just before his exile; and it was highly applauded by the audience. But when he recited the answer of Demofthenes, his hearers redoubled their expreffions of admiration. Æfchines, fo far from feeling any emotions of envy at this second triumph of his rival, cried out with rapture, How great, my friends, would have been your tranfport, had you heard Demofthenes bimfelf deliver this oration, with thofe invincible powers of elocution, for which he is fo juftly and univerfally celebrated!

When Æfchines was condemned to banishment, Demofthenes exulted not in the victory that he had obtained; but followed his rival to the fhip in which he was to embark, and constrained him to accept of a fum of money, to defray the expences of his voyage, and to procure for him an easy settlement at Rhodes. Impressed with this affecting inftance of generofity, the exiled orator with admiration exclaimed, How deeply must I regret the lofs of a country, in which I have received fuch liberal assistance from a professed enemy, as I cannot expect

even from a friend in any other part of the

world!

CICERO.

VIRTUOUS FRIENDSHIP EXTENDS

E

BEYOND THE GRAVE.

MILIA had been flightly indifpofed feveral days; but not in fúch a manner as to confine her from the chearful fociety of her brothers and fifters. Whilft she was standing in the midft of them, a fainting fit fuddenly overpowered her; and fhe fell down, as it were lifeless, on the floor. She was foon recovered, by the tender offices of Sophronia; but the affecting image of death, which the children had seen, continued for fome time to impress their minds with forrow and terror. Alexis, in the evening, accompanied his father into the fields. The path which they pursued, led them to the banks of the Irwell; where they ftopped to contemplate its winding ftream and checquered fides. The stump of a tree, overshadowed by a neighbouring

oak,

oak, afforded them a comfortable feat; and Euphronius began to expatiate on the wisdom and goodness of Providence, in watering the earth with rivers, which flow into the fea, and are again returned in fertilifing fhowers. Alexis made no reply; and Euphronius obferving that he was loft in thought, inquired what fubject so deeply engaged his attention. The youth faid with a figh, I have been early taught to see, admire, and reverence the Deity in all his works; but more particularly in the structure of man; in his prefent enjoyments, and future expectations. The moral affections you have cultivated in my heart with affiduous care; and I have fondly believed that the exercise of them will conftitute my chief felicity through all eternity. Oh! that the pleasing delufion had been still continued! This morning I was shocked with the apparent death of my beloved Emilia; but it was fome confolation to my mind, that we should hereafter meet again; renew our fond regard; and for ever live together in the fame endearing connection which now fubfists between

us. In this hope, it feems, I was miferably mistaken. A learned divine, whose works I have just been reading, afferts with confidence, that in heaven, the virtuous of all ages, paft, prefent, and to come, will dwell together, as in one univerfal family, without perfonal partialities or diftinction.

The doctrine, I truft, is falfe, replied Euphronius, with fome emotion; for heaven, methinks, would not be fuch to me, if it were true. But I correct myself, Alexis : On a fubject of fuch uncertainty, we should speak with an awful reliance on that great Being, who perfectly knows our frame, and what will beft promote our happiness. With fuch fentiments of reverence let us pursue the interesting theme; and inquire whether reason and revelation do not justify the hope, that we shall hereafter be united to our virtuous relations and friends; and enjoy, with increafing delight, all those tender attachments, which, in the present ftate, fweeten both focial and domestic life.

One

One of the strongest arguments for the future existence of the foul, derived from the light of nature, is the dread which we feel of annihilation, and our ardent defires after immortality. Have we not the like anxiety, again to be reftored, in happier regions, to those whom, in this world, we have known, esteemed, and loved? The human understanding feems to be formed for endless improvement. The faculty of comprehenfion is daily enlarged, till the animal machine, having acquired its full vigour, fuffers the gradual decays of age: And as the Deity hath created nothing in vain, capacity may be supposed, to imply attainment, in fome other ftage of our existence.

But shall we grant to our intellectual, a privilege which we deny to our moral powers; or exclude from future growth and cultivation, the nobleft and most important endowments of the mind? The principle of benevolence is neither inconsistent with the partialities of friendship, nor with the endearments of family love; but raN 2 ther