They readily paid what they owed, and with this small relic of his fortune, he proceeded to an island in the Archipelago belonging to the state of Venice. Here his industry and talents for business soon raised him once more to wealth.

Among other places which he sometimes visited as a merchant, was the city of Tunis, at that time in friendship with the Venetians, though hostile to most of the other Italian states, and particularly to Genoa. In Tunis, where the people were Mohammedans, it was customary to make slaves of all Christians taken in war. As Uberto was on a visit to one of the first men of that place at his countryhouse, he saw a young Christian slave at work in irons, whose appearance excited his compassion. The youth seemed to feel the labour too severe for his slender frame: he leant at intervals upon his spade, while a sigh burst from his bosom, and a tear stole down his cheek. Uberto addressed him in Italian, and the young man eagerly caught the sounds of his native tongue. By a few kind words, Uberto soon drew from him that he was the son of Adorno, the chief magistrate of Genoa. The banished merchant started at the intelligence, but checked himself, and hastily walked away.

He immediately sought out the corsair captain who had taken the young Adorno. He asked what ransom was expected for the youth, and learned that, as he was believed to be a person of importance, not less than two thousand crowns would be taken. Uberto instantly paid the money. Taking a servant, with a handsome suit of clothes, he returned to the young man and told him he was free. With his own hands he helped to take off the youth's fetters, and to change his dress. The young Adorno thought it all a dream, and at first could scarcely be persuaded that he was really no longer a slave. But Uberto soon convinced him, by taking him home to his lodgings, and treating him with all the kindness due to a friend. When a proper opportunity occurred, the generous merchant put young Adorno into a vessel bound for Italy; and having given him a sum of money sufficient to bear his expenses to Genoa, he said, "My dear young friend, I could with much pleasure detain

you longer here, if it were not for the thought that you must be anxious to return to your parents. Deign to accept of this provision for your voyage, and deliver this letter to your father. Farewell. I will not soon forget you, and I hope you will not soon forget me." The youth poured forth his thanks to his benefactor, and they parted with mutual tears and embraces.

Adorno and his wife meanwhile supposed that the ship containing their son had foundered at sea, and they had long given him up as dead. When he appeared before them, their mourning was changed into a transport of joy. They clasped him in their arms, and for some time could not speak. As soon as their agitation had a little subsided, the youth informed them how he had been taken prisoner, and made a slave. "And to whom," said Adorno, "am I indebted for the inestimable benefit of your liberation ?" "This letter," said the son, "will inform you." He opened it, and read as follows:

"That son of a vile mechanic, who told you that one day you might repent the scorn with which you treated him, has the satisfaction of seeing his prediction accomplished. For know, proud noble! that the deliverer of your only son from slavery is THE BANISHED UBERTO."

Adorno dropped the letter, and covered his face with his hands, while his son expatiated on the virtues of Uberto, and the truly paternal kindness he had experienced from him. As the debt could not be cancelled, Adorno resolved, if possible, to repay it. He exerted himself amongst the nobles of Genoa to induce them to reverse the sentence which had been passed on Uberto. Time having softened their feelings, they granted his request, and he soon had the pleasure of communicating to Uberto the intelligence that he was once more a citizen of Genoa. In the same letter he expressed his gratitude for his son's liberation, acknowledged the nobleness of Uberto's conduct, and requested his friendship. Uberto soon after returned to his native city, where he spent the remainder of his days in the enjoyment of general respect.

MERCY.

97

UNCLE TOBY AND THE FLY.

"My uncle Toby was a man patient of injuries-not from want of courage, where just occasions called it forth, nor from any insensibility or obtuseness of his intellectual parts. He was of a peaceful, placid nature; no jarring element in it, all was mixed up so kindly. My uncle Toby had scarce a heart to retaliate upon a fly. 'Go,' says he one day at dinner to an overgrown one which had buzzed about his nose, and tormented him cruelly all dinner-time, and which, after many attempts, he had caught at last, as it flew by him; I'll not hurt thee,' says my uncle Toby, rising from his chair, and going across the room with the fly in his hand; I'll not hurt a hair of thy head! Go,' says he, lifting up the sash, and opening his hand as he spoke, to let it escape-go, poor wretch! get thee gone: why should I hurt thee! This world is surely wide enough to hold thee and me.'

MERCY.

The quality of mercy is not strained;

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blessed;
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes:
"Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The thronéd monarch better than his crown:
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power.
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway-
It is enthronéd in the hearts of kings,

It is an attribute to God himself;

And earthly power doth then show likest God's,
When mercy seasons justice. Think of this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation. We do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy.

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; fret not thyself in anywise to do evil.-Psalm, xxxvii. 8.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.-Matthew, v. 7, 43-45.

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him ?—till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, which owed him an hundred pence; and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not; but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me : Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.-Matthew, xviii. 21-35.

Banish all malignant and revengeful thoughts. If your revenge be not satisfied, it will give you torment now; if it be, it will give you greater hereafter. None is a greater self-tormentor than a malicious and revengeful man, who turns the poison of his own temper in upon himself. The Christian precept in this case is, "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath;" and this precept, Plutarch tells us, the Pythagoreans practised in a literal sense-"who, if at any time, in a passion, they broke out into opprobrious language, before sunset gave one another their hands, and with them a discharge from all injuries; and so, with a mutual reconciliation, parted friends."-MASON.

A man asking Diogenes what course he should take to be revenged of his enemy, "Become a good man," answered the philosopher.

There is a manner of forgiving so divine, that you are ready to embrace the offender for having called it forth.LAVATER.

He that cannot forgive others, breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself; for every man hath need to be forgiven.-LORD HERBERT.

It has been a maxim with me to admit of an easy reconciliation with a person whose offence proceeded from no depravity of heart; but where I was convinced it did so, to forego, for my own sake, all opportunities of revenge; to forget the persons of my enemies as much as I was able, and to call to remembrance, in their place, the more pleasing idea of my friends. I am convinced that I have derived no small share of happiness from this principle.-SHEN

STONE.

There are two things that affect the heart of every ingenuous man most deeply-namely, good-natured and generous offices from those to whom we have been injurious; and an ill-natured and unchristian treatment from those to whom we have been very kind and affectionate. As for the former, we can make a shift to bear their hatred, because we have deserved it: but we cannot bear their love; it quite confounds and overpowers us.-SEED.