own is bound,-oh! this is bliss! Earth has noth- tears of an idolized daughter. ing-nothing that can approach it. Believe it, wills to the praise of one scoffer at the power and happiness of love. lighteth to honor." existence to the lovers. So do men bow their "whom the king deThe morn Such was the happiness of those moments of ing sun streamed brightly through the richly painted window of the royal chapel. The Sovereigns and a noble suite were there, and at the altar, Pedro de Gonzalez sat in his sacred canonicals. A slight rustling broke the impressive silence, and a bridal train swept down the broad aisle, and stood before the altar. Columbus stood At length Stephano said, "and you are still mine own, mine own, and mine only, sweet Leonore, oh! tell it me again and again." "We have nothing now to fear, dearest, no magic horrors torture us," said the soft trembling voice, but the bedewed eyes answered better the enrap-by, and Prince Azzo placed the trembling hand of tured youth. his only and cherished daughter, the pride of his "And Eccelino!-what of him-has he relin-house, in that of the son of the Ghibeline enemy quished all claim to thee?" "Death freed me," said the maiden solemnly. "Death! he seemed invulnerable in field and hall; the foeman's sword and treachery's poison were harmless to that fearful man of blood. He had antidotes and protectives innumerable; in what guise came death to him?" of his fathers, but happiness alone found place in the hearts beneath that sacred roof, and congratulations flowed from every lip. Columbus made honorable mention of the obedience and love of Stephano to the Sovereigns, and he was munificently rewarded. The sympathy expressed for the youthful pair was universal, for their romantic story awoke an echo in every heart. The Prince thought it best that they should remain awhile in The influence of the Sovereigns and Coextended not to the nefarious council. Isabella gave to Leonore a beautiful castellated villa near Barcelona, in which the happy couple were soon domiciled, and Prince Azzo left for Italy. "By the rashness of a hasty tongue he perished; he denounced the council for want of justice and threatened betrayal to the Turks, because they had Spain. granted my father's prayer to defer his marriage." lumbus "And your father, Leonore?" "Will make us happy, fear not. I reign again in his heart, and now let's seek him, dear Stephano, and tell him all-fear not-he will surely grant our prayer," and the lovers returned to the city. CHAPTER IX. 'Twas midnight and Prince Azzo stood at the window of his chamber, looking out on the beauty of the night. A soft hand was laid on his arm, and a sweet low voice murmured in faltering tones, "My Father, I have suffered much of late, would you heal my wounded heart?" "With the price of my life, sweet child; I know thou hast suffered and borne much; what shall I do for thee, dear Leonore ?" "Colonna has returned and is here, oh! father, bless our love." "Colonna! bless thy love for a Colonna! a Ghibeline-usurper of the rights due my father's house! Maiden, thou dreamest! Whence came this presumptuous youth again ?" "With Columbus from the new world; he is his valued friend and rode by his side to-day. Oh! my father, hear me, do not make me miserable," and she sank weeping at his feet. Prince Azzo gently raised her, and pressing her in his arms, said, “seek your couch Leonore; if I can grant your wish without tarnishing the honor of my house, I will." Years passed-the pride and glory of beautiful Venice were laid low, and with her overthrow perished the infamous ten. Many were the deeds of horror laid open to the eye of day, when this fearful tribunal was destroyed. From a few fishermen's huts on marshy islands sprang Venice. Like the Queen of Beauty of old from the sea, thus rose she to be Queen over that element which once covered with slime and weeds, her infant foundation. A kingdom of Beauty, Elegance, Power and Terror. "Thus did Venice rise, Thus flourish, till the unwelcome tidings came, In a hall of a noble castle, one of these homes of peace, one sweet summer eve, sat a cavalier past the prime of life, but with its beauty and dignity still resting on his brow. On his shoulder The next morning Columbus, having been told by leaned a noble looking matron, but her thoughts his young friend of his meeting with Leonore, and his and eyes were given more to a beautiful young fears of her father's refusal to grant their request, girl, who sang to a harp with all the gushing joy of sought Prince Azzo; and the praise of the Admi- early youth, a gleeful air, than to the book with ral did more for the cause of the lovers, than the which her husband's mind was engaged. VOL. X-55 The song ceased-the golden strings no longer vibrated the tides, the growth of grain and vegetables, and to her fairy fingers. She leaned her head for a above all, the wits of mankind; and I was anxious moment thoughtfully against her harp, then sud- for an intercourse with the Man in the Moon, who denly raising it, looked on the cavalier. Presently from his great age, and other collateral circumstanshe rose, and gently put aside the book. "Dear ces must, notwithstanding the perpetual insinuafather, read no more now, but tell me some legend of old." "What shall it be, my