Greek commonwealths among themselves, the | fering is the bloody sacrifice of the happiness of struggle between the Macedonians and Greeks, myriads of human beings for its own aggrandizeand that between the Romans and the Carthagini-ment. Full of doubt and suspicion, it is the great ans, for an uprofitable superiority, form one of the marrer of all combinations formed for the promobloodiest pictures in history. How often have tion of the welfare of man. It perverts the vicdesolating wars originated in an insatiable ambi- tories of the finest armies that were ever brought tion? Who can count the calamities which have into the field into their own overthrow; it has broresulted from it? What means does it not use to ken up the happiest alliances and destroyed the obtain its ends? Encouraged with the hope of suc-strongest leagues; exchanged friendship for enmicess, it scruples not to gratify the worst passions, ty, peace for war, liberty for despotism; it has barnor to indulge the most malignant feelings. To ob- tered plenty for scarcity, hope for despair, virtue tain power, Pericles soothed the pride and flattered for vice; it has crushed republics under the feet the vanity of the Athenians. To retain it, he, by of despots; scattered to the winds of heaven the false, unjust and indirect means, procured the ban-noblest associations that were ever framed for the ishment of the virtuous Cimon; and to increase his benefit of mankind, and blasted the best formed and ill-gotton authority, he aroused the Athenians brightest designs of mortals. And so strong is this against their Spartan brethren, and plunged them inordinate desire of power, that it often induces into an unprovoked and calamitous war, which en- profligacy to practise morality for the better achievetailed upon his own miserable country the wretched ment of its objects. Alcibiades, when popular inheritance of sighs, and groans, and blood, which among his countrymen, could not be reclaimed from lasted much longer than the poor, fading laurel his vicious excesses. But when obliged to flee which he gained in the contest. Richard III, from his country, to gain power and influence paved the way for his ambitious usurpation by the murder of his nephews. Louis XI, for the gratification of his own lusts and for the emolument of his own house, by fraud, treachery, cruelty and tyranny, achieved the almost entire subjugation and destruction of those proud vassals among whom the house of Capet was originally numbered. The Empress Catherine ascended the Throne of the Czars by having her husband murdered by her paramour. Charles, Duke of Durazzo, smothered Joanna of Naples, to render more secure his usur-nary blessing, to win a fading wreath, pation of her throne, Edward II, was the victim of the crimes and the ambition of his Queen Isa- The blessings of government are insecure when bella. The meanest crimes have been the fore- those who are invested with power are ambitious. runners of the gratification of the thirst after pow- If their schemes are successful, usurpation is the The murder of lawful rulers, and the betray-result. If their selfish wishes are thwarted, the al of the cause of freedom have preceded the demon of revenge is appeased by the sacrifice of triumphs of ambition. When deeply excited it has national prosperity. C. Marius who had once a ferocity that is untameable. The imagination been called the father of his country, marched as inflames it. Reason succumbs to its purposes. a conqueror, through the streets of Rome, because The memory is busy with recollections that can its citizens had refused to gratify his restless cheer it in its desolating progress. It takes the ambition.

er.

garb of religion-Fanaticism ministers to its

among the Spartans, he conformed himself to their self-denial and frugal simplicity. Ambition is dazzling and deceptive. It lures many on to enchanting but unreal prospects. It stimulates to exertions that end in disappointment and disgrace. Active and restless, it is continually involving others in its wiles and intrigues. Disregarding the counsels of wisdom and experience, and despising the sober reality of truth, it sports with human happiness and sufferings, to secure for itself an imagi

"And shine in worthless lays, the theme of transient song."

But the turbulency and dangerousness of ambiwants. It rocks the cradle of liberty, and then tion depend, in a great measure, on the customs hangs the patriot on the gibbet. To gain, it pro-and habits and prevailing sentiments of the peomises; to hold, it disappoints. When aspiring it ple. That activity which prompts it is curbed in is humble; when successful it is arrogant. It despotisms. There the restraints which are imwins the seditious by promoting discord, and then posed upon the actions of men, render the occato render its object secure it crushes its victims.sions rare on which it can be developed. A sullen Dissimulation, flattery and falsehood, bribery and and habitual submission to oppression, produces an injustice, cruelty, faction and tumult are ever in its aversion to change. Why are the evils of ambiservice. It flatters the virtuous with the prospect tion most frequently and most dangerously experiof national glory, and binds the vicious to its inte- enced in republics? Because of less abridgment rest by the indulgence of their passions. It prac- of liberty,-of less control over the will and desires, tises charity only so long as it is useful, and reve- and because of fewer restraints over individual rences virtue merely as a means for accomplishing conduct. The door for competition and emulation its ends. It forgets the duties of benevolence is thrown open. And the people being the source amidst the cares of its own interest. Its only of- of power, ambitious desires can only be gratified

by the obstruction of their rights. The necessary and have ended their days in retirement. But such derangement and evil consequences are greater resolutions have either been prompted by a fear of than would be in other governments: for illegal the indignation of an outraged people, or, as in the power is exercised by unauthorized persons; whilst case of Sylla, by a disposition to drown the recolin more arbitrary governments few, except those lection of cruelties and meanness in the midst of already in power, can indulge ambitious propensi- riot, licentious indulgences and debauchery. In the ties. And in republics its only corrective is intel-majority of cases, the allurements of unrestrained ligence and virtue among the people. But if they power have brutalized the feelings and destroyed are duly mindful of their intellectual and moral all the virtuous propensities of the human characwants it will be harmless. ter. Even when gratified ambition wields the scepHappily, however, for mankind, there are few tre of its power most beneficially and unexcepwhose prospects of gaining power are so great as tionably, and, by acts of virtue, and justice and to excite that ferocity characteristic of inordinate charity, atones for its usurpation, flattery and aduambition which equally destroys, without hesitation lation are ever ready to corrupt the heart. or remorse, the peace and happiness of individuals Is the fruit of successful ambition the security of

or nations. This desire is evinced by the bulk of the enjoyment of rational happiness? Its most demen in aims to gain some trifling advantage over lightful prospects become barrenness. Disappointtheir fellows, or in efforts to secure a show of dig-ment is the realization of its brightest promises. nity or importance above their real merit. And it is insecure amidst the greatest displays of

"Dost thou lie so low?

Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils,
Shrunk to this little measure?"

For what is this desire so often and so mischie-its power. The great Hannibal took a dose of poivously indulged? Does its gratification refine and son to escape the cruelties of his enemies. Sesosexalt the other desires, or chasten the feelings? Is tris died by his own hands. Nero, by a voluntary not its excessive gratification succeeded by a gra- death, escaped the punishment due to his crimes. dual extirpation from the mind of every humane Well might Mark Antony exclaim over the assasand gentle virtue. Unnatural power proceeds step sinated body of Cæsar, by step, until it has eradicated every laudable principle, and has corrupted both the heart and the understanding. Many of the most cruel and abominable tyrants have excited the hopes of their subjects at the commencement of their reigns. Du-Pompey the Great, was murdered by the orders of the ungrateful Ptolemy. Mark Antony stabbed ring the first eight months of Caligula's reign, Rome himself. Galba was beheaded. Otho, who proexpected universal prosperity. Vice was punished and virtue encouraged. But how soon did he become proud, wanton, cruel, vicious, mean, oppressive, foolish and hateful! The conduct of Frederic II of Prussia, manifested clearly that the habits of uncontrolled dominion had no softening influence on his heart. The beginning of Nero's administration was marked by virtuous acts. The ambitious and cruel Tiberius appeared at first as the friend of justice, and as the guardian of the public peace. The pages of history are crowded with examples of the degrading effects of unbounded power. Few, who have been intoxicated with its possession, have escaped degradation. Few have 'Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition; voluntarily relinquished the possession of power, By that sin fell the Angels, how can man then, The image of his Maker, hope to win by 't?" in order to attain the enjoyment of happiness in a subordinate station. Diocletian is, perhaps, the first All ambition is not thus reprehensible. There able and prosperous prince, who ever abandoned the is a species of it that aims at a higher object than cares of governing from deliberate choice. The the personal gratification that arises from a conpersuasions of Maximian, his colleague, who fol-sciousness that we have a dominion over our fellow lowed his example, but not from voluntary choice, men. It is the desire of exercising power over could not induce him to reassume the imperial pur- the minds of men; a power of influencing the ple. Charles the fifth's resignation of his do- opinions of others, so that they may be guided into minions, while he was in the plenitude of his pow-sound sentiments and virtuous conduct. This er, and in possession of all the honors which can modification of the desire of power is accompanied flatter the heart of man, gained for him the admi- with benevolence, whilst malevolence is attendant ration of the world, and, at the same time, filled it upon it in its ordinary form.

fited by it, in a fit of despair, ended his life by his own hand. The people indignant at the conduct of Vitellius, his successor, massacred him, and threw his body into the Tiber. The annals of our race Sweden, fell by an assassin's hand. The sceptre are full of these bloody stories. Gustavus III, of of the mighty and astonishing power of Napoleon of modern times was compelled to spend the remcrumbled to dust in his grasp, and the great hero nant of his days in vassalage. No advice could be better than that given by Cardinal Wolsey to his servant :

