As he was not conscious of having committed any very heinous crime, he was under no apprehensions for his life; but expected that, after he had told his story, and declared the motive of his actions, his judge might subject him to some slight punishment, perhaps a short imprisonment; what then was his amazement, when he heard himself accused of having entered into a conspiracy against the Austrian government.

The examination was carried on by means of an interpreter, a young mar of a benign aspect, who seemed to compassionate his situation, and who, when he gave such answers as he thought might tend to hurt his cause, made him repeat his answers, softening their import, assuring him he did not exactly express himself in proper terms, and desiring him to recollect whether he did not mean to answer in such and such a manner. Huger saw his good intentions, and determined to rely on his judgment, especially after he had heard him say in a low voice, "I am your friend." After this, and many subsequent examinations, the magistrates informed him he must not expect pardon, but advised him to prepare for the worst. This exhortation, so often repeated, began to have some effect upon him, and considering he was in the power of an absolute monarch, whose will was superior to law, he could not shake off some melancholy presages. His place of confinement was a loathsome dungeon, without light; he was fed with the coarsest food-chained to the floor during the night-his own clothes taken from him, and others sent him that had already been worn by many an unfortunate prisoner. Thus he dragged on the first three months of his confinement. After that time, he was removed to a better room, into which glimmered a borrowed light; better clothes, and more wholesome food were given him, and his circumstances, in every respect, were improved. But still he was uncertain as to his fate, and the jailer was the only human being that visited him. One day he was surprised with the appearance of his young friend the interpreter, Mr. W. - Nothing could exceed his joy at once more beholding a kindly human face. He informed Huger, that the court of Austria had believed that all the garrison of Olmutz had been engaged in the conspiracy; that many people had been arrested on suspicion; for it could not be believed, that two such young men as he and Bollman could have formed and executed so daring a plan, without the aid of others; but as no proofs had hitherto appeared, it was determined to bring them shortly to trial, and for that purpose, lawyers were to be sent from Vienna, to assist the magistrates of the city. Huger now, for the first time, learned the complete failure of their scheme, and that Bollman was under the same roof with him. However sad the reflection was, that his friend's sufferings equaled his own, yet he could not express the joy he felt at being so near him. Soon after, he discovered that he inhabited the room above him. Thenceforward his treatment was much less rigorous; even the jailer, who till lately had observed a profound silence, relaxed his caution, and came frequently to visit him; and though a man of few words, yet as his presence broke the dreary solitude, he felt happy whenever he made hi appearance. Many were the experiments he tried, to hold communicatio with Bollman, and at length he succeeded.

He discovered that the window which threw a borrowed light into his cell, served likewise to throw light into that of Bollman. He picked a

piece of lime from the wall, and with it scratched a few words upon a black silk handkerchief he wore about his neck; then fixing it upon a stick, he climbed up the side of the room, and raised the stick as near the common window as he could, till it had attracted the attention of Bollman, who, after many efforts, made himself master of it, and returned an answer by the same method. Delighted with having overcome this difficulty, they never suffered a day to pass without some communication. To W they were indebted for the means of rendering their situation still more comfortable, by engaging the jailer's wife in their interest; a few presents, and now and then a small piece of money, induced her secretly to bring them books, food, wine, and warmer clothes; and at length to procure a meeting between the two friends, at first short, but by degrees become more hardy, they were permitted to pass some part of every day together. The following is an extract of a letter, written by Huger to a near friend and relation, which, as it describes his situation and feelings in a forcible manner, ought not to be omitted.

"I am equally ignorant how this affair may have been represented, or what may be thought, in these times, of an attempt to deliver M. de la Fayette. The motives which, however, induced me to engage in it, cannot be judged by those who examine all similar enterprises according to their success or failure. Believe me, it was neither unreasonably undertaken, nor rashly executed, but failed from accidents which prudence could not foresee. To the mortification of a failure, were added the miseries of a prison, which, in Austria, exceed anything known in England. In a small room, just long enough for my bed of straw, with eight-pence a day for my support; at night chained to the ground, and without books or light, I passed the first three months of my captivity. After this time my situation be came gradually better, but I was not allowed to write to my friends to be delivered from my chains, or permitted the smallest intercourse with the world, till a fortnight before my release.