Leonore? Of your mother's magic spell, in early life?" "No, no, something fresh and joyous, a tale of the new world, or the villa in Spain, or some such glowing picture of happy life and love." And Stephano sat in the soft twilight and wove legends for his daughter, whilst Leonore listened with a face lighted by gentlest smiles. Years dimmed not the bright jewel of love they wore in their hearts, and the faith and love of Stephano and Leonore was the oath by which lovers swore and the pledge which maidens gave. L. V............ tions about his ignorance, have acquired a prodigious mass of knowledge and experience. In short, I became exceedingly unhappy at that mysterious nonintercourse which it would seem had been rendered eternal between the different planets, and to tell the honest truth, nearly lost my wits in devising expedients to surmount it, by applying some of the new principles of science to this interesting object. While in this painful state of mind, I accidentally saw in one of the public papers a notice of some ingenious experiments in a new and hitherto unknown science, called Aeriotism, or the faculty of self-suspension in the air. It immediately occurred to me that I might convert this interesting discovery to my purpose, and pursuing the hint, I instituted a series of experiments which finally resulted in complete success, and enabled me to accomplish my long cherished object of a visit to the Moon, from which I have just returned, after a most re RECOLLECTIONS OF SIX DAYS' JOURNEY IN THE MOON. freshing tour of six days, five hours, and forty BY AN AERIO-NAUTICAL MAN. Inasmuch as this terrestrial world of ours has lately been so thoroughly explored by all sorts of ingenious and inquisitive travellers, who have left nothing for those that may come after them either to describe or invent, it has happened that those who, like myself, are fond of new sights and new sensations, can find little or nothing here below to awaken their wonder or produce any excitement. Even the remotest regions of the earth have been so thoroughly explored, that it may be said with perfect truth, of my countrymen most especially, that they are more intimately acquainted with the interior of Asia and Africa than the land of their birth, and know a great deal more about Paris, London, Florence and Rome, than any of our great emporiums. seven minutes. No time has been lost in laying the results of this journey before the enlightened public, of late so surfeited with all kinds of fictions, that it must needs feel a desire for a little wholesome truth, if only for the sake of novelty. I can not but flatter myself the information communicated will be entirely new, as hitherto we have known nothing of this planet, except from Astronomers and anonymous scribblers; of the former of whom I wish to speak with all possible respect, but who, I must be permitted to say, have told some strange stories about volcanoes and what not. As to the latter, I pledge my word to my readers I am the first native of this world who ever visited that planet, without losing his wits irrevocably; and that these egregious romancers know no more of the subject, than divers of those English travellers who have deluded mankind with pretended accounts of their discoveries and inventions, know of this country. It is not my intention to disclose the progress and final success of my experiments in Aeriotism, inasmuch as I contemplate extending my visits to all the other planets in succession, and do not wish to be forestalled by others, since it can not be doubted that were I to divulge the secret, they would all Being a devoted lover of travelling, partly on account of the agreeable dissipation of mind it produces, but more especially the dignity and consequence derived from breathing the air of foreign lands, I have been seriously aggrieved at this lamentable exhaustion of novelty, and more than once, like Alexander, sat down and wept that there were no more worlds to explore. The planets and in a short time be overrun by inquisitive Englishother heavenly bodies most especially attracted my men, who, according to custom, would leave the attention, and of these the Moon, which is at the poor people scarcely a remnant of character, esbottom of so many sublunary influences, and with- pecially, as judging by those of the moon, they are out whose aid the adepts of Natural Philosophy far more refined, polite, moral and intelligent than would be so often at a loss to account for various those of that country, and withal better fed and phenomena, appeared to me the most interesting. I more comfortable. It will be sufficient, I trust, wished, if possible, to ascertain the fact of such to insure the utmost confidence in my veracity, influence, and the mode in which it is exercised on merely to state, as the basis of my process, that I followed the example of the aforesaid travellers, as the thousand islands in the St. Lawrence, and more especially the renowned "Boz," in procuring having my whiskers scorched by too near an apthrough the exertions of my numerous friends and proach to the Dog star, I proceeded on at a great admirers, divers public demonstrations of admira-rate, but was much alarmed to find that the Moon tion, and a prodigious number of complimentary sailed much faster