where the brother died, and had seen the burial of his mortal remains. The counsellors pleaded upon this accumulated evidence, and everything went with a full tide in favor of the younger brother. The judge summed up the evidence with great gravity and deliberation. "And now, gentlemen of the jury," said he, “lay your heads together, and bring in your verdict as you shall deem just."

9. They waited but a few minutes; and then, supposing that all were determined in favor of the younger brother, the judge said: "Gentlemen, are you all agreed? and who shall speak for you?"-"We are, I believe, all agreed,” replied one; "our foreman shall speak for us.". "Hold, my lord,” replied the miller; 66 we are not all agreed." Why?" said the judge, in a very surly tone, "what's the matter with you? What reasons have you for disagreeing?"

10. "I have several reasons, my lord," replied the miller; "the first is, they have given to all these gentlemen of the jury ten broad pieces of gold, and to me but five; which, you know, is not fair. Besides, I have many objections to make to the false reasonings of the pleaders, and the contradictory evidence of the witnesses." Upon this, the miller began a discourse, which discovered such penetration of judgment, such a knowledge of law, and was expressed with such manly and energetic eloquence, that it astonished the judge and the whole court.

11. As the speaker was going on with his powerful demonstrations, the judge, in great surprise, stopped him. "Where did you come from, and who are you?"-"I came from Westminster Hall,” replied the miller; "my name is Matthew Hale; I am Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench. I have observed the iniquity of your proceedings this day; therefore," come down from a seat which you are nowise worthy to hold. You are one of the corrupt parties in this nefarious business. I will come up this moment, and try the cause over again."

12. Accordingly Sir Matthew went up, with his miller's dress and hat on, began the trial anew, and subjected the testimony to the most searching scrutiny. He made the elder brother's title to the estate clear and manifest, from the contradictory

evidence of the witnesses, and the false reasoning of the pleaders; unravelled all the sophistry of the latter to the very bottom, and gained a complete victory in favor of truth and justice.

Anon.

LII.

THE COTTAGER AND HIS LANDlord.

A PEASANT to his lord paid yearly court,
Presenting pippins of so rich a sort,
That he, displeased to have a part alone,
Removed the tree, that all might be his own.
The tree, too old to travel, though before
So fruitful, withered, and would yield no more.
The squire, perceiving all his labor void,
Cursed his own pains, so foolishly employed;
And, "O," he cried, "that I had lived content
With tribute, small indeed, but kindly meant'
My avarice has expensive proved to me,
And cost me both my pippins and my tree."
COWPER, FROM THE LATIN OF MILTON.

LIII. · FROM AN EPISTLE TO JOSEPH HILL.

I HATE long arguments verbosely spun;
One story more, dear Hill, and I have done.
Once on a time, an emperor, a wise man,
No matter where, in China cr Japan,
Decreed that whosoever should offend
Against the well-known duties of a friend,
Convicted once, should ever after wear
But half a coat, and show his bosom bare.
The punishment importing this, no doubt,
That all was naught within, and all found out.
O happy Britain! we have not to fear
Such hard and arbitrary measure here;
Else,

could a law like that which I relate
Once have the sanction of our triple state,—

Some few, that I have known in days of old,
Would run most dreadful risk of catching cold;
While you, my friend, whatever wind should blow,
Might traverse England safely to and fro,
An honest man, close-buttoned to the chin,
Broadcloth without, and a warm heart within!

COWPER.

LIV.

TOO LATE TO DISPARAGE AMERICA.

1. Ir is too late to disparage America. Accustomed to look with wonder on the civilization of the past, upon the unblest glories of Greece and of Rome, upon mighty empires that have risen but to fall, the English mind has never fixed itself on the grand phenomenon of a great nation at school. Viewing America as a fro'ward child that has deserted its home and abjured its parent, we have ever looked upon her with a callous heart, and with an evil eye, judicially blind to her progress.

2. But how she has gone on de-věl'oping the resources of a region teeming with vegetable life! How she has intrenched herself amid noble institutions, with temples enshrined in religious toleration, with universities of private bequest and public organization, with national and unshackled schools, and with all the improvements which science, literature and philanthropy, demand from the citizen or from the state!

