5. If so, alas for love's bright tears!
And for ambition's dreams,

For earth hath kept their monumento
But lost the sleepers' names:
They live no more in story's scroll,
Or song's inspiring breath;
For altars raised to human fame

Have turn'd to shrines of death.

6. But from your silence, glorious graves,
What mystic voices rise,

That thus, through passing ages speak
Their lessons to the wise!
Behold, how still the world rewards

Her brightest, as of yore;

For then she gave a nameless grave-
And now she gives no more.

172. EXECUTION OF SIR THOMAS MORE

[From the Historical Novel of ALICE SHERWIN.]

1. His beloved daughter Margaret, knowing she would not again be admitted within the precincts of the Tower, had paced the wharf for more than an hour; when she at length perceived him, she burst through the billmen, and throwing herself on his neck, murmured, in a broken voice, “Oh, my father! oh, my father !"

2. "Where is thy fortitude, my best jewel?" said More. tenderly pressing his lips to her cheek. "Let this console thee, Margaret, that I suffer in innocence, and by the will of God; to whose blessed pleasure, thou, my child, must accommodate thyself, and not only be patient under thy loss, but lead thy poor weak mother and thy sisters to follow thy example. And now retire; I would not have thy best feelings become the scoff and jibe of a brutal guard."

3. His daughter prepared to obey; but had not proceeded en steps, when, forgetful of all fortitude and self-control, she turned back, and falling on his neck, kissed him again and again. Sir Thomas did not speak; but notwithstanding his efforts at firmness tears fell rapidly from his eyes; neither was it until his adopted daughter, Margaret Clement, had loosened her arins by force, she could be separated from her father Dorothy Collie, her maid, who had been brought up in the family, also threw herself on her knees at her master's feet, covering his hand with kisses.

4. The space between his trial and execution was employed by More in prayer, meditation, and the severest corporal mortifications; he continually walked about with a sheet around him, so as to familiarize himself to the thought of death. He contrived to write a few lines with a coal to his daughter Margaret, expressing his earnest desire to suffer on the following day, which was the vigil of St. Thomas of Canterbury, and sending her his hair-shirt. Strange to say, early the next morning he received a visit from Sir Thomas Pope, who with much pain informed him he was to suffer at nine o'clock, adding that by the king's pardon his sentence was changed into beheading, because he had borne the highest office in the realm, and that he (Pope) was desired to be the messenger of the royal mercy.

5. "Well," said Sir Thomas, with his usual good humor, "God forbid the king should extend any more such mercy to those I hold dear, and preserve my posterity from similar pardons! For the rest, Master Pope, I thank you for your tidings; I am bound to his grace, who, by putting me here, has afforded me time and opportunity to prepare for my end I beseech you, my good friend, to move his majesty that my daughter Roper may be present at my burial."

6. "The king is content," said Pope, deeply moved, "tha all your family should attend, provided you use not many words on the scaffold."

"It is well I was informed," said More; posed to have spoken; but I am ready to

"for I had pur conform to his highness' pleasure. Nay, quiet yourself, good Master Pope,"

he continued, as the other wrung his hand; "for I trust shall yet live and love God together in eternal bliss."

7. When he was alone, More carefully attired himself in a gown of silk camlet, which he.had received as a present from one Anthony Bonvise, a merchant of Lucca: it was so costly that Sir William Kingston advised him not to wear it, as he whose property it would become was but a javill (villain). "Shall I account him a javill," said More, "who is this day to work me so singular a benefit? Nay, if it were clothof-gold, I should think it well bestowed. the martyred Bishop of Carthage, bestow on his executioner thirty pieces? and shall I grudge a garment ?"

Did not St. Cyprian,

8. Kingston, however, persisted; yet, although Sir Thomas yielded, he sent the headsman an angel out of his scanty store, to prove he bore him no ill-will.

When the crowd assembled round the scaffold on Tower Hill caught sight of their former favorite, his beard unshaved, his face pale and sharpened, and holding a red cross in his hand, they pressed eagerly around him, while audible expressions of indignation were heard on every side. A poor woman pushed through the throng, offering him a cup of wine; but he gently put her aside, saying, "Christ at His Passion drank not wine, but gall and vinegar."

