Long enough, have the despots of Europe kept their subjects in ignorance, in order to preserve their own sway. Long enough, have they lorded it over the consciences and

birthrights of men. The divine right of kings, which they 5 have altered into the milder term legitimacy, will not do.

“ The right divine of kings to govern wrong,” is not a maxim for this bold, busy, and inquiring age. There is a spirit abroad, too dangerous to be trified with. Its out

breakings have already been seen, in various parts of the 10 earth. If the masters of the old world yield to its progress,

it may reform abuses gradually, as the water-drop wears the marble, and they may hide in obscurity their imbecility and shame.

But let them form themselves into alliances, and, by 15 combinations, endeavor to preserve their sway, and “the

over-strung nations will arm in madness." Let them endeavor to breast and stop the tide of improvement which is rushing onward, and it will sweep them away, in its

mighty torrent. The murmurings of the storm are already 20 heard in the forest, the sighings of the gusts of wind, and

the groans of the laboring trees. If they prostrate themselves before the coming tempest, it may pass

them touched, unhurt; but woe to those who endeavor to brave

it; for the angel of death will ride on its rushing wings. 25 Reverses may ensue in the cause of freedom; hope

delayed may sicken the souls of patriots; the exertions of heroes and martyrs may be, for a while, in vain; brave hearts may spill their best blood, on the points of merce

nary bayonets, but the cause of human nature, and of God, 30 must triumph! I say the cause of God; for the Almighty

has not placed the longing after freedom, any more than the longing after immortality in our bosoms, that it should only forever be a source of disappointment and despair !

Our history must inspire all. And it is curious to reflect 35 that our forefathers, despised and insulted by the poten

tates of the old world, brought that here with them, which shall react, nay, is reacting on their persecutors, with tre mendous energy. They came here « to plant the tree of

life, to plant fair freedom's tree,” which has grown up so 40 large and beautiful, and will overshadow all the earth,

the tree which shall prove, to the free of all nations, a shelter and protection, but, to tyrants and oppressors, will be more deadly than the Upas, which blasts and withers all who approach it.

un

The only condition on which liberty is granted to man, is that of perpetual vigilance. This subtle spirit of oppres. sion must be met, in its first approaches, it must be guarded against, with ever anxious care.

Man cannot procure 5 anything of importance, unless by striving for it; nor can

he retain anything worth having, unless by guarding it. The husbandman, before he can expect the earth to yield its increase, must prepare it, by his toil; and after his

stores are gathered, his care is still necessary to preserve 10 them.

The accumulator of property, when he has amassed wealth, if he would not lose all the fruits of his labor and anxiety, must still be ever on the alert, lest it vanish, and

all his fond hopes be prostrated. No other blessing can 15 we expect to enjoy long, without activity and care on our

part; and why should we expect that liberty, the greatest of blessings, can be retained without either ? Why should we imagine, that, because we now have liberty, we must

always possess it, however supine we may be? If free20 dom is worth fighting for, it is worth preserving. Let us

never listen to the voice which would calm all our apprehensions, and lull us into slumbers of security; into a quiet which might be repose indeed, but would soon be the leaden sleep of despotism.

LESSON CXLVIII.-SCENE FROM MARINO FALIERO.

-Byron.
[Doge, President, and Senators.]
Doge. The seigniory of Venice! You betrayed me!
You,-you who sit there,-traitors as ye are!
From my equality with you in birth,

And my superiority in action,
5 You drew me from my honorable toils

In distant lands-on flood,-in field-in cities;
You singled me out, like a victim, to
Stand crowned, but bound and helpless, at the altar,
Where

you

alone could minister. I knew not, 10 Sought not, wished not, drearned not, the election,

Which reached me first at Rome, and I obeyed;
But found, on my arrival, that, besides
The jealous vigilance which always led you

To mock and map your sovereign's best intents, 15 You had, even in the interregnum of

My journey to the capitol, curtailed

And mutilated the few privileges
Yet left the duke. All this I bore, and would
Have borne, had not my very hearth been stained

By the pollution of your ribaldry,
5 And he, the ribald, whom I see amongst you,
Fit judge in such tribunal !

President. And can it be, that the great doge of Ven .e, With three parts of a century of years

And honors on his head, could thus allow 10 His fury, (like an angry boy's,) to master

All feeling, wisdom, faith, and fear, on such
A provocation as a young man's petulance ?

