till at last he completed that whole character of iniquity, which he once detested'.

SECTION III.

Haman; or, the misery of pride.

BLAIR

AHASUERUS, who is supposed to be the prince known among the Greek historians by the name of Artaxerxes, had advanced to the chief dignity in his kingdom', Haman', an Amalekite, who inherited all the ancient enmity of his race', to the Jewish nation'. He appears', from what is recorded of him, to have been a very wicked minister. Raised to greatness without merit, he employed his power solely for the gratification of his passions`.

2 As the honours which he possessed were next to royal, his pride was every day fed with that servile homage, which is peculiar to Asiatic courts`; and all the servants of the king prostrated themselves before him. In the midst of this eral adulation', one person only stooped not to Haman`.

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3 This was Mordecai the Jew`; who, knowing this Amaekite to be an enemy to the people of God', and', with virtuous indignation', despising that insolence of prosperity with which he saw him lifted up', " bowed not, nor did him reverence." On this appearance of disrespect from Mordecai', Haman " was full of wrath: but he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone." Personal revenge', was not suf ficient to satisfy him`.

4 So violent and black were his passions', that he resolved to exterminate the whole nation to which Mordecai belonged`. Abusing, for his cruel purpose', the favour of his credulous sovereign', he obtained a decree to be sent forth', that', against a certain day, all the Jews throughout the Persian dominions', should be put to the sword`.

5 Meanwhile', confident of success, and blind to approaching ruin', he continued exulting in his prosperity. Invited by Ahasuerus to a royal banquet, which Esther the queen had prepared'," he went forth that day joyful, and with a glad heart." But behold how slight an incident', was sufficient to poison his joy! As he went forth', he saw Mordecai in the king's gate; and observed', that he still refused to do him homage. "He stood not up', nor was moved for him";" although he well knew the formidable designs', which Haman was preparing to execute.

6 One private man', who despised his greatness, and disdained submission', while a whole kingdom trembled before him'; one spirit, which the utmost stretch of his power could neither subdue nor humble', blasted his triumphs

is whole soul was shaken with a storm of passion. Wrath', ide, and desire of revenge', rose into fury'. With difficulhe restrained himself in public; but as soon as he came to is own house', he was forced to disclose the agony of his ind.

7 He gathered together his friends and family, with Zeesh his wife. "He told them of the glory of his riches, and ne multitude of his children, and of all the things wherein he king had promoted him`; and how he had advanced him bove the princes and servants of the king. He said, morever', Yea, Esther the queen', suffered no man to come in with the king, to the banquet that she had prepared', but ayself; and to-morrow also am I invited to her with the ing" After all this preamble', what is the conclusion? Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai he Jew', sitting at the king's gate."

8 The sequel of Haman's history', I shall not now pursue' t might afford matter for much instruction', by the conspicous justice of God in his fall' and punishment'. But conemplating only the singular situation, in which the expressions just quoted present him, and the violent agitation of his mind which they display', the following reflections naturally rise: How miserable is vice', when one guilty passion creites so much torment! how unavailing is prosperity, when', in the height of it, a single disappointment', can destroy the elish of all its pleasures! how weak is human nature, which', in the absence of real' is thus prone to form to itself imaginary woes

SECTION IV.

Lady Jane Gray.

BLAIR.

TH HIS excellent personage', was descended from the royal line of England by both her parents. She was carefully educated in the principles of the reformation; and her wisdom and virtue', rendered her a shining example to her sex. But it was her lot to continue only a short period on this stage of being; for, in early life', she fell a sacrifice to the wild ambition of the duke of Northumberland', who promoted a marriage between her and his son', lord Guilford Dudley; and raised her to the throne of England', in opposition to the rights of Mary and Elizabeth`.

2 At the time of their marriage', she was only about eighteen years of age; and her husband was also very young`: a season of life very unequal to oppose the interested views of artful and aspiring men', who', instead of exposing them to

danger', should have been the protectors of their innocence and youth'.

3 This extraordinary young person', besides the solid endowments of piety and virtue, possessed the most engaging disposition', the most accomplished parts; and being of an equal age with king Edward VI. she had received all her education with him, and seemed even to possess a greater facility in acquiring every part of manly and classical litera

ture'.

4 She had attained a knowledge of the Roman and Greek languages', as well as of several modern tongues`; had passed most of her time in an application to learning; and expressed a great indifference for other occupations and amusements usual with her sex' and station'.

5 Roger Ascham', tutor to the lady Elizabeth', having at one time paid her a visit, found her employed in reading Plato', while the rest of the family were engaged in a party of hunting in the park`; and upon his admiring the singularity of her choice', she told him, that she "received more plea-i sure from that author', than others could reap from all their sport and gaiety`."

