sends power; to Avarice, wealth; to Love, jealousy; to Revenge, remorse; alas! what are these, but sɔ many other names for vexation or disappointment. 11. Neither is she to be won by flatteries or by bribes; she is to be gained by waging war against her enemies, much sooner than by paying any particular court to herself. Those that conquer her adversaries, will find that they need not go to her, for she will come unto them. 12. None bid so high for her as kings; few are more willing, none more able, to purchase her alliance at the fullest price. But she has no more respect for kings than for their subjects; she mocks them indeed with the empty show of a visit, by sending to their palaces all her equipage, her pomp, and her train, but she comes not herself. What detains her? She is travelling incognita* to keep a private assignation with Contentment, and to partake of a tete-a-tete† and a dinner of herbs in a cottage. 13. Hear then, mighty queen! what sovereigns seldom hear, the words of soberness and truth. I neither despise thee too little, nor desire thee too much; for thou wieldest an earthly sceptre, and thy gifts cannot exceed thy dominion. Like other potentates, thou also art a creature of circumstance, and an ephemerist of Time. 14. Like other potentates, thou also, when stripped of thy auxiliaries, art no longer competent even to thine own subsistence; nay, thou canst not even stand by thyself. Unsupported by Content on the one hand, and by Health on the other, thou fallest an unwieldy and bloated pageant to the ground. LESSON CIII. William Tell.-KNOWLES. GESLER, the tyrant-SARNEM, his officer-and WM. TELL, a Swiss peasant. Sar. Down, slave, upon thy knees before the governor, And beg for mercy. Ges. Does he hear? Sar. He does, but braves thy power. [To Tell] Down, slave, And ask for life. * In disguise, or in private. + Tete-a-tete, face to face, or a private conversation. Ephemeris, a daily journal. William Tell, an illustrious Swiss patriot, and one of the heroes who restored liberty to their oppressed country, in 1307. Herman Gesler, the Austrian governor, suspecting that a conspiracy was formed against him, and Ges. [To Tell] Why speakest thou not? Ges. Wonder? Tell. Yes, that thou shouldst seem a man. Tell. A monster. Ges. Ha! Beware!-think on thy chains. Tell. Though they were doubled, and did weigh me down Prostrate to earth, methinks I could rise up Erect, with nothing but the honest pride Thou art a monster.-Think on my chains! Ges. Darest thou question me? -: It cannot take away the grace of life- Its fair report that's rife on good men's tongues :- Ges. But it can make thee writhe. Tell. It may, and I may say, Go on, though it should make me groan again. Tell. From the mountains. Ges. Canst tell me any news from them? wishing to ascertain the spirit of the people, ordered his hat to be raised on a pole, and homage to be paid to it as to himself. Tell refused to do homage to the hat, and was immediately seized and carried before the governor. Gesler ordered him to shoot an arrow at an apple placed on the head of his own son, or else be dragged with his child to immediate death: He shot the apple off his son's head,-and soon after shot Gesler. The Swiss, roused to arms by the conduct of Tell, drove away their Austrian masters, and established the independence of their country, A. D. 1307. * Pronounced av-a-lanch ́, a vast body of snow sliding down a mountain. Tell. Because they look for thee. The hurricane Comes unawares upon them; from its bed Tell. They thank kind Providence it is not thou. There's not a blessing Heaven vouchsafes them, but As something they must lose, and had far better Ges. 'Tis well. I'd have them as their hills Tell. But they do sometimes smile. Tell. When they do pray for vengeance. Ges. Dare they pray for that? Tell. They dare, and they expect it, too. Ges. From whence? Tell. From Heaven, and their true hearts. Ges. [To Sarnem.] Lead in his son. Now will I take Exquisite vengeance. [To Tell, as the boy enters.] I have destined him To die along with thee. Tell. To die! for what? he's but a child. Ges. He's thine, however. Tell. He is an only child. Ges. So much the easier to crush the race. Tell. He may have a mother. Ges. So the viper hath And yet who spares it for the mother's sake? Ges. But first, I'd see thee make A trial of thy skill with that same bow. Tell. What is the trial? Ges. Thou look'st upon thy boy as though thou guessest it. Tell. Look upon my boy! what mean you? Look upon my boy as though I guessed it!-- Tell. Great Heaven! Ges. On this condition only will I spare His life and thine. Tell. Ferocious monster! make a father Murder his own child! Ges. Dost thou consent? Tell. With his own hand! The hand I've led him when an infant by ! Boy. You will not hit me, father. You'll be sure Boy. Father Tell. Speak not to me; Let me not hear thy voice-Thou must be dumb; The deed, and sent a bolt to stop it. Give me my bow and quiver. Ges. When all is ready. Sarnem, measure hence The distance three hundred paces. Tell. Will he do it fairly? Ges. What is't to thee, fairly or not. Tell. [sarcastically.] O, nothing, a little thing, A very little thing; I only shoot At my child! [Sarnem prepares to measure.] Villain, stop! you measure against the sun. What matter whether to or from the sun? Tell. I'd have it at my back. The sun should shine Upon the mark, and not on him that shoots— I will not shoot against the sun. Ges. Give him his way. [Sarnem paces and goes out.] Tell. I should like to see the apple I must hit. Ges. [Picks out the smallest one] There, take that. Ges. I know I have. Thy skill will be The greater if thou hittest it. Tell. [sarcastically.] True-true! I did not think of that I wonder I did not think of that. A larger one Had given me a chance to save my boy. Give me my bow. Let me see my quiver. Ges. Give him a single arrow. [To an attendant.] [Tell looks at it and breaks it.] Tell. Let me see my quiver. It is not One arrow in a dozen I would use To shoot with at a dove, much less a dove Like that. Ges. Show him the quiver. [Sarnem returns and takes the apple and the boy to Tell. Is the boy ready? Keep silence now For Heaven's sake, and be my witnesses, "Tis only for the chance of saving it. For mercy's sake keep motionless and silent. [He aims and shoots in the direction of the boy. In a moment Sarnem enters with the apple on the arrow's point. Sar. The boy is safe. Tell. [Raising his arms.] Thank Heaven! [As he raises his arms the concealed arrow falls. Ges. [Picking it up.] Unequalled archer! why was this concealed? Tell. To kill thee, tyrant, had I slain my boy. LESSON CIV. The Philosopher's Scales.-JANE Taylor. 1. A MONK* when his rites sacerdotal were o'er, Monk, a member of the Roman Catholic church, who has taken a vo◄ of poverty and celibacy. |