"

with astonishment. Other instances occur in his- There is another power worthy of attainment. tory, of monarchs who have quitted their thrones,' Its exploits, though not often recorded, are deserv

ing of a song. It gains for its possessor a more ed, because he stands "alone in his glory." The enduring laurel than that of the warrior. It raises Prince of such was Washington; and he secured no pyramids to attest its existence. No triumphal happiness and liberty for his country, and impecolumn celebrates its praises. When the warrior's rishable honor for himself. There is a moral in wand is broken, and those who trusted in its the lives of these patriots, which, though not often strength are forced to exclaim,

"O, wither'd is the garland of the war,

The soldier's pole is fallen;"

heeded, is worthy of all regard. The power of ruling ought never to be sought after. The duty of patriots and philanthropists is to render themselves worthy to be trusted and clothed with power, if necessary for the purposes of benevolence and patriotism.

this power is still a shield and a solace to all who have attained it. It does not enable us to domineer over our fellow men; but it gives us the mastery over our own evil passions and wicked desires. Is not ambition, in this land of liberty, leading This is the power of self-control. Time mocks the us to neglect some of the most important duties of power of the blood-thirsty warrior and of the am- freemen? National greatness must be secured in bitious statesman. All that they can acquire soon some other way than by the gratification of ambiforsakes them. Their grandeur is synonymous tious desires. Did the reputation of Greece and with desolation. They are powerless in the day Rome rest only on the accomplishment of the purof adversity. The grave usurps dominion over poses of its ambitious statesmen and warriors, it their strength. Their frail bark of mortality is would only be celebrated in the songs of vagaforced to float upon the troubled waters of the Jor-bond minstrels; and the story of their rise and dan of death, without helm or rudder; whilst he fall would be remembered merely as a solemn who has learned to command his own passions and to exercise control over his own desires and appetites, is not left without comfort and support in the starless night of suffering and of adversity, in which mortals are obliged to wander, before they reach their final destiny. Those who have only been anxious to rule others have always been the

warning to freemen. Strike from the history of England the annals of her literature, and what a dreary waste remains! And if nothing nobler than the schemes of ambition is to allure Americans on to exertion, our story will soon be told. The

bright destiny which awaits us will not be realized. If the conflicts of ambition are to constitute the

and

slaves of passion. They have worn chains hearemainder of our history, then we have reached "the highest point of all our greatness." But if, vier and more galling than those which they have so unmercifully imposed upon their fellow-crea- as in the days of our Revolution, patriotism shall have dominion over ambition, the field of glorious tures. They are involved in toils more intricate and dangerous than those into which they have enterprise will be open, new wreaths will be gaplunged others. And the dread of feeling that thered to be twined in the chaplet of my country's renown. Victories more enduring will be won power which they have exercised so wantonly, makes cowards of them. Different is the charac- than those which are achieved by man over his ter of those who have been ambitious to govern their fellow-man. The lyre and the harp will be strung— own hearts. So far from being the dupes of vicious, propensities, they have fettered the improper desires of their nature. Their feelings have been refined; their love of virtue strengthened; their hearts enlarged; and their courage so increased that some of the brightest pages of the annals of moral greatness have caught their lustre from the conduct, the bravery and the fortitude of virtuous men in the hour of trial and of persecution. "Though perils did

Abound, as thick as thought could make them, and
Appear in forms more horrid; yet my duty,
As doth a rock against the chiding flood,
Should the approach of this wild river break."

is

"Ruder sounds shall none be near,
Guards nor warders challenge here,
Here's no war-steeds nigh and champing,
Shouting clans or squadrons stamping."

A VIRGINIAN.

THE FATE OF THE BUCANIER. Glynellen was a young Welsh adventurer who embarked for this country about the year 1690. Naturally of a roving disposition, he soon became dissatisfied with the monotony

and tameness of a sedentary life; and, collecting together

The indulgence of this sort of ambition only favorable to works of patriotism. None but such lucrative profession of the pirate. After scouring the Ata number of congenial spirits, embraced the dangerous but as are striving for the mastery over their own evil lantic for several years, during which he kept the Spanish and wicked and selfish feelings, are capable of ex-colonies in a state of continual apprehension and alarm by ercising power for the benefit of the public, and the rapidity of his movements and the astonishing boldness the advancement of the cause of truth and free-of his adventures, he was at last surprised and attacked, whilst carousing with his companions on a beach of one of dom. From such was Cincinnatus selected to the West India Islands, by a large party of Spaniards, who lead the Roman army to victory and to renown. had received secret information of his approach. A despeWe cannot say from such Washington was select-rate resistance was made, but without avail. The Rover