she should be to cover their poor feet with the same, and how then they could accompany her to rehearsals," which they had hitherto been precluded from doing by reason of their unfashionable attire. In these thoughts she reached the second landing-place-the second, I from the top-for there was still another left to

mean, traverse.

Now, virtue, support Barbara!

And that never-failing friend did step in; for at that moment a strength not her own, I have heard her say, was revealed to her-a reason above reasoning-and without her own agency, as it seemed (for she never felt her feet to move), she found herself transported back to the individual desk she had just quitted, and her hand in the old hand of Ravenscroft, who in silence took back the refunded treasure, and who had been sitting (good man) insensible to the lapse of minutes, which to her were anxious ages; and from that moment a deep peace fell upon her heart, and she knew the quality of honesty.

A year or two's unrepining application to her profession brightened up the feet and the prospects of her little sisters, set the whole family upon their legs again, and released her from the difficulty of discussing moral dogmas upon a landing-place.

8

1 Pious application, her wages were
spent in the support of her pa-
.rents.

2 Adroitness, readiness, cleverness.
3 Pure infelicity, bad luck simply.
4 Mortifying, causing deep vexation.
5 Dilemma, a perplexing position, in
which evils or difficulties present
themselves whichever way you

turn.

6 Porticoes, &c. A "portico" is an

open porch with columns. "Moral Philosophy" treats of the duties of men to each other. The general meaning is poor cottages are not always the best schools for learning our moral duties.

7 Rehearsal, a practising of the parts which each is to take afterwards in public.

8 Dogma, a positive assertion respecting what we ought to believe.

A

TARQUIN THE PROUD.

NCIENT Rome was, during the first two hundred and fifty years of its existence, under kingly rule. But its last king, Tarquin the Proud, was such a hateful tyrant, that the Romans expelled him from the city, and formed themselves into a republic.

Tarquin gained the crown by a terrible crime, to which he was instigated by his wife Tullia, the daughter of the reigning sovereign, Servius Tullius. The daughter and son-in-law conspired against the life of the old king. Servius was slain, and Tarquin seized the crown with his blood-stained hands.

When Tullia, the murdered king's daughter, heard that her husband was sitting on her father's throne, she drove to the Forum, and saluted him as king. As she was returning home her charioteer checked his horses, to avoid trampling on the body of Servius, that had been thrown into the street. When the infamous woman heard the cause of the stoppage, she bade the man drive on without heeding the body. So she went home with her father's blood upon the chariot's wheels, and that place was called the Wicked Street ever after.

After Tarquin had reigned twenty-five years, he and all his kin were expelled from Rome (в.c. 510). The leader of the Romans in this righteous act was a patriot named Brutus.

The name of king was henceforth hateful to the Romans. Instead of having a king to rule over them, they resolved to have two chief magistrates elected every year. These were called Consuls, and Brutus was one of the first two.

Now there was a party among the Romans who desired to bring back the expelled monarch, and a

conspiracy was formed for that purpose. But it was discovered in time, and the culprits were arrested.

When the traitors were brought before the Consuls for judgment, it was discovered that a son of Brutus was among the number. And now all men saw how Brutus loved his country, for he bade the lictors1 put all the traitors to death, and his own son first. All men could mark in his face the struggle between his duty as Consul and his feelings as a father; and while they praised and admired him, they pitied him yet

more.

Several attempts were made by the expelled monarch to regain his throne. One of these was made with the aid of Porsenna, king of Clusium, a city on the river Clunis, which falls into the Tiber; for in those early times kings ruled over very small states, often only a town and the country immediately around.

Porsenna advanced with his army so unexpectedly against Rome, that he reached the Sublician bridge before there was time to cut it down; and if he had crossed it, the city would have fallen into his hands. But Rome, in ancient times, was always blest with sons who accounted their country dearer than life.

Three heroes now stepped forth to save Rome, at the price, as they believed, of their own lives. Their names will be ever memorable: Horatius, Lartius, and Herminius. These three men posted themselves at the further end of the bridge, and defended it against the enemy, while their countrymen were hacking down the bridge behind them. When it was tottering to its fall, his two friends drew back, and Horatius was left alone with the enemy. Well he kept his ground, till the last beams of the bridge fell crashing into the river.

Then he plunged in, saying, "Father Tiber, receive

me and bear me up, I pray thee!" and to the joy of his countrymen reached the other side in safety.

"O Tiber! Father Tiber!
To whom the Romans pray,
A Roman's life, a Roman's arms,
Take thou in charge this day!"
So he spake, and speaking, sheathed
The good sword by his side,

And, with the harness 2 on his back,
Plunged headlong in the tide.

No sound of joy or sorrow
Was heard from either bank;

But friends and foes in dumb surprise,
With parting lips and straining eyes
Stood gazing where he sank.
And when above the surges
They saw his crest appear,

All Rome sent forth a rapturous cry,
And even the ranks of Tuscany
Could scarce forbear to cheer.

But fiercely ran the current,
Swollen high by months of rain,
And fast his blood was flowing,
And he was sore in pain,
And heavy with his armour,
And spent with changing blows;

And oft they thought him sinking,

But still again he rose.

Never, I ween,3 did swimmer
In such an evil case,

Struggle through such a raging flood

Safe to the landing-place.

But his limbs were borne up bravely

By the brave heart within,

And our good Father Tiber
Bore bravely up his chin.

And now he feels the bottom;
Now on dry earth he stands;

Now round him throng the fathers,*
To press his gory
hands.

And now with shouts and clapping,
And noise of weeping loud,

He enters through the river-gate,
Borne by the joyous crowd.

Macaulay's "Lays of Ancient Rome."

1 Lictors, executioners among the Romans in olden times: it was their duty to scourge or put to death.

2 Harness, armour.
3 Ween, think, imagine.

4 The fathers, the senators, or chief men of Rome.

OFF

A MAN OVERBOARD.

FF the Azores we were overtaken by a series of severe squalls. We were preparing ourselves for the coming storm, when a man, who was coming down from the last reef,1 slipped as he stepped on the bulwarks, and went over backwards into the waves.

In a moment that most terrific of all cries at sea, "A man overboard! a man overboard!" flew like lightning over the ship. I sprang upon the quarter-deck," just as the poor fellow, with his "fearful human face," riding the top of a billow, fled past.

In an instant all was commotion. Plank after plank was cast over for him to seize and sustain himself on, till the ship could be put about and the boat lowered. The first mate, a bold, fiery fellow, leaped into the boat that hung at the side of the quarter-deck, and in a voice so sharp and stern that I seem to hear it yet, shouted, "In, men! in, men!"