THE

BEAUTIES

OF

HISTORY.

AFFECTION CONJUGAL.

SENTIMENTS.

Of all the pleasures that endear human life, there are none more worthy the attention of a rational creature than those that flow from the mutual return of conjugal love.

When two minds are thus engaged by the ties of reciprocal sincerity, each alternately receives and communicates a transport that is inconceivable to all but those who are in this situation: hence arises that heart ennobling solicitude for one another's welfare; that tender sympathy which alleviates affliction, and that participated pleasure which heightens prosperity and joy itself.

A good wife makes the cares of the world sit easy, and adds a sweetness to its pleasures: she is a man's best companion in prosperity, and his only friend in adversity; the most careful preserver of his health, and the kindest attendant on his sickness; a faithful adviser in distress, a comforter in affliction, and a prudent manager of all his domestic affairs.

Good-nature and evenness of temper will give you an easy companion for life; virtue and good sense, an

VOL. I.

B

agreeable friend; love and constancy, a good wife or husband.

A married woman should not be desirous of attracting the eyes of any man but those of her husband. He that allows himself to taste those pleasures which be denies his wife, acts like a man who would enjoin his wife to oppose those enemies to whom he has already surrendered,

EXAMPLES.

LEONIDAS, king of Sparta, suspecting a conspiracy was formed against him, fled to the temple of Minerva for shelter, whereupon Cleombrutus, his son-inlaw, seized the government. When Leonidas was informed of this, he made his escape, taking his daughter along with him, who chose rather to fly with her father than reign with her husband. Some time after Leonidas being restored to the throne, he advanced at the head of a band of soldiers to the temple where Cleombrutus, upon this change of affairs, had, himself, fled for refuge. He there reproached him with great warmth for assuming the regal power, in violation of the ties of affinity between them, and for expelling him from his own country in so ignominious a manner. Cleombrutus, who had nothing to answer to these reproaches, continued seated in a profound silence, and with an aspect which sufficiently testified his confusion. His wife Chelonida stood near with her two children at her feet. She had been equally unfortunate as a wife and a daughter; but was equalfy faithful in each of those capacities, and had always adhered to the unfortunate side. All those who were then present melted into tears at so moving a sight, and were struck with admiration at the virtue and tenderness of Chelonida, and the amiable force of conjugal love. The unfortunate princess, pointing to her mourning habit and dishevelled tresses," Believe me, 0, my father!" said she, "this habit of woe which I now wear, this dejection which now appears in my countenance, and these sorrows into which you see me sunk, are not the effects of that compassion I entertain for Cleombrutus; but the sad remains of my affliction for the cala

mities you sustained in your flight from Sparta. On what, alas! shall I now resolve? While you reign for the future in Sparta, and triumph over the enemies who opposed you, shall I continue to live in the desolate state to which you see me reduced? Or, is it my duty to array myself in robes of royalty and magnificence, when I behold the husband I received from you in the flower of my youth on the point of perishing by your dagger? Should he be unable to disarm your resentment, and move your soul to compassion by the tears of his wife and children, permit me to assure you that he will be punished with more severity for his impru dence, than was even intended by yourself, when he shall see a wife who is so dear to him, expiring at his feet; for you are not to think, that in my present condition, I will ever consent to out-live him. What ap pearance shall I make among the Spartan ladies after my inability to inspire my husband with compassion for my father; or to soften my father into pity for my husband? What, indeed, shall I appear to them, but a daughter and a wife, always afflicted and contemned by ber nearest relations ?" Chelonida, at the conclusion of these words, reclined her cheek on that of Cleombru tus; while with her eyes, that spoke her sorrow in her tears, she cast a languid look on those who were present.

Leonidas, after a few moments discourse with his friends, ordered Cleombrutus to rise, and immediately to quit Sparta; but earnestly importuned his daughter to continue there, and not forsake a father who gave her such a peculiar proof of tenderness as to spare the life of her husband. His solicitations were, however, ineffectual; and the moment Cleombrutus rose from his seat, she placed one of her children in his arms, and clasped the other in her own; and when she had offered up her prayers to the goddess, and kissed the altar, she became a voluntary exile with her husband.

