nerations from sire to son, and a most affecting circumstance often endeared this paternal property. This is thus related in travels of Anacharsis.

"Euthymenes opened a small enclosure in which was a plat of grass surrounded by cypress trees. Here,' said he, are the tombs of my family. There, beneath these poppies, I saw the grave dug in which the remains of my father are interred. By his side lies my mother. I sometimes come hither to converse with them, and imagine that I see and hear them. No; never will I leave this sacred spot.' 'My son,' said he afterwards, turning to the little boy who followed. us, ' when I am dead lay me beside my parents, and when you have the misfortune to lose your mother place her next to me. Remember it is my command.' His son replied to this injunction by a flood of tears."

9. In making up an opinion of the Greeks, the ostracism, the banished patriots, the poison cup, the state of slavery which existed among them, the frequent wars, the religion, always frivolous, and sometimes, licentious, frantic, and cruel ;the literature and philosophy, the beautiful arts, the victories over the Persians, and the generous and wise men, make up a strange account of blame and approval, of contempt and admiration: but this rural life of Attica, if it be true, and it is likely to be true, leaves but one impression on the

mind—that of satisfaction in the felicity of all men, even of nations long since departed from the living world.

10. This happy lot was the condition of great numbers of people in Greece, more it may be presumed than those of the province of Attica; it was a condition of benevolence and happiness, and a great amount of good, done and enjoyed, must have resulted from it, for it was not often interrupted by the calamities which disturbed the peace of cities, and the harmony of contending

states.

11. In the eighteenth book of the Iliad, the sculpture of Achilles' shield is described by Homer. The figures on this shield, embossed upon gold, represent peace and war, and the transactions of the cities, and of the country. The rural imagery in the following passage is a fine picture of the fertility of Greece, of its agriculture, and of the enjoyments of its rustic population.

12. "A field deep furrow'd, next the god* design'd,

The third time labour'd by the sweating hind;
The shining shares full many ploughmen guide,
And turn their crooked yokes on ev'ry side.
Still as at either end they wheel around,

The master meets them with his goblet crown'd;
The hearty draught rewards, renews their toil,
Then back the turning plough-shares cleave the
soil:"

* Vulcan.

14. "Another field rose high with waving grain; With bended sickles stand the reaper-train:

Here stretch'd in ranks the levell'd swarths are found,

Sheaves heap'd on sheaves, here thicken up the ground.

With sweeping stroke the mowers strow the lands; The gath❜rers follow, and collect in bands;

And last the children, in whose arms are borne (Too short to gripe them) the brown sheaves of

corn.

The rustic monarch of the field descries,
With silent glee the heaps around him rise.
A ready banquet on the turf is laid,

Beneath an ample oak's expanded shade.
The victim-ox the sturdy youths prepare ;
The reaper's due repast, the women's care.
14. "Next, ripe in yellow gold, a vineyard shines,
Bent with the pond'rous harvest of its vines;
A deeper dye the dangling clusters show,
And, curl'd on silver.props, in order glow:
A darker metal mixt intrench'd the place;
And pales of glitt'ring tin th' inclosure grace.
To this, one path-way gently winding leads,

Where march a train with baskets on their heads,
(Fair maids, and blooming youths,) that smiling

bear

year.

The purple product of the autumnal
To these a youth awakes the warbling strings,
Whose tender lay the fate of Linus sings;
In measur'd dance behind him move the train,
Tune soft the voice, and answer to the strain."

"Next this, the eye the art of Vulcan leads Deep thro' fair forests, and a length of meads: And stalls, and folds, and scatter'd colts between; And fleecy flocks, that whiten all the scene."

GREEK CITIES.

The Greeks constructed their cities upon a peculiar plan, which the nature of their country suggested to them. The sea-coast of Greece is very extensive, though the surface of the territory is small. The form of Peloponnesus was compared to a deeply indented leaf, and every part of the country is intersected with mountains, hills, and plains. The hills, generally near the sea, having a plain stretching from their base, formed the site of the cities. On the hill were placed the buildings for the most important uses. The Citadel, or place of defence, whither the population might sometimes retire for security from their ene mies; the temples, or buildings consecrated to religion and the gods; and perhaps the monuments of some of the most illustrious citizens.

2. This elevated spot was called the Acropolis. The gateway by which access was obtained to it was the Propylea: the whole was surrounded by a wall at the base. The theatre, which was often placed low down on the declivity, was of a semicircular form, partly excavated from the hill, uncovered on the top, and designed, generally, to command a view of the sea. Theatrical repre

sentations were held at daylight, and it was proper to the design of them, that they should command a fine prospect.

3. The theatres of Greece and Asia Minor were not solely appropriated to the exhibition of plays and shows; sometimes assemblies of the people collected in them, and sometimes philosophers addressed their disciples within their walls; and they appear to have been open to the people on many occasions.

4. It is related that when Paul preached the religion of Christ at Ephesus, so many believed on him, that the adherents to the ancient religion treated the proselytes with great violence through fear that the new faith should supplant the old superstition.

5. "And the whole city was filled with confu sion and, having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre. And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not. And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends. sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre."