who might remember that he received the crown through their hands. Overlooking many, who would have been ambitious of this high honour, they made choice of Abdolonymus, whofe fingular merit had rendered him confpicuous, even in the vale of obfcurity. Though remotely related to the royal family, a series of misfortunes had reduced him to the neceffity of cultivating a garden, for a small stipend, in the suburbs of the city.

While Abdolonymus was bufily employed in weeding his garden, the two friends of Hephestion, bearing in their hands the enfigns of royalty, ap proached him, and faluted him king. They informed him that Alexander had appointed him to that office; and required him immediately to exchange his ruftic garb, and utenfils of husbandry, for the regal robe and fceptre. At the fame time, they admonished him, when he fhould be feated on the throne, and have a nation in his power, not to forget the humble condition from which he had been raised.

All this, at the firft, appeared to Abdolonymus as an illusion of the fancy, or an infult offered to his poverty. He requested them not to trouble him farther with their impertinent jefts; and to find fome other way of amufing themselves, which might leave him in the peaceable enjoyment of his obfcure habitation.-At length, however, they convinced him, that they were serious in their propofal; and prevailed upon him to accept tae regal office, and accompany them to the palace.

No fooner was he in poffeffion of the government, than pride and envy created him enemies; who whispered their murmurs in every place, till

at laft they reached the ear of Alexander. He commanded the new-elected prince to be fent for; and required of him, with what temper of mind he had borne his poverty. "Would to Heaven," replied Abdolonymus, "that I may be able to bear my crown with equal moderation: for when I poffeffed little, I wanted nothing: thefe hands supplied me with whatever I defired." From this anfwer, Alexander formed fo high an idea of his wisdom, that he confirmed the choice which had been made; and annexed a neighbouring province to the government of Sidon.

QUINTUS CURTIUS.

SECTION XXIV.

The Speech of Fabricius, a Roman Ambassadour, to King Pyrrhus, who attempted to bribe him to his Interefts, by the offer of a great Sum of Money.

WITH regard to my poverty, the king has, indeed, been justly informed. My whole estate confifts in a houfe of but mean appearance, and a little spot of ground; from which, by my own labour, I draw my fupport. But if, by any means, thou haft been perfuaded to think that this poverty renders me of lefs confequence in my own country, or in any degree unhappy, thou art greatly deceived. I have no reason to complain of fortune: fhe supplies me with all that nature requires; and if I am without fuperfluities, I am also free from the defire of them. With thefe, I confefs I should be more able to fuccour the neceffitous, the only advantage for which the wealthy are to

be envied; but fmall as my poffeffions are, I can still contribute fomething to the support of the state, and the affiftance of my friends. With respect to honours, my country places me, poor as I am, upon a level with the richeft: for Rome knows no qualifications for great employments, but virtue and ability. She appoints me to officiate in the most auguft ceremonies of religion; the intrufts me with the command of her armies; the confides to my care the most important negocia tions. My poverty does not leffen the weight and influence of my counfels in the fenate. The Ro man people honour me for that very poverty which King Pyrrhus confiders as a difgrace. They know the many opportunities I have had to enrich myfelf, without cenfure; they are convinced of my difinterested zeal for their profperity: and if I have any thing to complain of, in the return they make me, it is only the excefs of their applause. What value, then, can I put upon thy gold and filver? What king can add any thing to my fortune? Always attentive to discharge the duties incumbent upon me, I have mind free from felf

reproach; and I have an honest fame.

SECTION XXV.

Character of James I. King of England.

NO PRINCE, fo little enterprifing and fo inof fenfive, was ever fo much expofed to the oppofite extremes of calumny and flattery, of fatire and panegyric. And the factions which began in his time, being still continued, have made his character:

be as much difputed to this day, as is commonly that of princes who are our contemporaries. Many virtues, however, it must be owned, he was poffeffed of; but not one of them pure, or free from the contagion of the neighbouring vices. His generosity bordered on profufion, is learning on pedantry, his pacific difpofition on pufillanimity," his wifdom on cunning, his friendship on light fancy and boyish fondness. While he imagined that he was only maintaining his own authority, he may perhaps be fufpected in fome of his actions, and still more of his pretenfions, to have encroached on the liberties of his people. While he endeavoured, by an exact neutrality, to acquire the good-will of all his neighbours, he was able to preferve fully the esteem and regard of none. His capacity was confiderable, but fitter to difcourfe on general maxims, than to conduct any intricate bufinefs.

His intentions were juft, but more adapted to the conduct of private life, than to the govern ment of kingdoms. Awkward in his perfon, and ungainly in his manners, he was ill qualified to command respect: partial and undifcerning in his affections, he was little fitted to acquire general love. Of a feeble temper, more than of a frugal judgment; expofed to our ridicule from his vanity, but exempt from our hatred by his freedom

from pride and arrogance. And, upon the whole, it may be pronounced of his character, that all his qualities were fullied with weakness, and embellished by humanity. Political courage he was certainly devoid of; and from thence chiefly is derived the ftrong prejudice, which prevails against

his perfonal bravery: an inference, however, which muft be owned, from general experience, to be extremely fallacious.

SECTION XXVI.

HUME.

Charles V. Emperour of Germany, refigns his Dominions, and retires from the World.

THIS great Emperour, in the plenitude of his power, and in poffeffion of all the honours which can flatter the heart of man, took the extraordinary refolution, to refign his kingdoms; and to withdraw entirely from any concern in business or the affairs of this world, in order that he might spend the remainder of his days in retirement and folitude. Though it requires neither deep reflection, nor extraordinary difcernment, to difcover that the state of royalty is not exempt from cares and disappointments; though moft of thofe who are exalted to a throne, find folicitude, and fatiety, and difguft, to be their perpetual attendants, in that envied pre-eminence; yet, to defcend voluntarily from the fupreme to a fubordinate ftation, and to relinquish the poffeffion of power in order to attain the enjoyment of happiness, seems to be an effort too great for the human mind. Several inftances, indeed, occur in hiftory, of monarchs who have quitted a throne, and have ended their days in retirement. But they were either weak princes, who took this refolution rafhly, and repented of it as foon as it was taken; or unfortu nate princes, from whofe hands fome ftrong rival had wrefted their fceptre, and compelled them to