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place of execution. Dionysius was already there; he was exalted on a moving throne, drawn by six white horses, and sat pensive and attentive to the prisoner.

10. Pythias came; he vaulted* lightly on the scaffold, and beholding for a time the apparatus of death, he turned with a placid countenance, and thus addressed the spectators:-"My prayers are heard; the gods are propitious; you know, my friends, that the winds have been contrary till yesterday.Damon could not come; he could not conquer impossibilities; he will be here to-morrow, and the blood which is shed to-day shall have ransomed the life of my friend.

11. "O! could I erase from your bosoms every doubt, every mean suspicion of the honor of the man for whom I am about to suffer, I should go to my death with as much joy as to a marriage feast. Be it sufficient, in the mean time, that my friend will be found noble; that his truth is unimpeachable; that he will speedily prove it; that he is now on his way hurrying forward,accusing himself, the adverse elements, and fortune; but I haste to prevent his speed:-Executioner ! perform your duty."

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12. As he pronounced the last word, a buzz began to rise among the remotest of the people; a distant voice was heard; the crowd caught the words, and "Stop, stop the execution,' was repeated by the whole assembly.

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13. A man came at full speed; the throng gave way to his approach; he was mounted on a courser that almost flew; in an instant, he was off his horse,-on the scaffold,—and in the arms of Pythias.

14. "You are safe," he cried, " my friend, my dearest friend! the gods be praised, you are safe! I now have nothing but death to suffer, and am delivered from the anguish of those reproaches which I gave myself for having endangered a life so much dearer than my own."

15. 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 your favor? But I will not be wholly disappointed. Since I cannot die to save, I will not survive you."

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16. Dionysius heard, beheld, and considered all with astonishment. His heart was touched: he wept, and leaving his throne, he ascended the scaffold.

* Vaulted, leaped.

17. "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, O, form me by your precepts, as ye have instructed me by your example, to be worthy the participation of so sacred a friendship."

LESSON L.

Test of Goodness.

1. REAL goodness consists in doing good to our enemies.— Of this truth the following apologue* may serve for an illustration. A certain father of a family, advanced in years, being desirous of settling his worldly matters, divided his property between his three sons.

2. " Nothing now remains," said he to them, "but a diamond of great value; this I have determined to appropriate to whichever of you shall, within three months, perform the best action."

3. His three sons accordingly departed different ways, and returned by the limited time. On presenting themselves before their judge, the eldest thus began.

4. "Father," said he, "during my absence, I found a stranger so circumstanced, that he was under a necessity of entrusting me with the whole of his fortune. He had no written se

curity from me, nor could he possibly bring any proof, any evidence whatever of the deposit. Yet I faithfully returned to him every shilling. Was there not something commendable in this action ?"

5. "Thou hast done what was incumbent upon thee to do, my son," replied the old man. "The man who could have acted otherwise were unworthy to live: for honesty is a duty; thy action is an action of justice, not of goodness.'

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6. On this, the second son advanced. "In the course of my travels," said he, "I came to a lake in which I beheld a child struggling with death; I plunged into it and saved his life in the presence of a number of the neighboring villagers, all of whom, can attest the truth of what I assert."

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7. "It was well done, "interrupted the old man ; you have only obeyed the dictates of humanity." At length the youngest of the three came forward.

*Pronounced ap-o-log, a moral story or fable, intended to convey useful

truths.

8. "I happened," said he, "to meet my mortal enemy, who, having bewildered himself in the dead of night, had imperceptibly fallen asleep upon the brink of a frightful precipice. The least motion would infallibly have plunged him headlong into the abyss; and though his life was in my hands, yet with every necessary precaution, I awaked him, and removed him from his danger."

9. "Ah, my son !" exclaimed the venerable good man with transport, while he pressed him to his heart; "to thee belongs the diamond; well hast thou deserved it."

LESSON LI.

The mysterious Stranger.-JANE Taylor.

1. In a remote period of antiquity, when the supernatural and the marvellous obtained a readier credence than now, it was fabled that a stranger of extraordinary appearance was observed passing the streets of one of the magnificent cities of the east, remarking with an eye of intelligent curiosity every surrounding object.

2. Several individuals gathering around him, questioned him concerning, his country and his business; but they presently perceived that he was unacquainted with their language, and he soon discovered himself to be equally ignorant of the most common usages of society. At the same time, the dignity and intelligence of his air and demeanor forbade the idea of his being either a barbarian or a lunatic.