than I did, and seriously connotices, whereby I at length became so puffed up templated lying to in her track and awaiting her with self-conceit, that I grew specifically lighter coming round again. Fortunately however, while than the air, and felt just as I have sometimes done debating the subject, I suddenly found myself rain my sleep, when dreaming of flying over the pidly approaching the land, and just at the dawn heads of my fellow creatures with a pair of imagi- of day distinctly heard the cocks crowing. In a nary wings. I became so light and airy, that I few minutes I was so near, as to be obliged to could not keep my feet to the ground without great shorten sail, and immediately after landed, where I difficulty, and was once blown across Cayuga found the Moon, like a fly in a spider web, so enLake by a sudden gust of wind. I was fain to tangled in the beard of the comet which was wear heavy leaden soles to my boots, by means of marauding through the skies about this time, that which, though sometimes blown down, like the lit- she could not budge an inch. Had it not been for tle witches bought by children at the toy-shops, this providential circumstance, I verily believe I I always popt up again in an instant, my head being should never have overtaken her. I had almost so much lighter than my heels. Having thus sur- forgot to mention having been nearly demolished mounted the great obstacle of specific gravity, the by a falling star which just grazed my head, and next difficulty was to propel myself forward, and gave a great light, but no heat that I could discoabove all govern my motions while in progress ver. It may be proper also to state that I reached through the air. I succeeded beyond my most san- the Moon in two days and ten hours, in consequence guine anticipations, by an ingenious application of of its being caught by the beard of the comet, machinery and mesmerism, which I shall keep a being exactly half the time it would take, according profound secret, lest future travellers should fol- to the calculations of Astronomers, for the planet to low in my track, and contradict all I say, as they fall to the earth, if let go suddenly. Admitting are too apt to do, in order to appear wiser than their then, that the Moon was thus arrested half way on betters. her nightly course, I must have travelled at a pretty good rate, to overtake her in so short a period. As this planet is said to be unequal in its motions, it is possible however it did not travel at this time as fast as usual. Having perfected my machinery, and furnished myself with a bladder bag of a whip-syllabub, the lightest food I could think of, together with a map of the Moon, and some cheap publications to supply me with light reading by the way, I left this world, on the night of the sixth full Moon, in the year 1844, when there was not a cloud in the sky and the air was calm, and commenced my daring undertaking. The first step, I found was every thing; I rose slowly and with great difficulty, until gradually receding from the attraction of the earth, tion, I had acquired by applying the principles of Having a great deal of business on hand, as I contemplated a visit to the other planets, and had but little time to do it in, I determined to proceed in my inquiries into the state of the country and the character of its inhabitants without delay. Accordingly, availing myself of that facility of locomo I was borne along with such inconceivable swift- Aeriotism to practical purposes, I managed in the ness, that had I not provided against the contin- course of six days, to distance all previous travelgency, by an ingenious process of shortening sail, lers, even those who have heretofore visited my own I should soon have left my breath behind me. As country, and become miraculously acquainted with I rose in the air, I also found the great advantage its morals, manners, institutions and government, of the Bozzian process I had undergone, for had not as it were by intuition. my head been already as light as a feather, I should inevitably have become so dizzy in looking down from such a fearful height, that I might probably have lost all consciousness, or at least become totally incapable of distinguishing truth from falsehood. For the same reason that I have not explained the minutiae of my machinery, I shall refrain from all detail of the particulars of my journey through the air, the dangers I encountered and my expedients for avoiding them. It is sufficient to my purpose at present, merely to state, that after having encountered a vast deal of difficulty in crossing the milky way, where the stars are as close together Beginning with the geography of the country, I shall content myself with stating that the map of the Moon I carried with me, and which exhibited all the latest discoveries in the science of astronomy, is extremely inacurate in many essential particulars. The physiognomy of this planet strikingly resembles the human face on a great scale, and hence doubtless the vulgar error of the Man in the Moon, who I assure my readers is only a creature of the imagination. The sockets of the eyes are two large seas, and the protuberances of the cheek bones and nose, nothing more than high mountains, one of the latter of which, having a redish