ing the sculptures, which, with lavish profusion and consummate art, glowed and burned upon the pedestal, the swelling sides, the rim and handles of the vase, and covered the broad and golden plain upon which it stood. I happily was near it, being seated opposite Aurelian, and on the inner side of the table, which, as the custom now is, was of the form of a bent bow, so that I could study at my leisure the histories and fables that were wrought over its whole surface. Julia and Livia, being also near it on the other side of the table, were in the same manner wholly absorbed in the same agreeable task.

Livia, being quite carried out of herself by this sudden and unexpected splendor- having evidently no knowledge of its approachlike a girl, as she still is, in her natural, unpremeditated movements, rose from her couch, and eagerly bent forward toward the vase, the better to scan its beauties, saying, as she did so :

'The emperor must himself stand answerable for all breaches of order, under circumstances like these. Good friends, let all who will freely approach, and, leaving for a moment that of Bacchus, drink at the fountain of Beauty.' Whereupon, all who were so disposed gathered round the centre of the table.

'This,' said Varus, both for size, and the perfect art lavished upon it, surpasses the glories fabled of the buckler of Minerva, whose fame has reached us.'

'You say right; it does so,' said the emperor. That dish of Vitellius was inferior in workmanship, as it was less in weight and size, than this, which, before you all, I here name THE CUP OF LIVIA.' Let us fill again from it, and drink to the empress of all the

world.'

All sprang in eager haste to comply with a command that carried with it its own enforcement.

'Whatever,' continued the emperor, when our cups had been drained, may have been the condition of art in other branches of it, in the time of that emperor, there was no one then whose power over the metals, or whose knowledge of forms, was comparable with that of our own Demetrius; for this, be it known, is the sole work of the Roman and yet, to speak more truly, it must be said the Greek Demetrius, aided by his brother from the east, who is now with him. Let the music cease; we need that disturbance no more; and call in the brothers Demetrius. These are men who honor any age and any presence.'

The brothers soon entered; and never were princes or ambassadors greeted with higher honor. All seemed to contend which should say the most flattering and agreeable thing. Slaves,' cried the emperor, a couch and cups for the Demetrii.

The brothers received all this courtesy with the native ease and dignity which ever accompany true genius. There was no offensive boldness nor presuming vanity, but neither was there any shrinking cowardice nor timidity. They felt that they were men not less distinguished by the gods than many or most of those in whose presence they were, and they were sufficient to themselves. The Roman Demetrius resembles much his brother of Palmyra, but in both form and countenance possesses beauty of a higher order. His look is

contemplative and inward; his countenance pale and yet dark; his features even and exactly shaped, like a statue; his hair short and black; his dress, as was that of him of Palmyra, of the richest stuffs, and showing that wealth had become their reward as well as fame. 'Let us,' cried the emperor, in full cups drawn from the Livian fount, do honor to ourselves, and the arts, by drinking to the health of Demetrius of Palmyra and Demetrius of Rome.' Every cup was filled and drained. We owe you thanks,' then added Aurelian, that you have completed this great work at the time promised, though I fear it has been to your own cost, for the paleness of your cheeks speaks not of health.'

The work,' replied the Roman Demetrius, 'could not have been completed but for the timely and effectual aid of my eastern brother, to whose learned hand, quicker in its execution than my own, you are indebted for the greater part of the sculptures upon both the bowl and dish.'

It is true, noble emperor,' said the impetuous brother, my hand is the quicker of the two, and in some parts of this work, especially in whatever pertains to the east, and to the forms of building or of vegetation, or costume seen chiefly or only there, my knowledge was perhaps more exact and minute than his; but let it be received, that the head that could design these forms, and conceive and arrange these histories, and these graceful ornaments to my mind more fruitful of genius than all else- observe you them? have you scanned them all?-belongs to no other than Demetrius of Rome. In my whole hand there resides not the skill that is lodged in one of his fingers nor in my whole head the power that lies behind one of his eyes.'

The enthusiasm of the eastern brother called up a smile upon the faces of all, and a blush upon the white cheek of the Roman.