3. When at length he understood by their signs, that they wished to be informed whence he came, he pointed with great significance to the sky; upon which the crowd, concluding him to be one of their deities, were proceeding to pay him divine honors; but he no sooner comprehended their design, than he rejected it with horror; and, bending his knees and raising his hand toward heaven, in the attitude of prayer, gave them to understand that he also was a worshipper of the powers above.

4. After a time, it is said, the mysterious stranger accepted the hospitalities of one of the nobles of the city; under whose roof he applied himself with great diligence to the acquirement of the language, in which he made such surprising proficiency, that, in a few days, he was able to hold intelligent intercourse with those around him.

5. The noble host now resolved to take an early opportunity of satisfying his curiosity respecting the country and quality of

his guest; and, upon his expressing this desire, the stranger assured him that he would answer his enquiries that evening after sun-set. Accordingly, as night approached, he led him forth upon the balconies of the palace, which overlooked the wealthy and populous city.

6. Innurnerable lights from its busy streets and splendid palaces were now reflected in the dark bosom of its noble river; where stately vessels, laden with rich merchandise from all parts of the known world, lay anchored in the port. This was a city in which the voice of the harp and the viol, and the sound of the mill-stone, were continually heard—and craftsmen of all kinds of craft were there-and the light of a candle was seen in every dwelling-and the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride were heard there.

7. The stranger mused awhile upon the glittering scene; and listened to the confused murmur of mingling sounds. Then suddenly raising his eyes to the starry firmament, he fixed them with an expressive gaze on the beautiful evening star which was just sinking behind a dark grove that surrounded one of the principal temples of the city. "Marvel not," said he to his host, that I am wont to gaze with fond affection on yon silvery star.

8. "That was my home-yes, I was lately an inhabitant of that tranquil planet; from whence a vain curiosity has tempted me to wander. Often had I beheld, with wondering admiration, this brilliant world of yours, even one of the brightest gems of our firmament-and the ardent desire I had long felt to know something of its condition, was at length unexpectedly gratified. I received permission and power from above to traverse the mighty void, and to direct my course to this distant sphere.

9. "To that permission, however, one condition was annexed, to which my eagerness for the enterprise induced me hastily to consent—namely, that I must thenceforth remain an inhabitant of this strange earth, and undergo all the vicissitudes to which its natives are subject. Tell me, therefore, I pray you, what is the lot of man-and explain to me more fully than I yet understand, all that I hear and see around me."

10. "Truly, sir," replied the astonished noble, "although I am altogether unacquainted with the manners and customs, products and privileges of your country, yet, methinks, I cannot but congratulate you on your arrival in our world; especially since it has been your good fortune to alight on a part of it affording such various sources of enjoyment as this our opulent

and luxuriant city. And be assured it will be my pride and pleasure to introduce you to all that is most worthy the attention of such a distinguished foreigner."

11. Our adventurer, accordingly, was presently initiated into those arts of luxury and pleasure which were there well understood. He was introduced by his obliging host to their public games and festivals-to their theatrical diversions and convivial assemblies; and in a short time he began to feel some relish for amusements, the meaning of which, at first, he could scarcely comprehend.

12. The next lesson which it became desirable to impart to him, was the necessity of acquiring wealth, as the only means of obtaining pleasure. A fact which was no sooner understood by the stranger, than he gratefully accepted the offer of his friendly host to place him in a situation in which he might amass riches.

13. To this object he began to apply himself with diligence; and was becoming in some measure reconciled to the manners and customs of our planet, strangely as they differed from those of his own, when an incident occurred which gave an entirely new direction to his energies. It was but a few weeks after his arrival on our earth, when, walking in the cool of the day with his friend, in the outskirts of the city, his attention was arrested by the appearance of a spacious enclosure near which they passed. He inquired the use to which it was appropriated.

14. "It is," replied the nobleman, "a place of public interment." "I do not understand you," said the stranger. "It is the place," repeated his friend," where we bury our dead." "Excuse me, sir," replied his companion, with some embarrassment. "I must trouble you to explain yourself yet further." The nobleman repeated the information in still plainer terms. "I am still at a loss to comprehend you perfectly," said the stranger, turning deadly pale. "This must relate to something of which I was not only totally ignorant in my own world, but of which I have, as yet, had no intimation in yours.

15. "I pray you, therefore, to satisfy my curiosity; for if I have any clue to your meaning, this, surely, is a matter of more mighty concernment than any to which you have hitherto directed me." "My good friend," replied the nobleman, "you must be indeed a novice among us, if you have yet to learn that we must all, sooner or later, submit to take our place in these dismal abodes.

16. " Nor will I deny that it is one of the least desirable of the circumstances which appertain to our condition; for which

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