appearance, has doubtless been mistaken for a volcano by the astronomers. I pledge my word, however, there sons who have lost their wits in searching for the is no such thing as a volcano in the whole planet. Philosopher's Stone, Perpetual Motion, the wisdom I had also occasion to notice that the portion of the of Congress, and the first principles of Political moon which astronomers call the land is water, Economy. and their water good solid terra firma. Numerous other blunders have been committed, which I forbear to notice out of respect for the learned. This island which is called by its inhabitants the most free, happy, and enlightened of all the countries of the Moon, I found not a little worthy the study of The Moon comprises several states and king- an enlightened traveller. Every thing is done there doms, the former republican, the latter generally, by machinery; and the men themselves, if not mathough not always despotic. These mutually chines, are as much their slaves, as the genius of abhor each other, and are perpetually quarrelling, Aladdin's lamp. These machines have in a great and not unfrequently falling together by the ears, measure taken the place of men, and snatched the about which is the most enlightened and happy, or bread from their mouths, because they work so much other matters still more difficult to decide, or still cheaper and faster. I saw several which I was more insignificant. On one occasion, I found two assured by the proprietor of a manufactory who nations cutting each other's throats most valiently, was reckoned worth millions, could do the work of and mutually desolating fields and habitations with- a thousand men. I asked what became of the out mercy. On inquiring the occasion of this thousand men in the meantime; upon which he violent animosity, I found the people knew nothing entered into a long dissertation to prove, that they at all about it, except that they were ordered to do were infinitely benefitted by the cheapness of every so by their respective sovereigns, one of whom thing occasioned by these labor-saving machines. was an infant, the other a madman. In another I took the liberty of observing that the capital of a part of the Moon, I found them at loggerheads large portion of mankind was labor; and that if they about the honor and interests of the country, con- could get no work, or were deprived of its adequate cerning which scarcely any two agreed in opinion; rewards, it was of little consequence to them that or rather there were two parties who differed things were cheap, as they would have no money altogether on the subject, one maintaining that the to purchase them. The millionaire looked at me honor of the nation consisted altogether in its with surprise, mingled as I thought with contempt, interests, the other that the interests of the nation and answered rather superciliously, "my good consisted entirely in its honor. I was not a little struck with the resemblance I observed in these and many other particulars between the inhabitants of the earth and those of the Moon, which at first I ascribed to that family likeness which is found in all creatures of the same species. Further inquiries have however satisfied me, that the people of the Moon are the genuine descendants of Adam and Eve, and that their ancestors were certainly accomplices in erecting the Tower of Babel. The comparison. proofs and deductions through which I arrived at this conclusion, I shall, however, reserve for a sep-verb, "that the proof of the pudding is in the arate dissertation. eating," I determined to see a little further into friend, I perceive you don't understand the first principles of Political Economy." I acknowledged my ignorance, and begged him to enlighten me; whereupon, he went on to entangle himself in a web of knotty arguments, sufficient to confound the whole universe, but by which he imagined that he had demonstrated his whole theory. "You see," concluded he, "the thing is as clear-as clear as"-" mud," said I, perceiving he halted for a Believing, however, in the truth of the old pro men and children, male and female, employed in tending the machinery. They could not be said to govern, but to be directed by it; and it seemed that their very souls had transmigrated into the Steam Engines and Spinning Jennies. There were a great many female children, not more than seven or eight years old, half-clothed, and, if I might judge from their wretched squalid appearance, less The most remarkable kingdom in this planet, I this matter; so I left the Political Economist, found to be an island, called the Isle of Engines, and proceeded through the various departments of in what is vulgarly supposed to be the left eye of his immense establishment, where I found hunthe Man in the Moon, which, as I observed before, dreds, I might almost say, thousands of men, wois a great sea of salt water. It is not so large as some of the other states, but has extended its dependencies to the utmost bounds of the great ocean in which it lies. I heard so much of it, at every step in my progress, that I became extremely anxious to pay it a visit, and accordingly took the first opportunity that offered, embarking on a magnetic steamboat, which progressed at the rate of an hundred miles an hour, against winds and currents. Touch- than half-fed, but who, as I understood, labored sixing this word, Progressed, I would observe that it teen or eighteen hours of the day, at this monotois in general use among all classes, is incorporated nous employment, which seemed to consist in with all their dictionaries, and recognized as legiti- perpetual watchfulness, and all for a pittance mate by the most learned and illustrious of all their which I am afraid to name, lest no one should academies, which is exclusively composed of per- 'believe me. As I stood contemplating the scene, the millionaire came suddenly behind me, and said, | charity. But he had done enough for one day; he “ah !