“DEAR SIR,—­In the humblest tone do I implore your charity for three cents, to enable me to procure something to eat. Pray be so kind, and receive the grateful thanks of your humble supplicant of Shenandoah County, Va.”]

[Footnote BL:  The reader will be astonished to know that these remarks are from the pen of a Kentucky man; in which State there is a large hole in the ground, made by Providence, and called “The Mammoth Cave;” it is situated on private property, and for the privilege of lionizing it, you pay 10s.  So carefully is it watched, that no one is even allowed to make a plan of it, lest some entrance should be found available on the adjoining property.]

[Footnote BM:  I must beg the reader to remember this last sentence when he comes to the interview between the Kentucky author and his old friend, the schoolmaster.]

[Footnote BN:  Kentucky is the State of his birth and family, Arkansas the State of his adoption, and “The Three Continents” the fruit of his pen.]

[Footnote BO:  The reader will find that, in his interview with the schoolmaster, his brother was “completely himself” with a bowie-knife only.]

[Footnote BP:  One other instance I must give of the coolness with which an American writer can pen the most glaring falsehood; vide “English Traits,” by R.W.  Emerson.  I might quote many fake impressions conveyed, but I shall confine myself to one of his observations upon a religious subject, where at least decency might have made him respect truth.  At page 126 I find the following sentence:—­“They put up no Socratic prayer, much less any saintly prayer, for the Queen’s mind; ask neither for light nor right, but say bluntly, ’grant her in health and wealth long to live.’” Now, I will not ask whether the author of this passage ever saw our Book of Common Prayer, because printing the words in inverted commas is proof sufficient; nor will I go out of my way to show the many prayers put up for the bestowal of purely spiritual blessings; but, when I find the previous sentence to the one quoted by him to be as follows, “Endow her plenteously with heavenly gifts,” what can I say of such a writer?  Either that by heavenly gifts he understands dollars and cents, or that he has wilfully sacrificed religious truth at the shrine of democratic popularity.  Having placed him on these two horns of a dilemma, I leave him to arrange his seat.]

[Footnote BQ:  Of course the evidence of the brother is the most favourable to Mr. M.F.W. that the trial produces.]

[Footnote BR:  It appears in evidence that the scene described took place about half-past ten A.M.]

[Footnote BS:  Mr. Sturgus is the master who was supposed to be unfriendly to Mr. Matthew F. Ward.]

CHAPTER XXV.

The Institution of Slavery.