"In such a situation, the consciousness alone of having done nothing dishonest or dishonorable, could afford that interual satisfaction, and inspire that stern patience, necessary to support calmly so sudden and severe a reverse of fortune; but it has convinced me, that a mind at peace with itself, can in no situation be unhappy. Daily habit also soon removed the unpleasant sensations excited by disagreeable and unaccustomed objects, and the mind, which no power can restrain, will always derive consolation from hope, and rarely want some object to be actively employed upon. My friend and companion, Mr. Bollman, was in the same house, and our efforts to establish some communication, or to procure a momentary interview, afforded exercise for invention; and, in proportion to the difficulty of effecting our wishes, the smallest success rewarded days of projects and expectation. I once, also, found means to disengage myself from my chains, and felt an emotion beyond the power of words to describe. My long captivity has not then been wholly miserable, nor without some pleasure."

At length, at the end of seven months, they were informed that the crown lawyers had arrived. The government by this time was satisfied, that the attempt to liberate La Fayette was planned independently by two adventurers, and that it was not a plot laid by the secret agents of France,

in which the garrison at Olmutz at least was concerned, if it were not more widely extended; and upon their trial, the sole fact of having attempted to rescue a state prisoner was alleged against them.

This fact being proved, they were remanded to their prison, to await the sentence which was to be pronounced against them by the supreme magis trate. They were now, however, permitted every indulgence but liberty. It was some days before they heard from W―, and when he came, they were astonished and confounded to hear from him, that their punishment was intended to be imprisonment for life. He however consoled them by hinting, that if they could by any means procure money, this sentence might be changed to one much less severe, as it remained with the magistrate to pass what sentence he thought proper, or even to release them entirely. Bollman had no fortune, and as Huger had no credit in Austria, it would be a long time before he could receive a remittance from London. W, their guardian angel, promised to do all he could for them.

In the vicinity of Olmutz resided a Russian nobleman, of most polished manners, joined to the greatest benevolence of heart. With him Wenjoyed a perfect intimacy and friendship; they were congenial souls. W— had made him acquainted with the whole of their story; through him he had been able to administer so frequently to their comfort; and he now nobly offered to advance them whatever money they might want, to accomplish their release, and to defray their expenses to Hamburg. Having thus removed the greatest difficulty, his next care was to sound the sentiments of the magistrate. This he could easily effect, as, in the capacity of interpreter, he had constant communication with him. He soon discerned that the magistrate was not averse to his speaking in their favor: and when he artfully insinuated that a large reward would certainly attend his declaring himself inclined to pardon, he found himself listened to with more attention. Having gained this point, he very soon came to an eclaircissement. The magistrate made an exorbitant demand; W- said it was useless for him to go to the prisoners with such terms, and as he knew exactly the state of their finances, he could at once mention what they had to give, and therefore the utmost he could expect. This sum was fifty pieces. He refused to comply for less than a hundred. In answer to this, Wdesired him to consider, that if he delayed his determination, he might lose his prize altogether, for that great interest was making at Vienna for the release of the prisoners, which he had no doubt would succeed, as among others, the English and American ambassadors had exerted themselves in their favor. This upright magistrate at last yielded to the impulse of avarice, and agreed that, if the prisoners would send him the money before they left the prison, they should be released the next day. To this he answered that they were so distrustful of all about them, that he was certain they would rather await the result of the petition at Vienna, than part with their little stock of money at an uncertainty, but added, that he himself would become their security, and be answerable to him for the money in case they did not pay it. To this he agreed and W- was authorized to negotiate with the prisoners. All matters being soon settled, the term of their imprisonment was first fixed at fourteen years, then shortened to seven, soon after to one, then to a month, and lastly to a week; at the expiration

of which they were released from prison. They immediately repaired to the house of the magistrate, to return him thanks for the many indulgencies he had allowed them, and upon shaking hands with him, the stipulated sum was put into his hands. It is not to be supposed they made a long stay at Olmutz; no longer than was necessary to pour out their grateful acknowledgments to the Russian nobleman, and above all, to the nobleminded, generous W, to whose kindness they owed all the comforts they had experienced in prison, and to whose friendly and humane exertions they were ultimately indebted for their liberation.

