avoiding the meeting. So he stated in a paper which, under a premonition of his fate, he took care to leave behind him. It was in the character of a public man; it was in that lofty spirit of patriotism, of which examples are so rare, rising high above all personal and private considerations-a spirit magnanimous and selfsacrificing to the last, however in this instance uncalled for and mistaken-that he accepted the fatal challenge. "The ability to be in future useful," such was his own statement of his motives-"whether in resisting mischief or effecting good in those crises of our public affairs which seem likely to happen, would probably be inseparable from a conformity with prejudice in this particular." With a candor toward his opponents by which Hamilton was ever so nobly distinguished-but of which so very seldom indeed did he ever experience any return— he disavowed in this paper-the last which he ever wrote-any disposition to affix odium to Burr's conduct in this particular case. He denied feeling toward Burr any personal ill-will, while he admitted that Burr might naturally be influenced against him by hearing of strong animadversions in which he had indulged, and, which, as usually happens, might probably have been aggravated in the report. These animadversions, in some cases, might have been occasioned by misconstruction or misinformation; yet his censures had not proceeded on light ground, nor from unworthy motives. From the possibility, however, that he might have injured Burr, as well as from his general principles and temper in relation to such affairs, he had come to the resolution which he left on record and communicated also to his second, to withhold and throw away his first fire, and perhaps even his second; thus giving to Burr a double opportunity to pause and reflect. The grounds of Weehawken, on the Jersey shore, opposite New York, were at that time the usual field of these single combats, then, chiefly by reason of the inflamed state of public feeling, of frequent occurrence, and very seldom ending without bloodshed. The day having been fixed, and the hour appointed at seven o'clock in the morning, the parties met, accompanied only by their seconds. The bargemen, as well as Dr. Hosack, the surgeon mutually agreed upon, remained, as usual, at a distance, in order, if any fatal result should occur, not to be witnesses. The parties having exchanged salutations, the seconds measured the distance of ten paces; loaded the pistols ; made the other preliminary arrangements, and placed the combatants. At the appointed signal Burr took deliberate aim and fired. The ball entered Hamilton's side; his pistol too was unconsciously discharged. Burr approached him, apparently somewhat moved; but, on the suggestion of his second-the surgeon and the bargemen already approaching-he turned and hastened away, Van Ness coolly covering him from their sight by opening an umbrella. The surgeon found Hamilton half-lying, half-sitting on the ground, supported in the arms of his second. The pallor of death was on his face. "Doctor," he said, "this is a mortal wound;" and, as if overcome by the effort of speaking, he immediately fainted. As he was carried across the river, the fresh breeze revived him. His own house being in the country, he was conveyed to the house of a friend, where he lingered for twentyfour hours in great agony, but preserving his composure and self-possession to the last.-History, Vol. V. CHARACTER OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON. In Hamilton's death the Federalists and the country experienced a loss second only to that of Washington. Hamilton possessed the same rare and lofty qualities, the same just balance of soul, with less, indeed, of Washington's severe simplicity and awe-inspiring presence, but with more of warmth, variety, and grace. If the Doric in architecture be taken as the symbol of Washington's character, Hamilton's belonged to the same grand style as developed in the Corinthian-if less impressive, more winning. If we add Jay for the Ionic, we have a trio not to be matched-in fact, not to be approached in our history, if, indeed, in any other. Of earth-born Titans, as terrible as great-now angels, and now toads and serpents-there are everywhere enough. Of the serene and benign sons of the celestial gods, how few at any time have walked the earth!—History, Vol. V. VOL. XIII.-20 CHARACTER OF JAMES MADISON. The political character of Madison sprang, naturally enough, from his intellectual temperament and personal and party relations. Phlegmatic in his constitution, moderate in all his feelings and passions, he possessed remarkable acuteness, and ingenuity sufficient to invest with the most persuasive plausibility whatever side of a question he espoused. But he wanted the decision, the energy, the commanding firmness, necessary in a leader. More a rhetorician than a ruler, he was made only for second places, and therefore never was but second, even when he seemed to be first. A Federalist from natural largeness of views, he became a Jeffersonian Republican because that became the predominating policy of Virginia. A peace man in his heart and judgment, he became a war man to secure his re-election to the Presidency, and because that seemed to be the prevailing bias of the Republican party. Having been, in the course of a long political career, on both sides of almost every political question, he made friends among all parties, anxious to avail themselves, whenever they could, of his able support; escaping thereby much of that searching criticism so freely applied, with the unmitigated severity of party hatred, to his more decided and consistent compatriots and rivals. Let us, however, do Madison the justice to add, that, as he was among the first, so he was, all things considered, by far the ablest and most amiable of that large class of our national statesmen, who, instead of devotion to the carrying out of any favorite idea or measures of their own, put up their talents like mercenary lawyers, to be sold to the highest bidder; espousing on every question that side which, for the moment, seems to offer the surest road to applause and promotion.— History, Vol. VI. HILL, THOMAS, an American clergyman, scientist, and poet, born at New Brunswick, N. J., January 7, 1818; died at Waltham, Mass., November 2, 1892. Left an orphan at an early age, he was apprenticed to a printer, and subsequently to an apothecary. He afterward entered Harvard College, where he graduated in 1843, and at the Divinity School in 1845, when he became minister of a Unitarian congregation at Waltham, Mass., where he remained until 1849, when he succeeded Horace Mann as President of Antioch College, Ohio. In 1862 he was made President of Harvard College, retaining this position until 1868, when he resigned on account of impaired health. In 1871 he accompanied Agassiz on his scientific expedition to Brazil. Among his numerous works are a series of Addresses on Liberal Education (1858): on Opportunities of Life at Antioch (1860); Christmas, and Poems on Slavery (1843); Geometry and Faith (1849); First Lessons in Geometry (1854); Second Book in Geometry (1852); Jesus, the Interpreter of Nature (1859); Practical Arithmetic (1881), and In the Woods and Elsewhere, a collection of poetry (1888). His son, HENRY BARKER HILL, born in 1849, graduated at Harvard in 1869, afterward studied chemistry at Berlin, and in 1874 became Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Harvard, and full Professor in 1884. THE BOBOLINK. Bobolink! that in the meadow When the Ides of May are past- Filling youths' and maidens' dreams. With mysterious, pleasing themes:Then, amid the sunlight clear, Floating in the fragrant air, Thou dost fill each heart with pleasure A single note so sweet and low, |