to act a significant part in the cabinet-upon another, to give an official direction to the thunders of Plattsburgh, the Canadian peninsula, and New-Orleans.

In 1817 he succeeded Mr. Madison in the presidential chair; and during a happy administration of eight years, which passed away in a period of profound peace, a public debt of sixty millions was discharged; the internal taxes were repealed; relief was granted to the aged and indigent among the surviving warriors of the revolution; the Floridas were acquired; and our boundary was extended to the Pacific Ocean; the independence of the states of South America was recognized; the African traffic in slaves suppressed; the interior regions of the United States explored; provision made for cultivating the mind of the Aborigines and turning their attention to the cultivation of the soil; and in preparing by scientific researches and surveys, for the further application of our national resources to the internal improvement of our country.

Mr Monroe died on the 4th July, 1831.

TO HAYDN.

WHO is the mighty master, that can trace
The eternal lineaments of Nature's face?
'Mid endless dissonance, what mortal ear
Could e'er her peal of perfect concord hear?
Answer, O HAYDN! strike the magic chord!
And, as thou strik'st, reply, and proof afford.
Whene'er thy genius, flashing native fire,
Bids the soul tremble with the trembling lyre,
The hunter's clattering hoof, the peasant shout,
The warrior's onset or the battle's rout,

Din, clamour, uproar, murder's midnight knell,
Hyæna shrieks, the warwhoop's scream and yell—
All sounds, however mingled, strange, uncouth,
Resolve to fitness, system, sense, and truth!
To others, noise and jangling; but to thee
'Tis one grand, solemn swell of endless harmony.
When dark and unknown terrors intervene,
And men aghast survey the horrid scene;
Then, when rejoicing fiends flit, gleam, and scowl,
And bid the huge tormented tempest howl;
When fire-fraught thunders roll, when whirlwinds
rise,

And earthquakes bellow to the frantic skies,
Till the distracted ear, in racking gloom,
Suspects the wreck of worlds, and general doom;
Then HADYN stands, collecting Nature's tears,
And consonance sublime amid confusion hears.

MADAME DE STAEL.

STAEL, Anne Louisa Germain Necker, baroness de, was the daughter of the celebrated M. Necker, and born at Paris, in 1766. She received a liberal education, and early displayed extraordinary talents; but the new philosophy, as it was called, gave a masculine tone to her mind. In 1786 she married baron de Stael, a Swede, by whom she had four children, two of whom only survived her. In 1789, Madame de Stael began her literary career in Letters on the Writings and character of Rosseau,' and soon afterwards she took an active part in the French Revolution. In 1793, her husband being appointed ambassador to the new republic, gave Madame de Stael an opportunity of exerting herself in those political intrigues to which she had a great propensity. Bonaparte, however, had no esteem for female politicians, and in 1803 banished her from the capital. Upon this she went to Germany, next to Italy, and twice visited England. She died July 15th, 1817.

Her principal works are, 1. On the Influence of the Passions upon Individuals and Nations.' 2. On the Influence of Literature upon Society.' 3. Delphine,' a novel. 4. Corinne, or Italy,' a novel. 5. Germany, or Observations on that Country.

་

ANECDOTE.

LALANDE dined one day at the house of Recanier, the banker; he was seated between the celebrated beauty, Madame Recanier, and Madame de Stael, equally distinguished for her wit.

Wishing to say something agreeable to the ladies, the astronomer exclaimed, 'How hapру I am to be thus placed between wit and beauty.' Yes, Lalande,' sarcastically replied Madame de Stael, and without possessing either.'

THOMAS JEFFERSON,

THIRD president of the United States, was born in Chesterfield county, Virginia, April 2, 1743.

He received the honours of the college of William and Mary at an early age, and was distinguished for great scholarship. He then commenced the study of the law with the late George Wythe, chancellor of Virginia, and in a few years made great proficiency, and was admitted to practice. His uncommon qualifications soon brought him into notice, and before he had reached his twenty-fifth year, he was a conspicious member of the Virginia legislature, and had subsequently a large share in all those determined measures of that body, with regard to Great Britain, which finally led to the call of a general congress.

In 1775, when the propositions oflord North were laid before the assembly by the governor for their consideration, he was unanimously appointed to answer them. His reply on