tending to bestrew with flowers the first studies of children, to facilitate their progress, and to render the performance of duty more easy to their instructors; thus revenging himself on the injustice of men, only by heaping new benefits upon them. In the mean time his deaf and dumb scholars grieved for the absence of their teacher. Sometimes they looked up to the windows of his apartments, and their eyes were bedewed with tears; or they would regard with fixed attention the arm-chair where Sicard used to sit, when he tried to console them for the loss of his predeOf all the various gestures that at other times animated their countenances, the expressions of sorrow alone remained. One of them in particular, Jean Massieu, the fifth of the same family who had been taken into this institution, was so affected by the loss of his teacher, that, to pacify him, they were obliged to make him acquainted with the place of Sicard's refuge.

cessor.

This young man, whose understanding and talents all Paris admired, notwithstanding a very weak state of health, had been promoted to the place of tutor in the school, with a salary of twelve hundred francs. This small income he repeatedly offered to share with Sicard.

"My father," said he, by means of rapid signs,

"has nothing. I must provide him with food and clothing, and save him from the cruel fate that oppresses him.”

He accordingly took the necessary steps with prudence, engaged some of his friends to assist him in putting his generous project into execution, and kept himself in readiness to lay hold of the first favourable opportunity.

At length the ardently wished-for moment arrived. A dramatic writer, whom the enthusiasm of his heart had rendered courageous, formed the resolution of interesting the public in favour of the successor of the Abbé de l'Epée, by producing on the stage a memorable scene from the life of that celebrated founder of the institution for instructing the deaf and dumb. The undertaking was dangerous, but the motive irresistible.

The audience shed tears to the memory of the Abbé de l'Epée; and whilst his sainted name was repeated, the unfortunate Sicard's was not forgotten.

At last, worked up to enthusiasm, the audience exclaimed, from every side, "Where's Sicard? Restore to us Sicard!"

From the emotion in every face, from the applause clapped from every hand, and from the transports of the author, it was easy for Massieu

to form an idea of the interest which the audience expressed in favour of his preceptor; and he so well contrived matters, that a few days afterwards he went to the house of a legislator, who was a friend of men of merit, and of the unfortunate, and where the brother of the Chief Consul happened, with many others, to be on a visit.

Massieu having here, by the affecting answers which he gave to the questions put to him, softened the hearts of all the company to a participation of his feelings, gave to the brother of the Chief Consul a letter which he had written in his presence, and which concluded with these affecting words:

"O promise me, that you will speak for us to the Chief Consul; they say he loves those men who labour for the happiness of others; surely then he must love Sicard, whose sole delight is to render the poor deaf and dumb happy!"

This touching language of nature excited the admiration of all present, and produced the most lively emotion. The amiable Massieu observed this, and immediately flung his arms round the neck of Joseph Bonaparté, and they both melted into tears. Indeed, no one present could refrain from this expression of their feelings.

Joseph Bonaparté was greatly affected; he

pressed the admirable pupil of Sicard to his heart, and requested his worthy friend to signify to him, that he would, on that same evening, present his letter to the Consul, and that he would venture to promise him it would have the wished-for effect.

The hopes thus given were not disappointed. The Consul ordered Sicard's name to be erased from the list of the proscribed; and soon after he was restored to the right of again giving instructions to his pupils.

Thus did the inviolable friendship of him, who, for so long a time, exposed his life to the most imminent danger, by concealing Sicard, and the sensibility, persevering assiduity, and affection of the deaf and dumb Massieu, become the means of continuing to the world the blessings of the talents, patience, and beneficent labours of this celebrated man.

These events should remind all who read them of this maxim:

"That virtue, truth, and innocence, sooner or later, will triumph over the artifices of the wicked."

163

FALSE INDULGENCE.

CHARLES HARTLEY was the only son of a gentleman, who lived near Portsmouth, whose mind and body were equally incapable of making the slightest exertions, and who was destitute of all virtue except that of parental affection. Mr. Hartley had originally been intended for the church, but the natural indolence of his disposition, united to the imbecility of his understanding, had rendered him so inattentive to the necessary forms of the university, that, when he was examined for his degree, he made such vacant replies to the interrogations that were put to him, that the whole senate house were in a burst of laughter, and he was severely reprimanded for attempting to pass an examination.

Although few circumstances were able to make an impression upon Mr. Hartley's feelings, yet this public disgrace produced that extraordinary effect; and, unable to support the general ridicule, he instantly ordered a postchaise, and drove down to his paternal inheritance, resolving never more to behold a place where his character had been stigmatized and his abilities degraded.