colors, makes the surface shine, and discovers every ornamental cloud, spot and vein that runs through the body of it.

SPECTATOR.

5. Delightful task! to rear the tender thought,
To teach the young idea how to shoot,
To pour the fresh instruction o'er the mind,
To breathe the enlivening spirit, and to fix
The generous purpose in the glowing breast.

THOMPSON.

6. What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason; how infinite in faculties; in form and movement, how express and admirable; in action, how like an angel; in apprehension, how like a God!

HAMLET.

7. He who through vast immensity can pierce,
See worlds on worlds compose one universe,
Observe how system into system runs,
What other planets circle other suns,

What varied beings people every star,

May tell why Heaven has made us what we are.

POPE.

8. Nothing is more pleasant to the fancy than to enlarge itself by degrees in its contemplation of the various proportions which objects bear to each other: as when it compares the body of a man to the bulk of the whole earth; the earth to the circle it describes around the sun; that circle to the sphere of the fixed stars; the sphere of the fixed stars to the circuit of the whole creation; the whole creation itself to the infinite space that's every where diffused around it.

SPECTATOR

9. Consult your whole nature. Consider yourselves not only as sensitive, but as rational, beings; not only as rational, but social; not only as social, but immortal.

BLAIR.

XCII. THE BELL OF JUSTICE.

1. Once upon a time, a king, who wished justice to be done to all his people, had a bell put up, so that any one who was injured by another might ring it, when the king assembled the wise men, that justice might be done. From long use the lower end of the rope was worn away, and a piece of wild vine was fastened on to lengthen it.

2. It so happened that a knight had a noble horse, which had served him long and well, but having grown old and useless, was meanly and cruelly turned out on the common to take care of himself. Driven by hunger, the horse began biting at the vine, when the bell rang out loud and clear.

3. And lo! the wise men assembled, and finding that it was a poor, half-starved horse that was sounding the call, and thus asking for justice, though he knew it not, examined into his case, and decreed that the knight whom he had served in his youth should feed and care for him in his old age.

4. The knight treated the matter as a pleasant jest, and said (in an undertone) that he should do what he pleased with his own. And thereupon the Syndic gravely read the proclamation of the king.

5. Then they said to the knight:

"Pride goeth forth on horseback grand and gay,

But cometh back on foot, and begs its way:
Fame is the perfume of heroic deeds,

388

Of flowers of chivalry and not of weeds!
These are familiar proverbs; but I fear

They never yet have reached your knightly ear.
6. "What fair renown, what honor, what repute
Can come to you from starving this poor brute?
He who serves well and speaks not, merits more
Than they who clamor loudest at the door.
Therefore the law decrees that, as this steed
Served you in youth, henceforth you shall take heed
To comfort his old age and to provide
Shelter in stall, and food and field beside."

7. And the king confirmed the decree, adding to it a
heavy fine if the knight neglected his duty to the faith-
The knight withdrew abashed; and the
ful animal.
people led the steed in triumph home to his stall.

8. The king heard and approved, and laughed in glee,
And cried aloud: "Right well it pleaseth me!
Church-bells at best but ring us to the door,
But go not in to mass. My bell doth more:
It cometh into court and pleads the cause
Of creatures dumb and unknown to the laws;
And this shall make, in every Christian clime,
The Bell of Atri famous for all time."

9. If all the neglected and worn-out horses should thus make an appeal, there would be the most mournful tolling of bells ever heard.

10. That thinking, sensitive beings should be cruel, or even indifferent to the comforts and rights of all other sensitive creatures, is one of the greatest mysteries of life. The "Golden Rule" is broad and comprehensive in its application. "As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise."

POETRY BY H. W. LONGFELLOW.

XCIII. THE SPEECH OF BRUTUS.

1. Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my cause, and be silent, that you may hear; believe me for mine honor, and have respect to mine honor, that you may believe; censure me in your wisdom, and awake your senses, that you may the better judge.

2. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Cæsar's, to him I say, that Brutus's love to Cæsar was no less than his. If, then, that friend demand why Brutus rose against Cæsar, this is my answer: Not that I loved Cæsar less, but that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Cæsar were living, and die all slaves, than that Cæsar were dead, to live all freemen?

3. As Cæsar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honor him; but as he was ambitious, I slew him. There are tears for his love, joy for his fortune, honor for his valor, and death for his ambition.

4. Who's here so base that would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who's here so rude, that would not be a Roman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who's here so vile, that will not love his country? If any, speak; for him have I offended. I pause for a reply. None! Then none have I offended.

5. I have done no more to Cæsar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of his death is enrolled in the capital; his glory not extenuated wherein he was worthy, nor his offenses enforced for which he suffered death.

6. Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony; who, though he had no hand in his death, shall receive the benefit of his dying: a place in the commonwealth; as which of you shall not? With this I depart; that, as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself, when it shall please my country to need my death.

XCIV.-ANTONY'S ORATION OVER CÆSAR'S

1.

BODY.

Friends, Romans, countrymen,-lend me your ears.
I come to bury Cæsar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do, lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Cæsar! Noble Brutus
Hath told you Cæsar was ambitious;

If it were so, it was a grievous fault;
And grievously hath Cæsar answered it.

2. Here, under leave of Brutus, and the rest,
(For Brutus is an honorable man,

So are they all honorable men,)
Come I to speak in Cæsar's funeral.

He was my friend, faithful and just to me;
But Brutus says he was ambitious;

And Brutus is an honorable man.

He hath brought many captives home to Rome,
Whose ransom did the general coffers fill:

Did this in Cæsar seem ambitious?

When that the poor hath cried, Cæsar hath wept!
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.

Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honorable man.

3. You all did see, that, on the lupercal,

I thrice presented him with a kingly crown;
Which he did thrice refuse; was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;

And, sure, he is an honorable man.

I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke;
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once, not without cause;