to court full of calumnies against him, persuading himself that the king, from the great credit he had with his majesty, would believe the thing upon his bare word, without further examination. Such is the general character of calumniators. The officer was imprisoned; but he desired of the king before he was condemned, that his cause might be heard, and his accusers ordered to produce their evidence against him. The king did so; and as there was no proof of his guilt but the letters which his enemy had written against him, he was cleared, and his innocence fully confirmed by the three commissioners who sat upon his trial. All the king's indignation fell upon the perfidious accuser, who had thus attempted to abuse the confidence and favour of his royal master.

(g) A YOUNG LAWYER'S EXPERIENCE.—A correspondent of the "New-York Evangelist," says: I was acquainted with a young man who knew what ambition is in all its madness. He sought to be great, and he sought for nothing else. For years he thought and felt and dreamed about nothing else. For that he laboured and prayed: yes, though an infidel, he believed in the existence of a God, and he used to pray to him that he would grant him the object of his desires. Often at midnight, when the world was lost in sleep, he would pause from those mental labours which were destroying the energies of his youth and wasting away his life, and pray that God would give him intellectual powers-that he would give him might of mind which would enable him to move and shake the world. He used to tell God that he might deny him anything else, if he would grant him only this. And he was willing to pay any price for it; he was willing to do anything, or suffer anything, or sacrifice anything in order to gain it; and he would promise, if God would give him power of intellect, that he would exercise it on the side of right and in opposition to wrong. With such feelings he laboured ten long years, and oh, how he laboured! He toiled night and day. For weeks he would not retire to rest till three or four o'clock in the morning, and then not to sleep.

His mind and nervous system were in such a state that he could not sleep. He would lay two or three hours in a dreaming, half-conscious state, and then he would rise and commence his work again. And lest the appetites and indolence of the body might hinder him in his work, if he should live with other people, and live as they did, he lived alone, upon bread and water, and had no bed in his room; only a blanket, in which he would wrap himself and lie down upon the floor, with a large book under his head for a pillow. He hated everything calculated to draw him a moment from his studies. Even the kind voice of his poor old mother, entreating him with tears to take some rest or a little food, he hated, and he would scowl upon her and turn madly

away.

Thus he lived for many years, until a mighty change came over him. In a book he was one day reading, occurred these words: "When all is gained, how little then is won! And yet to gain that little how much is lost!" The words arrested his attention; they sunk deeply into his heart, like the voice of a spirit! The whole truth flashed like lightning across his soul. He now beheld the fame he had toiled for, as ABSOLUTELY WORTHLESS. "When all is gained, how little then is won!" said he. "Yes, how little! O, what is it? It is nothing. Fame, O, what is it? The breath of fools and devils. That is the object on which I have set my whole heart, and for which I have been labouring. When all is gained, how little then is won! And yet to gain that little how much is lost! Yes, HOW MUCH IS LOST! O, how I have been labouring and suffering for it; I have given all for it; all of this world, and all of the next."

His whole frame shook under the

emotions such thoughts awakened-his hard heart broke, and he wept! Yes, he who from childhood up had never shed a tear. He wept burning tears of agony-wept as a man, perhaps, never weeps but once. Rage succeeded to sorrow. "Oh, what a fool I have been," said he; "what a wretched fool-the fool of fools-the greatest fool in the world!" He looked round upon his books and papers, (for he was at this

(a) GEORGE II. AND THE PEERAGE.-It is remembered as one of the liberal axioms of George III. that "no British subject is by necessity excluded from the peerage." Consistently with this sentiment, he once checked a man of high rank, who lamented that a very good speaker in the Court of Aldermen was of a mean trade, by saying, "What signifies a man's trade? A man of any honest trade may make himself respectable, if he will."

(b) LORD TENTERDEN'S RETORT.-The obscurity of Lord Tenterden's birth is well known, but he had too much good sense to feel any false shame on that account. We have heard it related of him, that when in an early period of his professional career, a brother barrister, with whom he happened to have a quarrel, had the bad taste to twit him on his origin, his manly and severe answer was, Yes, sir, I am the son of a barber; if you had been the son of a barber, you would have been a barber yourself."

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of a swineherd, Fletcher of a chandler, Masillon of a turner, Tamerlane of a shepherd, Greinault of a journeyman baker, Rollin of a herdsman, Moliere of an upholsterer, J. J. Rousseau of a watchmaker, Sir Samuel Romily of a goldsmith, Ben Jonson of a mason, Shakspere of a butcher, Sir Thomas Lawrence of a custom-house officer, Collins of a hatter, Gray of a notary, Beattie of a farmer, Sir Edward Sugden of a barber, Thomas Moore of a grocer, Rembrandt of a miller. These men of genius were not men of leisure; none of them enjoyed a patrimony; and under the régime of our liberal laws, scarcely one amongst them, being neither eligible nor even an elector, could sit in our Chamber of Deputies.

