upon bread and cheese, with a family whose tears of gratitude marked the goodness of their hearts; and who blessed me at every mouthful they eat !"

SECTION X.

The compassionate judge.

1. The celebrated Charles Anthony Domat, was promoted to the office of a Judge of a Provincial court, in the south of France, in which he presided, with public applause, for twenty-four years. One day a poor widow brought a complaint before him, .against the Baron de Nairac, her landlord, for turning her out of possession of a farm which was her whole dependence..

2. Domat heard the cause; and finding by the clearest evidence, that the woman had ignorantly broken a covenant in the lease, which empowered the landlord to take possession of the farm, he recommended mercy to the baron towards a poor honest tenant, who had not willingly transgressed, or done him any material injury. But Nairac being inexorable, the judge was obliged to pronounce a sentence of expulsion from the farm, and to order payment of the damages mentioned in the lease, together with the costs of the suits.

3. In delivering this sentence, Domat wiped his eyes from which tears of compassion flowed plentifully. When the order of seizure, both of her person and effects, was decreed, the poor woman exclaimed: "O just and righteous God! be thou a father to the widow and her helpless orphans?" and immediately she fainted away.

4. The compassionate judge assisted in raising the distressed woman; and after inquiring into her character, the number of her children, and other circumstances, generously presented her with a hundred louis d'ors, the amount of her damages and costs, which he prevailed with the baron to accept as a full recompence; and the widow was restored to her farm.

5. Deeply affected with the generosity of her benefactor she said to him: "O, my lord! when will you demand pay. ment, that I may lay up for that purpose?" "I will ask it," replied Domat," when my conscience shall tell me I have done an improper act."

1. JOSEPH RACHEL, a respectable negro, resided in the island of Barbadoes. He was a trader, and dealt chiefly in the retail way. In his business, he conducted himself so fairly and complaisantly, that in a town filled with little peddling shops, his doors were thronged with customers. I have often dealt with him, and always found him remarkably honest and obliging.

2. If any one knew not where to obtain an article, Joseph would indeavour to procure it, without making any advantage for himself. In short, his character was so fair, his manners so generous, that the best people showed him a regard, which they often deny to men of their own colour, because they are not blessed with the like goodness of heart.

3. In 1756 a fire happened, which burned down great part of the town and ruined many of the inhabitants. Joseph lived in a quarter that escaped the destruction; and expressed his thankfulness, by softening the distresses of his neighbours. Among those who had lost their property by this heavy misfortune, was a man to whose family, Joseph, in the early part of his life, owed some obligations.

4. This man, by too great hospitality, an excess very common in the West Indies, had involved himself in difficulties, before the fire happened; and his estate lying in houses, that event entirely ruined them. Amidst the cries of misery and want, which excited Joseph's compassion, this man's unfortunate situation claimed particular notice. The generous, the open temper of the sufferer, the obligations that Joseph owed to his family, were special, and powerful motives for acting towards him the part of a friend.

5. Joseph had his bond for sixty pounds sterling. "Unfortunate man!" said he, "this debt shall never come against thee. I sincerely wish thou couldst settle all thy other affairs as easily! But how am I sure that I shall keep in this mind? May not the love of gain especially when, by length of time, thy misfortune shall be come familiar to me, return with too strong a current, and bear down my fellow feeling before it! But for this I have a remedy.

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Never shalt thou apply for the assistance of any friend against my avarice."

6. He arose, ordered a large account that the man had with him, to be drawn out: and in a whim that might have called up a smile on the face of charity, filled his pipe, sat down again, twisted the bond, and lighted his pipe with it. While the account was drawing out, he continued smoking, in a state of mind that a monarch might envy. When it was finished he went in search of his friend, with the discharged account, and the mutilated bond, in his hand.

7. On meeting him, he presented the papers to him with this address; "Sir, I am sensibly affected with your misfortunes; the obligations I have received from your family, give me a relation to every branch of it. I know that your inability to pay what you owe, gives you more uneasiness than the loss of your own substance. That you may not be anxious on my account in particular, accept of this discharge and the remains of your bond. I am overpaid in the satisfaction that I feel from having done my duty. I beg you will consider this only as a token of the happiness you will confer upon me, whenever you put it in my power to do you a good office."

SECTION XII.

The Indian Chief.