—Mr.—Mr.-I forget your name-I think had got his name before the public as a Prince of you said you came from the United States. I unparalleled humanity, and passed on muttering think I have heard of such a place some where or something about the poor rates. For my part, I other, though I can't tell where. They say it is a honestly confess, that I went away with my relarge country almost as big as this; but it is a great spect for that much calumniated maxim, about pity they tolerate slavery there. Now, in this charity beginning at home, greatly increased. free and happy land, there is no such thing as a I look upon this island to be the best study in slave. The moment a man, woman, or child the Moon, for a politician, a philosopher, and a touches this sacred soil of freedom, the chains fall philanthropist; but the desire to anticipate other from their limbs, and they stand redeemed, regen- travellers who may possibly find their way to that erated and disenthralled by the irresistible genius planet and forestall my work, obliges me to curtail of universal emancipation." At this moment of it in many interesting particulars, which I may sublime exultation, it happened that a little pale, probably supply in a future edition. At present I emaciated girl, apparently worn out with toil and shall only say, that while this nation pretends to be hunger, or both, was observed to fall asleep, as she the freest under the sun, it abounds in a species of was standing watching the evolutions of a Spinning slaves more abjectly wretched by far than those of Jenny. Upon this a fellow came up and pinched any other country; that while it affects to take her until she awoke with a scream, and the mil-precedence of the rest of the world in learning, lionaire directed that a deduction of three pence science and knowledge, a large portion of the peoshould be made from her wages, which, on inquiry, ple of all ages are in a state of most unparalleled I found amounted to two shillings a week. ignorance; that while its power and glory are said to have reached far above all that have gone before it, such are the discontents of the people that the laws can only be executed by a military force; and that finally while boasting of its happiness, it comprises a portion of actual misery, greater than that of any other nation of the Moon or the Earth.* [To be continued.] I had the curiosity to follow a family to their home. It consisted of the husband, his wife, and three children, two of them girls, neither apparently over ten years of age. They had labored eighteen hours a day for months past. Yet returned to a wretched home, where two other families beside themselves lived in the same room. The weather was cold, yet they were without fire and almost destitute of any other clothing than Moon. dirty rags; their food was of the most miserable kind, and entirely insufficient to satisfy the cravings of hunger; a wretched straw bed lay in one corner, when they had eaten their scanty The Eronaut next visits a certain Republic in the SONG. meal, they laid themselves down altogether, sup- Inscribed to one about to form "a Marriage of Convenience." plying the want of covering by a mutual communication of animal heat. Turning from the scene in sickening disgust, mingled with indignation, I proceeded towards my lodgings, when I was attracted by a concourse of splendid equipages, before the doors of a great public building, into which a considerable number of people were entering. Prompted by curiosity, I followed the crowd into a splendid hall, where I found a large assemblage of distinguished persons, who, as I soon learned, were holding a meeting to raise funds for some philanthropic society, whose name I forget, but whose object was enlightening the minds or relieving the necessities of people some where at the antipodes. A Royal Duke, as I afterwards learned, presided on the occasion, and a most eloquent address was delivered, in which the orator lauded the philanthropy of his country to the skies, and praised the illustrious individuals there met together, for their munificent liberality. After this, several thousand pounds were subscribed; the meeting broke up, and I observed that as his Royal Highness came forth, a family similar in wretchedness, ignorance and poverty to that I have described, begged his BY L. J. CIST. Lady! Why seek troth to plight Where not, too, Love is sought? Where hearts are wedded not! Words will not hearts unite! Lady! Why thyself wouldst bind To one, in Hymen's chain, Yet shall come to woo! Lady! thou hadst better far, With the peaceful dead Make thy lonely bed, Cincinnati, Ohio. |