in England, I shall leave out the days of my enjoyment at Chatsworth.'

TASSO..

595. He was honoured by the especial regard of Charles IX., king of France, when he attended cardinal Luigi, who went to France in quality of legate from his holiness the pope. In a conversation held before the king by several learned men, it was disputed what condition of life was the most unfortunate. In my opinion,' said, Tasso, 'the most unfortunate condition is that of an impatient old man, depressed by poverty; for the state of that person is doubtless very deplorable, who has neither the gifts of fortune to preserve him from want, nor the principles of philosophy to support himself under affliction.'

The character of Tasso has obtained the highest praise. It is said of him, that there never was a scholar more humble, a wit more devout, or a man more amiable in society.'

596. Some person reported to him, that a malicious enemy spoke ill of him to all the world. 'Let him Persevere,' said Tasso; his rancour gives me no pain. How much better is it that he should speak ill of me to all the world, than that all the world should speak ill of me to him!'

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597. Tasso being told, that he had a fair opportunity of taking advantage of a very bitter enemy; wish not,' said he, to plunder him; but there are things I wish to take away from him not his honour, his wealth, or his life-but his ill will."

Boileau has been too severe in his censures of the Gerusalemme Liberata. His delicate taste, it seems, was offended by the clinquant of Tasso. Now it is very remarkable that Boileau himself, in one of the few original poems he ever wrote, his Ode sur la Prise de Namur, has written with far more affectation, and decorated his poem with the same kind of tinsel, which he so much dislikes in Tasso.

598. It seems necessary for a man of genius to have some predecessor to show him the road to excellence : Tasso said of himself- If I had not read the Pastor Fido of Guarini, I had not excelled it.'

THALES,

A sophist

599. ONE of the wise men of Greece. wishing to puzzle him with difficult questions, the sage of Miletus replied to them all without the least hesitation, and with the utmost precision.

What is the oldest of all things? God, because he has always existed.

What is the most beautiful? The world, because it is the work of God.

What is the greatest of all things? Space, because it contains all that has been created.

What is the most constant of all things? Hope, because it still remains with man, after he has lost every thing else.

What is the best of all things? Virtue, because without it there is nothing good.

What is the quickest of all things? Thought, because in less than a moment it can fly to the end of the universe.

What is the strongest? Necessity, which makes men face all the dangers of life.

What is the easiest? To give advice.

What is the most difficult? To know yourself. What is the wisest ? Time, for it discovers all things.

THE RIVER THAMES.

600 FULLER justly says, in his 'Worthies of England,' that London owes it grandeur and opulence, under God's providence, to the well-conditioned river Thames, which employs its greatness in goodness,— to be beneficial to commerce by the reciprocation of the tides. Hence it was that when king James I., offender with the City, threatened to remove his court to another place, the Lord mayor boldly enough told him:

Your majesty may remove the court at your pleasure, but you cannot remove the river Thames.'

THEMISTOCLES.

601. ANTIENT Greece can boast of no hero more illustrious. The victory he obtained in the Bay of Salamis over the Persian fleet, by which he prolonged the independence of his country, immortalized his name. As a general, his talents were consummate: as a judge, he was inflexibly impartial. Simonides the poet requested him to relax the rigour of justice in his favour. If you would think that poet bad,' said Themistocles, who transgresses the rules of metre, why should you not reckon that judge infamous who holds the request of any one more sacred than the laws of his country?'

602. A father consulted Themistocles to which of two lovers he should marry his daughter; whether to a poor man of merit, or to a rich man of a bad character. Were I in your place,' said Themistocles, I should prefer a man without money, to money without a man.'

603. If we could be admitted behind the scenes of the political drama, and proceed from beholding the public affairs of empires to inspect their secret origin, we should be astonished at the small springs that give the first impulse to movements of the greatest import

ance.

Themistocles had a son who was the darling of his mother. This little fellow,' said Themistocles, is the sovereign of all Greece.' How so?'' said a friend. Why, he governs his mother, his mother governs me, I govern the Athenians, and the Athenians govern all Greece.'

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604. As Themistocles was once marching amid the spoils of his enemies, he said to one of his soldiers, collect those spoils for thyself, for thou art not Themistocles.'

THEODOSIUS THE GREAT.

605. He was born in Galicia in Spain, and flourished at the end of the fourth century. He appointed judges to try persons suspected of having formed a conspiracy against him. He advised them to carry on the trials with equity and moderation. Our first care,' said one of the judges, is to guard the safety of our sovereign.' Rather guard his reputation,' said Theodosius a sovereign ought to measure his life, not by length of days, but the continuance of his glory.'

LORD CHANCELLOR THURLOW.

He had a strongly marked countenance; his features were large, his eye-brows were shaggy and prominent, and his eyes were expressive of uncommon intellect and ferocious dignity. He was what Dr. Johnson, calls truculent of aspect.'

606. A fine buffalo was given to him, and it was kept in an inclosure at his seat at Dulwich. This animal was so fierce, that even his keeper was very much afraid of him. One day lord_Thurlow expressed his intention to approach him. The keeper warned him against risking such a danger; but the chancellor carrying a stout stick in his hand, walked slowly up to the animal, and looked at him with an aspect so grim and terrific, that the buffalo turned aside and retired. My lord,' exclaimed the trembling keeper, I am as

tonished at your boldness.' Your astonishment,' said

his master, only shows your ignorance; do you not know, that man is ordained to be the lord of the crea tion; and it is only when he is poltroon enough, like you, to distrust his own powers, that he dares not face any beast whatever?'

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607. A person came running almost breathless to chancellor Thurlow. My lord,' said he, 'I bring you tidings of calamity to the nation, and I do not know

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far the direful effects of it may spread to endanger church and state.'-'What is the matter, man ?' said impatient chancellor. My lord,' continued this nifier of political mischief, a rebellion has broken - Where, where?' In the Isle of Man.-' A reion in the Isle of Man,' repeated the vociferous and aged chancellor ; a tempest in a tea-pot!' "here is a similar idea in Athenæus.

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TIBERIUS.

08. AMBASSADORS came from Ilium to offer their dolence to the emperor Tiberius, on the death of son Drusus, a considerable time after that event. return,' said Tiberius, for these very prompt exssions of your sympathy, I assure you of my very p sorrow for the loss of your countryman Hector.'

09. Gratified as he was with the incense of flattery, was sometimes compelled to listen to the voice of h. He wrote the history of his own life, and paid at attention to the style. He consulted Ateius Capa great grammarian, respecting a word which he pected not to be pure. Ateius, who was a gross flater, said, that although the word was not sanctioned antieut usage, yet the authority of the emperor mped it genuine. Another grammarian was more cere : Cæsar,' said he, you can confer the edom of Rome upon men, but you cannot give it to rds.'

HE MARQUIS DE TIERCEVILLE.

310. A FRENCH gentleman, presenting in a jocose inner this young marquis to a lady of his acquaintce, Madam,' said be, this is the marquis de Tierville, and he is not so great a fool as he looks to be.' Madam,' answered the young marquis, this is the act difference between this gentleman and me.'