"My dear Anne, said Philip, are you blaming her? I thought you would admire her courage."

"Her courage-I suppose she had courage, for I should have been afraid to do so, but

"I hope, Anne," said Mrs. Stratton," that you will learn to value the real courage which induces a person to face every danger to which human nature can be exposed; to submit to every indignity which the world can inflict; to struggle with poverty; to suffer, what is worse than all, unmerited blame, rather than shrink from the post committed to him by his Maker."

"But, mamma," interrupted Philip, “surely there is some courage required to take one's own life away, to give one's self pain, mamma?"

"You prevented me from finishing my remark, Philip: I was hoping your sister would distinguish between that species of false courage which leads a person to suffer a small portion of present pain, in order to avoid a danger so great that he dares not meet it; and the Christian courage, I before described. What would you have said to a Roman soldier, who maimed himself to avoid going upon a fatiguing, or even a dangerous, expedition? Would you call the bearing the pain of losing an arm or a leg under such circumstances, courage?"

"Oh no, mamma; I feel that I was wrong, and I also see that more was expected from the Roman soldier than from the Christian hero: the Roman, frequently, went cheerfully upon expeditions which ended in certain death; his only reward was the honour of serving his country, but the Christian soldier cannot suffer beyond the present moment, his enterprise must end well. May I make such a comparison, mamma?"

"You may, my dear boy, for the Scriptures abound in allusions to the customs of the ancients; indeed, you could not understand many parts, particularly the Epistles, without an acquaintance with their history and manners. But you have been occupied quite long enough; now run into the garden and take some exercise."

F

CHAPTER IV.

"MAMMA, the morning is very wet, and Philip and I are tired of playing at battledore and shuttlecock; may we come to you, and will you continue your history of Rome?"

"I will go on with my sketch of the Roman history with pleasure, my love. We had arrived at that period when the people, who had long groaned under the tyranny of the Tarquins, were roused by the crime of Sextus, and drove that wicked family from Rome. At this time a fresh division of the Roman people took place; there were now formed three orders,—senators, knights, and commons. All the senators wore a gold ring; but those chosen from the commons had not a horse kept for them. The knights, or equestrian order, wore gold rings, and had each a horse maintained at the public expense."

"I often hear the word equestrian used to a person who rides, mamma," said Anne.

Yes, my dear, it is one of those words for which we are indebted to the Romans. The government was now called republican, although the senate reserved to itself the greatest share of power. Two of their body were annually chosen, to have in reality as much authority as their kings had possessed, and called by the name of consuls, Brutus and Collatinus being the two first who enjoyed this honour. This new form of government was very soon nearly overthrown by a conspiracy formed amongst some of the young men of high rank in Rome, who wished to restore the Tarquins. This occurrence represents the Roman character in so marked a manner, that I shall dwell upon it rather longer than my short account may seem to render necessary. Death had been the punishment decreed against any one who should endeavour to bring back the Tarquins. The sons of Brutus, and the nephews of Collatinus, by joining in this plot, had incurred this penalty. To Brutus, the father of these unhappy youths, and to Collatinus, the uncle of the others, did every eye turn, for on them rested the fate of those so dear to them."

“Surely, mamma, other judges were chosen; no relation, much less a father, could be expected to act as judge in such a case.”

"A Roman, my dear, had no relation so dear as his country. To its greatness every wish, every feeling was sacrificed. Brutus and Collatinus were the judges of these unhappy youths, who were brought before them amidst the tears of their countrymen. Even Collatinus wept, but Brutus remained firm and unmoved. The young men were questioned, and being unable to deny what had been alleged against them, notwithstanding Collatinus made some efforts to save them, were sentenced to die, and their heads were immediately struck off by the lictors."

"How dreadful, mamma! Surely, no Christian father, however guilty his son might be, would have acted in this manner : what do you think?"

"A Christian father, my child, under such dreadful circumstances, feeling that the death of a wicked child was necessary to society in general, would not, I think, have acted like Brutus, but would have relinquished the office which compelled him to be thus severe. Unable to be merciful, while he was just, he would have