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they had withheld as a corps de reserve. .....Wretches were suborned for the purpose of proving, that I was not the son of Stratonicus....that he had adopted me to supply the want of an heir to his fortunes, finding me endowed with talents to support his dignities........... The law, therefore, allowed me no claim of inheritance.

This last stroke of villainy completed my ruin.......My pretended friends deserted me.......I stood alone,.....but met my fate unmoved.......and undismayed.

My high spirit rose in proportion as the Athenians strove to humble my pride.........I smiled contemptuously on splendid misery...resigned the gorgeous trappings of my birthright without a sigh......and contented myself with the possession of those innate virtues which no Republican intrigues.........or Athenian decrees......could strip me of

I pitied the people, whose vanity gave them a presumed authority over all the world, while they suffered themselves to be imposed upon.....like weak fools......by a disgraceful association of designing knaves.

When I mounted the rostrum...... I could perceive, by the countenances of many, that they expected I should justify myself fully.....and that I should employ all the severity in my defence, which the laws of retaliation warranted.

They were mistaken.

The only sentiment I felt was indignation...I scorned to employ a rhetoric, in which I was supposed to be skilled.... and restricted myself to truth on my own deservings from them....to sarcasm on their grateful returns to me.

I concluded by saying,

"Your ingratitude may impoverish "....but cannot debase me ;...you aspire

"to greatness.......without aiming at "virtue.....you boast your freedom,.... "while you are forging fetters for

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your own neck.......and you deserve

slavery....because you would enslave "others.......Your inordinate ambition "has nearly ran its race..........and you "will enjoy the pitiful reputation of being the most active buffoons in the " world.

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"This......Oh, Athenians,.......is my "reply!......I am in your power........if "" you wish my

death........commission "me with some message to the good "Socrates, whom you have dispatched "before me......If you only wish to "banish me.....I will retire to a better. "corner of the world.....where virtue will be respected, and revered in obscurity.

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Those who desired to see me humbled, were not much gratified by this speech.

On casting up the votes....the judges decreed one half of my fortunes to the state.......and the remaining half to my

accusers.

I left Athens the same moment.

All my gay prospects..........from the time I was taken from under the cypress tree by my father, to the present time, .....flashed like a dream........across my mind.

I was despoiled of affluence.........but was rich in experience,.........and I now resolved to execute a plan.......I had meditated at Delphos........of exploring the eastern Philosophy..........of introducing myself to the Magi of India..... where I hoped to find wisdom and virtue.

The execution of this plan was however frustrated by an event.........as unforeseen as calamitous.

END OF VOL. II.

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