ed it to him. The owner, full of joy and gratitude, offered his benefactor twenty crowns, which the other absolutely refused. He then came down to ten, and afterwards to five; but finding him still inexorable, he throws his purse upon the ground, and in an angry tone. "I have lost nothing," says he, “ nothing at all, if you thus refuse to accept of any thing.' The doorkeeper then accepted of five crowns, which he immediately distributed among the poor.

ROLLIN'S BELLES LETT.

DRUNKENNESS.

SENTIMENTS.

THE man who praises drinking, stands a sot convicted

on his own evidence.

It is very common that events arise from a debauch which are fatal, and always such as are disagreeable. With all a man's reason and good sense about him, his tongue is apt to utter things out of mere gaiety of heart, which may displease his best friends. Who then would trust himself to the power of wine, if there was no other objection against it than this, that it raises the imagination, and depresses the judgment.

However this tribe of people may think of themselves, a drunken man is a greater monster than any that is to be found amongst all the creatures which God has made, as indeed there is no character which appears more despicable and depraved, in the eyes of all reasonable sons, than that of a drunkard.

EXAMPLES.

per

CYRUS, according to the manners of the Persians, was from his infancy accustomed to sobriety and temperance; of which he was himself a most illustrious example through the whole course of his life. Whea

Cyrus was twelve years old, his mother Mandana took him with her into Media, to his grandfather Astyages, who, from the many things he had heard said in favour of that young prince, had a great desire to see him. In this court young Cyrus found very different manners from those of his own country: pride, luxury, and magnificence, reigned here universally; all which did not affect Cyres, who, without criticising or condemning what he saw, was contented to live as he had been brought up, and adhered to the principles he had imbibed from his infancy. He charmed his grandfather by his sprightliness and wit; and gained every body's favour by his noble and engaging behaviour. Astyages, to make his grandson unwilling to return home, made a sumptuous entertainment, in which there was a vast plenty and profusion of every thing that was nice and delicate. All this exquisite cheer and magnificent preparation Cyrus looked upon with great indifference. "The Persians," says he to the king, instead of going such a round-about way to appease their hunger, have a much shorter to the same end; a little bread and a few cresses with them answer the purpose." Astyages desiring Cyrus to dispose of all the meats as he thought fit, the latter immediately distributed them to the king's officers in waiting; to one, because he taught him to ride; to another, because he waited well upon his grandfather; and to a third, because he took great care of his mother. Sacras, the king's cup-bearer, was the only person to whom he gave nothing. This officer, besides the post of cup-bearer, had that likewise of introducing those who were to have an audience of the king; and as he did not grant that favour to Cyrus as often as he desired it, he had the misfortune to displease the prince, who took this occasion to show his resentment. Astyages, testifying some concern at the neglect of this officer, for whom he had a particular regard ; and who deserved it, as he said, on account of the wonderful dexterity with which he served him : "Is that all, Sir" replied Cyrus" if that be sufficient to merit your favour, you shall see I will quickly obtain it for I will take upon me to serve you better than he." Immediately Cyrus is equipped as a cup-bearer; and ad

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vancing gravely, with a serious countenance, a napkin upon his shoulder, and holding the cup nicely with three of his fingers, he presented it to the king with a dexterity and grace that charmed both Astyages and his mother Mandana. When he had done, he flung himself upon his grandfather's neck, and kissing him, cried out with great joy, “O Sacras, poor Sacras, thou art undoue; I shall have thy place." Astyages embraced him with great fondness, and said, "i am mighty well pleased, my son; nobody can serve with a better grace: but you have forgot one essential ceremony, which is that of tasting." And indeed the cup-bearer was used to pour some of the liquor into his left-hand, and to taste it, before he presented it to the king. "No," replied Cyrus; "it was not through forgetfulness that I omitted that ceremony." Why, then," says Astyages; "for what reason did you omit it?" "Because I apprehended there was poison in the liquor." "Poison, child! how could you think so?" "Yes, poison,* papa for not long ago, at an entertainment you gave to the lords of your court, after the guests had drank a little of that liquor, I perceived all their heads were turned: they sung, made a noise, and talked they did not know what; you yourself seemed to have forgotten that you were a king, and they that they were subjects; and when you would have danced you could not stand upon your legs." Why," says Astyages; "have you never seen the same thing happen to your father?" "No, never," says Cyrus. What then; how is it with him when he drinks ?” “Why, when he has drank his thirst is quenched; and that is all.”

