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the lover of all truth that might teach men how to live wisely, and to die hopefully. Have any of these ever approached to the glorious light of the one living and true “God, in knowledge of whom standeth eternal life and whose service is perfect freedom?" Contrast with them our Christian peasantry; nay, even the careless among them. They have the truth, even though they hold and imprison it in unrighteousness. Take from the Sabbath-school the children of our cottagers or our manufactories. How know they more of God than Socrates, who willingly became a martyr for truth? Of the honey of the bee of Athens they never tasted, they never heard. But they have that which is "sweeter than honey, or the honeycomb," and also "more precious than gold yea, than much fine gold." They have the Bible; and it is undeniable that all their knowledge is derived from this. All their knowledge? Yes, and all that which is possessed by those who, when they have received it, find it in the book of nature, which before they were unable to read, illustrated and corroborated. If the inductive philosophy be, as most surely it is, the true philosophy of reason, and facts are of any value, then are we wiser than the ancients, because we are disciples of "the Faithful and True Witness," through whom we possess the gift which God has given bis church, and eventually to the world, an heritage for ever," " THE TESTIMONIES OF GOD." *

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*We have dwelt the longer on the case of Socrates, connected with those by whom he was succeeded, and who prosecuted his researches, not indeed more successfully, but perhaps to a greater extent, as though undeterred by failure, the more deeply to impress the conclusion on the mind of our readers. We have observed that infidelity, after any very decided defeat, is usually somewhat quiet for a period, and then in a slightly altered form comes forward with as much boldness as ever. If it were a personal dispute, similar revivals of the case would be said to be more than bold: impudence would be the only term which fitly described them. Paley, and after him Chalmers, with all who love fair arguing, have set the question at rest. But, "even though conquered, they can argue still." Infidelity is now artistic and scientific, rational and philosophical. Its advocates tell us of the wonderful powers of nature: we refer them, in reply, to the actual doings of nature. And we hesitate not to say, that on this appeal to facts, facts the most favourable to our opponents, whether the talents or the character of those to whom we refer, be considered, the argument is most triumphant, is unanswerable. All the facts, without a single exception, are on our side. How could this possibly be, except on the supposition of their absolute truth?

With respect to the "corruption of youth," his appeal is to his entire character. He had endeavoured to teach them, and all who would listen to him, practical wisdom. He had always behaved as a good citizen, obeying the laws, and to the utmost of his power promoting the public welfare, neither shrinking from obloquy, nor seeking favour. He told his Judges that he was too old now to change his mode of acting, and by sophistical eloquence, were he capable of it, to endeavour to disarm their wrath; and that even could he do this, it would be wrong, inasmuch as they had taken an oath to judge according to the laws of the State. He thus concludes his defence: “But putting character out of the question, it does not appear to me to be equitable that one should supplicate a Judge, nor that he should escape by such entreaty, but that he should enlighten and persuade; (διδασκειν και πειθειν;) since the Judge does not sit for the complimentary dispensation of justice, but to form his decisions upon it. And he has sworn that he will not act by favour to such as he may please, but (δικάσειν κατα νόμους) to judge according to the laws. It is by no means, then, becoming in us to habituate you, nor in you to become habituated, to perjury; for neither of us would act rightly (piously, evσeßolv). Do not then suppose, O men of Athens, that I ought of necessity to adopt such a course with you, which I believe to be neither fair, just, nor holy, (kada, dikaia, oota,) as well upon all other occasions, by Jove, as now in particular, when I am accused by Melitus of impiety. For were I to adopt this method of persuasion, and by my entreaties to wrest you from the tenor of your oath, I should distinctly instruct you in a disbelief of the gods, and should obviously, though on my defence, accuse myself of disavowing them. But such is far from being the case; for I believe in them more firmly than any of my accusers; and to you and the deity (rq Oey) I leave it to judge concerning me, as shall be best both for myself and you."

The Judges here consulted, and by a majority decided upon his guilt. When the punishment was not fixed by law, the accuser proposed what it should be, and in this case had fixed on death. But the accused, likewise, had the privilege

of saying what he thought it ought to be; all, however, being subject to the decision of the Court. Socrates then spoke again. He said that he deserved no punishment; for that, disregarding all State honours and profits, he had endeavoured to persuade the citizens individually to seek to be among the best and wisest; that therefore he rather deserved reward. That he was too old to wander about as an exile, and too poor to pay a heavy fine. All he could pay would be one mina of silver; (about sixty-three shillings ;) "but Plato, Crito, Critobulus, and Apollodius urge me to fine myself thirty minæ, and promise to be my bail; and therefore I fine myself so much, and these shall be your security."

