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a present of all the largest lions that could be found in the country, in order to send them to Rome, that they might furnish out a show to the Roman people. Upon his poor slave's surrendering himself into his hands, he ordered him to be carried away to Rome as soon as the lions were in readiness to be sent, and that for his crime he should be exposed to fight with one of the lions in the Amphiteaire, as usual, for the diversion of the people. This was all performed accordingly. Androcles, after such a strange run of fortune, was now in the area of the theatre amidst thousands of spectators, expecting every moment when his antagonist would come out upon him. At length a huge monstrous lion leaped out from the place where he had been kept hungry for the show. He advanced with great rage towards the man : but on a sudden, after having regarded him a little wistfully, fell to the ground, and crept towards his feet with all the signs of blandishment and caress. Androcles, after a short pause, discovered that it was his old Numidian friend, and immediately renewed his acquaintance with him. Their mutual congratulations were very surprising to the beholders,

who upon

hearing an account of the whole matter from Androcles, ordered him to be pardoned and the Lion to be given up into his possession. Androcles returned at Rome the civilities which he had received from him in the deserts of Africk. Dion Cassius says, that he himself saw the man leading the Lion about the streets of Rome, the people every where gathering about 'em, and repeating to one another, hic est Leo hospes hominis, hic est homo medicus Leonis. This is the Lion who was the man's host, this is the man who was the Lion's Physician.

GUARDIAN.

A REMARKABLE INSTANCE

THE

OF FILIAL DUTY.

HE prætor had given up to the triumvir a woman of some rang, condemned for a capital crime to be executed in the prison. He who had charge of the execution, in consideration of her birth, did not immediately put her to death. He even ventured to let her daughter have access to her in prison; carefully searching her however,

as she went in, lest she should carry with her any sustenance; concluding, that in a few days the mother must of course perish for want, and that the severity of putting a woman of family to a violent death, by the hand of the executioner, might thus be avoided. Some days passing in this manner, the triumvir began to wonder that the daughter still came to visit her mother, and could by no means comprehend, how the latter should live so long. Watching, therefore, carefully, what passed in the interview between them, he found, to his great astonishment, that the life of the mother had been, all this while, supported by the milk of the daughter, who came to the prison every day, to give her mother her breast to suck. The strange contrivance between them was represented to the judges, and procured a pardon for the mother. Nor was it thought sufficient to give to so dutiful a daughter the forfeited life of her condemned mother, but they were both maintained afterwards by a pension settled on them for life; and the ground upon which the prison stood was consecrated, and a temple to filial piety built upon it.

ANOTHER INSTANCE

OF FILIAL DUTY.

MR. R. Hastings was a reputable tradesman in a considerable country town. He married young, and had a numerous family, over whom, as his temper was hasty and ungoverned, he exercised the paternal authority with harshness and caprice. His wife, a pattern of female mildness and gentleness, made it her sole study, by every softening and conciliatory art, to keep her husband in good humour with herself and her children, but too often failed in both.

Charles, their eldest son, had one of those dispositions, which, though easily managed by prudent and gentle methods, alvays revolt against the exertions of passionate and rigorous authority. It was therefore impossible that he should avoid fre-. quent and angry disputes with his father, whose sternness and severity he returned with sullen unyielding obstinacy. These unhappy contests acquired such additional

force

force with increasing years, that when the youth had reached the age of fifteen, his father, in consequence of a violent quarrel in which he could not bring him to submission, turned him out of doors, with an injunction never to see his face again.

The lad's spirit was too high to render a repetition of the command necessary. Unprovided as he was, he set out immediately, on foot, for London; where arriving, after much hardship and fatigue, he found out an East - Indian captain with whom his father had some acquaintance, and, after much solicitation, obtained leave to accompany him in a voyage which commenced in a few days.

Exasperated as Mr. Hastings was, he could not help feeling considerable regret, on finding that his son had so well obeyed the command which his passion had dictated; and the mother, for whom the youth had always testified the greatest affection and respect, was long inconsolable. From all their enquiries, they were only able to learn that their son was gone to sea, but to what part, or in what situation, they could never discover.

To this cause of distress was soon added

F

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