Six

tacking the main body of the enemy in flank, threw them into irretrievable confufion. thoufand Perfians perifhed on the fpot, and amongst the reft the traitor Hippias, the principal occafion of the war. The reft of the Perfian army quickly fled, and abandoned to the victors their camp full of riches.

Thus the Athenians obtained a victory, more real than probable. Animated by their fuccefs they purfued the Perfians to their very ships, of which they took seven, and set fire to feveral more.

On this occafion, one Cynegirus, an Athenian, after performing prodigies of valour in the field, endeavoured to prevent a particular galley from putting to fea, and for that purpofe held it faft with his right hand: when his right hand was cut off, he then feized the galley with his left, which being likewife cut off, he took hold of it with his teeth, and kept it fo till he died.

Another foldier, all covered over with the blood of the enemy, ran to announce the victory at Athens, and after crying out, Rejoice, we are conquerors," fell dead in the prefence of his fel

low-citizens.

The

men.

The Greeks, in this engagement, loft only 200 Ariftides and Themiftocles diftinguished themselves very highly in the battle; but Miltiades gained the chief glory. As a reward for his extraordinary merits, and to perpetuate the memory of his fkill and bravery, they caufed a picture to be painted by Polygnotus, one of the most celebrated artifts, where Miltiades was reprefented, at the head of the ten commanders, exhorting the foldiers, and fetting them an example of their duty. This picture was preferved for many ages, with other paintings of the best mafters, in the portico, where Zeno afterwards inftituted his fchool of philofophy.

A

ANECDOTE

OF AN

ATTORNEY AND HIS CLIENT.

Late popular character, when very young, was a candidate for Berwick upon Tweed; and being returned, preferred a petition to the Houfe of Commons, retaining a certain eminent council, with a fee of fifty guineas. Juft before this business was about to come into the House, the barrifter, who had in the interval changed his political

G 2

political fentiments, fent word he could not poffibly plead. On this, the candidate immediately waited on his advocate, mildly expoftulated and remonftrated, but all in vain, he would not by any means confent either to plead or return the money; adding, with a fncer of profeffional infolence, that the law was open, and that he might have recourse, if he conceived himself injured.' "No, no, Sir," replied the fpirited client, “I was weak enough to give you a fee, but I am not quite fool enough to go to law with you; as I perceive my whole fortune may be wafted in retaining fees alone, before I find one honeft barrister to plead for me. I have therefore brought my advocate in my pocket!" Then taking out a brace of piftols, he offered one to the aftonifhed counsellor; and protefted that before he quitted the room he would either have his money or fatisfaction. The money was accordingly returned; but lofing fo able an advocate, the juftice of his caufe prevented not the failure of his application.

DE

REFLECTIONS ON DEATH.

EATH is the most awful and interefting fubject on which the thoughts of man can be employed; and I have always confidered it as one

of

of the wonderful circumftances in human nature, that, notwithstanding the abfolute certainty with which every man knows that he is to die, fo great a proportion of life is paffed without thinking of it at all. It is true, the precife time and manner of it are concealed from men in general, capital convicts only having that knowledge imparted to them: and this obfcurity, at the utmost verge of our profpect, inftead of fhocking the mind as a determinate object of terror does, feems to yield and recede from its approach, and gives room for fancy to form a flender fpecious hope, which floats in the void, unlefs crufhed by a clofe examination. But it is furely ftrange, that beings of ftrong intelligence and vigorous views of futurity, fhould be kept quiet, and prevented from ftarting, by fo thin a veil.

In this, as in a thousand other inftances, we cannot but difcern, with the fulleft conviction, the wife and kind operations of Providence; which having found it neceffary that we fhould continue for a time in this flate of existence. in our progrefs to a better, difpofes our minds to receive fuch a degree of apprehenfion of death, as to make every one, not void of reflection, refolve at least to exert his endeavours in preparing for his great change; while at the fame time, prefent concerns,

by

by their immediate influence, preferve his lively and moft frequent attention.

The greatest object, if viewed at a prodigious diftance, will not affect our perceptions fo ftrongly as a much fmaller one that is near to us. Thus it is as to Death, and the comparatively little objects which occur in the courfe of our lives. We are fo framed, that what is prefent muft ever pafs upon us fo ftrongly as to render us little concerned about the future, unless we are able to counteract the natural workings of our minds by ftudied intellectual exertions and contrary habits. This is not to be done in any degree, without more than ordinary fpiritual acquirements; and fuch are the unceafing effects of mere fenfation, and its confequences, that I queftion if even the Monks of La Trappe, whofe whole time was fpent in the clofeft feclufion and filence, and exercifes of folemn meditation and piety, were able in reality to fix their thoughts upon Death during any confiderable part of each day. Their form of falutation. to each other being the only words which they were permitted to fpeak, viz. memento mori, remember to die, is a proof that they require to have their recollection occafionally awakened; as Philip of Macedon had one, who every morning, in the