The Judges then voted on the penalty, and condemned him to die. On this, he delivered his concluding address, telling them that had they waited a little longer, they would have been freed from his interferences by the order of nature, and assuring them that ere long the voice of truth concerning him would be heard. He then refers to his approaching end. Either this would be annihilation, in which case he could suffer nothing; or a change of place, and an introduction to the heroes who had already departed, which would be great gain, especially as there would be no more dying, "if what is said be true” (τα λεγομενα αληθη εστιν). "No evil," he adds, "can befall a good man in life, nor after death, nor are his concerns neglected by the gods." He therefore judged that to die would be best for him. The close is remarkable: “I ask but so much then: when my sons grow up, punish them by such harassing discipline as I have employed with you, if they should appear to value wealth, or anything, in preference to virtue; and if they should affect to be what they are not, rebuke them, as I rebuked you, for neglecting their true interests, and presuming to aim at a distinction which they do not deserve. If you act thus, both I and my sons shall have found justice at your hands. But it is now time to depart; for me, to die; for you, to live: but which is going to the better state, is manifest to none but Deity."

On account of a certain religious institution, the execution of the sentence was delayed for three or four weeks, during which his friends had free admission to him in prison. Plato

has left two treatises in reference to this period; the first, Crito, a conversation on the duties of a citizen; the second, Phado, between Socrates and his friends in the prison on the last day of his life, and referring chiefly to the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, but containing also an account of the death of the philosopher. To a few notices of these we shall devote our concluding paper on Socrates, the Athenian sage.

(To be continued.)

CONVENTUAL LIFE IN THE TWELFTH CENTURY EXTRACT XIX.

[THE Extract we are now going to give, and which will close the series, will be rather a long one, extending into two, perhaps three, Numbers; but its interest as well as importance are too great to allow any abridgment of it. We have already said, (p. 209,) that the old chronicler says much more of the "merits, intercession, and power" of St. Edmund, than of Christ, the Saviour and Lord. In fact, He is never once named; but what kind of reverence was paid to the saint, the following statements will only too clearly show. What must have been the state of religious opinion, generally, when a principal officer of this spiritual corporation, while he devotes so large a portion (comparatively) of his Chronicle to circumstances relating to the patron saint of the community, never happens, by any chance, to find any occasion for mentioning Him from whom Christians take their name? Very easy is it to say that their saints have only an inferior worship; that they are only requested to pray for us. Whatever be the doctrine, the practice amounts to the enthronization of the servant in the place of his Lord. Who can read what follows, and not be convinced that St. Edmund was as truly worshipped as ever any heathen deity was? and that worship, because it was creature-worship, was solemnly forbidden, fearfully condemned and declared to be a doomed idolatry. Individuals we judge not. We have neither right nor wish to break the laws of true charity. But of practices we must speak in plain terms,

If anything, or said, or writ,
Would wound thy neighbour, that omit:
If anything would joy create,
Fail not to do it ere too late :

To spare another's heart a groan,

Will fill with purest peace thine own.

A little sum on others spent,

A word of kind encouragement,

What bliss 'twill give! or one harsh word,
What bitter misery hath stirr'd!

Then let us think, more than we know,
We wield each other's joy or woe.

SPRING FLOWERS.

(From "Household Verses," by Bernard Barton.)

THE flowers of spring, the flowers of spring,
They bloom as heretofore;

But can they to my fancy bring

The spell which charm'd of yore?

Ah, no! that spell, once deem'd their own,
But gladden'd childhood's span ;
And thoughts and cares of sterner tone
Have "made and marr'd the man."

Yet with no vain repining thought
Would I the change upbraid;

With beauty and with fragrance fraught,
They blossom but to fade.

But flowers there are, though not of earth,

More lovely far than they;

Which boast a more enduring worth,

And need not fear decay.

Truth, peace, and joy, faith, hope, and love,

Bear, worthy Eden's bowers,

Blossoms of beauty from above,

The mind's perennial flowers.

These, amaranth-like, each change defy

That time and chance can bring ;

Secure to bloom unfadingly,

In heaven's eternal spring.

Roche, Printer, 25, Hoxton-square, London.

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