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Yet, while all admit how much nature has done for the Mediterranean, none will deny that, until very recently, it has been the scene of more ruthless violence, and of deeper personal wrongs, perhaps, than any other portion of the globe. With different races more widely separated by destinies than even by origin, habits, and religion occupying its northern and southern shores, the outwork, as it might be, of Christianity and Mohammedanism, and of an antiquity that defies history, the bosom of this blue expanse has mirrored more violence, has witnessed more scenes of slaughter, and heard more shouts of victory, between the days of Agamemnon and Nelson, than all the rest of the dominions of Neptune together. Nature and the passions have united to render it like the human countenance, which conceals by its smiles and godlike expression the furnace that so often glows within the heart, and the volcano that consumes our happiness. For centuries the Turk and the Moor rendered it unsafe for the European to navigate these smiling coasts; and when the barbarian's power temporarily ceased, it was merely to give place to the struggles of those who drove him from the arena by their larger resources.

During the quarter of a century which occurred between the years 1790 and 1815—by far the most eventful era of modern times-how greatly it participated in the strife of war by which the world was then agitated is still remembered by many; but the period is fast approaching when the groans of the dying, and the shouts of victory which resounded on the shores of the Mediterranean, shall only be known through the page of history, or live in the remembrance of those who, in their infancy, listened with mingled terror and delight at the recital of daring exploits and scenes of carnage in which the heroes of their race played some conspicuous part.

But the halcyon days of peace have revisited those shores; and the traveller again in safety glides over the bright blue waters of the Mediterranean. There again

may the syren sing:

"Thine is the glad wave's flashing play,
Thine is the laugh of the golden day,
The golden day, and the glorious night,

And the vine with its clusters all bathed in light!
- Forget, forget, that thou art not free!

Queen of the Summer sea!"

STAGE-EFFECT THE PASSION OF THE FAIR SEX. 199

1. What kind of scenery do the shores of the Mediterranean, in general, present?

2. What does Byron say is reflected on its waters ?

3. Till lately, what has the Mediterranean been the scene of?

4. Who was Agamemnon ?

- and who Nelson ?

5. In what state were the European nations generally from 1790 to 1815?

LESSON CXXXIX.

MAY THE NINETEENTH.

Stage-Effect the Ruling Passion of the Fair Sex.

BELIEVE me, those who best the heart dissect,
Know every woman studies stage-effect :
She moulds her manners to the part she fills,
As instinct teaches, or as humour wills;
And, as the grave or gay her talent calls,
Acts in the drama, till the curtain falls.

First, how her little breast with triumph swells,
When the red coral rings its golden bells!
To play in pantomime is then the rage,
Along the carpet's many-coloured stage;
Or lisp her merry thoughts with loud endeavour,
Now here, now there-in noise and mischief ever!
A school-girl next, she curls her hair in papers,
And mimics father's gout, and mother's vapours;
Discards her doll, bribes Betty for romances;
Playful at church, and serious when she dances;
Tramples alike on customs and on toes,
And whispers all she hears to all she knows;
Terror of caps, and wigs, and sober notions!
A romp that longest of perpetual motions!
Till tamed and tortured into foreign graces,
She sports her lovely face at public places;
And with blue, laughing eyes, behind her fan,
First acts her part with that great actor, man.

Too soon a flirt, approach her and she flies!
Frowns when pursued, and, when entreated, sighs!
Plays with unhappy men as cats with mice,
Till fading beauty hints the late advice.
Her prudence dictates what her pride disdain'd,
And now she sues to slaves herself had chain'd!

Then comes that good old character, a wife,
With all the dear, distracting cares of life!
A thousand cards a day at doors to leave,
And, in return, a thousand cards receive;

Rouge high, play deep, to lead the ton aspire,
With nightly blaze set Portland-place on fire
Snatch half a glimpse at opera, concert, ball,
A meteor, traced by none, though seen by all;
And when her shatter'd nerves forbid to roam,
In very spleen-rehearse the girls at home.

Last the grey dowager, in ancient flounces,
With snuff and spectacles, the age denounces ;
Boasts how the sires of this degenerate isle
Knelt for a look, and duell'd for a smile,
The scourge and ridicule of Goth and Vandal,
Her tea she sweetens, as she sips, with scandal;
With modern belles eternal warfare wages,
Like her own birds that clamour from their cages,
And shuffles round to bear her tale to all,
Like some old ruin, "nodding to its fall!"-
Thus woman makes her entrance and her exit;
Not least an actress when she least expects it.

LESSON CXL.-MAY THE TWENTIETH.

Americus Vesputius (or Amerigo Vespucci).

