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"fuch qualities, that you can refign your fceptre to him with as much fatisfaction " as I give up mine to you!"

As foon as Charles had finished this long address to his subjects, and to their new fovereign, he funk into the chair, exhausted, and ready to faint with the fatigue of fuch an extraordinary effort. During his difcourfe, the whole audience melted into tears; fome, from admiration of his magnanimity; others, foftened by the expreffions of tenderness towards his fon, and of love to his people; and all were affected with the deepest forrow, at lofing a fovereign, who had diftinguished the Netherlands, his native country, with particular marks of his regard and attachment.

A few weeks afterwards, Charles, in an affembly no lefs fplendid, and with a ceremonial equally pompous, refigned to his fon the crowns of Spain, with all the territories depending on them, both in the Old and in the New World. Of all thefe vaft poffeffions he referved nothing to himfelf, but an annnal penfion of a hundred thoufand crowns, to defray the charges of his family, and to afford him a Imall fum for acts of beneficence and charity.

The place he had chofen for his retreat, was the monaftery of St. Juftus, in the province of Eftramadura. It was feated in a vale of no great extent, watered by a small brook, and furrounded by rifing grounds, covered with lofty trees. From the nature of the foil, as well as the temperature of the climate, it was efteemed the most healthful and delicious fituation in Spain. Some months before his refignation, he had sent an architect thither, to add a new apartment to the monaftery, for his accommodation; but he gave ftrict orders, that the ftyle of the building fhould be fuch as fuited his prefent fituation rather than his former dignity. It confifted only of fix rooms; four of them in the form of friars' cells, with naked walls; the other two, each twenty feet fquare, were hung with brown cloth, and furnished in the moft fimple manner. They were all on a level with the ground; with a door on one fide, into a garden, of which Charles himself had given the plan, and which he had filled with various plants, intending to cultivate them with his own hands. On the other fide, they communicated with the chapel of the monastery, in which he was to perform his devotions. Into this humble retreat, hardly fufficient

for the comfortable accommodation of a private gentleman, did Charles enter, with twelve domeftics only. He buried there, in folitude and filence, his grandeur, his ambition, together with all thofe vaft projects which, during half a century, had alarmed and agitated Europe, filling every kingdom in it, by turns, with the terror of his arms, and the dread of being fubjected to his power. Robertfon.

§ 255. An Account of MULY MOLUC.

When Don Sebaftian, king of Portugal, had invaded the territories of Muly Moluc, emperor of Morocco, in order to dethrone him, and fet his crown upon the head of his nephew, Moluc was wearing away with a diftemper which he himself knew was incurable. However, he prepared for the reception of fo formidable an enemy. He was indeed fo far spent with his ficknefs, that he did not expect to live out the whole day, when the laft decifive battle was given; but knowing the fatal confequences that would happen to his children and people, in cafe he fhould die before he put an end to that war, he commanded his principal officers, that if he died during the engagement, they fhould conceal his death from the army, and that they should ride up to the litter in which his corpfe was carried, under pretence of receiving orders from him as ufual. Before the battle begun, he was carried through all the ranks of his army in an open litter, as they flood drawn up in array, encouraging them to fight valiantly in defence of their religion and country. Finding afterwards the battle to go against him, though he was very near his laft agonies, he threw himself out of his litter, rallied his army, and led them on to the charge; which afterwards ended in a complete victory on the fide of the Moors. He had no fooner brought his men to the engagement, but finding himself utterly spent, he was again replaced in his litter, where laying his finger on his mouth, to enjoin fecrecy to his officers, who flood about him, he died a few moments after in that posture.

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vate centinel: there happened between these two men a difpute about an affair of love, which, upon fome aggravations, grew to an irreconcileable hatred. Unnion being the officer of Valentine, took all opportunities even to frike his rival, and profefs the spite and revenge which moved him to it. The centinel bore it without resistance; but frequently faid, he would die to be revenged of that tyrant. They had frent whole months in this manner, the one injuring, the other complaining; when, in the midst of this rage towards each other, they were commanded upon the attack of the castle, where the corporal received a fhot in the thigh, and fell; the French preffing on, and he expecting to be trampled to death, called out to his enemy, "Ah, Valentine! can you leave me here?" Valentine immediately ran back, and in the midst of a thick fire of the French, took the corporal upon his back, and brought him through all that danger as far as the abbey of Salfine, where a cannon-ball took off his head: his body fell under his enemy whom he was carrying off. Unnion immediately forgot his wound, rofe up, tearing his hair, and then threw himself upon the bleeding carcafe, crying, "Ah, Valentine! was it for me, who have fo barbarously used thee, that thou hast died? I will not live after thee." He was not by any means to be forced from the body, but was removed with it bleeding in his arms, and attended with tears by all their comrades who knew their enmity. When he was brought to a tent, his wounds were dreffed by force; but the next day, ftill calling upon Valentine, and lamenting his cruelties to him, he pangs of remorse. Tatler.