(e) THE NOBLEMAN AND THE LION.-Crantz, in his Saxon History, tells us of an Earl of Alsatia, surnamed Iron on account of his great strength, who was a great favourite with Edward 11. of England, and much envied, as favourites are always sure to be, by the rest of the courtiers. On one occasion, when the king was absent, some noblemen maliciously instigated the queen to make trial of the noble blood of the favourite, by causing a lion to be let loose upon him, saying, according to the popular belief, that, "if the earl was truly noble, the lion would not touch him." It being customary with the earl to rise at break of day, before any other person in the palace was stirring, a lion was let loose during the night, and turned into the lower court. When the earl came down in the morning,

with no more than a night-gown cast over his shirt, he was met by the lion, bristling his hair, and growling destruction between his teeth. The earl, not in the least daunted, called out with a stout voice, "Stand, you dog!" At these words the lion couched at his feet, to the great amazement of the courtiers, who were peeping out at every window to see the issue of their ungenerous project. The earl laid hold of the lion by the mane, turned him into his cage, and placing his nightcap on the lion's back, came forth without ever casting a look behind him. "Now," said the earl, calling out to the courtiers, whose presence at the windows instantly convinced him of the share they had in this

trial of his courage, "let him amongst you all, that standeth most upon his pedigree, go and fetch my nightcap."

(ƒ) JAMES 1. AND THE EARL'S GENEALOGY.—King James 1., in his progress into England, was entertained at Lumley Castle, the seat of the Earl of Scarborough. A relative of the noble earl was very proud in showing and explaining to his majesty an immensely large genealogical line of the family; the pedigree he carried back rather further than the greatest strength of credulity would allow. "In gude faith, man," says the king, "it may be they are very true, but I did na' ken before that Adam's name was Lumley."

20. ANGER INDULGED.

(a) ALEXANDER AND CLITUS. --The folly and danger of anger is seen in the conduct of Alexander. Clitus was a person whom Alexander held very dear, as being the son of his nurse, and one who had been educated together with himself. He had saved the life of Alexander at the battle near the river Granicus, and by him was made prefect of a province. But he could not flatter. At a feast with the king, when both were doubtless affected by wine, Clitus spoke in high terms of the actions of Philip, preferring them to those of his son. Alexander, transported with anger, seized a javelin and slew him on the spot. But when he became sober and his passion cooled, he was with difficulty restrained from killing himself, for that fault which his sudden fury had led him to commit. He seemed smitten with remorse for the murder, and incon

solable for the loss of his friend.

(b) VIOLENCE OF HEROD.— The effect of indulging in anger is seen in the case of Herod, the Tetrarch of Judea. He had so little command over his passion, that upon every slight occasion his anger would transport him to absolute madness. Sometimes he would be sorry and repent of the injuries

which he had done when anger clouded his understanding, and soon after commit the same outrages; so that none about him were secure of their lives a moment.

(c) THE BOYS AND THE BALLCLUB. There were two brothers;

Alvah twelve, Michael nine years old. They generally lived together as happily as most brothers do. But sometimes they would quarrel; and when they did get angry with each other, they were very furious and reckless of each other's limbs and lives. Their parents of anger one should kill the other. were very uneasy at times, lest in a fit Much they talked to them, and warned each other with fists and clubs, and them against anger, and against striking throwing stones at each other. boys, when not in anger, appeared loving and kind, and would promise not to strike and throw stones at each other.

The

One day they were earnestly engaged in a game of ball. Michael had the club, and had just knocked the ball. Alvah caught it-at least, he said he did; and declared it was his turn to knock it. Michael said he did not catch it, but that he wanted to cheat, and should not have the club. Alvah said he would have it. They grew angry, struggling for the club. Then Michael

started to run with it. Alvah caught a stone and threw it at him. The stone flew as if winged with the wrath and fury of him who threw it, and struck Michael on the knee. It cut a deep hole right on the joint. In a little while the wound became painfully sore, and Michael soon lost the use of his leg. In time, it turned to a white swelling; and the leg had to be cut off above the knee to save his life.

All this pain and suffering, and maiming for life, merely to decide who should knock a ball! Michael lost his leg to defend his right to keep a ball-club! For this trivial cause, Alvah inflicted on his dear brother unspeakable suffering, and made him a helpless cripple for life. This was a costly fight, and for a worthless object. Anger often produces like results.

