North Carolina, he was admitted to the bar, in the winter of 1786, before he was of full age. Here he practised until the spring of 1788, when he removed to the west, and finally settled at Nashville, in Tennessee.

At Nashville, Andrew Jackson zealously embarked in his profession; was appointed District Attorney of the United States for Tennessee; was the first member returned to Congress after Tennessee became a state, and was, after one years' service in the house of Representatives, elected a member of the Senate of the United States. After serving two or three sessions in that body, he resigned his seat, and was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of Tennessee.

In addition to his other early public employments, in 1796, he was elected a member of the convention to form a constitution for Tennessee, and took no inconsiderable part in the completion of that important work.

Relinquishing, for the time, all civil and political pursuits, he settled on the banks of the Cumberland, twelve miles east of Nashville, where he devoted himself to the successful cultivation of his farm. His dwelling was a two-story log house. In exterior, it appear

ed but an humble mansion, where some hermit might be supposed to dwell; but it was the seat of hospitality and kindness, and no one ever left it without realizing the most grateful and agreeable emotions. In the spring of 1814, General Jackson was appointed to the office of brigadier general in the army, with the brevet rank of major general. He soon after, received the full commission of major general.

In 1823, he was induced to accept a seat in the Senate of the United States, which he resigned after serving two sessions.

On the fourth of March 1829, he was elected President of the United States. In the sixty third year of his age, he is still in the vigour of life, and although with a constitution somewhat impaired by the trials and exposures encountered in the service of his country, he is not without the promise of health, and a continuance of its enjoyments.

Peculiar pleasure is derived from a perusal of the incidents of the life of such an individual.-In it, there is nothing of the monotony of early grandeur, of friends to protect, or patrons to raise him into consequence. No fancied dawnings of genius, displayed through

infantine folly, flattered parental vanity with visions of future greatness-but in Andrew Jackson was found a youth of humble, though honest origin; parentless and forlorn in early age; without fortune and friends; resting on the intuitive powers of a great mind, derived from the hand of nature; buffeting the storms of life, and at length raising himself, through merit alone, to the highest distinction that mortal man can attain.

MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS,

DAUGHTER of James V. and of Mary of Lorraine, his second wife, was born December 14, 1542, a few days before the death of her father; upon whose decease, the Earl of Arran was appointed guardian of Mary, and regent of the kingdom.

Henry VIII. on the death of James, conceived a project of marrying his only son Edward with the infant Queen of Scots; and sent some of the prisoners taken at Solway to Scotland, to urge his cause; but Henry, instead of temporising with the jealousy of the Scots, demanded that the person of their Queen should be immediately committed to his charge, and that the government of the kingdom should, during her minority, be placed in his hands, he at once alarmed and incensed the whole nation. His conditions were indignantly rejected, and after some dark and unsuccessful intrigues, he was compelled to make concessions; but he never relinquished his intentions of the union, till death put a stop

to his projects. The ministers of the young Edward followed the steps of their late master, and sent an army of 18,000 men to Scotland to enforce the union: the Scots were defeated in the famous battle of Pinkey. This disaster only tended to increase the hatred of the Scots: and in an assembly of the nobles, they resolved to offer their Queen in marriage to the dauphin of France; an offer so flattering and advantageous was immediately accepted; and the beauteous Mary, at the age of sixteen, was, without delay, conducted into France.

The nuptials between Mary and the dauphin, were, on the 14th of April, 1558, celebrated with great pomp, at Paris; previous to which she was prevailed upon to subscribe three deeds; by which, in failure of heirs, she conferred the kingdom of Scotland, its inheritance and succession, as a free gift upon the crown of France.

On the accession of Queen Elizabeth, the Catholics instigated Henry II. to persuade his daughter-in-law to assume, with her husband, the title of King and Queen of England, a fatal presumption which led to the most disastrous conséquences. When Francis II. be