He, however, met with many insults. One female cried out that he had wrongfully judged her cause when lord chancellor ; to which he calmly replied, that "if he were now to give sentence, he would not alter his decision."

9. While preparing to mount the scaffold, an unwonted bustle took place at the very verge of the dense mass, and it was evident the guards were endeavoring to keep some person back; their halberds, however, were beaten aside, and with almost superhuman strength a man forced himself through the press, grasping the prisoner's robe as he prepared to ascend the steps, and demanding with the voice and action of a maniac, "Do you know me, More? do you know the man you rescued from the devil? Pray for me! pray for me! I have wandered round your prison; if I had seen you, you had cured me again."

10. "It is John Hales of Winchester," said one of the guard. 'He says Sir Thomas More cured him by his prayers of the black fever, and that since he has been in confinement the fits have returned worse than ever."

"He did more for me," said Hales, tenaciously retaining his hold, "than all the college of physicians. Pray for me, More ! pray for me! Do you not remember me?" "I do remember you," said More soothingly; "I will pray for you on the scaffold: go and live in peace; the fits will not return."

11. The man obeyed; when the prisoner finding himself too weak to ascend, said to Kingston, who was by his side, "I beseech you, see me safe up; my coming down I will take care of myself."

He then knelt, and recited the Miserere; after which he embraced the executioner, saying, "No mortal man could have done me a greater service than thou wilt this day. Pluck up thy spirit, and fear not to perform thy office. My neck is very short; take heed thou strike not awry, to save thy credit."

12. He covered his eyes himself, and laying his head on the block, removed his beard, saying, "This at least never committed treason."

There was a dull heavy sound, a gush of warm bright blood, and the soul of Sir Thomas More passed to God upon the very day which he had so earnestly desired.

173. THE INFLUENCE OF DEVOTION ON THE HAPPINESS OF LIFE.

BLAIR.

DR. HUGH BLAIR, born in Edinburgh, in 1718; died in 1800. He is bes known by his "Lectures on Rhetoric." Though somewhat hard and dry in style and manuer, this work forms a useful guide to the young student, Dr. Blair is also known as the author of a learned and elaborate disseriation on MacPherson's "Poems of Ossian,"

1. WHATEVER promotes and strengthens virtue, whatever Jalins and regulates the temper, is a source of happiness. De

votion produces these effects in a remarkable degree. It in spires composure of spirit, mildness, and benignity; weakens the painful, and cherishes the pleasing emotions; and, by these means, carries on the life of a pious man in a smooth and placid tenor.

2. Besides exerting this habitual influence on the mind, deotion opens a field of enjoyments to which the vicious are entire strangers; enjoyments the more valuable, as they peculiarly belong to retirement, when the world leaves us; and to adversity, when it becomes our foe. These are the two seasons, for which every wise man would most wish to provide some hidden store of comfort.

3. For let him be placed in the most favorable situation which the human state admits, the world can neither always amuse him, nor always shield him from distress. There will be many hours of vacuity, and many of dejection in his life. If he be a stranger to God, and to devotion, how dreary will the gloom of solitude often prove! With what oppressive weight will sickness, disappointment, or old age, fall upon his spirits.

4. But for those pensive periods, the pious man has a relief prepared. From the tiresome repetition of the common vanities of life, or from the painful corrosion of its cares and sorrows, devotion transports him into a new region; and surrounds him there with such objects as are the most fitted to cheer the dejection, to calm the tumults, and to heal the wounds of his heart. If the world has been empty and delusive, it gladdens him with the prospect of a higher and better order of things about to rise.

5. If men have been ungrateful and base, it displays before him the faithfulness of that Supreme Being, who, though every other friend fail, will never forsake him. Let us consult our xperience, and we shall find, that the two greatest sources of ward joy, are, the exercise of love directed towards a deserving object, and the exercise of hope terminating on some high and assured happiness. Both these are supplied by devotion; and therefore we have no reason to be surprised, if, on some occasions, it fills the hearts of good men with a satisfac tion not to be expressed.