The New York Packet

From the London Advertiser.

Mr. EDITOR,

It is not birth, or rank, or learning, or wealth that can make heroes; for we find the most heroic acts performed by persons of obscure birth, in the lowest stations, struggling with poverty, and whose minds were unenlightened or unimproved by learning or education. Of the truth of this observation the following Anecdote will give a most striking and most admirable proof.

Some time since the Adige, which runs through the city of Verona, was swelled to such a degree by rains and torrents from the neighbouring hills, that it overflowed its banks and carried away, arch by arch, a bridge that had been built over it in Verona. The bridge was lined with houses, as London bridge was formerly. The torrent had carried all away but the centre arch, on which stood a house, the inhabitants of which had not had time to escape, before the other arches broke down: The communication with both banks being thus cut off, the forlorn inhabitants of this solitary house resigned themselves to their fate, expecting every moment that the arch and with it the house and themselves, would be washed away, in the sight of their fellow citizens, who were crowded on both sides of the river, deploring their fate, and unable to assist them except with their prayers. Count Spolvetini, a nobleman of great humanity, though not very wealthy, seeing that the piers on which the arch rested were beginning to totter, publicly cried out, that he would give (a sum equal to) one hundred guineas, to one who would venture in a boat to the relief of the poor people who were in this imminent danger, and bring them off. But he could not, in an immense crowd of citizens, find one who would run the hazard; as those whom the money might otherwise have tempted, were deterred by the double danger of being carried away by the torrent, or crushed to death by the ruins of the arch, while they might be lying under it with their boat to receive the inhabitants of the house. At length a poor countryman happened to pass that way, and hearing from the people the danger of his fellow creatures on the remaining arch, and the generous offer of the Count, he hurried into a boat, and by dint of rowing, stemmed the torrent, and reached the arch; there he moored his boat, till he had got on board the father, mother, children, grand-father and grand-mother, who had let themselves down into it by a rope. "Be of good cheer, my friends (said he to them) the greatest of the danger is past." He then betook himself to his oars, and by the most powerful exertions, reached the shore amidst the shouts of the multitude, who applauded the success of this very hazardous undertaking. What think the readers? If it were added that he took the reward, and went away satisfied, they would allow that he was a courageous man and a good subject, who had saved the lives of several worthy people; and that he very richly deserved the hundred guineas. But when Count Spolvetini, rejoiced to find that the lives of these people had been saved, ran up to the countryman, and bestowing upon him the blessings of the citizens, who were enraptured at his intrepidity, presented to him a purse containing the promised reward. "My Lord (said the villager) I don't sell my life or expose it for money; the produce of my industry, suffices for the support of my wife, my children and myself; if you will part with your money, give it those people whom I saved, and who having lost every thing but their lives, stand more in need than I do." The Count and those who were witnesses of this heroic conduct, were lost in amazement: The countryman availing himself of their surprise, mixed with the crowd, and was soon lost in it, so that he got home unnoticed. The remaining arch fell in less than an hour after.