died in the

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And as their little ftate came to be improved by additional numbers, by policy, and by extent of territory, and feemed likely to make a figure among the nations according to the common courfe of things, the appearance of profperity drew upon them the envy of the neighbouring ftates; fo that the princes and people who bordered upon them, begun to feek occafions of quarrelling with them. The alliances they could form were but few: for most of the neighbouring ftates avoided embroiling themselves on their account. The Romans, feeing that they had nothing to truft to but their own conduct, found it neceffary to beftir themselves with great diligence, to make vigorous preparations, to excite one another to face their enemies in the field, to hazard their lives in defence of their liberty, their country, and their families. And when, by their valour, they repulfed the enemy, they gave affiftance to their allies, and gained friendfhips by often giving, and feldom demanding, favours of that fort. They had, by this time, established a regular form of government, to wit, the monarchical. And a fenate, confifting of men advanced in years, and grown wife by experience, though infirm of body, confulted with their kings upon all important matters, and, on account of their age, and care of their country, were called fathers. Afterwards, when kingly power, which was originally established for the prefervation of liberty, and the advantage of the ftate, came to degenerate into lawlefs tyranny, they found it neceflary to alter the form of government, and to put the fupreme power into the hands of two chief magiftrates, to be held for one year only; hoping, by this contrivance, to prevent the bad effects naturally arifing from the exorbitant licentioufnefs of princes, and the indefeasible tenure by which they generally imagine they hold their fovereignty, &c. Sall. Bell. Catilinar.

§ 258. The Story of DAMON and PYTHIAS.

Damon and Pythias, of the Pythago rean fect in philofophy, lived in the time of Dionyfius, the tyrant of Sicily. Their mutual friendship was fo ftrong, that they were ready to die for one another. One of the two (for it is not known which) being condemned to death by the tyrant, obtained leave to go into his own country, to fettle his affairs, on condition that the

other

as he lay indulging himself in state, a glit-
tering fword hung by a fingle hair. The
fight of deftruction thus threatening him
from on high, foon put a stop to his joy
and revelling. The pomp of his attend-
ance, and the glitter of the carved plate,
gave him no longer any pleasure. He
dreads to ftretch forth his hand to the
table. He throws off the chaplet of roses.
He haftens to remove from his dangerous
fituation, and at laft begs the king to re-
ftore him to his former humble condition,
having no defire to enjoy any longer fuch
a dreadful kind of happiness.
Cic. Tufc. Quest.

other should confent to be imprisoned in his ftead, and put to death for him, if he did not return before the day of execution. The attention of every one, and efpecially of the tyrant himself, was excited to the highest pitch; as every body was curious to fee what should be the event of fo ftrange an affair. When the time was almost elapfed, and he who was gone did not appear, the rafhness of the other, whofe fanguine friendship had put him upon running fo feemingly defperate a hazard, was univerfally blamed. But he ftil! declared, that he had not the leaft fhadow of doubt in his mind of his friend's fidelity. The event fhewed how well he knew him. came in due time, and furrendered himself § 260. A remarkable Inftance of filial to that fate, which he had no reason to think he should efcape; and which he did not defire to escape by leaving his friend to fuffer it in his place. Such fidelity foftened even the favage heart of Dionyfius himself. He pardoned the condemned. He gave the two friends to one another; and begged that they would take himself in for a third. Val. Max. Cic.

§ 259.

He

The Story of DIONYSIUS the
Tyrant.

Dionyfius, the tyrant of Sicily, fhewed how far he was from being happy, even whilst he abounded in riches, and all the pleasures which riches can procure. Damocles, one of his flatterers, was complimenting him upon his power, his treasures, and the magnificence of his royal ftate, and affirming, that no monarch ever was greater or happier than he. "Have you a mind, Damocles," fays the king, "to "taste this happinefs, and know, by ex"perience, what my enjoyments are, of "which you have fo high an idea?" Damocles gladly accepted the offer. Upon which the king ordered, that a royal banquet fhould be prepared, and a gilded couch placed for him, covered with rich embroidery, and fideboards loaded with gold and filver plate of immenfe value. Pages of extraordinary beauty were or dered to wait on him at table; and to obey his commands with the greatest readinefs, and the most profound fubmiflion, Neither ointments, chaplets of flowers, nor rich perfumes were wanting. The table was loaded with the most exquifite delicacies of every kind. Damocles fancied himself amongst the gods, In the midst of all his happiness, he fees, let down from the roof exactly over his neck

Duty.

