With the inconsiderable exceptions of the narrow vicinage of some few forts, I wish to be understood as speaking literally;—­I mean to produce to you more than three witnesses, who will support this assertion in its full extent.  That hurricane of war passed through every part of the central provinces of the Carnatic.  Six or seven districts to the north and to the south (and these not wholly untouched) escaped the general ravage.

Notes.—­This selection is an extract from Burke’s celebrated speech in Parliament, in 1785, on the Nabob of Arcot’s debts; it bore upon the maladministration of Hastings.

Arcot, a district in India, had been ceded to the British on condition that they should pay the former ruler’s debts.  These were found to be enormous, and the creditors proved to be individuals in the East India Company’s employ.  The creditors, for their private gain, induced the Nabob to attempt the subjugation of other native princes, among whom was Hyder Ali.  The latter at first made successful resistance, and compelled the Nabob and his allies to sign a treaty.  The treaty was not kept, and the destruction above recounted took place.

The Carnatic is a province in British India, on the eastern side of the peninsula; it contains about 50,000 square miles.  Madras is a city, and Tanjore a town, in this province.

CIX.  THE RAVEN.

Edgar Allan Poe, 1809-1849, was born in Boston, and died in Baltimore.  He was left a destitute orphan at an early age, and was adopted by Mr. John Allan, a wealthy citizen of Richmond.  He entered the University of Virginia, at Charlottesville, where he excelled in his studies, and was always at the head of his class; but he was compelled to leave on account of irregularities.  He was afterwards appointed a cadet at West Point, but failed to graduate there for the same reason.  Poe now quarreled with his benefactor and left his house never to return.  During the rest of his melancholy career, he obtained a precarious livelihood by different literary enterprises.  His ability as a writer gained him positions with various periodicals in Richmond, New York, and Philadelphia, and during this time he wrote some of his finest prose.  The appearance of “The Raven” in 1845, however, at once made Poe a literary lion.  He was quite successful for a time, but then fell back into his dissipated habits which finally caused his death.  In his personal appearance, Poe was neat and gentlemanly; his face was expressive of intellect and sensibility; and his mental powers in some directions were of a high order.  His writings show care, and a great degree of skill in their construction; but their effect is generally morbid. ###

  Once upon a midnight dreary,
  While I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious
    Volume of forgotten lore—­
  While I nodded, nearly napping,
  Suddenly there came a tapping,
  As of some one gently rapping,
    Rapping at my chamber door. 
  “’Tis some visitor,” I muttered,
    “Tapping at my chamber door
      Only this, and nothing more.”