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him; but Periander kissed him and made him sit down upon the bed side, where they two conversed together upon certain incredible news which Georgias had brought back from his travels; and which Periander caused presently to be made known to his guests. The story is interesting and beautiful, and well worthy of a place in these pages. A certain harper, named Arion, went down to the sea in a ship, being summoned to Corinth by Periander, on urgent business. The mariners conspired against his life, and he was informed of their intention by the pilot, who pitied his misfortune, but could not help him in it. Finding himself thus destitute of succor, Arion resolved to adorn his body with those ornaments which he used to put on when he played his harp for a prize in the public theatres; that so his life robes might serve him for his funeral weeds. In this manner he came upon deck, and stood upon the poop of the ship, desiring that he might chaunt a hymn to Apollo Pythius for the safety of himself, the ship, and all those fellow passengers who were in it. And after he had sounded certain invocations to the sea gods, he sung the canticle before mentioned; and whilst he was in the middle of his song the sun went down, and seemed to settle within the sea, and with that they began to discover Peloponesus. Then the mariners, who could no longer stay nor tarry for the dark night, came towards him, to kill him. And when he saw their naked swords drawn, and beheld how the pilot covered his face, that he might not see so cruel a deed done, he threw himself over board, and lept as far as he could into the sea from the ship. To his great joy and amazement, he found himself supported and carried along on the backs of innumerable Dolphins. He was not, quoth Georgias, so desirous of living, as that he might arrive safely to shore, that the world might know he was favored by the gods; and that he reposed a sure belief and firm reliance upon them, beholding as he did the sky full of stars, the moon arising pure and clear with exceeding brightness, and the whole sea about him smooth and calm; so that he thought within himself that the Divine Justice had not one eye alone, but as many eyes as there were stars in heaven, and that God beheld all about, whatsoever was done by land or sea. At last Arion was thrown on shore, close to the place where Georgias was celebrating his religious festivities in honor of Neptune. After Arion had informed Georgias of these things, the latter enquired where the ship from which he was cast would land? And learning that it would land at Corinth, he hastened thither with all speed, and caused the mariners and passengers to be made prisoners. When Georgias had made an end of this recital, Æsop bade them laugh at his Jays and Crows no more: but Solon said these things concern the gods, and surpass our apprehension. And after some further conversation, during which similar prodigies to that related by Georgias were cited, Solon rose and said: let us now give ear and credit to the most wise Poet Homer, whose counsel this is: that night having surprised us, it is time to obey her and end our speeches. They then gave thanks, in pouring out wine and offering it to the Muses, Neptune, and Amphitrite; and in this graceful and reverent manner they broke up the Banquet.

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THE MISSION OF TRACTS.

By the Editor of "The People.'

More can be done thrö the Press, than by any other means. Lecturing and Preaching are great things, but not the greatest. They can do something that the press cannot; but the press can do much which they cannot do. Tracts can go everywhere: Tracts never blush: Tracts know no fear: Tracts never stammer: Tracts never stick fast: Tracts never lose their temper: Tracts never tire: Tracts never die Tracts can be multiplied without end by the press : Tracts can travel at little expense: They want nothing to eat: They require no lodgings: They run up and down like the angels of God, blessing all, giving to all, and asking no gift in return. You can print tracts of all sizes, on all subjects, and in all languages. Tracts can be read in all places, and at all hours. They can talk to one as well as a multitude, and to a multitude as well as one. They require no public room to tell their story in. They can tell it in the kitchen or the shop, in the parlor or the closet, in the railway carriage or in the omnibus, on the broad highway or in the footpath thrö the fields. And they dread no tumultuous interruption: They take no note of scoffs, or jeers, or taunts; of noisy folly, or malignant rage: They bear all things, endure all things, suffer all things, and take harm from nothing. They can talk even when the din is so great as to drown all other voices. And they stop when they are bid, or, at least, when they have done. They never continue talking after they have told their tale. No one can betray them into hasty or random expressions. And they will wait men's time, and suit themselves to men's occasions and conveniences. They will break off at any moment, and begin again at any point where they broke off. And tho they will not always answer questions, they will tell their story twice, or thrice, or four times over, if you wish them. They can be made to speak on every subject, and on every subject they can be made to speak wisely and well. They can, in short, be made the vehicles of all truth, the teachers and reformers of all classes, the regenerators and benefactors of all lands.

The Friends of Truth should give this subject their attention. I feel persuaded that the importance of the Press, as a means of spreading simple Gospel Truth, and promoting simple Christian Piety, is not yet fully understood. At any rate, the press has never yet been employed as it ought to be, in this great work. Luther wrote and publisht no less than eleven hundred works, in a few years, most of them smail tracts, or single sheets. He publisht, at one time, from two to three hundred a year. It was the multiplication of these Tracts and Books by the press, and their plentiful distribution among the multitudes, that gave power to the reformer's principles, that shook the power of the Popedom, and worked so remarkable a reformation. It was chiefly by means of a plentiful supply of tracts, sold cheap or freely given away, that the early Quakers shook the nation, and (in spite of some excesses in their conduct, and some mysteries and errors in their opinions) almost frightened the priests and sectarians out of their wits. It was chiefly by a plentiful supply of cheap tracts, that Wesley gained such immense influence over the masses of our countrymen and worked such happy wonders in the land. It was chiefly by means of tracts that Joseph Livesey, and some of his fellow-workers, roused the country on the subject of teetotalism, and gained for the principle such a firm and general lodging in the souls of the community. Livesey did not lecture so much; but his tracts, the fair expounders of

his principles, were always speaking. Livesey did not visit one place in a hundred ; but his tracts went everywhere. Livesey could speak only English, but his tracts were soon made to speak both Welsh and German. They made others become lecturers, and supplied the lecturers with facts and arguments. So, by Tracts mainly, must the principles of a pure and practical Christianity be spread thröout the world. Tracts have already done good without end, and they may easily be made to do still greater good. Let tracts be freely circulated, and they will rouse the whole country; they will shake the foundations of every corruption in the land, and bring people in multitudes from darkness to light, from superstition, and error, and sin, to the wisdom, and purity, and blessedness of the Gospel of Christ. They will not only set people a-thinking, but a-talking too. They will raise up lecturers, and help to qualify them for their work. They will bring about a reform which will bless all ages, and spread purity, and freedom, and peace, thrö all the countries of the earth.

MAXIMS.

V.

If speaking of the Truth is not your rule and constant practice,
You'll find, in case of sudden need (and trust me this a fact is),
That so unusual attempt no very easy act is.

VI.

Men, when their time of clearness cometh by,
Contract the range of their activity.

VII.

Many men's only sense is silence.

VIII.

Men Barabbas despise, but Jesus hate and kill,
For they are wrong, if he is right, he good if they are ill.

IX.

Your reverence you may not misapply,
Without a sin 'gainst nature's majesty ;
Revere our gracious God, mankind, yourself,
But never titles, pedigrees, or pelf.

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