ALEXANDER THE THIRD OF SCOTLAND.

MAR

ARGARET, eldest daughter of Henry the Third and Eleanor of Provence, was married, when in her tenth year, to Alexander the Third, the young King of Scotland, then about twelve years old.

Henry endeavoured to persuade the young Alexander to pay him homage for the realm of Scotland; but the princely boy excused himself with good address, from the performance of this important ceremony, by replying, that he came to York to be married, not to discuss an affair, on which he, being a minor, could determine nothing, without consulting the states of his kingdom.

CATO THE YOUNGER, AND THE DEPUTY.

WHILE

HILE Cato the younger was yet a child, the Italian allies demanded to be admitted citizens of Rome. Popedius Silo, a man of great name as a soldier, and powerful among his people, had a friendship with Drusus, the uncle of Cato, and lodged a long time in his house during this application. As he was familiar with the children, he said to them one day, Come, my good children, desire your uncle to assist

us in our solicitation for the freedom. Cæpio smiled, and readily gave his promise; but Cato gave no answer. And as he was observed to look with a fixed and unkind eye upon the strangers, Popedius continued, "And you, my little man, what do you say? Will you not give your guests your interest with your uncle, as well as your brother?" Cato still refusing to answer, and appearing by his silence and his looks inclined to deny the request, Popedius took him to the window and threatened, if he would not promise, to throw him out. This he did in a harsh tone, and at the same time gave him several shakes, as if he was going to let him fall. But as the child bore this a long time without any marks of fear or concern, Popedius set him down, and said softly to his friends, "This child is the glory of Italy. I verily believe if he were a man, we should not get one vote among the people."

PATRIOTISM.

There lives nor form nor feeling in my soul,

Unborrow'd from my country.

COLERIDGE.

PATRIOTISM, or the love of country, was consi

dered by the ancient Greeks and Romans as the greatest of virtues; and every young person, on first becoming acquainted with the classical historians, feels his imagination warmed by the wonderful acts they record, of Courage, Fortitude, and Self-devotion.

In modern days, the sacrifice of a Leonidas, of a Decius, of a Curtius, is seldom demanded, and the principles of Christianity would condemn the acts of a Marcus Brutus, and of a Cato of Utica.

The love of country is still, however, a living and active principle in the mind of a good man, and in the hearts of the Great Ones of the world, to whom the happiness of millions is entrusted, it should be carefully cultivated; nor are the personal sacrifices of their

time, their ease, and their private opinions, less meritorious, or less proofs of devotedness, than the more brilliant acts recorded of the heroes of antiquity.

Alfred the Great, Queen Elizabeth, Henry the Fourth of France, and the Empress-Queen Maria Theresa, are all instances of sovereigns, who have been imbued with an habitual feeling of kindness and consideration for the welfare and happiness of their subjects a sentiment into which, perhaps, the love of country may be resolved.

PETER THE GREAT, EMPEROR OF RUSSIA.

PE

Full of great aims, and bent on bold emprize;
The work, which long he in his breast had brew'd,
Now to perform he ardent did devise;

To wit, a barbarous world to civilize.

THOMSON.

ETER the Great, on coming to the throne of Russia, at the age of nineteen, found himself sovereign of à people slavishly observant of ancient

usages, most of them barbarous and stupid, but so fondly cherished by the nation, that the task of reform appeared almost hopeless. He himself had been

brought up in the grossest ignorance; but his natural powers were very great, he had an enterprizing, active mind, and he was filled with the highest ambition of a great monarch, that of improving his people and their condition. A very gifted foreigner, named Le Fort, chanced to enter his service, and soon obtained his confidence; Le Fort showed him, that there was another mode of living and reigning, than that which was unhappily established in Russia: he explained to him the advantages to a nation, that are derived from commerce; the superiority of a regular army over undisciplined troops; the command of the sea that England and Holland sustained by their navies. The noble soul of Peter at once threw off the prejudices in which he had been brought up: he felt he had to form a nation and an empire; but he had no help around him: other sovereigns have but to direct improvements; Peter had himself to do all he wished to have done. His first attempt was to teach the Russian soldiers the military discipline then practised by the rest of Europe. He enlisted as a common soldier in one of his own regiments, procured German officers, and set the example of learning the German exercise. His next