6 Her heart, replete with this love of literature and serious studies, and with tenderness towards her husband', who was deserving of her affection', had never opened itself to the lattering allurements of ambition`; and the information of her advancement to the throne', was by no means agreeable to her She even refused to accept the crown'; pleaded the preferable right of the two princesses; expressed her dread of the consequences attending an enterprise so dangerous', not to say so criminal'; and desired to remain in that private station in which she was born`.

7 Overcome at last with the entreaties, rather than reasons', of her father and father-in-law', and', above all', of her husband', she submitted to their will', and was prevailed on to relinquish her own judgment. But her elevation was of very short continuance'. The nation declared for queen Mary; and the lady Jane', after wearing the vain pageantry ot a crown during ten days, returned to a private life', with much more satisfaction, than she felt when royalty was tendered to her.

8 Queen Mary', who appears to have been incapable of generosity or clemency', determined to remove every person', from whom the least danger could be apprehended`. Warning was, therefore, given to lady Jane to prepare for death; a doom which she had expected', and which the inocence of her life, as well as the misfortunes to which she

had been exposed', rendered no unwelcome news to her 9 The queen's bigoted zeal', under colour of tender mercy to the prisoner's soul, induced her to send priests', who molested her with perpetual disputation`; and even a reprieve of three days was granted her, in hopes that she would be persuaded', during that time', to pay', by a timely conversion to popery, some regard to her eternal welfare'.

10 Lady Jane had presence of mind', in those melancholy circumstances', not only to defend her religion by solid arguments, but also to write a letter to her sister', in the Greek language, in which', besides sending her a copy of the Scriptures in that tongue', she exhorted her to maintain', in every fortune', a like steady perseverance`.

11 On the day of her execution', her husband', lord Guilford', desired permission to see her; but she refused her consent, and sent him word', that the tenderness of their parting, would overcome the fortitude of both; and would too much unbend their minds from that constancy', which their approaching end required of them. Their separation', she said', would be only for a moment', and they would soon rejoin each other in a scene', where their affections would be forever united; and where death, disappointment`, and misfortune', could no longer have access to them', or disturb their eternal felicity`.

12 It had been intended to execute the lady Jane' and lord Guilford' together on the same scaffold', at Tower hill; but the council', dreading the compassion of the people for their youth', beauty, innocence, and noble birth', changed their orders, and gave directions that she should be beheaded within the verge of the Tower.

13 She saw her husband led to execution; and', having given him from the window some token of her remembrance, she waited with tranquillity till her own appointed hour should bring her to a like fate. She even saw his headless body carried back in a cart`; and found herself more confirmed by the reports which she heard of the constancy of his end, than shaken by so tender and melancholy a spectacle

14 Sir John Gage', constable of the Tower, when he led her to execution', desired her to bestow on him some small present', which he might keep as a perpetual memorial ofher She gave him her table-book', in which she had just written three sentences', on seeing her husband's dead body`; one in Greek, another in Latin', a third in English.

15 The purport of them was'," that human justice was against his body, but the Divine Mercy would be favourable to his soul; and that if her fault deserved punishment, her

Part 1. youth, at least and her imprudence', were worthy of excuse`; and that God and posterity, she trusted', would show her favour." On the scaffold', she made a speech to the by-standers', in which the mildness of her disposition', led her to take the blare entirely on herself', without uttering one complaint against the severity with which she had been treated.

16 She said', that her offence was', not that she had laid her hand upon the crown', but that she had not rejected it with sufficient constancy`; tuat she had less erred through ambition', than through reverence to her parents', whom she had been taught to respect and obey: that she willingly received death', as the only satisfaction which she could now make to the injured state; and though her infringement of the laws had been constrained', she would show', by her voluntary submission to their sentence', that she was desirous to atone for that disobedience', into which too much filial piety had betrayed her`: that she had justly deserved this punish ment, for being made the instrument, though the unwilling instrument, of the ambition of others: and that the story of her life', she hoped', might at least be useful, by proving that innocence excuses not great misdeeds, if they tend any way to the destruction of the commonwealth'.

17 After uttering these words', she caused herself to be disrobed by her women', and with a steady', serene countenance', submitted herself to the executioner.

SECTION V.

Ortogrul: or, the vanity of riches.

HUME.

S Ortogrul of Basra', was one day wandering along the streets of Bagdať, musing on the varieties of merchandise which the shops opened to his view; and observing the different occupations which busied the multitude on every side', he was awakened from the tranquillity of meditation', by a crowd that obstructed his passage. He raised his eyes', and saw the chief vizier, whoʻ, having returned from the divan', was entering his palace.

2 Ortogrul mingled with the attendants`; and being supposed to have some petition for the vizier, was permitted to enter. He surveyed the spaciousness of the apartments`, admired the walls hung with gelden tapestry, and the floors covered with silken carpets'; and despised the simple neatness of his own little habitation'.

3 "Surely," said he to himself, "this palace is the seat of happiness; where pleasure succeeds to pleasure, and discontent and sorrow, can have no admission. Whatever na*ture has provided for the delight of sense', is here spread forth

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