nothing to relate. They were engaged in frequent wars with the small states adjoining their territories, particularly with the Messenians, but not at first very successfully. One one occasion of war with the Argives, to avoid the effusion of blood, it was agreed to decide the contest by three hundred persons on either side, the armies both retiring. The six hundred champions fought till but two remained on the one side and but one on the other. The victorious two retiring from the field to make known their triumph, the wounded Spartan who remained, arose from the ground, and erecting a trophy of the spoils of the slain, claimed the victory because he kept possession of the field: from this a new dispute arose, which gave occasion to another war.

Some time in this interval a new sort of magistracy was established in Sparta, termed Ephori, five in number, whose concern it was to govern the state when the kings were absent in the wars. They were chosen annually from the people, sometimes among the very worst and lowest, and had almost absolute power over the kings themselves, whom they might bring to account and punish for any breach of the laws.

With the aid of the Delphic Oracle and various stratagems, the Spartans, after the lapse of many reigns, succeeded in vanquishing the Messenians, and made slaves of all but some who fled to Sicily, and there founded the city of Messene, afterwards famous in history. On another occasion, a certain party becoming troublesome to the state, were expatriated and removed to Italy, where they founded the city of Tarentum. By such means were the islands and shores of the Mediterranean successively peopled. Waging perpetual wars, but never much extending their territories, nor desiring to increase their possessions, we must now leave the Spartans, understanding them to remain in the same condition up to the period of which we have been writing, under kings to whose reigns we can affix no certain dates,

and whose doubtful actions have not been worth recording.

Other Grecian states, as we have already mentioned, there were many; but none of which the history need as yet begin; nor did they indeed rise into much importance till Sparta began to decline.

We have thus seen that Sparta preceded Athens many centuries in its permanent legislative establish

ment. In comparing one with the other, we cannot but be struck with the contrast of character in the laws of Solon and Lycurgus, producing equal contrast in the character of the people. The greater mildness and humanity of Solon's institutions must surely claim for them the preference; and to make virtuous and happy citizens was at least a wiser purpose than to make brave and unvanquishable heroes. But Solon's laws were never observed so strictly and so uninterruptedly as those of Lycurgus; therefore, while the latter did succeed in making a nation of unequalled warriors, the former did not succeed in making a virtuous or a happy people, for such we cannot consider the Athenians to have been; or if so at all, but for a very short period. Both nations are very extraordinary, when we consider the greatness of their fame and the very small extent of their territories. The history of the world will afford us nothing like it.

REFLECTIONS

ON SELECT PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE.

What woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece doth not light a candle and sweep the house, and seek diligentlg till she find it?-LUKE XV. 8.

WHO but Christ himself, who knew his own most gracious purposes had ventured to draw such a comparison as this-who had ventured to suppose he would

us.

seek a sinner as a treasure of his own, with all the care and all the earnestness of one who is the loser till he find what has been missing. When we are gone away from serving him, it might be supposed he would not miss us: or if his anger marked our defection, he would not for his own sake heed that we were gone. It might be supposed he would wait our return with indifference at least, and when we came would need much entreaty to receive So reason suggests, and so some falsely teach. But very differently is his own account of the matter. He seeks his lost creature as a treasure of his own: when he misses him from among his jewels, he puts aside what he has to go in search of what is lost. He does not give it up speedily as little worth the pains-he seeks diligently, and he never ceases till his treasure is regained. O Lord! is it possible thou canst so value us unworthy, us ungrateful, unprofitable, that thou shouldst speak as if it were thy concern, not ours, that we be saved? As if so far from being unwilling to receive us when we bethink ourselves to return to thee, thou wilt even come after us, search for us in the midst of our thoughtlessness, and folly, and sin, take trouble about us, and when thou hast succeeded in bringing us to repentance, bid Heaven itself rejoice with thee as if the gain were thine? Thou hast said so, or who had dared to guess it? Most sweet and holy consolation is there in the saying, for surely, though we are lost, thou wilt find us; though we have strayed, thou wilt fetch us back; though for a season we be in this world's midnight darkness, thou wilt bring thy own light in search of us.

From whence can a man satisfy these with bread here in the wilderness?-MARK viii. 4.

STRIKING and beautiful emblem, whether it was meant as such or not, of man's condition in this desart world. Whence can they be satisfied? The utmost it contains will not do, but that is more than any one can have thousands and tens of thousands must divide the

:

miserable pittance. Some for a little while seem to have enough; they have the thing they sought and chosebut it goes, and what can suffice them then? Whence can they be satisfied, who have lost what they delight in, and parted from what they love? Whence can they be satisfied, who, possessing all that earth can give, or desire can reach after, sicken over their abundance and grow sated with the feast? And they who have not and cannot have the promise of their life's best hopes, the heartsick children of disappointment and disgust, whence can they be satisfied? And beside all these there is a train more hungry far than all; who, if they had whatever earth can give, would cast it from them as an empty shadow, insufficient to appease the whispers of an awakened conscience-whence can they all be satisfied? In this world's wilderness it is impossible by any natural means. The left and forsaken may be comforted, the despoiled may be repossessed, the sated appetite may find a stimulus, the disappointed may renew their hopes, the wounded conscience may be medicated; but it cannot be without the interference of supernal power; ever they be satisfied, it must be from Heaven.

if

Faisons le bien pendant que nous en avons le temps. Une nuit viendra pendant laquelle personne ne peut agir.-GAL. vi. 20.

Le temps est precieux; mais on n'en connoît pas le prix; on le connoîtra quand il n'y aura plus lieu d'en profiter. Nos amis nous le demandent comme si ce n'étoit rien; et nous le donnons de même. Souveut il nous est à charge; nous ne savons qu'en faire et nous en sommes embarrassés. Un jour viendra qu'un quart d'heure nous paroîtra plus estimable et plus désirable que toutes les fortunes de l'univers. Dieu, libéral et magnifique dans tout le reste, nous apprend, par la sage économie de sa providence, combien nous devons être circonspects sur le bon usage du temps, puis qu'il ne nous en donne jamais deux instans ensemble, et qu'il

ne nous accorde le second qu'en retirant le premier, et qu'en retenant le troisième dans sa main avec une entière incertitude si nous l'aurons. Le temps nous est donné pour ménager l'éternité: et l'éternité ne sera pas trop longue pour regretter la perte du temps, si nous en avons abusé.

Toute notre vie est à Dieu, aussi-bien que tout notre cœur. L'un et l'autre ne sont pas trop pour lui. Il ne nous les a donnés que pour l'aimer et pour le servir. Ne lui en dérobons rien. Nous ne pouvons pas à tous momens faire de grandes choses, mais nous en pouvons toujours faire de convenables à notre état. Se taire, souffrir, prier quand nous ne sommes pas obligé d'agir extérieurement, c'est beaucoup offrir à Dieu. Un contre-temps, une contradiction, un murmure, une importunité, une parole injuste reçue et soufferte dans la vue de Dieu, valent bien une demi-heure d'oraison, et on ne perd pas le temps, quand, en le perdant, on pratique la douceur et la patience. Mais pour cela il faut que cette perte soit inévitable, et que nous ne nous la procurions pas par notre faute. Ainsi réglez vos jours, et rachetez le temps, comme dit St. Paul, en fuyant le monde, et en abandonnant au monde des biens qui ne valent pas le temps qu'ils nous ôtent. Quittez les amusemens, les correspondances inutiles, les épanchemens de cœur qui flattent l'amour-propre, les conversations qui dissipent l'esprit, et qui ne conduisent à rien. Vous trouverez du temps pour Dieu; et il n'y en a de bien employé que celui qui est employé pour lui.

FENELON.

And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness. DEUT. viii. 2.

MOSES spake these words to Hebrews, who after forty years of miraculous delivery through the perils of the wilderness, mistrusted Him who was their guide, and doubted the hand that led them. It is repeated to