Doge. A spark creates the flame; 'tis the last drop

Which makes the cup run o'er,—and mine was full 15 Already. You oppressed the prince and people :

I would have freed both,—and have failed in both
Pause not: I would have shown no mercy, and I spek none
My life was staked upon a mighty hazard,-

And, being lost, take what I would have taken. 20 I would have stood alone amidst

your

tombs :
Now you may flock round mine, and trample on it,
As you have done upon my heart while living.

President. You do confess then and admit the justice Of our tribunal ? 25 Doge. I confess to have failed.

Fortune is female :~from my youth her favors
Were not withheld. The fault was mine to hope
Her former smiles again, at this late hour.

Pres. You do not, then, in aught arraign our equity ? 30 Doge. Noble Venetians, stir me not with questions.

I am resigned to the worst, but in me still
Have something of the blood of brighter days,
And am not over-patient. Pray you, spare me

Further interrogation, which boots nothing,
35 Except to turn a trial to debate.
I shall but answer that which will offend

you, And please your enemies,-a host already. 'Tis true, these sullen walls should yield no echo; But walls have ears,--nay more, they have tongues,

and if 40 There were no other way for truth to overleap them,-

You, who condemn me, you who fear and slay me, Yet could not bear in silence to your graves

What you would hear from me of good or evil.
The secret were too mighty for your

souls !
Then let it sleep in mine,-unless you court
5 A danger which would double that you escape.
Such

my

defence would be, had I full scope
To make it famous :—for true words are things ;
And dying men's are things which long out-live,
And oftentimes

avenge

them. Bury mine,
10 If ye would fain survive me. Take this counsel ;

And, though too oft ye made me live in wrath,
Let me die calmly: You may grant me this!
I deny nothing,--defend nothing,-nothing

I ask of you but silence for myself, 15 And sentence from the court!

President. Marino Faliero,* doge of Venice,
Count of Val di Marino, senator,
And sometime general of the fleet and army,

Noble Venetian, many times and oft
20 Intrusted by the state with high employments,

Even to the highest, listen to the sentence !
Convict by many witnesses and proofs,
And by thine own confession, of the guilt

Of treachery, and treason, yet unheard of 25 Until this trial,—the decree is death!

The place wherein as doge thou shouldst be painted,
With thine illustrious predecessors, is
To be left vacant, with a death-black veil

Flung over these dim words engraved beneath,-
30' “ This place is of Marino Faliero,
Decapitated for his crimes.”

Doge. What crimes?
Were it not better to record the facts,

So that the contemplator might approve,
35 Or at least learn whence the crimes arose ?

When the beholder knows a doge conspired,
Let him be told the cause,—it is your history.

Pres. Time must reply to that. Our sons will judge Their fathers' judgment, which I now pronounce. 40 As doge, clad in the ducal robes and cap,

Thou shalt be led hence to the Giant's Staircase,
Where thou and all our princes are invested;
And there, the ducal crown being first resumed,

Upon the spot where it was first assumed,
Thy head shall be struck off; and Heaven have mercy
Upon thy soul!

Doge. Is this the sentence ? 5 President. It is.

Doge. I can endure it. And the time?

Pres. Must be immediate. Make thy peace with God, Within an hour thou must be in His presence!

Doge. I am there already; and my blood will rise 10 Before the souls of those who shed it!

LESSON CXLIX.-THE RICH MAN'S SON, AND THE POOR MAN'S

SON.-J. R. LOWELL.
The rich man's son inherits lands,
And piles of brick, and stone, and gold ;

And he inherits soft, white hands,
And tender flesh that fears the cold ;
Nor dares to wear a garment old :
A heritage, it seems to me,
One would not care to hold in fee :

The rich man's son inherits cares;
The bank may break, the factory burn;

Some breath may burst his bubble shares ;
And soft, white hands would hardly earn
A living that would suit his turn:
A heritage, it seems to me,
One would not care to hold in fee.

15

20

What does the poor man's son inherit?
Stout muscles and a sinewy heart;

A hardy frame, a hardier spirit;
King of two hands; he does his part,
In every useful toil and art:
A heritage, it seems to me,
A king might wish to hold in fee.

What does the poor man's son inherit ?
Wishes o'erjoyed with humble things;

A rank adjudged by toil-worn merit;
Content that from employment springs;
A heart that in his labor sings :
A heritage, it seems to me,
A king might wish to hold in fee:

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