without any trouble at all. How quickly would the wicked and foolish superstitions of one peo ple have passed on to others, even to those who had perhaps the knowledge of christianity, and so have led them back into error and idolatry. Diversity of language was a sort of barrier to keep these enemies away, like the barrier, which, you remember, was erected in the north of Britain to keep off the incursions of enemies of a different kind. And then again, diversity of language may have prevented one nation from acquiring undue power over another. When the Romans conquered so large a portion of the world, they tried to establish their language in various countries, in order that they might obtain greater influence over them. But they did not succeed in doing this; they could not destroy other languages, though, as in the case of our own, they in a great measure changed and improved them. And another, and the last good result I will mention from this diversity of languages is, that it encourages study, and so tends very much to intellectual improvement. The mind is greatly benefited by study of all kinds, and particularly by the exercise of comparing one language with another, and discovering in what respects they agree, and in what respects they differ. And then, those who know many languages are enabled to read a gerater variety of books, and con

verse with a greater number of persons, than those who know only their mother-tongue ;this is another great advantage in gaining knowledge. But I have said much more than I at first intended, upon this subject of language, and so now I will only ask you to remember what I told you in the beginning, -the right use of speech, and the duty of employing it in a proper way,—in words of truth and wisdom; recollecting that for every idle, as well as for every wicked word we utter, we shall hereafter be called to render an account.

Sacred interpreter of human thought,

How few respect or use thee as they ought;
Yet all shall give account of ev'ry wrong,
Who dare dishonour or misuse the tongue.

COWPER.

IX. A SCENE IN ROME, AND ITS
CONSEQUENCES.

A.D. 585-610.

Oh, how unlike the complex works of man,
Heaven's easy, artless, unencumber'd plan!
From ostentation as from weakness free,
It stands like the cerulean arch we see,

Majestic in its own simplicity.

Inscribed above the portal, from afar
Conspicuous as the brightness of a star;
Legible only by the light they give,

Stand the soul-quickening words-Believe and live.

COWPER.

LET us suppose about a hundred years to have passed away since the settlement of the Saxons in Britain. The ancient inhabitants in the western part of the country still retain their language, and their customs, and their religion. The Saxons, having taken possession of nearly all the rest of the land, and divided it into the seven kingdoms of which I told you, are enjoying all that once belonged to the Britons, and they have again filled the country with superstition and idolatry. But you must not imagine that the Britons have tamely submitted to this usurpation, and that they have made

no further effort to regain their lost territory. Battles have been fought continually between the two parties during this long period, and one native prince especially has much distinguished himself by his valour and prowess in fighting against the Saxons. This prince was named Arthur. It is said, that he fought thirty battles, and performed a great many deeds of strength and bravery; but as his history is a good deal mixed up with fable, we need not say much respecting him. We are told that he had under his command knights and soldiers as brave as himself, and that after their battles and their victories, when they gained them, they used to assemble and feast together at one table, and that table was a round one, in order that all might sit without any distinction as to places,-none was to be more or less honoured than his neighbours, but each was to have an equal share of respect and esteem. As far as we know, Arthur seems to have been a generous, as well as a brave

man.

And now let us change the scene of our story, and go a little further off. We will take a journey through part of Europe, but without stopping on our way, and fancy ourselves, in a few moments, standing in the great marketplace of Rome. What is going on there? The streets are full of people; some are busy,

and others are idle; some are talking with their neighbours, buying, selling, chatting about the news of the day, others are listlessly gazing around them, and seem to have no business to transact without any one. But apart from the rest, we may see a company of merchants, and beside them a group of children,-little boys with fair hair, and soft blue eyes, looking as if they do not belong to any of the darker inhabitants of Italy. And they are not like children in general, gay and merry and happy; they seem sad and sorrowful;-who are they, and what are they doing here?—Ah! it is no wonder if those children are sad; they have been taken away from their parents and their homes, and there they stand, captives and slaves in this strange city. The merchants have brought them here for sale.

But look again. Amongst the many persons going to and fro along those streets, there is one whose countenance is so mild and gentle we may feel sure that he is a benevolent,-a kind-hearted man; one who loves to do good, and to help and comfort those who are in distress. Perhaps he will pity those poor children. As he passes by, he sees the captive boys, he gazes on them a moment, and then he turns to the merchants, and asks," Whence come these captives?" "From the isle of Britain; is the answer. "Are those island