Being desired by Simonides, the poet, who had a cause to try before him, to stretch a point in his favour, he replied, "As you would not be a good poet, if your lines ran contrary to the just measures and rules of your art; so neither should I be a good judge or an honest man, if I decided aught in opposition to law and justice.",

DRACO.

The severity of the laws of Draco is proverbial; he punished almost all sorts of faults with death; and was hence said by Demades, "to have written his laws, not with ink but with blood." To steal an apple was with him a crime of as deep a dye as to commit sacrilege; even "confirmed idleness" was punished with death. On Draco himself being once asked, Why he punished such petty crimes with death?" he made this severe answer: "That the smallest of them did deserve that, and that there was not a greater punishment he could find out for greater crimes."

SOLON.

Anacharsis was wont to deride the endeavours of Solon, whose code of law superseded the bloody one of Draco, to repress the evil passions of his fellow citizens with a few words, which, said he, better than spiders' webs, which the strong will break through at pleasure."

"So like a fly the poor offender dies,

"are no

But like the wasp, the rich escapes and flies.”

DENHAM.

The reply of Solon was worthy of the law-giver of a refined people. 'Men," said he, I will be sure to stand to those covenants, which will bring evident disadvantages to the infringers of them. I have so framed and tempered the laws of Athens, that it shall manifestly appear to all, that it is more for their interest strictly to observe, than in any thing to violate and infringe them."

SOCRATES.

While Athens was governed by the thirty tyrants, Socrates, the philosopher, was summoned to the Senate House, and ordered to go with some other persons, whom they named, to seize one Leon, a man of rank and fortune, who they determined to put out of the way, that they might enjoy his estate. This commission Socrates positively refused. "I will not willingly," said he, assist in an unjust act." Chericles sharply replied, "Dost thou think, Socrates, to talk in this high tone and not to suffer?" Far from it," replied he, I expect to suffer a thousand ills, but none so great as to do unjustly."

DIOCLES.

Among the laws which Diocles gave to the Syracusans, there was one which enacted, that no man should presume to enter, armed, into an assembly of the people; in case any should, he was to suffer death." One day an alarm was given of an enemy approaching, and Diocles hastened out to meet them with his sword by his side. On the way he was informed that the people, indifferent to their common

danger, had assembled to talk sedition in the forum ; and, forgetting all inferior circumstances in his zeal for the public safety, he stepped, armed as he was, into the midst of the assembly, intending to use his best endeavours to recall them to a sense of their duty; but before he could address them, one of the busiest of the factious called out, "that Diocles, in arms among the people, had broken the laws which he had himself made." Diocles, struck but not confounded, turning towards his accuser, replied, with a loud voice, "Most true; nor shall Diocles be the last to sanction his own laws." On saying this, he drew his sword, and falling on it, expired.

A fate precisely similar is recorded of Charondas, the law-giver of the Thurians.

TIES OF KINDRED.

Phocian, the Athenian general, never suffered domestic or private views to interfere with the public interest. He constantly refused to solicit any favour even for those most nearly allied to him. His son-inlaw, Chericles, being summoned before the republic on a suspicion of having embezzled the public money, Phocian addressed him in these admirable terms: "I have made you my son-in-law, but only for what is just and honourable."

Mysias, the brother of Antigonus, King of Macedon, solicited him to hear a cause, in which he was a party, in his chamber. No, my dear brother," answered Antigonus, "I will hear it in the open court of justice; because I must do justice."

BRUTUS.

A

When the disgrace of Lucretia, daugnter of Brutus, by the eldest son of Tarquinius Superbus, was known in Rome, the people determined to shake off the tyranny by which they were oppressed, and drive the proud and cruel monarch from the throne of which he had proved himself so unworthy. Brutus, as Captain of the Guards, called an assembly, in which he expatiated on the loss of their liberty, and the cruelties they suffered by the usurpation and oppressive government of Tarquin. The whole assembly applauded the speech, and immediately sentenced Tarquin, his wife and family, to perpetual banishment. new form of government was proposed; and after some difficulties, it was unanimously agreed to create in the room of the king, two consuls, whose authority should be annual. The right of election was left to the people, and immediately they chose Brutus and Collatinus consuls, who swore for themselves, their children, and posterity, never to recall either Tarquin or his sons or any of his family, and that those who should attempt to restore monarchy, should be devoted to the infernal gods, and immediately put to death.

Before the end of the year, a conspiracy was formed, in which many of the young nobility were concerned, and among the rest the two sons of Brutus the consul. Their object was to restore the Tarquins; and they were so infatuated by a supernatural blindness, says Dionysius, as to write under their own hands, letters to the tyrant, informing him of the

number of conspirators, and the time appointed for despatching the consuls.

A slave of the name of Vindicius became acquainted with their designs, and gave information to the consuls, who immediately went with a strong guard, and apprehended the conspirators and seized the letters.

As soon as it was day, Brutus ascended the tribunal. The prisoners were brought before him, and tried in form. The evidence of Vindicíus was heard, and the letters to Tarquin read; after which the conspirators were asked if they had any thing to urge in their defence. Sighs, groans, and tears, were their only answer, The whole assembly stood with downcast looks, and no man ventured to speak. This mournful silence was at last broken with slow murmurs of Banishment! Banishment! But the public good, which predominated over the feelings of a parent, urged Brutus to pronounce on them the sentence of death.

Never was an event more capable of creating at the same time feelings of grief and horror. Brutus, father and judge of the two offenders, was obliged by his office to see his sons executed. A great number of the most noble youths suffered death at the same time, but the rest were as little regarded as if they had been persons unknown. The consul's sons alone attracted all eyes; and while the criminals were executing, the whole assembly fixed their attention on the father, examining his behaviour and looks, which in spite of his sad firmness, discovered the sentiments of nature, which he could not entirely stifle, although he sacrificed them to the duties of his office.