He

The prætor had given up to the triumvir a woman of fome rank, condemned, for a capital crime, to be executed in the prifon. He who had charge of the execution, in confideration of her birth, did not immediately put her to death. even vemured to let her daughter have access to her in prifon; carefully fearching her, however, as fhe went in, left the fhould carry with her any fuftenance; concluding, that in a few days the mother muft of courfe perish for want, and that the feverity of putting a woman of family to a violent death, by the hand of the executioner, might thus be avoided. Some days paling in this manner, the triumvir began to wonder that the daughter ftill came to vifit her mother, and could by no means comprehend, how the latter fhould live fo long. Watching, therefore, carefully, what paffed in the interview between them, he found, to his great aftonishment, that the life of the mother had been, all this while, fupported by the milk of the daughter, who came to the prifon every day, to give her mother her breasts to fuck, The strange contrivance between them was reprefented to the judges, and procured a pardon for the mother. Nor was it thought fufficient to give to fo dutiful a daughter the forfeited life of her condemned mother, but they were both maintained afterwards by a penfion settled on them for life, And the ground upon which the prifon flood was confecrated, and a temple to filial piety built upon it.

What will not filial duty contrive, or what hazards will it not run, if it will put a daughter upon venturing, at the peril of her own life, to maintain her imprifoned and condemned mother in so unusual a

manner!

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The foldiers, after the taking of New Carthage, brought before Scipio a young lady of fuch diftinguished beauty, that the attracted the eyes of all wherever the went. Scipio, by enquiring concerning her country and parents, among other things learned, that he was betrothed to Allucius, prince of the Celtiberians. He immediately ordered her parents and bridegroom to be fent for. In the mean time he was informed, that the young prince was fo exceffively enamoured of his bride, that he could not furvive the lofs of her. For this reafon, as foon as he appeared, and before he fpoke to her parents, he took great care to talk with him. "As 66 you and I are both young," faid he, we can converfe together with greater "freedom. When your bride, who had «fallen into the hands of my foldiers, "was brought before me, I was informed "that you loved her paffionately; and, in

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truth, her perfect beauty left me no "room to doubt of it. If I were at li"berty to indulge a youthful paffion, I "mean honourable and lawful wedlock, " and were not folely engroffed by the affairs of my republic, I might have hoped to have been pardoned my ex"cefive love for fo charming a mistrefs. "But as I am fituated, and have it in my "power, with pleasure I promote your happiness. Your future fpoufe has met "with as civil and modeft treatment from «me, as if she had been amongst her own "parents, who are foon to be yours too. "I have kept her pure, in order to have it in my power to make you a prefent "worthy of you and of me. The only "return I afk of you for this favour is, that you will be a friend to the Roman people; and that if you believe me to « be a man of worth, as the ftates of Spain formerly experienced my father "and uncle to be, you may know there "are many in Rome who refemble us; "and that there are not a people in the

"univerfe, whom you ought lefs to defire

to be an enemy, or more a friend, to 66 you or yours." The youth, covered with blushes, and full of joy, embraced Scipio's hands, praying the immortal gods to reward him, as he himfelf was not capable to do it in the degree he himself defired, or he deferved. Then the pacalled. They had brought a great fum rents and relations of the virgin were of money to ranfom her. But feeing her reftored without it, they began to beg Scipio to accept that fum as a prefent; protefting they would acknowledge it as a favour, as much as they did the reftoring the virgin without injury offered to her. Scipio, unable to refift their importunate folicitations, told them, he accepted it; and ordering it to be laid at his feet, thus addreffed Allucius: " To the portion you

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are to receive from your father-in-law, "I add this, and beg you would accept it

as a nuptial prefent." So he defired him to take up the gold, and keep it for himfelf. Tranfported with joy at the prefents and honours conferred on him, he returned home, and expatiated to his countrymen on the merits of Scipio. "There "is come amongst us," said he, " a young

*

hero, like the gods, who conquers all

things, as well by generofity and bene "ficence, as by arms." For this reafon, having raifed troops among his own fubjects, he returned a few days after to Scipio with a body of 1400 horse. Livy.

