in the centre of the room, served the double purpose of receiving the foul water, and a pond for the ducks, who enjoyed themselves by paddling about in it. A hen-roost stood above a larder of viands, beneath which a fowl was hatching her young upon a sort of dunghill. To think of dining was impossible. We begged to be shown into some other room, and inquired if they could give us bread and coffee. We were ushered into an apartment quite in character with the rest of the house. After desiring that the nearly broken down chairs might be wiped, (a caution very necessary before venturing to sit down,) we ordered a fire, and had at least the comfort of warming ourselves, for all hope of refreshment vanished as soon as the repast appeared. The bread was full of sand, that gritted between the teeth, and so sour that I could not taste a second piece; the coffee bore no resemblance to that beverage, excepting the brown coloured tinge; but seemed a mixture of dirty water and sugar. We resigned it after the first taste, and paid for looking at such fare, as we could not be said to partake of it, the sum of four francs; while some French travellers below were regaled in like manner for twelve sous each. One of these travellers had the charity to give me a bunch of grapes, which, with the addition of some raw chesnuts that Mr. S. pulled from the trees as we journeyed on, was all the refreshment we could procure from five in the morning till ten o'clock the same night, when we got into Ploermal. I cannot help thinking how useful a moral lesson a day's starvation would be to those who have plenty, and a daily meal; that they may experience the misery arising from the want of food, and learn to pity and feel for the needy who have none.

EARTHLY GLORY FADES.
The morn arose enthron'd in gold,
His course along the sky to hold,
The splendid ruler of the day
Cast on the mountains many a ray,

And gilded many a leaf:

When, at the trumpet's rousing blast,
The warriors to their stations pass'd;
Nor was it known which man came last,
Their tarrying was so brief:

And to their seats the horsemen sprang,
Their glittering arms full fearful rang;
Their steeds the battle smelt from far,
And paw'd, all eager for the war;
Snorting, they roll'd their eyes of flame,
As up the black battalions came;
Their manes were floating in the wind,
While proud their threat'ning necks they curl,
And wait, (by curb but just restrain'd,)
Their riders on the foe to hurl.

Our force was soon arrang'd, and on
We set with hasty march

But found, ere we'd proceeded long,
The foe we need not search!
For, winding o'er a neighbouring hill,
In numbers more than we,
On our delighted sight there fell
Their shining, thick array.
Now time would fail me how to tell
All that that direful day befell;
Suffice it then to say,

With banners flying, trumpet sound,
And warlike shouting all around,
And trampling, e'en that shook the ground,
In deadly charge we met.
Now we prevail, now they succeed,
While many a gallant knight doth bleed,
Plunged in the battle's heat :

And thousands fall, on either hand,
No more to view their native land.
While fortune yet was dubious, I,
Whom reason sought to gratify,
Mine own ambitious mind,
Emerging from the ranks of fight,
Where mighty men contend for right,
With urging rollers sent my steed
Up the first eminence I find,

And shout, aloud,-They fly-they fly!-
Charge!-heaven awards the victory:'
They fly-they fly!" the hills reply;
The mountains echo "victory!"

Was quickly caught, the rousing sound,
And quick repeated far around;
The truth was hidden from the sight
Of those encircled in the fight,
And so believing as they heard,
The exulting squadrons onward pour'd,
With tenfold fury clad ;

And such a fearful rush they made,
It well the debt of carnage paid;
Nor was it long ere low were laid
The bravest of our foes who stay'd
Behind the rest who fled.

We gather'd then our scatter'd force,
And faint and weary bent our way,
With many a noble hero worse,

To whence we came at break of day,
And, as returning from the fight,
We pass'd o'er friends and foes,
Just by my side a gallant knight
His mangled form half rose.
He fix'd on me his dying eyes,
I ne'er beheld such look before,
And "earthly glory fades," he cries,
Then fell to rise no more.

I turn'd me round, and, with a sigh,
A moment cast a pitying eye,

And mutter'd o'er the words he spake ;
But soon my musings did I break.
""Twill do for dying men," I cried,
And onward spurr'd my

steed.