'My brother is younger than I,' he said, 'and his blood runs quicker. All that he says, though it be a picture of the truest heart ever lodged in man, is yet to be taken with abatement. But for him, this work would have been far below its present merit. Let me ask you especially to mark the broad border where is set forth the late triumph, and ambassadors, captives, and animals of all parts of the earth, especially of the east, are seen in their appropriate forms and habits. That is all from the chisel of my brother. Behold here' and rising he approached the vase, and vast as it was, by a touch -so was it constructed turned it round-behold here, where is figured the queen of ' In the enthusiasm of art, he had forgotten for a moment to whom he was speaking, for at that instant his eye fell upon the countenance of Julia, who stood near him, and which he saw cast down by an uncontrollable grief. He paused, confused and grieved- saying, as he turned back the vase: ‘Ah me! cruel and indiscreet! Pardon me, noble ladies! and yet I deserve it not.'

Go on, go on, Demetrius,' said Julia, assuming a cheerful air. 'You offend me not. The course of empire must have its way; individuals are but emmets in the path. I am now used to this, believe me. It is for you rather, and the rest, to forgive in me a sudden

weakness.'

Demetrius, thus commanded, resumed, and then with minuteness, with much learning and eloquence, discoursed successively upon the histories or emblematic devices of this the chief work of his hands. All were sorry when he ceased.

" To what you have overlooked,' said Aurelian, as he paused, 'must I call you back, seeing it is that part of the work which I most esteem, and in which at this moment I and all, I trust, are most interested the sculptures upon the platter; and which represent the new temple and ceremonies of the dedication, which to-morrow we celebrate.'

'Of this,' replied Demetrius, 'I said less, because perhaps the work is inferior, having been committed, our time being short, to the hands of a pupil - a pupil, however, I beg to say, who, if the Divine Providence spare him, will one day, and that not a remote one, cast a shadow upon his teachers.'

That will he,' said the brother; Flaccus is full of the truest inspiration.'

But to the dedication - the dedication,' interrupted the hoarse voice of Fronto.

Demetrius started and shrunk backward a step at that sound, but instantly recovered himself, and read into an intelligible language many of the otherwise obscure and learned details of the sculpture. As he ended, the emperor said:

'We thank you, Demetrius, for your learned lecture, which has given a new value to your work. And now, while it is in my mind, let me bespeak, as soon as leisure and inclination shall serve, a silver statue gilded of Apollo, for the great altar, which to-morrow will scarce be graced with such a one as will agree with the temple and its other ornaments.'

Demetrius, as this was uttered, again started, and his countenance became of a deadly paleness. He hesitated a moment, as if studying how to order his words so as to express least offensively an offensive truth. On the instant I suspected what the truth was; but I was wholly unprepared for it. I had received no intimation of such a thing.

'Great emperor,' he began, 'I am sorry to say - and yet not - that I cannot now as once labor for the decoration of the temples and their worship. I am-'

sorry

'Ye gods of Rome!-'cried Fronto.

'Peace,' said the emperor, 'let him be heard. How say you?' 'I am now a Christian, and I hold it not lawful to bestow my power and skill in the workmanship of gods, in whom I believe not, and thus become the instrument of an erroneous faith in others.'

This was uttered firmly but with modesty. The countenance of the emperor was overclouded for a moment. But it partially cleared up again as he said:

'I lay not, Demetrius, the least constraint upon you. The four years that I have held this power in Rome, have been years of freedom to my people in this respect. Whether I have done well in that for our city and the empire, many would doubt. I almost doubt myself.'

'That would they, by Hercules!' said the soft voice of Varus, just at my ear, and intended chiefly for me.

'My brother,' said Demetrius, 'will be happy to execute for the emperor the work which he has been pleased to ask of me. He remains steadfast in the faith in which he was reared; the popular faith of Athens.'

'Apollo,' said Demetrius of Palmyra, is my especial favorite among all the gods, and of him I have wrought more statues in silver, gold, or ivory, or of these variously and curiously combined, than of all the others. If I should be honored in this labor, I should request to adopt the marble image now standing in the baths of Caracalla, and once, it is said, the chief wonder of Otho's palace of wonders, as a model after which, with some deviations, to mould it. I think I could make that that should satisfy Aurelian and Rome.'

'Do it, do it,' said the emperor, 'and let it be seen that the worshipper of his country's gods is not behind him who denies them, in his power to do them honor.'