How extremely affecting was this spectacle, and how worthy the admiration of all ages is such a model of conjugal affection! If the heart of Cleombrutus, says Plutarch, was not entirely depraved by vain-glory, and a boundless ambition to reign, he would have been sensible that even banishment itself, with so virtuous a com

panion, was a felicity preferable to the condition of a sovereign.

PLUT. IN VIT. AGID.

JULIUS SABINUS, having engaged the interest of the Gauls, caused himself to be proclaimed emperor of Rome; but being defeated, he fled to his country-house, and set it on fire, in order to raise a report that he had perished. This scheme answered his end, for he was there believed to have suffered a voluntary death. But, in the mean time, he lay concealed with his treasures (for he was immensely rich) in a cave, which he had caused to be dug in a solitary place, and which was known only to two of his freed-men, upon whose, fidelity he could depend. He might easily have withdrawn into Germany; but he could not prevail on himself to abandon his wife, whom he passionately loved. Sabinus, that no one might doubt of his death, did not, for some time, even undeceive his wife, who solemnized his exequies with great pomp, bewailed him with many tears, and, at last, no longer able to bear the loss of a husband for whom she had the sincerest affection, resolved not to out-live him, and began to abstain from all food. This news alarmed Sabinus; and therefore, by means of Martialis, one of his freed-men, he informed her that he was still alive, and acquainted her with the place where he lay concealed, desiring her at the same time to suppress her joy, lest the secret might thence be betrayed. Empona heard the relation with inexpressible pleasure, and pretending business in the country flew to her husband. The cave to her was then preferable to a palace, for there only she was happy. She went frequently to see him, and sometimes contrived to stay whole weeks unsuspected. She had even two children by him, who were born and brought up in the cave, When at Rome, she continued to bewail him as dead, and concealed the whole with exemplary fidelity and wonderful address; nay, she found means to convey him into the city, upon what motive I know not; and from thence back to his cave, so well disguised, that he was by no one known. But after he had passed nine years in this manner, he was, at length, discover.

ed by some persons who narrowly watched his wife, upon her frequently absenting herself from her own house, and followed her to the cave without being discovered. Sabinus was immediately seized, and sent to Rome loaded with chains, together with his wife, who throwing herself at the emperor's feet, and presenting to him her two tender infants, endeavoured with her tears and entreaties to move him to compassion. Vespasian, the emperor, could not help weeping at so affecting an object; nevertheless, he condemned both her and her husband, and caused them soon after to, be executed.

TACIT. HIST. 1. 4. c. 67. PLUT. AMAT.

CAVADES, king of the Persians, being deposed and imprisoned by his subjects, his queen, who alone remained attached to him in all his misfortunes, never failed to bring him necessaries with her own hands, though she was not permitted to see him. Observing the keeper of the castle enamoured with her beauty, she so effectually soothed his passion as to gain access to her husband, and thereby procured his enlargement: for staying, as she often did, late in the evening, she dressed the king in her own clothes, in which he went out undiscovered, and having put on his, remained in his stead. As she pretended to be sick, and not to leave her bed for some days, the cheat was not discovered till Cavades had time enough to make his escape. He fled to the king of the Euthalites, by whose assistance he was restored to his throne and kingdom.

PROCOP. DE BELL. PERSIc. 1. 1.

c. 5.

IT was highly honourable for Phocion, that he was forty times elected general of the Athenians; and it is remarkable, that these elections always happened when he was absent, without any previous solicitations on his part. His wife was sufficiently sensible how much this was for his glory; and one day, when an Ionian lady of considerable rank, who lodged in her house, showed her, with an air of ostentation and pleasure, her ornaments of gold, with a variety of jewels and bracelets, she answered her with a modest tone, For my part, I