all its aggravations. "Nor can I feel," continued he any relief from the agonies of an awakened conscience, but by requiring that justice be forthwith done against me in the most public and solemn manner.'

We may easily suppose the amazement of all the assembly, and especially of his fellow-judges. However, they proceeded, upon this confession, to pass sentence upon him, and he died with all the symptoms of a penitent mind.

Mr. D. Fordyce, in his Dialogues on Education, vol. ii. i. p. 401. says the above is a true story, and happened in a neighbouring state not many years ago.

HEROD having put to death his wife Mariamne, from an ill-grounded suspicion of incontinence, soon after grew melancholy and dejected, retiring from the public administration of affairs, into a solitary forest, and there abandoning himself to all the black considerations which naturally arise from a passion made up of love, remorse, pity, and despair. He used to rave for his Mariamne, and to call upon her in his distracted fits; and in all probability would soon have followed her, had not his thoughts been called off from so sad an object by public storms, which at that time very nearly threatened him. JOSEPHUS.

IN the same dreadful situation of mind was Alexander the Great, after the murder of his friend Clitus; and Nero, the Roman emperor, after that of his mother.

TIMOLEON was descended from one of the best families of Corinth; loved his country passionately; and discovered upon all occasions a singular humanity of temper, except against tyrants and bad men. He was an excellent captain, and as in his youth he had all the maturity of age, in age he had all the fire and courage of the most ardent youth. He had an elder brother called Timophanes, whom he tenderly loved, as he had demonstrated in a battle, in which he covered him with his body, and saved his life at the great danger of his body, but his country was still dearer to him. That brother

having made himself tyrant* of it, so black a crime gave him the sharpest affliction. He made use of all possible means to bring him back to his duty: kindness, friendship, affection, remonstrances, and even menaces. But finding all his endeavours ineffectual, and that nothing could prevail upon an heart abandoned to ambition, he caused his brother to be assassinated in his presence by two of his friends and intimates; and thought that, upon such an occasion, the laws of nature ought to give place to those of a country. This action was admired and applauded by the principal citizens of Corinth, and by most of the philosophers, who looked upon it as the most noble effort of human virtue; and Plutarch seems to pass the same judgment upon it. All the world were not of that opinion; and some people reproached him as an abominable fratricide, who could not fail of drawing down the vengeance of the gods upon him. His mother especially, in the excess of her grief, uttered the most dreadful imprecations against him; and when he came to console her, not being able to bear the sight of her son's murderer, she thrust him away with indig nation, and shut her doors upon him. He was then struck with all the horrors of the most guilty, and giving himself up to the cruelest remorse, considered Timophanes no longer as a tyrant, but as a brother, and resolved to put an end to his life by abstaining from all nourishment. It was with great difficulty his friends dissuaded him from that fatal resolution. Overcome by their prayers and instances, he was at length prevailed on to live. But he resolved to pass the rest of his days in solitude. From that moment he renounced all public affairs; and for several years never came to the city, but wandered about in the most solitary and desert places, abandoned to excess of grief and melancholy. So true it is, that neither the praises of flatterers, nor the false reasonings of politicians, can suppress the cries of conscience, which is at once the witness, judge, and ex

* This word (tyrant) originally signified no more than king; and was anciently the title of lawful princes.

ocutioner of those who presume to violate the most saered rights and ties of nature. He passed twenty years in this condition.

PLUT. IN TIMOL.

HYRCANUS, high-priest and prince of the Jews, left five sons at his death; the first was Aristobulus, who succeeded his father in the high-priest-hood and temporal sovereignty. His mother, in virtue of her husband's will, pretended to the government; but Aristobulus was the strongest, and put her in prison, where he caused her to be starved to death. For his brothers, as he love ed Antigonus, the eldest of them, he gave him at first a share in the government: the other three he confined in prison during his life. When Aristobulus had fully possessed himself of the authority his father had enjoyed, he entered into a war with the Iturians; but a dis temper obliging him to return to Jerusalem, he left the command of the army to his brother Antigonus, to make an end of the war he had begun.

