260

BEAUTIFUL EXPERIMENT.-SYRACUSE.

or society is much known by the time of keeping up this festival. Some extravagant and reckless persous have even spent their all on this festive occasion. The occasional disappointment in this blindfold bargain reminds one of Rachel and Leah. No Persian would marry a woman who had been subjected to the gaze of other men. I knew an instance of a khan that offered as much as a thousand tomauns to her father, to be allowed to see his bride elect, which was refused. It is deemed absolute pollution. But under this veiled mystification, mistakes have sometimes occurred of marrying the wrong woman.-Three Years in Persia.

BEAUTIFUL EXPERIMENT.-The following beautiful chemical experiment may easily be performed by a lady, to the great astonishment of the circle of her tea party.

Take two or three blades of red cabbage, cut or tear them into small bits, put them into a basin, and pour a pint of boiling water on them; let it stand an hour, and then decant the liquid into a glass bottle; it will be a fine violet color. Then take four wine glasses; into one put two or three drops of sulphuric acid, or five or six drops of strong vinegar; into another, put five or six drops of solution of alum; into a third put a few drops of solution of soda, and let the fourth glass remain empty. Fill the glasses from the bottle, and the liquid poured into the glass containing the acid will quickly change color, and become a beautiful red; that into the glass containing soda a fine green, and that containing the alum a fine purple, while that poured into the empty one will of course remain unchanged. By adding a little vinegar to the green, it will immediately change to red; and by adding a little of the solution of the soda to the red, it will assume a fine green, thus showing the effect of acids and alkalis on vegetable blues.

[Written for the Yourg Lady's Friend.]

SYRACUSE.

(See plate.)

Sicily is an island of the Mediterranean, and is situated at the southern extremity of Italy. Syracuse was a famous city of this island, and was founded by a Corinthian colony about 732 years before Christ.

So rapidly did this young colony grow, that when Xerxes, about 500 years B. C., with his innumerable armies and fleets was about to invade Greece a deputation was sent to Gelon, governor of Syracuse, to ask his assistance to withstand the mighty mass of barbaric power. Gelon offered Greece, a fleet, 20,000 heavy armed infantry, 2000 cavalry and 6000 archers,

provided he should be placed in command. The haughty Greeks replied, we want warriors; generals we have at home."

66

Soon after this, Xerxes stirred up the Carthaginians to attack and subjugate the Greek colonies upon the coasts of Sicily and Italy. Gelon went to the succor of these brave people when they had been reduced to great distress, with an army of 50,000 infantry and 8000 cavalry. He attacked the army of the Carthaginians, although it was four times as numerous as his own, and commanded by generals of great reputation, and destroyed it in one of the greatest battles, which, till that time, had ever been fought in Europe. One hundred and fifty thousand Carthaginians were killed, and the ›remainder of the army, 60,000 men, cut off from their resources and vanquished by hunger, gave themselves up as prisoners. The fleet of 1400 vessels was destroyed by fire. On the very same day on which this victory was obtained, Leonidas, with 300 Spartans, poured out their blood at the pass of Thermopylae, a voluntary sacrifice for their country.

In peace, Gelon turned his whole attention to the incrcase in wealth and happiness of his people. He drained the marshes, and thus changed them to fertile land, and encouraged the people to turn their attention to agriculture and not to war. Toward the close of his life, he called a meeting of the people, and, going to it unarmed and without attendants, called upon any one who could accuse him of an unjust action, to take vengeance on him. He died in a good old age greatly beloved and reverenced, and was succeeded by Hiero, his younger brother, whose court was adorned by Simonides, Pindar and the most celebrated poets and philosophers of the times.

Hiero was succeeded by the tyrant Thrasybulus, but was dethroned by the people, who restored the republic and preserved their liberty, for sixty years. The city flourished in increasing splendor. At this time Athens attempted to humble the pride of Syracuse, which aspired to rival the ancient city. Under Alcibiades they besieged Syracuse with a large army for several years. At length the plague broke out in the Athenian army and destroyed two-thirds of it. One of the battles cost them 18,000 lives, and 7,000, including the generals, were taken prisoners and sold as slaves. In this enterprize 250,000 men perished.

Although rid of the Athenians, Syracuse did not enjoy rest. Internal disputes unceasingly turned the streets into battle fields. Seventy years passed in this way, when Dionysius obtained the reigns of government. This was 406 B. C. Syracuse at this time, was equal in greatness and riches to Rome, Athens and Carthage, divided into four different cities separated by bastions and trenches, their walls were ten hours in circumference and embraced 150,000 buildings. The population exceeded a million, and the soldiers were more than 200,000.

Dionysius, who established his throne by treason and popular influence, was the son of a fisherman, a man of great ability, of high ambition and well qualified to rule. The Carthaginians made war against him three times, during which, more than fifty flourishing cities were destroyed and more than two millions of men were sacrificed.

Dionysius was succeeded by his son, Dionysius. It was during his reign that Plato flourished. He was for a season, a member of the court. Carthage renewed the war against Syracuse. At the request of Syracuse, Greece sent Timoleon with 60,000 men, who defeated the Carthaginians with great slaughter.

About 335 B. C., Sosistratus seized the supreme power. He [was an aristocrat and a traitor to his country. He was followed by Agathocles who was a reckless and bloody tyrant. He killed 4,000 of the nobility and principal men, and by the confiscation of their estates obtained the means of supporting himself permanently on his throne. Thirty thousand Syracusians at one time died by his order, under the hands of the executioner. He at length died by the hands of his wicked grandson. Tyrant after tyrant succeeded for the space of 150 years, when Hiero, a descendant of Gelon, was made king and reigned fifty-four years. He was a wise and good ruler, and during his administration great prosperity prevailed and Syracuse became more beautiful than ever-the first city of the world.

