that he had travelled no less than forty-two thousand miles, or nearly as much as twice the circumference of the globe, for the purpose of alleviating the hardships suffered in prisons. Howard had heard much of the miscries which the plague produces at all the ports along the Mediterranean. At each of these there is a kind of hospital called the lazaretto, where the whole of the individuals landing from a vessel which comes from an infected place are kept confined for a considerable time, to make sure that they are quite free of the disease. Of these lazarettos, which are as horrible places as the worst prisons, and probably occasion more sickness and mortality than they prevent, Mr Howard resolved to make a personal examination. He set out in 1785, without a servant, for he did not think himself at liberty to expose any life but his own. He took his way by the south of France, through Italy, to Malta, Zante, Smyrna, and Constantinople. From the latter capital he returned to Smyrna, where he knew the plague then to prevail, for the purpose of going to Venice with a foul bill of health, that he might be subjected to the rigour of a quarantine in the lazaretto, and thus have a personal experience of its rules. In the course of the voyage from Smyrna, the vessel was attacked by a Moorish privateer, and in the action which took place, and by which the barbarians were repelled, Mr Howard fought with great bravery. At Venice he went with the greatest cheerfulness into the lazaretto, and there remained, as usual, for forty days, thus deliberately exposing his life for the sake of his fellow-creatures. Such conduct could not fail to procure for him universal esteem. emperor of Germany so much admired his heroic benevolence, that when Mr Howard returned through Vienna, he requested an interview with him, and commenced a subscription in order to erect a statue of him in a public part of the city. The design to honour Mr Howard in this way was afterwards abandoned, at the express request of the philanthropist, who was as modest as he was good. The In the summer of 1789, Mr Howard set out upon his last tour. He went through Germany to St Petersburg and Moscow. The prisons and hospitals were everywhere thrown open to him, as to one who had acquired a censorship over those abodes of the unfortunate in every part of the civilised world. He then travelled to the new Russian settlements on the Black Sea, and established himself at Cherson, where a malignant fever prevailed. A young lady, who had caught the infection, desired a visit from Howard, who, she thought, might be able to cure her. Ever alive to the call of the distressed, he went to administer to her relief. He caught the infection, probably from her, and became one of its victims. He was buried in the neighbourhood of Cherson, where, some years after, the Emperor Alexander caused a monument to be erected to his memory. SIR PHILIP SIDNEY. Sir Philip Sidney was a gallant soldier, a poct, and the most accomplished gentleman of his time. At the battle of Zutphen, in the Netherlands, after having two horses killed under him, he received a wound while in the act of mounting a third, and was carried bleeding and faint to the camp. Men wounded in battle usually feel very thirsty; but water at such a time is not easily found. A small quantity was brought to allay the thirst of Sir Philip; but as he was raising it to his lips, he observed that a poor wounded soldier, who was carried past at the moment, looked at the with wistful eyes. cup The generous Sidney instantly withdrew it untasted from his mouth, and gave it to the soldier, saying, "Thy necessity is yet greater than mine." He died of his wound, aged only thirty-three; but his kindness to the poor soldier has caused his name to be remembered ever since with admiration, and it will probably never be forgotten while generous actions are appreciated by mankind. PROVOST DRUMMOND. About the middle of last century, George Drummond was provost or chief magistrate of Edinburgh, and renowned for the benevolence of his disposition. He was one day coming into the town by the suburb called the West Port, when he saw a funeral procession leaving the door of a humble dwelling, and setting out for the churchyard. The only persons composing the funeral company were four poorlooking old men, seemingly common beggars, one at each end of a spoke, and none to relieve them; there was not a single attendant. The provost at once saw that it must be a beggar's funeral, and he therefore went forward to the old men, saying to them, "Since this poor creature now deccased has no friends to follow his remains to the grave, I will perform that melancholy office myself." He then took his place at the head of the coffin. They had not gone far, till they met two gentlemen who were acquainted with the provost, and they asked him what he was doing there. He told them that he was going to the interment of a poor friendless mendicant, as he had none else to do it; so they turned and accompanied him. Others joined in the same manner, so that there was a respectable company at the grave. "Now," said the kind-hearted provost, "I will lay the old man's head in the grave," which he accordingly did, and afterwards saw the burial completed in a decent manner. When the solemnity was accomplished, he asked if the deceased had left a wife or family, and learned that he had left a wife, an old woman, in a state of perfect destitution. "Well, then, gentlemen," said the provost, addressing those around him, "we met in rather a singular manner, and we cannot part without doing something creditable for the benefit of the helpless widow; let each give a trifle, and I will take it upon me to see it administered to the best advantage." All immediately contributed some money, which made up a respectable sum, and was afterwards given in a fitting way to the poor woman; the provost also afterwards placed her in an industrious occupation, by which she was able to support herself without depending on public relief. GENERAL KOSCIUSKO. General Kosciusko, the hero of Poland, was a very benevolent man. He once wished to send some bottles of good wine to a clergyman at Solothuon, and not liking to put temptation in the way of a servant, he employed a young man named Zeltner to carry the present, and desired him to take the horse on which he himself usually rode. Zeltner, on his return, said he never would ride that horse again, unless the general would give him his purse at the same time. Kosciusko inquiring what he meant, he said, “As soon as a poor man on the road takes off his hat and asks charity, the horse immediately stands still, and will not stir till something is given to the petitioner; and as I had no money about me, I was obliged to feign giving something, in order to satisfy the horse!" TITUS. Titus, the Roman emperor, had no higher ambition than to do good to his subjects. One evening, recollecting that he had not that day done any act of service to his people, or granted to any one a favour, he exclaimed to those around him, "My friends, I have lost a day." A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another. John, xiii. 34. To him that is afflicted, pity should be showed from his friend.-Job, vi. 14. If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates, thou shalt not harden thy heart nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother; but thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth-Deuteronomy, xv. 7, 8. Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.-Psalms, lxxxii. 3. Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.-Psalms, xli. 1. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate.-1 Timothy, vi. 17, 18. Pure religion, and undefiled, before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.-James, i. 27. The blessed Jesus was humble, meek, and benevolent in all his deportment towards men. Every part of his conduct was a testimony of his love to our race, every act of his life a proof of it. With what an unwearied application does he labour to do men good, even in spite of themselves! With what mildness and temper docs he bear their insults; what compassion does he show to their infirmities and faults; and what readiness to help and deliver them! Nothing could provoke him to return evil for evil; no temptation ensnare him to lay aside his mercy. Throughout his whole life, with what condescension and pity does he converse with the most despised and wicked part of mankind, and endeavour to melt them into a sense of their duty by his mildness and love! With what openness of heart does he receive all that come to him; with what pleasure give every good action its just commendation; with what tenderness does he cherish every inclination to virtue! * * Such was the conduct of the blessed Jesus, and such ought to be the conduct of all his disciples.-Dr BUNDY. Man is dear to man: the poorest poor Of some small blessings; have been kind to such My neighbour, when, with punctual care, cach week, Sits by her fire, and builds her hope in Heaven. WORDSWORTH. |