3. Supplied from the Old World with its superabundant life the Anglo-Saxon" tide has been carrying its multiplied popula tion to the West,―rushing onward through impervious forests, levelling their lofty pines, and converting the wilderness into abodes of populous plenty, intelligence and taste. Nor is this living flood the destroying scourge which Providěnce sometimes lets loose upon our species. It breathes in accents which are our own. It is instinct with English life; and it bears on its snowy crest the auro'ral light of the East, to gild the darkness of the West with the purple radiance of salvation, of knowledge, and of peace.

4. In the arts which contrib'ute to domestic comfort and national aggran'dizement, the American States will sustain no unfavorable comparison with Europe. Their railroads supply the necessities of the traveller in all directions. Their steambōats, on river or ocean, are unrivalled. Their telegraphic lines, superior in cheapness and utility to ours, have been carried for thousands of miles into regions where the iron pathway has not been able to penetrate.

5. And what parallel shall we find to the mineral and agricultural wealth of this country? Her empire of coal, her kingdom of cotton and of corn, her regions of gold and of iron, mark out America as the centre of civilization, as the emporium of the world's commerce, as the grăn ́ary and store-house out of which the kingdoms of the East will be clothed and fed; and, we greatly fear, as the asylum in which our children will take refuge when the hōrdes of Asia and the semi-barbarians of Eastern Europe shall again darken and desolate the West.

6. Though dauntless in her mien, and colossal in her strength, she displays upon her banner the star of peace. Shedding its radiance upon us, let us reciprocate the celestial light! And, strong and peaceful ourselves, we shall have nothing to fear from her power, but everything to learn from her example. North British Review.

LV.

LLEWELLYN AND HIS DOG.

[A true story, showing the lamentable effects of hasty wrath.]

1.

THE spearmen heard the bugle sound, and cheerily smiled the morn;
And many a brach, and many a hound, attend Llewellyn's horn.
And still he blew a louder blast, and gave a louder cheer;
"Come, Gelert! 70 why art thou the last Llewellyn's horn to hear?
O where does faithful Gelert roam, the flower of all his race?
So true, so brave,— a lamb at home, a lion in the chase!"
That day Llewellyn little loved the chase of hart or hare;
And scant and small the booty proved, for Gelert was not there.

2.

Unpleased Llewellyn homeward hied, when, near the pōrtal seat,
His truant Gelert he espied, bounding his lord to greet.

But when he gained the castle-door, aghast the chieftain stood;

The hound was smeared with gouts of gore; his lips and fangs ran blood! Llewellyn gazed with wild surprise; unused such looks to meet,

His favorite checked his joyful guise, and crouched, and licked his feet. Onward in haste Llewellyn passed (and on went Gelert too),

And still, where'er his eyes were cast, fresh blood-gouts shocked his view!

3.

O'erturned his infant's bed he found, the blood-stained cover rent ;
And all around the walls and ground with recent blood besprent.<
He called his child; no voice replied; he searched with terror wild ;
Blood! blood! he found on every side, but nowhere found his child!
"Death-hound! by thee my child 's devoured!" the frantic father cried;
And to the hilt his vengeful sword he plunged in Gelert's side.

His suppliant, as to earth he fell, no pity could impart ;
But still his Gelert's dying yell passed heavy o'er his heart.

4.

Aroused by Gelert's dying yell, some slumberer wakened nigh:
What words the parent's joy can tell, to hear his infant cry!
Concealed beneath a mangled heap, his hurried search had missed,
All glowing from his rosy sleep, his cherub boy he kissed !

Nor scratch had he, nor harm, nor dread; but the same couch beneath
Lay a great wolf, all torn and dead, tremendous still in death!

Ah! what was then Llewellyn's pain! for now the truth was clear;
The gallant hound the wolf had slain, to save Llewellyn's heir.193

5.

Vain, vain was all Llewellyn's woe! "Best of thy kind, adieu! 64
The frantic deed that laid thee low, this heart shall ever rue!"
And now a noble tomb they raise, with costly sculpture decked;
And marbles, storied with his praise, poor Gelert's bōnes protect.
Here never could the spearmen pass, or forester, unmoved;
Here oft the tear-besprinkled grass Llewellyn's sorrow proved.
And here he hung his horn and spear, and oft, as evening fell,
In fancy's piercing sounds would hear poor Gelert's dying yell.
W. R. Spencer.

Tutor. WELL, boys, although school is ended, the rain is pouring in such torrents that you must wait a while. Suppose we occupy the time in talking about your plans and wishes for the future. What is it your ambition to become, Charles?