'I shall not sleep,' said the enthusiastic artist, 'till I have made a model in wax at least of what at this moment presents itself to my imagination,' Saying which, with little ceremony - as if the empire depended upon his reaching on the instant his chalk and waxand to the infinite amusement of the company, he rose and darted from the apartment, the slaves making way as for a missile that it might be dangerous to obstruct.

But in what way,' said Aurelian, turning to the elder Demetrius, 'have you been wrought upon to abandon the time-honored religion of Rome? Methinks the whole world is becoming of this per

suasion.'

'If I may speak freely'

'With utmost freedom,' said Aurelian.

'I may then say, that ever since the power to reflect upon matters so deep and high had been mine, I had doubted first the truth of the popular religion, and then soon rejected it, as what brought to me neither comfort nor hope, and was burdened with things essentially incredible and monstrous. For many years, many weary years for the mind demands something positive in this quarter, it cannot remain in suspense, and vacant - I was without belief. Why it was so long before I turned to the Christians, I know not, unless because of the reports which were so common to their disadvantage, and the danger which has so often attended a profession of their faith. At length, in a fortunate hour, there fell into my hands the sacred books of the Christians, and I needed little beside to show me that theirs is a true and almighty faith, and that all that is current in the city to its dishonor, is false and calumnious. I am now happy, not only as an artist and a Roman, but as a man and an immortal.' 'You speak earnestly,' said Aurelian.

I feel so,' replied Demetrius, a generous glow lighting up his pale

countenance.

'Would,' rejoined the emperor, 'that some of the zeal of these Christians might be infused into the sluggish spirits of our own people. The ancient faith suffers through neglect, and the prevailing impiety of those who are its disciples.'

'May it not rather be,' said Fronto, that the ancient religion of the state, having so long been neglected by those who are its appointed guardians, to the extent that even Judaism, and now Christianity which are but disguised forms of Atheism-have been allowed to insinuate and entrench themselves in the empire, the gods now in anger turn away from us, who have been so unfaithful to ourselves, and thus this plausible impiety is permitted to commit its havocs. I believe the gods are ever faithful to the faithful.' 'What good citizen, too,' added Varus, but must lament to witness the undermining and supplanting of those venerable forms under which this universal empire has grown to its present height of power? He is scarcely a Roman, who denies the gods of Rome, however observant he may be of her laws and other institutions. Religion is her greatest law.'

These are hard questions,' said the emperor. For know you not that some of our noblest, and fairest, and most beloved, have written themselves followers of this Gallilean God? How can we deal sharply with a people at whose head stands the head of the noble house of the Pisos, and a princess of the blood of Palmyra?"

Although Aurelian uttered these words in a manner almost sportive to the careless ear, yet I confess myself to have discovered at the moment an inward expression of the countenance, and a tone in the voice, which for the time gave me uneasiness. I was about to speak, when the venerable Tacitus addressed the emperor and said:

'I can never think it wise to interfere with violence in the matter of men's worship. It is impossible, I believe, to compel mankind to receive any one institution of religion, because different tribes of men, different by nature and by education, will and do demand, not the same, but different forms of belief and worship. Why should they be alike in this, while they separate so widely in other matters ? and can it be a more hopeful enterprise to oblige them to submit to the same rules in their religion, than it would be to compel them to feed on the same food, and use the same forms of language or dress? I know that former emperors have thought and acted differently. They have deemed it a possible thing to restore the ancient unity of worship, by punishing with severity, by destroying the lives even of such as should dare to think for themselves. But their conduct is not to be defended, either as right in itself or best for the state. It has not been true, as policy. For is it not evident, how oppression of those who believe themselves to be possessed of truth important to mankind, serves but to bind them the more closely to their opinions? Are they, for a little suffering, to show themselves such cowards as to desert their own convictions, and prove false to the interests of multitudes? Rather, say they, let us rejoice in such a cause to bear reproach. This is the language of our nature. Nay, such persons come to prize suffering, to make it a matter of pride and boasting. Their rank among themselves is by-and-by determined by the readiness with which they offer themselves as sacrifices for truth and God. Are such persons to be deterred by threats, or the actual infliction of punishment?'

The error has been,' here said the evil-boding Fronto, that the infliction of punishment went not to the extent that is indispensable