ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

Olympias, the mother of Alexander, was of so unhappy a disposition, that he would never allow her to have any concern in the affairs of government. Olympias used frequently to make very severe complaints on this account, but Alexander submitted to her ill humour with great mildness and patience. Antipater, one of his friends, having one day written a long letter against her to the king, the monarch, on reading it, said, "Antipater does not know that one single tear shed by a mother, will obliterate ten thousand such letters at this."

BENEFITS OF EXPECTENCY.

An eminent trader at Lyons, who had acquired an easy fortune, had two handsome daughters, between whom, on their marriage, he divided all his property, on condition that he should pass the summer with one, and the winter with the other. Before the end of the first year, he found sufficient ground to conclude, that he was not a very acceptable guest to either; of this, however, he took no notice, but hired a handsome lodging, in which he resided a few weeks; he then applied to a friend, and told him the truth of the matter, desiring the gift of two hundred livres, and the loan of fifty thousand, in ready money, for a few hours. His friend very readily complied with his request; and the next day the old gentleman made a very splendid entertainment, to which his daughters and their hus

bands were invited. Just as dinner was over, his friend came in a great hurry; told him of an unexpected demand upon him, and desired to know whether he could lend him fifty thousand livres. The old man told him, without any emotion, that twice as much was at his service, if he wanted it; and going into the next room, brought him the money. After this, he was not suffered to stay any longer in lodgings; his daughters were jealous if he stayed a day more in one house than the other; and after three or four years spent with them, he died; when, upon examining his cabinet, instead of livres, there was found a note containing these words: "He who has suffered by his virtues, has a right to avail himself of the vices of those by whom he has been injured; and a father ought never to be so fond of his children, as to forget what is due to himself.

MAGNANIMOUS HUSBAND.

Philip, surnamed the Good, the founder of tha greatness to which the House of Burgundy latterly attained, was, at an early age, married to the Princess Michelea, brother to Charles the Dauphin. The father of Philip was afterwards slain through the villany and perfidiousness of Charles; aud on the news being brought to Philip, full of grief and anger, he rushed into the chamber of his wife. "Alas!" said he, 66 'my Michelea, thy brother has murdered my father." The princess, who loved her husband most tenderly, broke out into the most affecting cries and lamentations; and fearful lest this accident should lose her the affections of her

spouse, refused all comfort. Philip, the good Philip, however, assured her she should not be the less dear to him on that account; that the deed was her brother's, and none of her's. "Take courage, my life," said he, "and seek comfort in a husband that I will be faithful and constant to thee for ever." Michelea was revived by these tender assurances; nor during the three years longer which she lived, had she occasion to suspect the smallest diminution of Philip's affection and respect.

DEMETRIUS.

Demetrius, the King of Macedon, was remarkable both for his filial and his parental affection. His father, Antigonus, after giving audience one day to Ptolemy and Lysimachus, the ambassadors of Cassander, called them back, because his son, Demetrius, coming in warm from hunting, went into his father's apartment, saluted him, and then sat down with his javelin in his hand. When the ambassadors demanded what his pleasures was, he replied, “Tell your masters upon what terms my son and I live."

When Demetrius had succeeded to the throne, and was imprisoned by Seleucus, he wrote a letter to his son Antigonus, entrusting to him the management of his affairs in Greece. He exhorted him to govern his subjects justly, to act with moderation, and to look upon his father as dead; and conjuring him never to part with a single city, in order to procure his liberation. Such a letter as this, might, in the cold policy of statesmen, have exculpated Antigonus for making the best terms he

could, without any consideration for his father; but his filial affection at once overcame all questions of state policy, and he immediately offered to his enemy, Seleucus, not only all the cities and provinces that he held in Greece, but his own person, as a hostage for his father's liberty.

This was refused by Seleucus; but Antigonus still continued to solicit it by the most pressing importunities and offers, as long as his father lived. He even went into deep mourning, during the whole of his father's captivity of three years, and never once, during the whole of that time, partook of any feasts or diversions. When Antigonus was informed of the death of his father, and that his ashes were on the way from Syria, he sailed with a noble fleet to the Archipelago to meet them. He deposited the ashes of his father in a golden urn, which, when he entered the harbour of Corinth, he placed in the poop of the royal gallery. He placed his crown upon it, and covered it with a canopy of purple ; sitting by it all the time, clothed in deep mourning.

THE CHILDREN OF DARIUS.

Darius, King of Persia, had three sons by his first wife, the daughter of Gabrias, all three born before their father came to the crown; and four more by Atossa, the daughter of Cyrus, who were all born after their father's accession to the throne. Artabazanes, called by Justin, Artimenes, was the eldest of the former, and Xerxes of the latter. Artabazanes alleged, in his own behalf, that the right of suc

cession, according to the custom and practice of all nations, belonged to him preferably from all the rest. Xerxes's argument for succeeding his father was, that as he was the son of Atossa, the daughter of Cyrus, who founded the Persian empire, it was more just that the crown of Cyrus should devolve upon one of his descendants, than upon one that was not. Demaratus, a Spartan king, at that time at the court of Persia, secretly suggested to Xerxes another argument to support his pretensions; that Artabazanes was indeed the eldest son of Darius; but he, Xerxes, was the eldest son of the king; and therefore Artabazanes being born when his father was but a private person, all he could pretend to, on account of his seniority, was only to inherit his private estate; but that he, Xerxes, being the first born son of the king, had the best right to succeed to the crown. He further supported this argument by the example of the Lacedemonians, who admitted none to inherit the kingdom, but those children that were born after their father's accession. right of succeeding was accordingly determined in favour of Xerxes. Both Justin and Plutarch take notice of the prudent conduct of these two brothers on so nice an occasion. According to their manner of relating this fact, Artabazanes was absent when the king died; and Xerxes immediately assumed all the marks, and exercised all the functions, of the sovereignty. But upon his brother's returning home, he quitted the diadem, and the tiara, which he wore in such a manner as only suited the king; went out to meet him, and showed him all imaginable respect. They agreed to make their uncle, Artabanes, the

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