RAMSEY.

1. DURING the war in America, a company of Indians attacked a small body of British troops, and defeated them. As the Indians had greatly the advantage in swiftness of foot, and were eager in the pursuit, very few of the British escaped and those who fell into their hands were treated with a cruelty, of which there are not many examples, even in that country.

2. Two of the Indians came up to a young officer, and attacked him with great fury. As they were armed with battle-axes, he had no hope of escape. But, just at this crisis, another Indian came up, who was advanced in years, and was armed with a bow and arrows.

3. The old man, instantly drew his bow; but, after having taken his aim at the officer, he suddenly dropped the point of his arrow, and interposed between him and his

pursuers, who were about to cut him in pieces. They retired with respect. The old man then took the officer by the hand, soothed him into confidence by caresses; and, having conducted him to his hut, treated him with a kindness which did honour to his profession.

4. He made him less a slave than a companion; taught him the language of the country and instructed him in the rude arts that are practised by the inhabitants. They lived together in the most perfect harmony: and the young officer, in the treatment he met with, found nothing to regret, but that sometimes the old man fixed his eyes upon him, and, having regarded him for some minutes with a steady and silent attention, burst into tears.

5. In the mean time, the spring returned, and the Indians again took the field. The old man, who was still vigorous, and able to bear the fatigues of war, set out with them, and accompanied by his prisoner. They marched above two hundred leagues across the forest, and came at length to a plain, where the British forces were encamped. The old man showed his prisoner the tenes at a distance: "There," says he, " are thy countrymen. There is the enemy who wait to give us battle. Remember that I have saved thy 1 fe, that I have taught thee to conduct a canoe, to arm thyself with a bow and arrows, and to surprise the beaver in the forest.

took thee to my hut? They could neither Thy soul was in utter every thing. Thou

6. What wast thou when I first Thy hands were those of an infant. procure thee sustenance nor safety. darkness. Thou wast ignorant of owest all things to me. Wilt thou then go over to thy nation, and take up the hatchet against us?" The officer replied, "that he would rather lose his own life, than take away that of his deliverer."

7. The Indian, bending down his head, and covering his face with both his hands, stood some time silent. Then looking earnestly at his prisoner, he said, in a voice that was at once softened by tenderness and grief; "Hast thou a father?" "My father," said the young man, was alive when I left my country." "Alas!" said the Indian, "how wretched must he be!" He paused a moment, and then added, "Dost thou know that I have been a father?-I am a father no more. I saw my son fall in battle.-He fought at

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my side I saw him expire,-He was covered with wounds, when he fell dead at my feet.”

8. He pronounced these words with the utmost vehemence. His body shook with a universal tremor. He was almost stifled with sighs, which he would not suffer to escape him. There was a keen restlessness in his eye; but no tears flowed to his relief. At length he became calm by degrees and, turning towards the east, where the sun had just risen; "Dost thou see," said he to the young offi cer, 'the beauty of that sky, which sparkles with prevailing day? and hast thou pleasure in the sight?" "Yes," replied the young officer, "I have pleasure in the beauty of so fine a sky.' "I have none!" said the Indian, and

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his tears then found their way.

9. A few minutes after, he showed the young man a magnolia in full bloom. "Dost thou see that beautiful tree?" said he, "and dost thou look upon it with pleasure?" "Yes," replied the officer, "I look with pleasure upon that beautiful tree," "I have no longer any pleasure in looking upon it!" said the Indian hastily: and immediately added; "Go, return to thy father, that he may still have pleasure, when he sees the sun rise in the morning, and the trees blossom in the spring!"

SECTION XIII.

Noble behaviour of Scipio

1. SCIPIO the younger, at twenty-four years of age, was appointed by the Roman republic to the command of the army against the Spaniards. Soon after the conquest of Carthagena, the capital of the empire, his integrity and virtue were put to the following exemplary and ever-memorable trial, related by historians, ancient and modern with universal applause.

2. Being retired into his camp, some of his officers brought him a young virgin of such exquisite beauty, that she drew upon her the eyes and admiration of every body. The young conqueror started from his seat with confusion and surprise; and seemed to be robbed of that presence of mind and self-possession, so necessary in a general, and for which Scipio was very remarkable. In a few moments, having recovered himself, he inquired of the beautiful capD