In peaceful thought the field of death survey'd, Alexander the Great, at one period of his life, was of so tender and humane a disposition, as to be sensible of the affliction of persons in the lowest grade, and of animals of the meanest condition. A poor Macedonian was one day leading before him a mule, laden with gold for the king's use. The poor beast being so tired, that he was unable either to proceed or sustain the load, the mule-driver took it up, and carried it, but with great difficulty, a long distance. Alexander seeing him just sinking under his burden, and going to throw it on the ground, in order to ease himself, cried out, "Friend, don't be weary yet; try and carry it quite through to thy tent, for it is all thy own." ma-te-ri-al prox-im-i-ty su-prem-a-cy sur-mount-a-ble tau-tol-o-gy ter-ra-que-ous me-tro"-po-lis ra-pid-i-ty ter-res-tri-al mi-rac-u-lous re-cep-ta-cle ther-mo"-me-ter na-tiv-i-ty re-cip-ro-cal the-ol-o-gy ne-ces-si-ty re-cum-ben-cy tran-quil-li-ty non-sen-si-cal no-to-ri-ous re-cur-ren-cy tri-um-phant-ly re-deem-a-ble tu-mul-tu-ous par-ti-ci-pate re-sto-ra-tive vi-cis-si-tude par-ti-cu-lar re-su-ma-ble vi-va"-ci-ty pe-nin-su-lar re-sus-ci-tate vo-lup-tu-ous At church with meek and unaffected grace, His ready smile a parent's warmth express'd, Their welfare pleased him, and their care distress'd; To them his heart, his love, his griefs were giv❜n, But all his serious thoughts had rest in heav'n. As some tall cliff that lifts its awful form, Swells from the vale, and midway leaves the storm, Tho' round its breast the rolling clouds are spread, Eternal sunshine settles on its head. Goldsmith. Eschylus, as the inventor and father of Tragedy, is like a torrent, rolling with impetuous surge over rocks, forests, and precipices. Sophocles resembles a canal, which flows gently through delicious gardens; and Euripides a river, that does not follow its course in a continued line, but loves to meander, and wind his silver wave through flowery meads and rural scenes. The elevation and grandeur of the genius of Eschylus would not admit him to speak the language of other men: so that his Muse seemed rather to walk in stilts, than in the buskins of his own invention. Sophocles copies Homer's style, and blends in his diction gravity with that honeyed sweetness, from whence he was denominated the Bee. The style of Euripides, though noble, is less removed from the familiar; and he seems to have affected, rather the pathetic and the elegant, than the nervous and lofty. Rollin. Say, ye, oppress'd by some fantastic woes, vance With timid eye, to read the distant glance ; To name the nameless ever-new disease; Who with mock patience dire complaints endure, Despised, neglected, left alone to die? How would ye bear to draw your latest breath, Where all that's wretched paves the way for death? |