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XENOPH. CYR. lib. i.

CLITUS was one of Alexander's best friends, an old officer, who had fought under his father Philip, and signalized himself on many occasions. At the battie of the Granicus, as Alexander was fighting bare-headed, and I 3

*Tutus in mensa capitur angusta çibus, venenum in auro bibitur. SEN. THYEST. v. 453,

Rosaces had his arm raised in order to strike him behind, he covered the king with his shield, and cut off the barbarian's hand. Hellenice his sister had nursed Alexander, and he loved her with as much tenderness as if she had been his own mother. As the king, from these several considerations, had a very great respect for Clitus, he intrusted him with the government of one of the most important provinces of his empire; and ordered him to set out the next day. In the evening, Clitus was invited to an entertainment, in which the king, after drinking to excess, began to celebrate his own exploits ; and was so excessively lavish of self-commendation, that he even shocked those very persons who knew what he spoke was in general true. Clitus, who by this time, as well as the rest of the company, was equally intoxicated, began to relate the actions of Philip, and his wars in Greece, preferring them to whatever was done by Alexander. Though the king was prodigiously vexed, he nevertheless stifled his resentment; and it is probable that he would have quite suppressed his passion, had Clitus stopped there; but the latter growing more and more talkative, as if determined to exasperate and insult the king, he was commanded to leave the table," He is in the right (says Clitus as he rose up) not to bear free-born men at his table, who can only tell him truth. He will do well to pass his life among barbarians and slaves, who will pay adoration to his Persian girdle, and his white robe." The king, no longer able to suppress his rage, snatched a javelin from one of the guards, and would have killed Clitus on the spot, had not the courtiers withheld his arm, and Clitus been forced, with great difficulty, out of the hall. However, he returned into it that moment by another door, singing, with an air of \insolence, verses reflecting highly on the prince, who, seeing the general near him, struck him with his javelin dead at his feet, crying out, at the same time, “ Go now to Philip, to Parmenio, and to Attalus."

As soon as the king was capable of reflecting seriously on what he had done, his crime displayed itself to him in the blackest and most dreadful light: for though Clitus had committed a great and inexcusable fault, yet it must be confessed, that the circumstances of the ban

quet extenuate in some degree, or throw in some measure, a veil over Clitus' conduct. When a king makes a subject his companion in a debauch, he seems, on such an occasion, to forget his dignity, and to permit his subjects to forget it also: he gives a sanction, as it were, to the liberties, familiarities, and sudden fights which wine commonly inspires. A fault, committed under these circumstances, is always a fault; but then it ought never to be expiated with the blood of the offender. This Alexander had generosity enough to acknowledge; and, at the same time, perceived that he had done the vile office of an executioner, in punishing, by at horrid murder, the uttering some indiscreet words, which ought to be imputed to the fumes of wine. Upon this, he threw himself upon his friend's body, forced out the javelin, and would have dispatched himself with it, had he not been prevented by his guards. He passed that night and the next day in tears, stretched on the ground, and venting only groans and deep sighs.

Q. CURT. PLUT. IN ALEX. JUST. lib. xii. c. 6, 7. A Certain author* compares anger, when united with power, to thunder; and, indeed, what havock does it then make! but how dreadful must it be when joined with drunkenness! We see this in Alexand. How unhappy was that prince, not to have endeavoured to subdue those two vices in his youth; and to have been confirmed in them from the example of one of his tutors for it is asserted that both were the consequences of his education.+ But what can be meaner and more unworthy of a king than drinking to excess! What

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* Fulmen est, ubi cum potestate habitat iracundia, PUB. SYR.

+ Non minus error eorem nocet moribus, si quidem Leonidas Alexandri pædagogus, ut à Babylonio Diogene traditur, quibusdam eum, vitiis imbuit; quæ robustum quoque, et jam maximum regem ab illa institutione puerili sunt prosecuta.

QUINTIL. lib. i. c. is