from pain, but there can be no pleasure in it. There are, perhaps, many things in our history, and even in our natures and our hopes, hard to be understood, and some portion of them that the Great Author of our race never intended that we should he fully acquainted with in our present state of existence. A sound mind will very readily comprehend enough of its powers and capacities to teach it never to strive to attain what is above human reach, or to sink with fear at that which it cannot readily explain. There is a belief "that casteth out all fear," a belief that gilds the joyous season of youth; a belief that is a light to the warrior in the hour of battle; that beams in the sage's eye, and breathes from his lips; a belief that sustains the martyr in the agonies of death; that brings beatific visions around the head of the dying saint; and one that takes from death his sting, from the grave its victory. and "In the deep windings of the grove, no more The hag obscene, and grisly phantom dwell; Nor in the fall of mountain-stream, or roar Of winds, is heard the angry spirit's yell; No wizard mutters the tremendous spell, Nor sinks convulsive in prophetic swoon; Nor bids the noise of drums and trumpets swell, To ease of fancied pangs the laboring moon, Or chase the shade that blots the blazing orb of noon. "Many a long-lingering year, in lonely isle, Of Heaven his wretched fare: shivering in caves "And e'en where nature loads the teeming plain With the full pomp of vegetable store, Her bounty, unimprov'd, is deadly bane: Dark woods and rankling wilds, from shore to shore Nestles each murderous and each monstrous brood, Plague lurks in every shade, and steams from every flood. ""Twas from philosophy man learn❜d to tame And, from the breezy main, and mountain's head, To fan their glowing charms, invite the fluttering gale. "What dire necessities on every hand Our art, our strength, our fortitude require! Awhile, and turn aside death's levell'd dart, Sooth the sharp pang, allay the fever's fire, And brace the nerves once more, and cheer the heart, And yet a few soft nights and balmy days impart. "Nor less to regulate man's moral frame Flutters thy breast with fear, or pants for fame, Or avarice, a fiend more fierce than they? "What cannot art and industry perform, ""Tis he alone, whose comprehensive mind, While public faith, and public love sincere, CHAPTER IX. WHEN the Cæsars had passed away, and Rome had become as corrupt as any city of the east, a new direction was given to the human mind by the conversion of Constantine to the Christian religion, in the commencement of the fourth century. In this century, 379, Theodosius divided the empire, and Byzantium became the seat of government. The western empire from that date began to decline. New nations, almost unknown before, now started up to agitate the world. The Huns, who had inhabited the north of China, a numerous race, now swept over the better part of Europe, and in their way made war upon Rome and Greece; and also upon their brother barbarians, the Goths. In 395, Alaric, king of the Goths, attacked Greece. In 400, he was met by the Romans, and defeated. Radagaisus entered Italy with a vast army, and was defeated and slain, which proves that the Romans were still a warlike people. In 408, Alaric took Rome, and soon after died, while besieging Rhegio. He was buried under the bed of a river, which the Goths had turned aside for that purpose. In 444, Attilla appeared at the head of the Huns and swept over the earth as the scourge of God. He laid cities in ashes, but was in a short time defeated by Theodoric, king of the Visgoths. He was permitted to die a natural death. The Goths, who had issued from Scandinavia and overran Pomerania, divided into Vis-goths and Ostragoths,-west and east Goths. In their conflicts with the Huns they were scattered and divided, and part of them formed the new kingdom of Italy. These nations, who had made their conquests and settlements, though almost unknown to the ancient Greeks and Romans, gave a new character to the world; for new elements were developed, and new powers exhibited. The Roman character was not wholly lost in these ages of war and blood, for in the days of Justinian, Belisarius emulated the Scipios and the other men of war of former periods. This great general is used so much in the legends of fiction, as proving the inconstancy of fortune, that he is almost overlooked in sober history; but the “Date obulum Belisario” was no fiction, it was as sober truth as the story of St. Helena and Longwood,—both awful lessons to ambitious chieftains. The beggar through the cities of Italy and Greece once annihilated the power of the Vandals, and reduced them to as great a state of wretchedness as he himself afterwards was by the power of a capricious, ungrateful master. New dynasties arose, and the world of matter was again to be disturbed by the world of mind. There had been a mixing up of the Christian with Pagan idolatry, and a mongrel race of thinkers was formed throughout all Europe, and in parts of Asia and Africa. At the commencement of the seventh century, 622, Mahomet arose, the founder of a new sect in religion. He was a master spirit. He succeeded beyond all other imposters, for this sound reason: He fashioned his general doctrines to the nature of man-his appetites, |