the boys, who would run to him, crying out "M. Dubac, M. Dubac, your raccoon has got loose your raccoon has got loose ;" to this, he would rather petulantly, yet slowly, and with a most polite motion of the head and hands, repeat, "Late eem go-late eem go."

This town, being the key or rather the gate of the west, was frequently visited by travellers of distinction, who remained a few days making preparations for their voyage. This circumstance, together with others which I might enumerate, gave a peculiar character and interest to the place. I have a distant recollection of the present king of France and his two brothers, who were on their way to New Orleans. They were plain modest young men, whose simplicity of manners was favourably contrasted with those of the showy city gentlemen, with fair top boots and ratan, and who found nothing good enough for them at the tavern, although at home content with an undivided portion of an attic chamber, and a meal hastily snatched. It is invariably the wisest and best bred man, that finds the fewest things to complain of, and who is most easy to please. But such is the desire of being noticed, that some would rather pass for cub bears, than be disappointed in their endeavours to attract attention.

CHAPTER VIII.

ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR'S EDUCATION CONTINUEDIS PLACED AS A CLERK IN AN OFFICE-VARIOUS STUDIES.

BEFORE I had completed my classical studies at the academy, I was taken from it, and again placed under the private tuition of my relation, Mr John Gilkison. This gentleman was passionately devoted to letters, had given up the idea of pursuing the profession of the law, and, by the aid of my father, had set up a book store and library in a wing of the house, perhaps the first establishment of this kind west of the mountains. As the business of the store furnished only occasional employment, he had abundant leisure and opportunity to pursue his studies. His favourite reading was history and the Scotch metaphysical writers, Reid, Stewart, and such authors as Locke, Paley, Hutchison, as well as Newton and Bacon. Much of his time was devoted to natural philosophy and the higher mathematics, for which he seemed to possess an extraordinary aptitude. He sat up until midnight, exhausting the lamp of life, in feeding the lamp of science.' In consequence of in

tense application to his abstruse studies, he fell a victim, in the thirtieth year of his age, to a rapid consumption. I was always at his side, and trimmed the same lamp, but in very different reading. I luxuriated on the sweetmeats of the book store, running through novel after novel, and searching out every light or amusing work in the store or library, until at last I became completely surfeited. I then took to poetry, belles lettres, biographical works and politics. The various writings brought forth by the French revolution took up much of my time. For a lad of fifteen, my reading was singularly various, but far from being the most, profitable.

My lessons, in the mean time, were but little attended to; my instructor would not resort to coercion, and besides, as I was almost his only companion, treated me too much on a footing of equality for a scholar. It was quite amusing to hear us disputing and discussing a thousand topics, in which he was profoundly versed, and of which I could know but little; but being earnest and obstinate, with a most fertile invention, and a flow of words, it was not easy to overcome me. One evening in particular, in a very learned discussion, I astonished him and several others who happened to drop in, by my vehemence of manner, eloquence of language and fertility of thought, but which proceeded from a ludicrous cause. I had taken off my shoes, and was standing on the hearth, which was rather warm, so that the unusual inspiration was communicated through the soles of my

H

feet. I have since thought that a hot griddle would be an excellent thing to give animation to some of our public speakers!

At this time my father was unhappily plunged so deep in party politics, that he almost lost sight of me. Federalism and democracy were then at their height. He was a supporter of Jefferson and M'Kean, an enthusiast in the cause of France, and, from his high temperament, incapable of pursuing any thing in moderation. He was also involved in a personal difference with the presiding judge of the court in which he practised, and fearful that he might be provoked to do something which might be taken advantage of, he resolved to retire from practice. He wrote with the pungency and force of a Junius, and spoke with the inspired eloquence of a Henry; it is, therefore, not to be wondered at, that he soon became a formidable politician. He purchased types and press, and set up a young man as editor of a paper, which he previously named the Tree of Liberty,' with a motto from Scripture And the leaves of the tree shall be for the healing of the nation.' At this period, with very few exceptions, the professional men, persons of wealth and education, and those in public offices, were on the federal side; and such was the violence of party dissensions, that it put a stop to all the pleasures of social intercourse; party differences and personal animosity almost sig nified the same thing. He wrote a number of things, sometimes in prose, sometimes in verse, which I read with great delight and often com

mitted to memory, being of course a violent democrat as well as himself. The great majority, both in town and country, was then on the federal side; but fifty republicans could be mustered in Pittsburgh, and not all these were entitled to put a ticket into the ballot box. The success in the elections of M'Kean and Jefferson soon effected a numerical change: according to the usual course of things, the strongest side is apt to grow still stronger on that account; and the rising party is apt to continue to rise, as revolutions never go backwards. The enthusiasm of my father, in the cause of France, has appeared to me something unaccountable, since I have thought upon the matter for myself. Instead of republicanizing the universe, the glorious vision of his mind, their wild, plundering, military debordage has ended in fixing the foundations of regal government more firmly, while their misnamed deliberative assemblies at home were vile mobs, and their patriots atrocious cut-throats. The writings of Burke, even at the time when I considered my father's opinions as gospel, produced a strong impression on my mind. At fifteen, I read his pamphlet on the French Revolution, and wast captivated by the splendour of the diction, and half inclined to adopt his opinions. The writings of Cobbett created disgust, but an anonymous book, styled Jean Jacques Couteau,' excited within me a deep horror of the monsters quickened into life by the putrescent fermentation of the Parisian canaille. The Journal of Dr Moore, the author of Zeluco, View of