"La Fayette, in the meantime, was thrown back into his obscure and ignominious sufferings, with hardly a hope that they could be terminated except with his life. During the winter of 1794-5, he was reduced to almost the last extremity by a violent fever; and yet was deprived of proper attendance, of air, of suitable food, and of decent clothes. To increase his misery, he was made to believe that he was reserved for public execution, and that his chivalrous deliverers had already perished on a scaffold; while, at the same time, he was not permitted to know whether his family were still alive, or had fallen under the revolutionary ax, of which, during the time he was out of his dungeon, he had heard such appalling ac

counts.

Madame La Fayette, however was nearer to him than he could imagine to have been possible. She (with her two daughters) had been released from prison, where she too had nearly perished; and having gained strength sufficient for the undertaking, and sent her eldest son for safety to the care of General Washington, she set out accompanied by her two young daughters, all in disguise, with American passports. They were landed at Altona, and proceeding immediately to Vienna, obtained an audience with the em peror, who refused to liberate La Fayette, but, as it now seems probable, against the intentions of his ministers, gave them permission to join him in his prison. They went instantly to Olmutz; but before they could enter, they were deprived of whatever they had brought with them, to alleviate the miseries of a dungeon, and required, if they should pass its threshold, never again to leave it.

Madame La Fayette's health soon sunk under the complicated sufferings and privations of her loathsome imprisonment, and she wrote to Vienna for permission to pass a week in the capital, to breathe purer air, and obtain medical assistance. Two months elapsed before any answer was returned; and then she was told that no objection would be made to her leaving her husband, but that if she should do so, she must never return to him. She immediately and formally signed her consent and determination to share his captivity in all its details."

Notwithstanding the efforts which had been made for their release, La Fayette and his fellow prisoners remained immured in their dark and loathsome dungeons, until August, 1797, when Bonaparte settled the treaty of Campo Formio with the Austrian government. La Fayette had been confined five years, and Madame La Fayette and her daughters shared his imprisonment for twenty-two months.

THE TRIUMPHS

OF SOME OF THE MOST

EMINENT AMERICAN INVENTORS

WHITNEY-FULTON-MORSE-STEERS-GOODYEAR-COLT-M'COR-
MICK-SINGER, ETC., TO WHICH IS ADDED A SKETCH OF
THE ATLANTIC SUB-MARINE TELEGRAPH

THIS world probably is not yet out of its babyhood. The united ages of one hundred individuals who have reached the allotted period of three score years and ten, sum up an amount of time greater than that which has elapsed since our common parents first walked in the groves of Paradise.

Geologists demonstrate, and theologians assent to their evidence, that this round globe, whereon we all unexpectedly find ourselves, was probably millions of years in the process of forming for our habitation. Is it not fair, then, to infer that it will be occupied by our race for at least as long a period as it was preparing for them? And this, it would seem, could be well afforded; for let us assign its duration to any vast number of ages, nothing would be taken from eternity-nothing from the measureless glory and beneficence of HIM, with whom "one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."

Beside, to our apprehension the world thus far would appear a failure. Very little has been accomplished by those for whom it was made. They have not even now completely explored its surface, and the great mass are yet in a savage state, which, although the natural condition, can be so only in the beginning the nature of man being to progress, to reach forward and improve his condition, through the aid of Art, Science, and Religion. Art, mechanical and æsthetical, which ministers to labor, comfort, and the sense of the beautiful-Science, the sister and partner of Art, that opens the riches and workings of nature; and Religion, which cements everything, by lifting up the soul in harmony with the righteous law of the Great Author.

That this world is not yet out of swaddling clothes, seems further evident from the fact, that the vital truth, that "all men are born free and equal," has just been discovered-the great American idea, that all have the same natural right to enjoy the benefits of everything which a common Father has provided-that no distinction in these respects exists between men, and no especial consideration is due to any one, other than that which arises from a mental or a moral superiority.

It is the effect of this idea of freedom and equality, united to the consequent more general diffusion of knowledge, that does so fill the breast of the American with hope and cheerfulness, for with it bursts upon his view