GEN. LA FAYETTE.

PARIE Paul Jean Roche Yves Gilbert Motier, Marquis de La Fayette, is one of those characters that, belonging to a past generation, is brighter to-day than yesterday, and will be brighter to-morrow than to-day, because we learn with passing time the richness of the heritage of glory and freedom which they forsook home and friends, wealth and ease, to purchase for us. At the age of twenty he left his girl-bride, who it is said buckled his sword with her own fair fingers, and smiled through her tears as she bade him "God-speed," and fitting out two vessels with arms and provisions, sailed for Boston, where he was received by Washington with delight, joined the ranks as a volunteer, was wounded in the first engagement, and commanded the vanguard of the army at the capture of New York. When peace was concluded, he returned to the mother country, and found himself a hero, lionized to his heart's content. At home, as in America, he embraced the side of the people, and demanded for them popular rights.

In 1789 he proposed the "Declaration of Rights," which he had brought from the New World, and proposed it as the basis of a constitution. The insurrection of 1790 was the result of his endeavor to establish a Republic. The French people of that day are what they are now, volatile, excitable, brave, rash, easily discouraged, and easily dissuaded, it seems as if for them it had been written "unstable as water, thou shalt not excel."

La Fayette's attempt to found a republic was a failure. The powers of Europe, looking on, began to close in with their armies around France, and armies were raised to meet them; and La Fayette led them out to defend their own soil, as he had led in the defense of ours. At his headquarters at Sedan, he heard of the bloody tragedy of the 10th of August and of the imprisonment of the Royal family. Agents were sent to the different departments

and the reign of terror was fairly instituted; orders were given for the arrest of all the generals, and but one course was left open-to sacrifice the lives of his army, or to fly. He chose the latter, but was surrounded by the Austrians, captured, and confined in the gloomy dungeons of Olmutz, in Moravia. The rigors of his imprisonment were so severe that his health failed under them, and it was not until repeated efforts were made that they were relaxed, and a mitigation of his severe sufferings permitted. At length he succeeded in effecting his escape, but was retaken, closely confined, fed upon scant portions of bread and water, threatened daily with execution, and suffering untold agonies of uncertainty as to the fate of wife and child, whom, when he last heard from, were in prison in France. The Grandmother, mother and sister of his wife had perished on the scaffold; she herself was destined for the same fate,but was saved by the downfall of Robespiere. Freed from a dungeon in France, she hastened to Austria and kneeling at the feet of Francis II., pleaded as only a wife could plead, for the remnant of the life of her husband, prayed for the broken, shattered wreck, a gift, not to his country, but to herself, and failing to receive the boon, determined to share his captivity.

General Washington wrote to the Emperor and demanded his release, with as little effect, and it was not until Napoleon was master of the destiny of Europe that La Fayette breathed once more the free, sweet air of France. Nothing could ever draw him from private life again. Offices in America, the best our government could offer in her gratitude, and the entreaties of Napoleon alike left him unmoved, and nothing but the peril of his country called him from retirement.

The Bourbon dynasty was re-established, and La Fayette, having seen tranquility restored, visited America for the last time. Again revolution sweeps over France. Charles X. and his family are fugitives. Louis Philippe is on the throne,-La Fayette at the head of the national guards, and a hollow peace was restored, which fortunately lasted as long as the life of the patriot. He died May 20, 1834.

HRISTOPHER COLUMBUS was a Genoese, and born in the year 1435. His father was a wool-comber, and his ancestors were humble people. With the exception of one year spent at Paris, his education was conducted in his native city, and confined to such studies as fitted him for the sailor's life for which he was destined by his father. He went to sea at fourteen; at twenty-one we find him at Lisbon, and in 1470 on the African coast, seeking alike for gold and employment by the Portuguese government. He was now thirty-five years of age; tall, straight, handsome, dignified and commanding in appearance, his hair already whitened by exposure and the care and anxiety attendant upon his position. He married at this time

Felepé Môdis de Palestrello, daughter of an Italian gentleman, deceased, who had been a navigator under the patronage of Prince Henry, and who had colonized and been governor of the Isle of Porto Santo.

Columbus gave much of his time to drawing maps and charts, made several voyages to the coast of Africa, also to the Canary and Azore islands, and in 1477 made a voyage to Iceland. Long before this date he had conceived the idea of reaching India by a westward course, and supported this theory by the views of Aristotle and other ancient writers. The great problem of the time was how to reach India by sea, and he offered his services to John II. of Portugal to solve it, if he would give him an expedition for this purpose, and well-nigh succeeded, when some unknown agent prevented the king from acceding to his wishes. Columbus, disgusted with a monarch who had everything to win, at so trifling a risk, yet feared to venture aught, left him and went to Spain. He entered Spain alone, without friends, and in great poverty, but his pleasing manners won him both respect and attention, and friends came at his bidding. He soon made his way to the king and queen, to whom he told his plans, his hopes and his disappointments. His enthusiasm was contagious, and the will to aid him was good, but the uncertainty appalled men; and for seven long years he waited in suspense that made it seem a lifetime to the ardent and impatient navigator. At last, weary with the painful waiting and tired of the suspense, he left the court and started for France; but two of his friends waited upon the queen and she was persuaded to give her support, and promised even to pledge her jewels to obtain the means for his outfit. Columbus was then sent for; the king furnished men and ships, and the fleet, consisting of three vessels and twenty men, sailed from Palos, August 3, 1492. At ten o'clock at night, October 11, Columbus first saw lights moving in the far distance, and gazing intently, was satisfied that land was ahead. At two o'clock, a sailor in one of the other boats, a little in advance, saw the land-a lovely little island-San Salvador, one of the Bahamas. Soon after Cuba and Hayti were discovered, all of which he supposed to be portions of Asia. It is believed that he never knew to the contrary. The discovery produced the most intense excitement in Europe, and upon his return he was received with transports of joy by the

king and queen of Spain, and every honor and attention lavished on him.

In September, 1493, he sailed from Cadiz with seventeen ships and 1500 men, and discovered the islands of Jamaica, Porto Rico and the Windward isles. In his third voyage he discovered the islands of Trinidad, Orinoco and Para. At this time Columbus found the new colonies which he had planted in a sad state of disorganization, and remained some time to set things to rights and restore order; but complaints reached Spain, and a commissioner was sent out to make an examination, who so far exceeded his orders and authority that he arrested Columbus, his son and brother, and sent them home in irons. Spain was in a fever of indignation; the king declared his innocence of any such orders; the queen was kindness itself, but the admiralty was not restored to Columbus.

In 1502 Columbus was sent on another voyage to discover the passage from the Caribbean Sea into what was then supposed to be the great Indian Sea, and came near discovering Mexico, but died never knowing how narrow was the step between himself and more of glory than he had ever dreamed of. He returned at the end of the year and appealed to the king to remove from his name the partial disgrace resting upon it, and restore his title, but in vain. Like many another, since his time, the king had used his tool as long as it was profitable to him, and now wearied of the one who had served him faithfully. Columbus was not the last who learned the bitter lessons of man's ingratitude; but his heart was broken by the lesson that he was too proud to learn in humility, and he died at the age of sixty-seven. Tardy and partial justice was done his son after the father's death, but only when he had appealed to the law against the king.