Then spoke the victor: "Now from me no mercy shall you wring, 2. "But far from me the wish that ill your monarch should befall; 88 8. "Then, rebel, rue thy stubborn will," the ruffian victor cried ; "This weapon shall my threat fulfil; so perish in thy pride!" Rapid as thought the murderous blow fell on the prisoner's head; With warrior rage he scanned his foe, then, staggering, sank and bled, But anger vanished with his fall; his heart the wrong forgave: Dying, he sighed, "God save you all, and me, a sinner, save!" 1. A YOUNG man of eighteen or twenty, a student in a university, took a walk one day with a professor, who was commonly called the student's friend, such was his kindness to the young men it was his office to instruct. While they were walking together, and the professor was seeking to lead the conversation to grave subjects, they saw a pair of old shoes lying in their path, which they supposed to belong to a poor man who was at work close by, and who had nearly finished his day's task. 66 2. The young student turned to the professor, saying, "Let us play the man a trick; we will hide his shoes, and conceal ourselves behind those bushes, and watch his perplexity when he cannot find them." My dear friend," answered the professor, we must never amuse ourselves at the expense of the poor. But you are rich, and you may give yourself a much greater pleasure by means of this poor man. Put a dollar into each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves." 3. The student did so, and then placed himself, with the professor, behind the bushes close by, through which they could easily watch the laborer, and see whatever wonder or joy he might express. The poor man had soon finished his work, and came across the field to the path, where he had left his coat and shoes. While he put on the coat, he slipped one foot into one of his shoes; but, feeling something hard, he stooped down and found the dollar. Astonishment and wonder were seen upon his He gazed upon the dollar, turned it around, and looked again and again; then he looked around him on all sides, but could see no one. countenance. 4. Now he put the money in his pocket, and proceeded to put on the other shoe; but how great his surprise when he found the other dollar! His feelings, overcame him; he saw that the money was a present; and he fell upon his knees, looked up to heaven, and uttered aloud a fervent thanksgiving, in which he spoke of his wife sick and helpless, and his children without bread, whom this timely bounty from some unknown hand would save from perishing. 5. The young man stood there deeply affected, and tears filled his eyes. "Now," said the professor, "are you not much better pleased than if you had played your intended trick ? ” — “O, dearest sir," answered the youth, "you have taught me a lesson now that I will never forget! I feel now the truth of the words, which I never before understood, 'It is better to give than to receive.' We should never approach the poor but with the wish to do them good." FROM THE GERMAN. LXXII. FALSEHOODS OF EXAGGERATION. 1. BESIDES the falsehoods which people designedly speak, there is a kind which springs from negligence, hastiness, or a warm imagination. Dr. Samuel Johnson was of opinion that most lying arises from indifference about the truth, rather than from a wish to deceive. People are not sufficiently anxious to be correct; they say anything that comes uppermost, or what they think will please, without reflecting whether it be strictly true or not. It is a common error of tradesmen, from a desire to please, or worse reasons, to promise to have work done at a par ticular time, when they are not sure of their ability to do so, or know positively that they are not able. 2. Many persons also, either from heedlessness or design, say what they think will create surprise, without supposing that they are doing any harm. Perhaps there is some truth in what they say, but it is so much magnified or exaggerated, with the view of exciting wonder, that it has the character and effect of falsehood. Such people are in the habit of using the words "vast, immense, grand, splendid, magnificent, superb, tremendous," and others of that nature, when words of a more simple meaning should be employed. 3. "Father," said a boy, one day, "I saw an immense number of dogs - five hundred, I am sure in our street, last night." -"Surely not so many?" said his father. - Well, there were one hundred, I'm quite sure."- "It could not be," said the father; "I don't think there are a hundred dogs in the village." Well, sir, it could not be less than ten : this I am quite certain of.". -"I will not believe you saw even ten," said the father; "for you spoke as confidently of seeing five hundred as of seeing this smaller number. You have contradicted yourself twice already, and now I cannot believe you." - "Well, sir," said the disconcerted boy, "I saw at least our Dash and another one." 4. This is an example of erroneous reporting through eager. ness to make out a wonderful case. For the same reason, an uneducated man, who had been in the West Indies, hearing some one speak of the sun rising at midsummer about four in the morning, said, "O, that is nothing to what he does in Jamaica, I have seen him rise there between two and three." This man did not know that that was impossible, and that we must go towards the poles, and not towards the tropics, in order to see the sun rise very early. 5. It is common, too, to hear people say that they have not been so warm all their lives; that some one's gown is the prettiest they ever saw; or that they never were so happy as at Mrs. Smith's party; when it is obvious that they are alleging what it is utterly impossible for them to be quite sure of A little real respect for truth, and desire to follow it at all times, aided by a little reflection on the meaning of the words we are about to utter, would save us from falsehoods of this kind. 6. There is yet another species of falsehood, which consists in saying one thing but meaning another; this ought to be at all times avoided, the same as positive lying. Persons who resort to this mean practice think that, because they do not lie in the words which they use, they do not commit any actual sin or crime. But this is a mere delusion. The lie is committed by the attempt to convey a false or wrong meaning, for the purpose of misleading; and such a mode of speaking is therefore both deceitful and sinful. 7. In the whole business of the world, truth is of great importance. We should not only observe it in everything relating to ourselves and our neighbors, but we should seek to ascertain it, and hold fast by it, in all things. If we study history, we should endeavor to get the books of best authority. If we cultivate science, we should make sure that we receive nothing which is not satisfactorily proved. Nothing but good testimony can prove the truth of an event; and nothing but experiment, and a careful observation of facts, can prove the truth of anything in science. 8. We should allow no opinion to rest in our minds unless we are certain, and have taken pains to make ourselves conscientiously certain, that it is right, and not founded in error. Every wrong opinion, or supposition of what is false, tends to do harm in the world; while everything we know for truth, and every opinion and sentiment that we know to be rightly founded, tends to the good of mankind. Chambers. LXXIII. SHORT POETICAL EXTRACTS. 1. TIME NOT TO BE RECALLED. MARK that swift arrow, how it cuts the air, - That way it went, but thou shalt find Fool! 't is thy life, and the fond archer thou! Besides repentance, what canst find One part one little part, we dimly scan, Through the dark medium of life's feverish dream, Yet dare arraign the whole stupendous plan, If but that little part incongruous seem; Nor is that part, perhaps, what mortals deem. Oft from apparent ill our blessings rise: O! then renounce that impious self-esteem That aims to trace the secrets of the skies; For thou art but of dust, be humble and be wise. 3. THE PENALTY OF EMINENCE. — Byron. Must look down on the hate of those below. And thus reward the toils that to those summits led. From the low prayer of Want and plaint of Woe, O never, never turn away thine ear! Forlorn, in this bleak wilderness below, Ah! what were man, should Heaven refuse to hear! To others do (the law is not severe,) |