latter years of his life, when far removed from the land of his birth, his thoughts and feelings always turned homeward, and he never ceased to express the hope of returning to lay his bones in his native soil. His wish has not been gratified, but his memory will remain for ever connected with the spot.

DR. FRANKLIN.

There is in the character of every distinguished person, something to admire and something to imitate. The incidents that have marked the life of a great man, always excite curiosity, and often afford improvement. If there be talents which we can never expect to equal, if there be a series of good fortune which we can never expect to enjoy, we still need not lose the labor of our biographical inquiries. We may probably become acquainted with habits which it may be prudent to adopt, and discover virtues which we cannot fail to applaud. It will be easy to make a full application of these remarks in our contemplations upon the celebrated Dr. Franklin. By his death one of the best lights of the world may be said to have been extinguished. We shall not attempt any historical details of the life of this illustrious patriot and philosopher, as we have nothing farther in view than to make a few comments upon the most striking traits of his character.

Original genius was peculiarly his attribute. The native faculties of his mind qualified him to penetrate into every science; and his unremitted diligence left no field of knowledge unexplored. There were no limits to his curiosity. His inquiries were spread over the whole face of nature. But the study of man seemed to be his highest delight; and if his genius had any special bias, it lay in discovering those things that made men wiser and happier. As truth was the sole object of his researches, he was of course no sectary; and as reason was his guide, he embraced no system which that did not authorize. In short, he laid the whole volume of nature open before him, and diligently and faithfully perused it.

Nor were his political attainments less conspicuous than his philosophical. The ancients usually ranked good fortune among those circumstances of life which indicate merit. In this view Dr. Franklin is almost unrivalled, having seldom undertaken more than he accomplished. The world are too well acquainted with the events of his political career to require, at this time, a particular enumeration of them.

If Dr. Franklin did not aspire after the splendor of eloquence, it was only because the demonstrative plainness of his manner was superior to it. Though he neither loved political debate nor excelled in it, he still preserved much influence in public assemblies, and discovered an aptitude in his remarks on all occasions. He was not fond of taking a leading part in such investigations as could never terminate in any degree of certainty. To come forward in questions which in their nature are definite and in their issue problematical, does not comport with the caution of a man who has taught himself to look for demonstration. He reserved his observations for those cases which science could enlighten, and common sense approve. The simplicity of his style was well adapted to the clearness of his understanding. His conceptions were so bright and perfect, that he did not choose to involve them in a crowd of expressions. If he used metaphors, it was to illustrate, and not to embellish the truth. A man possessing such a lively imagery of ideas, should never affect the arts of a vain rhetorician, whose excellence consists only in a beautiful arrangement of words.

But whatever claims to eminencé Dr. Franklin may have as a politician or a scholar, there is no point of light in which his character shines with more lustre than when we view him as a man or a citizen. He was eminently great in common things. Perhaps no man ever existed whose life can with more justice be denominated useful. Nothing ever passed through his hands without receiving improvement; and no person ever went into his company without gaining wisdom. His sagacity was so

sharp, and his science so various, that whatever might be the profession or occupation of those with whom he conversed, he could meet every one upon his own ground. He could enliven every conversation with an anecdote, and conclude it with a

moral.

The whole tenor of his life was a perpetual lecture against the idle, the extravagant, and the proud. It was his principal aim to inspire mankind with a love of industry, temperance, and frugality; and to inculcate such duties as promote the important interests of humanity. He never wasted a moment of time, or lavished a farthing of money, in folly or dissipation. Such expenses as the dignity of his station required, he readily sustained, limiting them by the strictest rules of propriety. Many public institutions experienced his well-timed liberality; and he manifested a sensibility of heart by numerous acts of private charity. By judicious division of time, Dr. Franklin acquired the art of doing every thing to advantage; and his amusements were of such a nature, as could never militate with the main

objects of his pursuits. In whatever situation he was placed, he extracted something useful for himself and others. His life was remarkably full of incident-every circumstance of it turned to some valuable account. The maxims which his discerning mind has formed, apply to innumerable cases and characters. Those who move in the lowest, equally with those who move in the most elevated rank in society, may be guided by his instructions. In the private deportment of his life, he in many respects has furnished a most excellent model. His manners were easy and accommodating, and his address winning and respectful. All who knew him speak of him as a most agreeable man and all who have heard of him applaud him as a very useful one. A man so wise and so amiable could not bút have many admirers and many friends.

CHARACTER OF GREGORY VII.

Hildebrand, the famous Gregory the Seventh, was educated at Cluni, a French monastery of high renown, in the severity of monastic discipline; rose to the first dignities of the church; and during the pontificates of five succeeding popes, was honored with their confidence in the discharge of the most arduous business. It is well known what a torrent of vice had then spread itself over the face of Christendom: to stem this, in vain had every effort been made, which honest virtue and Christian zeal could suggest. Hildebrand, with the keen sensibility of a virtuous mind, had long viewed the fallen state of religion, and he ascended the papal throne, with the unanimous approbation of all orders of the Roman Church, big with vast designs of reformation. "We choose Hildebrand for the true vicar of Christ, (they are the words used at his election,) a man of much learning, of great piety, of prudence, justice, fortitude, and religion. He is modest, abstemious, and chaste; regular in the discipline of his family, hospitable to the poor, and from his tender years nursed in the bosom of our holy church: to him we give those powers of supremacy, which Peter once received from the mouth of God."

