rent of my house, five crowns, and such is my misfortune, that I have no other means to pay it, save what would break my heart, since my landlord threatens to force me to it; that is, to prostitute my only daughter, whom I have hitherto, with great care, educated in virtue.-What I beg of your eminence is, that you would please to impose your authority, and protect us from the violence of this cruel man, till, by our honest industry we can procure the money for him." The cardinal, moved with admiration at the woman's virtue and innocent modesty, bid her be of good courage; then he immediately wrote a billet, and giving it into the widow's hands, Go, said he, to my steward, and he shall deliver thee five crowns to pay thy rent. The poor woman overjoyed, and returning the cardinal a thousand thanks, gave him went directly to his steward,-and the note, which when he read, he told her out fifty crowns. She, astonished at the meaning of it, and fearing it was the steward's trick to try her honesty, refused to take above five, saying, she mentioned no more than five to the cardinal; and she was sure it was some mistake. On the other side, the steward insisted on his master's order, not daring to call it in question. But all the arguments he could use were insufficient to prevail on her Wherefore, to take more than five crowns. to end the controversy, he offered to go with her to the cardinal, and refer it to him. When they came before that munificent prince, and had fully informed him of the business ;it is true, said he, I mistook in writing fifty crowns. Give me the paper, and I will rectify it. Thereupon he wrote again; saying this to the woman, "So much candor and virtue deserves a recompence. Here I have ordered you five hundred crowns. What you can spare of it, lay up as a dowry to give with your daughter in marriage." What a mighty impression the actions of truly great men stamp on hearts sincerely addicted to virtue. The words of Louis XII. of France showed a great and noble mind; who being advised to punish those that had wronged him before he was king, answered, it is not becoming a king of France to revenge injuries done to a duke of Orleans. The conferring a happiness on any creature, is certainly the highest enjoyment of the human mind! but the paying it to an amiable and deserving object, must heighten the sentiment even to transport. An extraordinary instance of generosity in an Egyptian -A conflagration having redu ced to ashes one of the principal mosques of Cairo, the mussulmen imputed this calamity to the hatred of the Christians and, without examining if such an accusation was well founded or not, several young people ran to the quarter inhabited by Christians, and set fire to it, by way of reprisal. Such an outrage deserved the severest punishment: The governor caused the perpetrators to be apprehended; but, as the number was very great, he could not resolve to doom to death so many young persons, who were hurried into this excess more by passion than malice. As many lots were thrown into an urn as amounted to the number of culprits: some few of these were marked DEATH; and all the others condemned the drawers only to the correction of rods. When they had all drawn their lots out of the fatal urn, one of those destined to death, cried out in a transport of grief, "I do not regret the loss of life; but how will my parents, overwhelmed with sorrow, and reduced to the greatest misery, be able to live without my assistance ?" One of those that had escaped death, replied to him that was lamenting his fate: "Friend, I have neither father nor mother; my life is of no use to any one; give me your lot and take mine." The surprising sacrifice excited the admiration of every one present, and the governor who was soon informed of it, pardoned both the criminals. EVERY HONESTY. VERY man is bound to be an honest man, but all cannot be great men; he that is good is great, and if the foolish esteem him -not so, let him stand to the verdict of his own conscience. Where there may be a sufficient ground of reproach, yet an honest man is always tender of his neighbor's character, from the sense of his own frailty. An honest man lives not to the world, but to himself. A wit's a feather, and a chief's a rod, There are few persons to be found, but what are more concerned for the reputation of wit and sense, than honesty and virtue. He only is worthy of esteem, that knows what is just and honest, and dares to do it; that is master of his own passions, and scorns to be slave to another's. Such an one, in the lowest poverty, is a far better man, and merits more respect, than those gay things, who owe all their greatness, and reputation to their rentals and revenues. Tricks and treachery are the practice of fools, that have not sense enough to be honest. They who have an honest and engaging look, ought to suffer double punishment if they belie it in their actions. Honesty is silently commended even by the practice of the most wicked; for their deceit is under its color. The Dutch have a good proverb, "Thefts never enrich; alms never impoverish; prayers hinder no work." It is not so painful to an honest man to want money, as to owe it. The want of justice is not only condemned, but the want of mercy. The rich man went to hell for not relieving Lazarus, though he wronged him not. There is nothing in the world worth being a knave for. The difference there is between honor and honesty, seems to be chiefly in the motive; the mere honest man does that from duty, which the man of honor does for the sake of character. To others do, what you from them expect, Nor ever this, the sum of law, neglect. The more honesty a man has, the less he affects the air of a saint-the affectation of sanctity, is a blotch on the face of piety. I |