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from the anguish of those reproaches which I gave myself for having endangered a life so much dearer than my own. Pale, cold, and half speechless in the arms of his Damon, Pythias replied in broken accents, Fatal haste!-Cruel impatience!-What envious powers have wrought impossibilities in your favor? But I will not be wholly disappointed. Since I cannot die to save, I will not survive you.'

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Dionysius heard, beheld, and considered all with astonishment. His heart was touched; he wept, and leaving his throne, he ascended the scaffold. Live, live, ye incomparable pair!" he cried; "ye have borne unquestionable testimony to the existence of virtue; and that virtue equally evinces the existence of a God to reward it. Live happy; live renowned; and, oh, form me by your precepts, as ye have instructed me by your example, to be worthy the participation of so sacred a friendship."

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LESSON ELEVENTH.
Pious Friendship.

How blessed the sacred tie that binds
In union sweet according minds!
How swift the heavenly course they run,
Whose hearts, whose faith, whose hopes are one!

To each, the soul of each how dear!
What jealous love, what holy fear!
How doth the generous flame within

Refine from earth and cleanse from sin!

Their streaming tears together flow,
For human guilt and mortal wo;
Their ardent prayers together rise,
Like mingling flames in sacrifice.

Together both they seek the place
Where God reveals his awful face;
How high, how strong their raptures swell,
There's none but kindred souls can tell.

Nor shall the glowing flame expire,
When nature drops her flickering fire;
Then shall they meet in realms above,
A heaven of joy-because of love.

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LESSON TWELFTH.

Xerxes crosses the Hellespont.

Xerxes had given orders for building a bridge of boats across the Hellespont, for the transporting of his army into Europe. This narrow strait, which now goes by the name of the Dardanelles, is near an English mile over. However, soon after the completion of this work, a violent storm arising, the whole was broken and destroyed, and the labor was to be undertaken anew.

The fury of Xerxes, upon this disappointment, was attended with equal extravagance and cruelty. His vengeance knew no bounds, the workmen who had undertaken the task, had their heads struck off by his order; and, that the sea also might know its duty, he ordered it to be lashed, as a delinquent, and a pair of fetters thrown into it, to curb its future irregularities.

Having thus given vent to his absurd resentment, two bridges were ordered to be built in the place of the former, one for the army to pass over, and the other for the baggage and beasts of burden. The workmen, now warned by the fate of their predecessors, undertook to give their labors greater stability. They placed three hundred and sixty vessels across the strait, some of them having three banks of oars, and others fifty oars apiece. They then cast large

anchors, on both sides, into the water, in order to fix those vessels against the violence of the winds and current. They then drove large piles into the earth, with huge rings fastened to them, to which were tied six vast cables, which went over each of the two bridges.

Over all these, they laid trunks of trees, cut purposely for that use, and flat boats over them, fastened and joined together, so as to serve for a floor, or solid bottom. When the whole work was thus completed, a day was appointed for their passing over; and, as soon as the first rays of the sun began to appear, sweet odors of all kinds were abundantly scattered over the new work, and the way was strewed with myrtle. At the same time, Xerxes, turning his face towards the east, worshipped the sun, which is the god of the Persians. Then, throwing his libations into the sea, together with a golden cup and Persian scimitar, he went forward, and gave orders for the army to follow.

This immense train were no less than seven days and seven nights passing over, while those who were appointed to conduct the march, quickened the troops by lashing them along; for the soldiers of the East, at that time, and to this day, are treated like slaves. Thus, this immense army having landed in Europe, and being joined by the several European nations that acknowledged the Persian power, Xerxes prepared for marching directly forward into Greece.

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LESSON THIRTEENTH.

Vanity of Human Pursuits.

I see that all are wanderers, gone astray,
Each in his own delusions; they are lost
In chase of fancied happiness, still wooed,
And never won. Dream after dream ensues;

And still they dream that they shall still succeed,
And still are disappointed. Rings the world
With the vain stir. I sum up half mankind,
And add two thirds of the remaining half,
And find the total of their hopes and fears
Dreams, empty dreams. The million flit, as gay
As if created only like the fly,

That spreads his motley wings in the eye of noon,
To sport their season, and be seen no more.
The rest are sober dreamers, grave and wise
And pregnant with discoveries new and rare.

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LESSON FOURTEENTH.

The First Lesson of Cyrus.

It is reported of Cyrus, when young, that, being asked what was the first thing he learned, he answer"To tell the truth;" which is indeed, "though no science, fairly worth the seven." When the wise men were commanded by the king, to declare what was the strongest power upon earth, such as exceeded even that of the monarch himself, they were all at a loss for an answer.

At last the prophet Daniel was consulted, who, being endowed with wisdom from on high, answered, that truth was the strongest; and supported his assertions by such weighty arguments, that nobody could controvert them. Thus his understanding was approved by the king, and all the sages were humbled in his presence.

Of all the qualities that adorn the human mind, truth is the most respectable. It is a rich, though a simple ornament; and he who is not possessed of it, let his rank and qualities be what they may, will be for ever despicable in the sight of the good and wise.

We are naturally led to dislike those who are al

ways intent upon deceiving. Whereas, on the contrary, we make no scruple to confide in those who are sincere, because we know ourselves to be safe in their hands. They will be either constant friends, or open enemies; and, even if, through human frailty, they are sometimes led into errors, yet their generous acknowledgement of them makes amends, in a great degree, and is a good token of their avoiding them for the future.

"Where truth is found, bright virtue still resides,
And equal justice every action guides.

In the pure heart and spotless mind she reigns,
And with mild power her happy sway maintains;
The attribute of God himself confest,

That stamps his image on the human breast."

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LESSON FIFTEENTH.

Pyrrhus and Fabricius.

A treaty being on foot between the Romans and Pyrrhus, king of Macedon, for the exchange of prisoners, the latter, after having given a general audience to the ambassadors, took Fabricius aside, and conversed with him to the following purport.

After telling him he was sensible of his merit, that he was convinced of his excellence as a general, and perfect qualifications for the command of an army; that justice and temperance were united in his character, and that he justly passed for a person of virtue; he lamented the certainty of poverty, and said that fortune, in this particular, had treated him with injustice, by misplacing him in the class of indigent sena

tors.

"In order, therefore, to supply that deficiency," said Pyrrhus, "provided thou wilt assist me to negotiate an honorable peace, I am ready to give as much gold and silver as will raise thee above the richest citizen

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