And Knowledge spreads them on her ample lap;
But Rome is as the desert, where we steer
Stumbling o'er recollections: now we clap
Our hands, and cry "Eureka!" it is clear,
When but some false mirage* of ruin rises near.

5. Alas! the lofty city! and alas!

The trebly hundred triumphs! and the day
When Brutus † made the dagger's edge surpass
The conqueror's sword in bearing fame away!
Alas, for Tully's voice, and Virgil's lay,
And Livy's pictured page!— but these shall be
Her resurrection; all beside - decay.

Alas! for Earth! for never shall we see

That brightness in her eye she bore when Rome was free!

LESSON LXXVI.

KING EDWARD, § WARWICK, || AND SUFFOLK.— FRANKLIN.
Edward. Good Suffolk, for awhile

I would be private; therefore, wait without;
Let me have no intruders; above all,
Keep Warwick from my sight, -

Warwick. Behold him here;

[Exit Suffolk. Enter Warwick.]

No welcome guest, it seems, unless I ask

My lord of Suffolk's leave: there was a time

Mi'rage, (me-räzhe,) an optical illusion arising from an unequal refraction in the lower strata of the atmosphere, causing objects to appear as if suspended in the air. It is frequently seen in deserts, presenting the appearance of water

↑ Bru'tus, Tully, Vir'gil. See notes, pp. 138, 29, and 68.

Liv'y or Liv'i-us, (Titus,) a celebrated Latin historian, born in the year 59 B. C. He spent twenty years in writing a history of Rome, and died a. D. 16.

Edward IV., king of England, born in 1441.

Warwick, see p. 154.

When Warwick wanted not his aid to gain

Admission here.

Ed. There was a time, perhaps,

When Warwick more desired, and more deserved it.

War. Never! I've been a foolish, faithful slave: All my best years, the morning of my life, Have been devoted to your service. What Are now the fruits? Disgrace and infamy; My spotless name which never yet the breath Of calumny had tainted, made the mock For foreign fools to carp at: but 't is fit, Who trust in princes, should be thus rewarded. Ed. I thought, my lord, I had full well repaid Your services with honors, wealth, and power Unlimited thy all-directing hand

Guided in secret every latent wheel

Of government, and moved the whole machine:
Warwick was all in all, and powerless Edward
Stood like a cipher in the great account.

War. Who gave that cipher worth, and seated thee
On England's throne? Thy undistinguished name
Had rotted in the dust, from whence it sprung,
And moldered in oblivion, had not Warwick

Dug from its sordid mine the useless ore,

And stamped it with a diadem. Thou knowest,
This wretched country, doomed, perhaps, like Rome
To fall by its own self-destroying hand,
Tossed for so many years in the rough sea
Of civil discord, but for me had perished.

In that distressful hour, I seized the helm,

Bade the rough wavę subside in peace, and steered
Your shattered vessel safe into the harbor.

You may despise, perhaps, that useless aid

Which you no longer want; but know, proud youth, He who forgets a friend, deserves a foe.

Ed. Know too, reproach for benefits received, Pays every debt, and cancels obligation.

War. Why, that indeed is frugal honesty,— A thrifty, saving knowledge: when the debt. Grows burdensome, and cannot be discharged, A sponge will wipe out all, and cost you nothing. Ed. When you have counted o'er the numerous train Of mighty gifts your bounty lavished on me,

You may remember next the injuries

Which I have done you; let me know them all,

And I will make you ample satisfaction.

War. Thou canst not; thou hast robbed me of a jewel

It is not in thy power to restore.

I was the first, shall future annals say,

That broke the sacred bonds of public trust
And mutual confidence: embassadors,

In after-times,

mere instruments, perhaps,

Of venal statesmen, shall recall my name
To witness, that they want not an example,
And plead my guilt to sanctify their own.
Amidst the herd of mercenary slaves

That haunt your court, could none be found but Warwick,
To be the shameless herald of a lie?

Ed. And wouldst thou turn the vile reproach on me?
If I have broke my faith and stained the name
Of England, thank thy own pernicious counsels
That urged me to it, and extorted from me
A cold consent to what my heart abhorred.

War. I've been abused, insulted, and betrayed:
My injured honor cries aloud for vengeance;
Her wounds will never close!

Ed. These gusts of passion

Will but inflame them. If I have been right
Informed, my lord, besides these dangerous scars
Of bleeding honor, you have other wounds

As deep, though not so fatal; such, perhaps,
As none but fair Elizabeth can cure.

War. Elizabeth!

Ed. Nay, start not: I have cause

To wonder most. I little thought, indeed,
When Warwick told me I might learn to love,
He was himself so able to instruct me;

But I've discovered all!

War. And so have I.

Too well I know thy breach of friendship there, -
Thy faithless, base endeavors to supplant me.

Ed. I scorn it, sir!

Elizabeth hath charms;

Nor see I aught so godlike in the form,

So all-commanding in the name of Warwick,
That he alone should revel in the rays
Of beauty, and monopolize perfection.
I knew not of your love.

War. 'Tis false!

You knew it all, and meanly took occasion,
Whilst I was busied in the noble office
Your grace thought fit to honor me withal,
To tamper with a weak, unguarded woman,
And basely steal a treasure,

Your kingdom could not purchase.

but be it as it may,

I had a right, nor will I tamely yield
My claim to happiness, the privilege
To choose the partner of my throne:
It is a branch of my prerogative.

War. Prerogative! What's that? the boast of tyrants, A borrowed jewel, glittering in the crown

With specious luster, lent but to betray.
You had it, sir, and hold it, from the people.

Ed. And therefore do I prize it; I would guard
Their liberties, and they shall strengthen mine:

But when proud faction and her rebel crew
Insult their sovereign, trample on his law,
And bid defiance to his power, the people,
In justice to themselves, will then defend
His cause, and vindicate the rights they gave.

War. Go to your darling people, then; for soon,
If I mistake not, 't will be needful; try

Their boasted zeal, and see if one of them

Will dare to lift his arm up in your cause,
If I forbid him.

Ed. Is it so, my lord?

Then mark my words: I've been your slave too long,
And you have ruled me with a rod of iron;

But henceforth, know, proud peer, I am thy master,
And will be so. The king who delegates
His power to others' hands, but ill deserves
The crown he wears.

War. Look well then to your own:

It sits but loosely on your head; for know,
The man who injured Warwick, never passed
Unpunished yet.

Ed. Nor he who threatened Edward.

You may repent it, sir. My guards there! seize
This traitor, and convey him to the tower; -
There, let him learn obedience.

LESSON LXXVII.

COMPARATIVE SMALLNESS OF THE EARTH.

CHALMERS.

[The reader may note the emphatic words in this piece, and tell whether they are made so by absolute or antithetic emphasis. See p. 55 and 66.]

1. Though this earth and these heavens were to disap pear, there are other worlds which roll afar; the light of