unjustly to death; since if injustice is shameful, so likewise every act of it; but no disgrace can it bring on me, that others have not seen that I was innocent. 6. I am persuaded that I shall have the attestation of the time to come, as well as of that which is past already, that I never wronged any man, or made him more depraved ; but, contrawise, have steadily endeavored throughout life, to benefit those who conversed with me; teaching them, to the very utmost of my power, and that, too, without reward, whatever could make them wise and happy. Socrates, who was the greatest and best philosopher of all antiquity, was born in Greece 467 years before Christ, and was cruelly put to death by the Athenians, at the age of 67. They charged him with atheism, and with endeavoring to corrupt the youth. He was not guilty. If, however, he had been an unbeliever in their deities, it would have been no crime. Every human being has a perfect right to form, cherish, and express his opinions on all subjects; and it is rank intolerance which converts opinions into crimes. Socrates doubtless paid great reverence to the gods; and so far from being a corrupter of youth, he reclaimed many from vice, by practising and recommending all the virtues which can adorn human character. Believing that the soul is immortal and incorruptible, and that good men, like himself, would be hap, py beyond the grave, Socrates was willing and even desirous to exchange worlds. The illustrious philosopher cheerfully drank the poison, and died without a struggle or a groan. Let us all adopt his motto: Esse quam videri, i. e. be rather than seem, for, as Socrates used to say: "The only way to true glory is, for a man to be really excellent, not affect to appear so." The defence of Socrates should be read in an ani mated manner. PART OF THE BURIAL SERVICE, 1. I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die. I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. 2. Behold, thou hast made my days, as it were, a span long; and my age is even as nothing in respect of thee; and verily every man living is altogether vanity; for man walketh in a vain shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain ; he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them. 3. A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday, seeing that is past as a watch in the night. As soon as thou scatterest them, they are even as asleep; and fade away suddenly like the grass. In the morning it is green and groweth up; but in the evening it is cut down, dried up, and withered. 4. We consume away in thy displeasure; and are afraid at thy wrathful indignation; for when thou art angry, all our days are gone, and we bring our years to an end, as it were a tale that is told. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. 5. Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept; for since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 6. But some man will say: "How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come ?" Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die; and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain; but God giveth it a body, as it hath pleased Him; and to every seed his own body. 7. So also is the resurrection of the dead; it is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God: neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 8. Behold, I show you a mystery. sleep; but we shall all be changed in twinkling of an eye, at the last trump shall sound, and the dead shall be raised we shall be changed; We shall not all a moment, in the for the trumpet incorruptible, and 9. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this cor ruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory? 10. The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. The "Burial Service" is eloquent beyond description. It should be read or recited on rather a low key, with slow time, and long quantity. THE DREAM OF CLARENCE. Brakenbury. Why looks your grace so heavily to-day? Clarence. O, I have passed a miserable night, Brak. What was your dream, my lord? I pray you tell me. Clar. Methought that I had broken from the tower, And was embarked to cross to Burgundy; And in my company my brother Gloster; Who from my cabin tempted me to walk Upon the hatches: thence we looked toward England, That had befallen us, as we paced along Upon the giddy footing of the hatches, Methought that Gloster stumbled; and in falling, O Lord! methought what pain it was to drown! All scattered in the bottom of the sea. Some lay in dead men's skulls; and in those holes And mocked the dead bones that lay scattered by. Brak. Had you such leisure in the time of death, To gaze upon the secrets of the deep? Clar. Methought I had; and often did I strive Brak. Awaked you not with this sore agony? Clar. O no, my dream was lengthened after life; I passed, methought, the melancholy flood, The first that there did greet my stranger soul, That stabbed me in the field of Tewksbury ; Seize on him, furies, take him to your torments!” Brak. No marvel, lord, that it affrighted you; Clar. O, Brakenbury, I have done these things, Brak. I will, my lord. [Clarence reposes himself on a chair.] They often feel a world of restless cares: This dialogue, in which Clarence relates to Brakenbury his sublime and terrible dream, occurs in Shakspeare's tragedy of King Richard III. It is one of the best things in our language, for a rhetorical exercise. The phrases in italic should be given with great power, and those in small capitals on a still higher key. SCENE BETWEEN VIRGINIUS AND LUCIUS. Lucius. "Tis well you're found, Virginius! Virginius. What makes you from the city? look! My Lucius, what a sight you're come to witness. |