The source of the evils he intended to assail, lay, it was evident, in the general corruption of manners, in the unbounded sway of passion, and in the abuse of power. With an intrepidity of soul that perhaps was never equalled, he dared singly to op pose this multitudinous enemy, and he called the sovereigns of

d of

Europe to his tribunal. The motives which led him on, and the habits of stern virtue, which had steeled his character, excluded almost the possibility of suspicion that he himself was arrogating a power which belonged not to him, and from the abuse of which even greater evils might ensue than those he aimed to suppress. To effectuate more completely the schemes he had in view, he conceived the bold design of making himself sole monarch of the earth. The concerns of Europe, whether ecclesiastical or civil, would then be brought within his own cognizance; he would distribute favors, as merit might seem to call for them; and he would dispose of crowns, which, too often, he observed, fell upon the heads of the unworthy, or of men who knew not the proper use of power.*

During the twelve years of his reign he held eleven councils at Rome, the objects of which were the suppression of crimes, to enforce the execution of decrees or discipline, or to confirm by a more solemn sanction the sentences of excommunication and deposition which in the plenitude of his supposed power he had pronounced against the obstinate and refractory.

He reprimanded the king of Hungary for daring to accept the investiture of his realm from the hand of the Emperor and not from Rome. He wrote to the kings of Denmark, of Sweden, and of Norway, reproving them for what was ill done, and pressed on them obedience to the Apostolic See. He laid the whole kingdom of Poland under interdict for the murder of Stanislaus, bishop of Cracow, deprived the king of regal power, and absolved his subjects from their allegiance. He pretended that the kingdom of Spain had from time immemorial belonged to the Holy See. He threatened Alfonsus, king of Castile, with excommunication for marrying a near relation of his first wife, and forbid his living with her. To Dalmatia, Venice, and Sardinia he wrote in the same style of a judge, and even to Russia he attempted to extend his jurisdiction. He seemed to avoid giving offence to William of Normandy, whose boldness of spirit he could not subdue. But he obliged Philip, king of France, to give way before him, when he had refused to admit certain bishops. "Either your king," said he "shall cease from his simoniacal conduct, or the realm of France struck by a general anathema shall withdraw from his obedience, unless they rather choose to renounce their Christianity."

The quarrel of Gregory with Henry IV. of Germany, is a memorable event in history, and exhibits the proud spirit and power of the Pontiff. Henry was accused of the simoniacal dis

*See Berington's Memoirs.

tribution of benefices and other offences. "The Pope," says Berington, "exerted all his powers to stem the raging torrent; he advised, he expostulated, he reprimanded, and he threatened. It was in vain; conspiracies were formed against him, his person was seized, but he was rescued by the timely interference of the Roman populace. Under pain of anathema, he then ordered Henry to appear before him at Rome, and he fixed the day for his appearance. The emperor disobeyed the summons, convoked an assembly at Wormes; he accused Gregory of crimes, as unfounded, as they were scandalous, and pronounced sentence of deposition against him."

On the other hand the Pope convened a synod at Rome, where sentence of excommunication was passed against Henry. The sentence is very remarkable and is in these words:

"Peter, prince of the apostles, listen to thy servant, whom thou hast tutored from his youth, and whom, to the present hour, thou hast freed from the hands of the wicked, who hate me, because I am faithful to thee. Thou canst witness, and with thee can witness the holy mother of Christ, and thy brother Paul, that unwillingly I was compelled to mount this holy throne. Rather would I have worn out my life in exile, than have usurped thy seat to gain glory and the praise of mortals. By thy favor has the care of the Christian world been committed to me; from thee I have the power of binding and of loosening. Resting on this assurance, for the honor and support of the church, in the name of God the Father Almighty, of his Son, and of the Holy Ghost, I depose Henry, who rashly and insolently has raised his arm against thy church, from all imperial and regal power, and his subjects I absolve from all allegiance to him. For it is meet that he, who aims to retrench the majesty of thy church, should be despoiled of his own honors."

The nobles of Germany whom the misconduct of Henry had exasperated, resolved to seize upon the occasion to resent their injuries. To ward off the blow, Henry crossed the Alps, hoping by this apparent submission, to appease also the anger of Gregory. Arrived at Canusium, a castle belonging to the Countess Matilda, where the Pope then was, he dismissed his guard, laid down every ensign of royalty, and barefooted, in the humble garb of a penitent, he presented himself at the gates. He was refused admittance. It was winter, and the season was severe. Here he remained, silent and submissive, till the rising of the fourth sun, when, at the entreaty of Matilda and others, he was admitted to the presence of Gregory. An accommodation took place, and his absolution was pronounced, on condition that he should ever remain obedient to the Holy See, that he should ap