In the year 212 B. C., Syracuse, after a siege of three years, fell into the hands of the Romans. The Syracusians defended themselves with great bravery and skill, being assisted by Archimedes, the celebrated mathematician, who invented ingenious and successful engines of war which hurled destruction upon the Romans. He was killed by a common soldier, while intent upon his studies, by which Marcellus was much grieved. The conquest of this city cost the lives of half a million of men. The whole island became a Roman province. Many efforts were made by different emperors to restore Syracuse to its former magnificence, but they all failed. In A. D., 1086, Roger, the Norman, count of Sicily, rescued it from the infidels.

Formerly, Syracuse had more inhabitants than the whole island now has. Notwithstanding its immense population, it sent corn to Rome, and was the granary of the metropolis of the ancient world.

The harbor of Syracuse, which was the most beautiful in the world, and capable of containing the fleets and armaments of all Europe, is now empty and partly filled up. Except a few fishing boats, vessels seldom visit it unless driven by distress of weather.

Paul, in his voyage to Rome, landed at Syracuse and tarried three days. See Acts, 28 chap. 12 verse.

LADY JANE GREY.

LADY JANE GREY.

263

From a notice in one of the English magazines, of a work, which if well executed must from its nature be very interesting, we extract the following beautifully written, and-when her fate is remembered-affecting dialogue between Lady Jane Gray and Roger Ascham.

The work of which this is an extract, is called “Imaginary Conversations between Literary Men and Statesmen," by Walter S. Landor.

Ascham.-"Thou art going, my dear young lady, into a most awful state. Thou art passing into matrimony and great wealth. God hath willed it so-submit in thankfulness.

"Thy affections are rightly placed and well distributed. Love is a secondary passion in those who love most-a primary in those who love least. He who is inspired by it in a great degree, is inspired by honor in a greater. It never reaches its plenitude of growth and perfection, but in the most exalted minds-alas! alas!"

Jane.—“ What aileth my virtuous Ascham? What is amiss? Why do I tremble?

Ascham." I see perils on perils which thou dost not see although thou art wiser than thy poor old master. And it is not because love hath blinded thee, for that surpasseth his supposed omnipotence, but it is, because thy tender heart, having always leaned affectionately on good, hath felt and known nothing of evil.

"I once persuaded thee to reflect much. Let me now persuade thee to avoid the habitude of reflection; to lay aside books; and to gaze carefully and steadfastly on what is under and before thee."

Jane." I have well bethought me of all my duties O how extensive they are! What a goodly and fair inheritance! But, tell me, wouldst thou command me never more to read Cicero and Epictetus and Polybus? The others I do resign unto thee. They are good for the arbor and for the gravel walk. But leave unto me, I beseech thee my friend and father, leave unto me for my fireside and for my pillow, truth, eloquence, courage, constancy."

Ascham." Read them on thy marriage bed; on thy childbed; on thy deathbed! Thou spotless, undrooping lily, they have fenced thee right well! These are the bright and blessed creatures, O Jane, whom God, one day, shall cause to smile upon thy chaste bosom. Mind thou thy husband."

Jane" I sincerely love the youth who hath espoused me. I love him with the fondest, the most solicitous affection. I

264

SAD REVERSE OF FORTUNE.

pray to the Almighty for his goodness and his happiness, and do forget at times-unworthy supplicaut, the prayers I should have offered for myself. O never fear that I will disparage my kind religious teacher by disobedience to my husband, in the most trying duties."

Ascham." Gentle is he, gentle and virtuous, but time will harden him; time must harden even thee, sweet Jane! Do thou complacently and indirectly, lead him from ambition." Jane." He is contented with me and with home."

Ascham." Ah Jane, Jaue! men of high estate grow tired of contentedness.'

Jane." He told me he never liked books, unless I read them to him every evening. I will open new worlds to him, richer than those discovered by the Spaniards. I will conduct him to treasures! O what treasures-on which he may sleep in innocence and peace."

Ascham." Rather do thou walk with him; ride with him; play with him; be his fairy, his page, his every thing that love and poetry have invented; but watch him well; sport with his fancies; turn them about like the ringlets around his cheeks; and if ever he meditate on power, go toss up thy baby to his brow, and bring back his thoughts into his heart by the music of thy discourse."

"Teach him to live unto God and unto thee; and he will discover that woman, like the plants in the woods, derives her softness and tenderness from the shade."

SAD REVERSE OF FORTUNE. In the small town of Maxweltown, on the banks of the Nith, Kircudbrightshire, may be seen a poor, feeble, old woman, destitute and distressed, who picks up a scanty subsistence by washing clothes. This was one of Burns's loveliest heroines, the daughter of a highly respectable gentleman in Nithsdale. Of her the poet sung

O lovely Polly Stewart!

O charming Polly Stewart!

There's not a flower that blooms in May
That's half so fair as thou art.

The flower it blows, it fades, and fa's,
And art can ne'er renew it;

But worth and truth eternal youth

Will give to Polly Stewart.

Poor Polly Stewart forgot her "worth and truth," and has sunk from the highest circles of fashion to her present abject state. Such reverses feelingly remind us of the sad vicissitudes of life. The fine gold has become dim, and the colors of poesy, romance, and beauty have faded into darkness and desolation!-Inverness Courier.