "you will run aboard” -He answered, "I am coming aboard," and immediately Preble with fourteen men sprung into the brig. The motion of the vessel was so rapid that the rest of the forty destined for boarding missed their opportunity. Little called to his lieutenant "will you not have more men?" "No," he answered with great presence of mind and a loud voice, "we have more than we want; we stand in each other's way." Those of the enemy's crew who were on deck chiefly leaped over the side, and others below from the cabin window and swam to the shore, which was within pistol shot. Preble instantly entering the cabin found the officers in bed or just rising: he assured them they were his prisoners and that resistance was vain, and if attempted, would be fatal to them. Believing they were surprised and mastered by superior numbers they forbore any attempt to rescue the vessel and submitted. The troops of the enemy marched down to the shore, and commenced a brisk firing with muskets, and the battery opened a cannonade, which, however, was too high to take effect. In the mean time the captors beat their prize out of the harbour, exposed for a considerable space to volleys of musketry, and took her in triumph to Boston.

Lieutenant Preble continued in the Winthrop till the peace of 1783. This vessel is acknowledged to have rendered eminent service by protecting our trade near our shores, and picking up a great number of the small privateers which issued from the British ports to the eastward.

From this period the flag of our nation began to be displayed in every sea, and her ships to visit every mart in both hemispheres. Mr. Preble was a ship master in successive voyages, to various places, near and distant.

In the year 1798, the accumulated injuries and insults of the rulers of France awakened a spirit of resistance in the people and government of this country. The president uttered a loud cail for a navy and obtained a hearing. That class of our statesmen and citizens, who had always thought a maritime force an indispensable instrument both of defence and negociation, and who had often before pleaded for it in vain, embraced the occasion to begin the good work. In this and the following year, fifteen frigates, and about twelve other vessels of war were built and commissioned. It was fortunate for the prosperity and usefulness of this infant establishment that many of the naval heroes of the revolution, who had been accustomed to maritime warfare, were of an age to be employed in the service, and acknowledged the claim of their country to the benefit of their experience.

Of the five first lieutenants first appointed Mr. Preble was one. In the fall and winter of 1798-9 he made two cruises as commandant of the brig Pickering. The next year, 1799, he received a captain's commission, and the command of the frigate Essex of 36 guns. January 1800, he made a voyage in her to Batavia, whither he was sent with captain James Sever in the Congress to convoy our homeward bound trade from India and the East.

The day after leaving port, a snow storm came on, and they parted from the three vessels under convoy out. On the 12th, in a heavy gale, he lost sight of the Congress. She unfortunately was dismasted and obliged to put back. The Essex pursued the voyage alone, after waiting a suitable time at the Cape of Good Hope to see if the Congress would come up, she sailed for Batavia. Before and after arriving at Batavia, captain Preble made two cruises of a fortnight each in the streights of Sunda. In June he took under convoy home fourteen sail of American merchantmen, valued at several millions of dollars. He was separated from them in a tremendous gale off the bank of Lagullos-but most of them rejoined him afterwards at St. Helena, and were protected till they were considered out of danger. He met few cruisers of the enemy. He gave keen