dition gave a new and just turn to our gentleman's mind, insomuch, that laying awake one night, he thus confessed his error to the basket-maker: 'I have been to blame,' says he, and wanted judgment to distinguish between accident and excellence. When I should have measured nature, I looked only at vanity. The preference which fortune gives is empty and imaginary; and I perceive, too late, the only things of use are naturally honourable. I am ashamed, when I compare my malice with your humanity. But if the gods should please to call me to a repossession of my rank and happiness, I would divide all with you, in atonement of my justly punished arrogance.'

He promised, and performed his promise. For the king soon after sent the captain who landed them with presents to the savages, and ordered him to bring them both back again. And it continues to this day a custom in that island, to degrade all gentlemen who cannot give a better reason for their pride, than that they were born to do nothing: on which occasion they usually cry out, Send him to the basket-maker's.

Anonymous.

THE NECESSITY OF CONSIDERING BOTH SIDES OF A QUESTION.

IN the days of knight errantry and paganism, one of our old British princes set up a statue to the goddess of victory, in a point where four roads met together. In her right-hand she held a spear, and her left rested upon a shield: the outside of

this shield was of gold, and the inside of silver. On the former was inscribed, in the old British language, To the goddess ever favourable;' and on the other, 'For four victories obtained successively over the Picts and other inhabitants of the northern islands.'

It happened one day that two knights completely armed, one in black armour, the other in white, arrived from opposite parts of the country at this statue, just about the same time; and as neither of them had seen it before, they stopped to read the inscription, and observe the excellence of its workmanship.

After contemplating it for some time, 'This golden shield,' says the black knight-'Golden shield!' cried the white knight, who was as strictly observing the opposite side, why, if I have my eyes, it is silver. I know nothing of your eyes,' replied the black knight; but if ever I saw a golden shield in my life, this is one.'-'Yes,' returned the white knight smiling, it is very probable, indeed, that they should expose a shield of gold in so public a place as this: for my part, I wonder even a silver one is not too strong a temptation for the devotion of some people, who pass this way; and it appears, by the date, that this has been here above three years.'

The black knight could not bear the smile with which this was delivered, and grew so warm in the dispute, that it soon ended in a challenge; they both therefore turned their horses, and rode back so far, as to have sufficient space for their career; then fixing their spears in their rests, they flew at each other with the greatest fury and impetuosity.

Their shock was so rude, and the blow on each side so effectual, that they both fell to the ground, much wounded and bruised, and lay there for some time, as in a trance.

A good Druid, who was travelling that way, found them in this condition. The Druids were the physicians of those times, as well as the priests. He had a sovereign balsam about him, which he had composed himself, for he was very skilful in all the plants that grew in the fields or in the forests; he staunched their blood, applied his balsam to their wounds, and brought them as it were from death to life again. As soon as they were sufficiently recovered, he began to inquire into the occasion of their quarrel. Why, this man,' cried the black knight, 'will have it that yonder shield is silver. And he will have it,' replied the white knight, that it is gold;' and then told him all the particulars of the affair.

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"Ah!' said the Druid with a sigh,' you are both of you, my brethren, in the right, and both of you in the wrong had either of you given himself time to look at the opposite side of the shield, as well as that which first presented itself to view, all this passion and bloodshed might have been avoided: however, there is a very good lesson to be learned from the evils that have befallen you on this occasion. Permit me, therefore, to entreat you by all our gods, and by this goddess of victory in particular, never to enter into any dispute for the future, till you have fairly considered both sides of the question.'

Beaumont.

THE TRIBUNAL OF RHADAMANTHUS.

I WAS Conveyed, methought, into the entrance of the infernal regions, where I saw Rhadamanthus, one of the judges of the dead, seated on his tribunal. On his left-hand stood the keeper of Erebus, on his right, the keeper of Elysium. I was told he sat upon women that day, there being several of the sex lately arrived, who had not yet their mansions assigned them. I was surprised to hear him ask every one of them the same question, namely, What they had been doing?-Upon this question being proposed to the whole assembly, they stared one upon another, as not knowing what to answer. He then interrogated each of them separately. Madam,' says he, to the first of them, 'you have been upon the Earth about fifty years: what have you been doing there all this while-?Doing,' says she, 'really I do not know what I have been doing: I desire I may have time given me to recollect.' After about half an hour's pause, she told him, that she had been playing at crimp; upon which Rhadamanthus beckoned to the keeper on his left-hand, to take her into custody. And you, madam,' says the judge, that look with such a soft and languishing air; I think you set out for this place in your nine and twentieth year, what have you been doing all this while? I had a great deal of business on my hands,' said she, being taken up the first twelve years of my life in dressing a jointed baby, and all the remaining part of it in reading plays and romances.'' Very well,' says he, 'you have employed your time to no good purpose. Away with

her.' The next was a plain country-woman; 'Well, mistress,' says Rhadamanthus, and what have you been doing?'-' An't please your worship,' says she, 'I did not live quite forty years; and in that time brought my husband seven daughters, made him nine thousand cheeses, and left my eldest girl with him, to look after his house in my absence, and who, I may venture to say, is as pretty a housewife as any in the country.' Rhadamanthus smiled at the simplicity of the good woman, and ordered the keeper of Elysium to take her into his care. And you, fair lady,' says he, 'what have you been doing these five and twenty years?' -'I have been doing no hurt, I assure you, sir,' says she. 'That is well,' said he;, but what good have you been doing? The lady was in great confusion at this question, and not knowing what to answer, the two keepers leaped out to seize her at the same time: the one took her by the hand to convey her to Elysium, the other caught hold of her to carry her away to Erebus. But Rhadamanthus observing an ingenious modesty in her countenance and behaviour, bid them both let her loose, and set her aside for a re-examination when he was more at leisure. An old woman, of a proud and sour look, presented herself at the bar, and being asked, what she had been doing? Truly,' says she, I lived threescore and ten years in a very wicked world, and was so angry at the behaviour of a parcel of young flirts, that I passed most of my last years in condemning the follies of the times: I was every day blaming the silly conduct of people about me, in order to deter those I conversed with from falling into the like errours and