On this day, in 1497, Americus Vesputius, a native of Florence, sailed from Cadiz, on a voyage of discovery westward. His mind was early bent to mathematics and navigation. The fame of Columbus attracted his notice; and determined to rival his glory, he obtained from Ferdinand, king of Spain, a squadron of four ships, with which he sailed from Cadiz, in 1497. During his voyage, which lasted eighteen months, he visited the coast along the Mexican Gulf, and in the following year he extended his discoveries to the Antilles, Guiana, and Venezuela.

On his return, in 1500, he was received by the Spanish court with a coolness which his services ill-deserved; but his discontent was forgotten under the patronage of Emanuel of Portugal, who furnished him with three ships in May, 1501. In this third voyage Americus discovered the Brazils, from La Plata to the coast of Patagonia, and he returned to Lisbon, September, 1502. A fourth voyage was undertaken with six ships, with the intention of proceeding to the Molucca Islands, in a southern direction along the American coast, but he was detained by contrary winds for five months near the river Crorabado,

BATTLE OF CANNÆ.

201

and the want of provisions obliged him to return to Europe.

Americus died in the island of Tercera, in 1514, aged sixty-three. He published an account of his voyages; but he is become illustrious, inasmuch as he obtained the singular honour of giving his name to the New World, and thus monopolized the glory which was due to the genius and enterprise of the great Columbus. He has been accused

of giving false dates to his writings, that he might establish a priority of discovery, and so eclipse the glory of his rival. The remains of his ship, the "Victory," were preserved by the King of Portugal in the cathedral of Lisbon.

1. What navigator sailed on this day, in 1497?

2. What did he obtain from Ferdinand, king of Spain?

3. How far did he extend his discoveries in his first voyage?

4. What did Americus discover in his third voyage?

5. Where and when did Americus die?

LESSON CXLI. -MAY THE TWENTY-FIRST.

Battle of Cannæ.

THE famous battle of Cannæ, near Capua, in Italy, was fought on this day, B. C. 216, when Hannibal, the Carthaginian general, defeated the Romans with great slaughter. This defeat was one of the most disastrous the Romans ever sustained. Their loss is stated at from 50,000 to 70,000, besides prisoners. The consul Æmilius, who had used all his influence to prevent the battle, was one of the victims. Hannibal's superior generalship was powerfully displayed on this occasion, for his whole army is stated at no more than 40,000 foot and 10,000 horse.

After the victory both Roman camps fell into his hands, and it seemed as if nothing remained to prevent him from putting an end to the republic. Maherbal urged him immediately to march to Rome; and many of the ancients concurred with him in his reproach, "that Hannibal knew how to conquer, but not how to make use of his victory." But this censure, which has been applied to several other great generals, appears to be refuted in respect of Hannibal, by the consideration of the state of his army, now diminished by a hard-fought engagement, and in no condition to undertake the siege of a capital, every citizen of which was a soldier. The immediate consequences of

the battle was the defection of most of the Roman allies in that part of Italy, and the surrender of the opulent city of Capua, to which the Carthaginian army advanced.

1. What famous battle was fought on this day, B. c. 216?

2. What is the loss of the Romans stated at?

3. How many troops had Hannibal ?

4. To what did Maherbal urge him?

5. What was the immediate consequence of the battle?

LESSON CXLII.

MAY THE TWENTY-SECOND.

Battle of the Granicus.

On this day, B. C. 334, Alexander the Great defeated 600,000 Persians at the river Granicus. The army he took with him in this mighty enterprise amounted to no more than 30,000 foot and 5000 horse. The greater part of these were embarked at Sestos, but the king himself sailed from Eleus. Various sacrifices, divinations, and other religious ceremonies, preceded and followed his transit; for superstition was a distinguished feature in the character of this extraordinary man.

At Ilium, to which he first marched, he gratified his feelings of every kind by sacrificing to the heroes buried there during the siege of Troy, and likewise to the manes of Priam, in order to divert his displeasure against one who claimed descent from Achilles, and was going to subvert another Asiatic empire.

The Persians, in this interval, had assembled an army in Phrygia; and, contrary to the advice of the experienced Memnon, determined to await the invaders on the banks of the Granicus. Very different statements are given of their numbers; but Arrian, whose authority seems the best, reckons them at 20,000 foot and as many The Persians, having the advantage of the situation, made a very spirited resistance, while the Macedonians were crossing the river and ascending its steep banks; but at length they were driven away, and routed with great slaughter.

Alexander exposed himself to the greatest personal hazards, and narrowly escaped with his life; especially when, impelled by his impetuous valour, he rushed into the midst of a body of Greek mercenaries, who, on the retreat, had withdrawn to an eminence. Twenty-five of

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