(d) AN EYE FOR A PIN.-Two boys, named Abel and Asa, were at the same school in New York, each about ten years old; not brothers, but schoolmates and class-mates. Both of them had irritable tempers, and had been taught to think they must resent injuries and defend their rights at all hazards. Playing pin was a common amusement in the school. They played in this way: Two boys would take a hat and set it down between them, crown upward. Then each boy would lay a pin on top of the crown, and then knock it-first one, and then the other. The one that could knock the pins so that they would lie across each other, had them both. During recess, one day, Abel and Asa were playing pin. They knocked the pins about some time: both became much excited in the game. Finally, Abel knocked the pins so that, as he said, one lay across the point of the other. Asa denied it. Abel declared they did, and snatched up both pins. Asa's anger flashed in a moment, and he struck Abel in the face with his fist. This excited Abel's wrath. They began to fight the other boys clustering around, not to part them, but to urge them on. Some cried, "Hit him, Abel!" and some, "Give it to him, Asa!" thus stimulating them to quarrel. The boys seized each other, and finally came tumbling to the ground, Abel on top. Then Abel, in his fury, went to beating Asa in his

face, till the blood spouted from his nose and mouth, and till Asa lay like one dead. Then the boys pulled Abel off. But Asa could not get up. The boys began to be alarmed; they were afraid Abel had killed him. The teacher was called. He carried Asa in, washed the blood from his face, and recovered him from his stupor. He examined his face and head, and found them bruised in a shocking manner. One of his eyes was so hurt and swollen he could not open it: and from that day the sight of it grew more and more dim, till it went out in total darkness. So Asa lost an eye, and Abel put it out, merely for a pin!

(e) THE LITTLE MURDERER. Two boys in a southern city, named Augustus and Eugene, were playing top. They had but one top, which they spun alternately. At first they played very pleasantly, but soon became angry and began to speak unkindly. Eugene said, "It is my turn to whirl the top."

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No it is not; it is mine," said Augustus. They grew very angry about it. Augustus at length said to Eugene, "You lie." Eugene struck him. gustus struck back again. They seized each other in a great rage; and in the scuffle Eugene took a long, sharp knife from his pocket, and stabbed Augustus so that he died in a few moments. gustus lost his life and Eugene became a murderer, merely to decide whose turn it was to spin a top!

21. ANGER SUBDUED.

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(a) JOHN AND NICETAS.-John, patriarch of Alexandria, had a controversy with Nicetas, a chief man of that city, which was to be decided in a court of justice. John defended the cause of the poor, and Nicetas refused to part with his money. A private meeting was held, to see if the affair could be adjusted, but in vain; angry words prevailed, and both parties were so obstinate that they separated more offended with each other than before. When Nicetas was gone, John began to reflect on his own pertinacity, and although his cause was good, "Yet," said he, can I think that God will be pleased with this anger and stubbornness? The night draweth on, and shail I suffer the sun to go down

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upon my wrath? This is impious, and opposed to the apostle's advice." He therefore sent some respectable friends to Nicetas, and charged them to deliver this message to him, and no more: "O sir, the sun is going down!" Nicetas was much affected, his eyes were filled with tears; he hastened to the patriarch, and, saluting him in the most gentle manner, exclaimed, “Father I will be ruled by you in this or any other matter." They embraced each other affectionately, and settled the dispute instantly.

(b)THE SUN IS ALMOST DOWN."-Two good men on some occasion had a warm dispute; and remembering the exhortation of the apostle, "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath," just before sunset one of them went to the other, and knocking at the door, his offended friend came and opened it, and seeing who it was, started back in astonishment and surprise; the other, at the same time, cried out, "The sun is almost down." This unexpected salutation softened the heart of his friend into affection, and he returned for answer, "Come in, brother, come in." What a happy method of conciliating matters, of redressing grievances, and of reconciling brethren?

(c) REV. MR. CLARKE'S WAY TO DISPOSE OF ANGER.-It is said of the Rev. Mr. Clarke, of Chesham Bois, that when one observed to him "there was a good deal in a person's natural disposition," he made this answer: Natural disposition! Why, I am naturally as irritable as any; but when I find anger, or passion, or any other

evil temper arise in my mind, immediately I go to my Redeemer, and, confessing my sins, I give myself up to be managed by Him. This is the way that I have taken to get the mastery of my passions."

(d) XAVIER'S EXAMPLE.-Francis Xavier sometimes received, in the prosecution of his zealous labours, the most mortifying treatment. As he was preaching in one of the cities of Japan, some of the multitude made sport of him. One, more wanton than the rest, went to him while he addressed the people, feigning that he had something to communicate in private. Upon his approach, Xavier leaned his head to learn what he had to say. The scorner thus gained his object, which was to spit freely upon the face of the devoted missionary, and thus insult him in the most public manner. The father, without speaking a word, or making the least sign of anger or emotion, took out his handkerchief, wiped his face, and continued his discourse, as if nothing had occurred.

By such a heroic control of his passions, the scorn of the audience was turned into admiration. The most learned doctor of the city, who happened to be present, said to himself, that a law which taught men such virtue, inspired men with such unshaken courage, and gave them so perfect a victory over themselves, could not but be from God. Afterwards he desired baptism, and his example was followed by many others. So effectually did the meekness of the missionary promote the success of his work.

A year after they met, and the writer soon saw in the temper and language of the man, that his seriousness had departed, and that his conscience was seared. He now believed his former state to have been hypochondriac, and said, "Within one week after I detected my folly in being thus anxious for another world, I became well and happy,