Oh! madness had the hint so thrown,
Sunk deep into my heart;

It had preserv'd from many a groan,—
From many a racking smart.
But mortals, sanguine, rash, and proud,
E'en if experience cry aloud

Of others--still proceed:

Though ninety-nine exclaim, -"forbear!"
The headstrong hundredth will not hear;
And nought shall e'er excite his fear,

Till, like the rest, he's sped.

S. W.N.

FAITH, HOPE, AND HUMILITY.

AN EASTERN APOLOGUE. BY J. HORWITZ.

Rabbi Yehooda Margolah, a man very learned and pious, and withal a skilful physician, was one of those who had been driven, after the destruction of the first temple, into Persia. He became a great favourite with the king, and his majesty bestowed on him the rank of head doctor to his and person palace. The latter munificent act caused him to have many enemies, particularly among the physicians, who were jealous of his reputation and greatness.

After a residence of several years, in which time Margolah had often cured the King of Persia of several maladies, it happened once that his majesty was attacked with a severe fever, and the favourite and head doctor, had some medicines prepared for him, and sent them into the palace. But, as it is a law that the King of Persia could take no medicine without all the physicians of the palace being present, orders were given that they should all assemble at a certain hour. Accordingly, when the hour arrived, they were all present. The head physician then ordered the prime minister to pour out from a phial a certain quantity of medicine. Whilst the prime minister was in the act of pouring out the medicine, one of the physicians who was opposed to the head doctor, stepped forth, and commanded the prime minister to stop, alleging, that he could perceive, from the colour and smell of the medicine, that it was poison. A pause took place, and terror seized every one present. His majesty then addressed himself to the head doctor, in the following terms :-" Thou worm! whom I have raised from the dust of the earth;-on whom I have lavished houses, pleasure-grounds, slaves, and treasures! what have I done to thee, that thou hast sought my life?" The head doctor, according to the custom of Persia, when addressing the king, prostrated himself, kissing the hem of his majesty's garment, and then uttered these words: "O thou greatest of earthly monarchs, by whom mighty empires are ruled, king of the east, when heretofore the God of thy fathers was angry with thee, and reproved thee as a father would his son, by visiting thee with sickness, I, thy unworthy slave, have several times been an instrument in the

may

hands of the almighty God, to raise thee from thy sick bed. This medicine, mighty monarch, was sent this morning from my house, prepared by myself, not to kill, but to heal thee; and if it be poison, it must have been changed by the contrivance of the other physicians, who are mine enemies." One of the wise men then stepped forth and said,in please your majesty to have this medicine given to a dog, in order to try its noxious qualities, perchance the physicians are trying to injure the head doctor." His advice was adopted, and no sooner had the dog tasted the medicine, than he became convulsed and expired. The head doctor was immediately dragged from the presence of the king, stripped of his costly garments, and, clad in sackcloth, had heavy iron chains put round his neck and feet. He was then placed into a dungeon, that more resembled a grave than a prison, for he could neither turn himself, sit upright, nor stretch a limb. His daily allowance was a piece of coarse black bread, with a small pitcher of water, and even this scanty fare was some days neglected.

When the king had recovered from his malady, he inquired of his prime minister what had become of the doctor; he was accordingly answered, that he was in prison until the recovery of his majesty, and now that his majesty was convalescent, he was awaiting his pleasure to pass his judgment on the doctor, as the crime which he had been guilty of was the most heinous in the annals of Persia, and required the most exemplary punishment. The king was silent, for he had still an affection for the doctor, whom he thought one of the wisest men he had ever known, and perhaps innocent of the charge, as his guilt had not been positively proved.

As soon as the courtiers and the prime minister had departed from the presence of the king, he gave secret orders to some of his servants to go to a little opening, which led to the dungeon, and try to converse with the doctor, in order to spy out his sentiments. They accordingly did so: and, although they tried their utmost to enter into conversation with the doctor, they did not succeed; the doctor was perfectly silent. They brought their report to the king; he then ordered them to stand and listen; perhaps the doctor, in the bitterness of his heart, might talk to himself; peradventure, he might curse the king for thus punishing him innocently, or curse himself, for having tried to poison his sovereign. But