The queen, and her cabal, who envied Antigonus the king's favour, took the advantage of this illness to alienate the king against him by false reports and vile calumnies. Their plot succeeded, and Aristobulus gave orders for his brother to be put to death.

It was not long before the prince discovered all that had passed, was violently affected with it, and inconsolable for his death. Tormented with remorse of conscience for this murder, and that of his mother, he led a miserable life, and expired at last in the highest grief and despair.

JOSEPH. ANTIq. xiii. 19. I». DE BEL. JUD. i. 3.

CONSTANCY.

SENTIMENTS.

CONSTANCY of mind gives a man reputation, and makes him happy in despite of all misfortunes.

There is not on earth a spectacle more worthy the regard of the Creator, intent on his works, than a brave man superior to his sufferings.

What can be more honourable than to have courage enough to execute the commands of reason and conscience; to maintain the dignity of our nature, and the station assigned us; to be proof against poverty, pain, and death itself? I mean, so far as not to do any thing that is scandalous or sinful; to avoid them; and to stand adversity, under all shapes, with decency and constancy. To do this is to be great above title and fortune. This argues the soul of an heavenly extraction, and is worthy the offspring of the Deity.

Endure and conquer; Jove will soon dispose
To future good our past and present woes :
An hour will come with pleasure to relate
Your sorrows past, or benefits of fate.-

He lives in fame who dies in virtue's cause.

EXAMPLES.

1

AFTER the Carthaginians had defeated the Roman army, and taken Regulus, that illustrious commander, prisoner, they met with such a series of misfortunes as induced them to think of putting an end to so destructive a war by a speedy peace. With this view they began to soften the rigour of Regulus's confinement; and f endeavoured to engage him to go to Rome with their ambassadors, and to use his interest to bring about a peace upon moderate terms, or at least an exchange of prisoners. Regulus obeyed his masters, and embarked for Rome, after having bound himself, by a soleına

oath, to return to his chains, if the negociation did not succeed. The Carthaginian ship arrived safe in Italy but when Regulus came to the gates of the city, he refused to enter them; my misfortunes, said he, have made me a slave to the Carthaginians, I am no longer a Roman citizen. The senate always gives audience to foreigners without the gates. His wife Mareia went out to meet him, and presented to him his two children : but he, only casting a wild look on them, fixed his eyes on the ground, as if he thought himself unworthy of the embraces of his wife, and the caresses of his children. When the senators assembled in the suburbs, he was introduced to them with the Carthaginian ambassadors and, together with them, made the two proposals wherewith he was charged. "Conscript fathers," said he,

being now a siave to the Carthaginians, I am come to treat with you concerning a peace, and an exchange of prisoners." Having uttered these words, he began to withdraw, and follow the ambassadors, who were not allowed to be present at the deliberations and disputes of the conscript fathers. In vain the scuate pressed him to stay. He gave his opinion as an old senator and consul, and refused to continue in the assembly till his African masters ordered him; and then the illustrious slave took his place among the fathers; but continued silent, with his eyes fixed on the ground, while the more ancient senators spoke. When it came to his turn to deliver his opinion, he addressed himself to the conscript fathers in the following words: Though I am a slave at Carthage, yet I am free at Rome; and will therefore declare my sentiments with freedom. Romans, it is not for your interest either to grant the Carthaginians a peace, or to make an exchange of prisoners with them. Carthage is extremely exhausted; and the only reason why she sues for peace is, because she is not in a condition to continue the war. You have been vanquished but once, and that by my fault; a fault which Metellus has repaired by a signal victory. But the Carthaginians have been so often overcome, that they have not the courage to look Rome in the face. Your allies continue peaceable, and serve you with zeal. But your enemies, troops consist only of mercenaries, who have no