§ 262. The private Life of EMILIUS

SCIPIO.

The taking of Numantia, which terminated a war that difgraced the Roman name, completed Scipio's military exploits. But, in order to have a more perfect idea of his merit and character, it seems that, after having feen him at the head of armies, in the tumult of battles, and in the pomp of triumphs, it will not be loft labour to confider him in the repofe of a private life, in the midst of his friends, family, and household. The truly great man ought to be fo in all things. The magistrate, general, and prince, may constrain themselves, whilft they are in a manner exhibiting themfelves as fpectacles to the public, and appear quite different from what they really are.

But reduced to themselves, and without the witneffes who force them to wear the mafk, all their luftre, like the pomp of the theatre, often abandons them,

and

and leaves little more to be feen in them than meanness and narrowness of mind.

nearer view.

Scipio did not depart from himself in any respect. He was not like certain paintings, that are to be feen only at a diftance: he could not but gain by a The excellent education which he had had, through the care of his father Paulus Æmilius, who had provided him with the most learned masters of those times, as well in polite learning as the fciences; and the inftructions he had received from Polybius, enabled him to fill up the vacant hours he had from public affairs profitably, and to fupport the leifure of a private life, with pleasure and dignity. This is the glorious teftimony given of him by an hiftorian: "Nobody "knew better how to mingle leifure and "action, nor to ufe the intervals of reft "from public business with more elegance " and taste. Divided between arms and "books, between the military labours of "the camp, and the peaceful occupations " of the closet, he either exercised his body "in the dangers and fatigues of war, or "his mind in the ftudy of the fciences *." The firit Scipio Africanus used to fay, That he was never lefs idle, than when at leifure, nor less alone, than when alone. A fine faying, cries Cicero, and well worthy of that great man. And it fhews that, even when inactive, he was always employed; and that when alone, he knew how to converfe with himself. A very extraordinary difpofition in perfons accustomed to motion and agitation, whom leisure and folitude, when they are reduced to them, plunge into a difguft for every thing, and fill with melancholy; fo that they are difpleafed in every thing with themselves, and fink under the heavy burden of having nothing to do. This faying of the firit Scipio feems to me to fuit the fecond ftill better, who having the advantage of the other by being educated in a taite for polite learning and the fciences, found in that a great refource against the inconvenience of which we have been fpeaking. Refides which, having ufually Polybius and Panatius with him, even in the field, it is easy to judge that his house was open, in times of peace, to all the learned. Every body knows, that the comedies of Terence, the most accomplished work of that kind Rome ever pro

* Velleius Paterculus,

duced, for natural elegance and beauties, are ascribed to him and Lælius, of whom we shall foon fpeak. It was publicly enough reported, that they affifted that poet in the compofition of his pieces; and Terence himself makes it an honour to him in the prologue to the Adelphi. I fhall undoubtedly not advise any body, and least of all perfons of Scipio's rank, to write comedies. But on this occafion, let us only confider tafte in general for letters. Is there a more ingenuous, a more affecting pleasure, and one more worthy of a wife and virtuous man, I might perhaps add, or one more neceffary to a military person, than that which refults from reading works of wit, and from the converfation of the learned ? thought fit, according to the obfervation Providence of a Pagan, that he should be above those trivial pleasures, to which persons without letters, knowledge, curiofity, and tafte for reading, are obliged to give themselves up.

Another kind of pleasure, ftill more fenfible, more warm, more natural, and more implanted in the heart of man, constituted the greateft felicity of Scipio's life; this was that of friendship; a pleasure seldom known by great perfons or princes, becaufe, generally loving only themselves, they do not deferve to have friends. However, this is the most grateful tie of human fociety; fo that the poet Ennius fays with great reafon, that to live without friends is not to live. Scipio had undoubtedly a great number of them, and those very illuftrious: but I fhall speak here only of Lælius, whofe probity and prudence acquired him the furname of the Wise.

Never, perhaps, were two friends better fuited to each other than those great men. They were almost of the fame age, and had the fame inclination, benevolence of mind, tafte for learning of all kinds, principles of government, and zeal for the public good. Scipio, no doubt, took place in point of military glory; but Lælius did not want merit of that kind; and Cicero tells us, that he fignalized himself very much in the war with Viriathus. As to the talents of the mind, the fuperiority, in respect of eloquence, feems to have been given to Lælius; though Cicero does not agree that it was due to him, and fays, that Lælius's ftyle favoured more of the ancient manner, and had fomething lefs agreeable in it than that of Scipio.

Let us hear Lælius himself (that is, the

words

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