BRUTUS ON THE DEATH OF CÆSAR.

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foundation of the Eternal City. For twenty-five centuries they had been hidden from the eye of man, and they now stood forth once more in their ancient majesty. But how changed was the scene around them! The luxury and civilization of a mighty nation had given place to the wretchedness and ignorance of a few halfbarbarous tribes. The wealth of temples, and the riches of great cities, had been succeeded by ruins and shapeless heaps of earth. Above the spacious hall in which they stood,5 the plough had passed and the corn now waved.

A. H. LAYARD, "Nineveh and its Remains."

BRUTUS ON THE DEATH OF CESAR.

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Romans, countrymen, and lovers! 6 hear me for 7 my cause, and be silent that you may hear. Believe me for mine honour, and have respect for 8 mine honour, that you may believe. Censure me in your wisdom, and awake your senses, that you may the better judge. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Cæsar's, to him I say 10 that Brutus's love to 11 Cæsar was no less than his. If, then, that friend demand why Brutus rose 12 against Cæsar, this my answer: not that I loved 14 Cæsar less, but that 15 I loved Rome more. Had you rather Cæsar

is 13

1 For, durant-2 from the eye, aux regards-3 they......stood forth, ils apparaissaient...... given place, fait place-5 they stood, ils se

trouvaient.

4

6 Lovers, amis- for, dans-8 have respect for, ayez foi en9 any, to be left out-10 to him I say, je lui dirai (or: je lui déclare) -11 to, pour-12 rose, s'est armé-13 this is, voici-14 not that I loved, ce n'est pas que j'aimasse-15 that, to be left out.

be a bondman?

were living,1 and die all slaves, than that Cæsar were 2 dead, to live all free men ?4 As Cæsar loved me, I weep for him;5 as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him; but as he was ambitious, I slew him. There is, tears for his love, joy for his fortune, honour for his valour, and death for his ambition. Who is here so base, that would If any, speak; for him have 18 offended. Who is here so rude, that would not be a Roman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so vile, that will not love his country? If any, speak; for him have I offended. I pause for a reply. None.-Then none have I offended; I have done no more to Cæsar than you should do to Brutus. The question of his death is enrolled in the 10 Capitol; his glory not 11 extenuated wherein he was worthy; nor his offences enforced 12 for which he suffered death.

11

Here comes 13 his body, mourned by Mark Antony :14 who, though he had no hand in 15 his death, shall receive the benefit of his dying,16 a place in the Commonwealth; as which of you shall not? 17 With this I depart that as I slew 18 my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself, when it shall please my country to need 19

:

my death.

SHAKSPEARE, "Julius Cæsar."

1 Had, etc......living, aimeriez-vous mieux voir C. vivant-2 than that C. were, que de voir C.-3 to, et de-4 men, to be left out5 I weep for him, je le pleure—6 who is, etc......would be a, quel est ici l'homme assez lâche pour consentir à être-7 if any, speak, s'il en est un, qu'il parle-8 him have I, celui-là, je l'ai—9 question, sujet10 in the, au-11 not, n'y est pas—12 enforced, exagérées—13 here comes, voici 14 mourned by Mark Antony, qu'accompagne MarcAntoine en deuil-15 he had no hand in, il n'ait pas pris part à-16 ...of his dying, en......-17 as.....shall not, et......n'en recueillera pas autant-18 with, etc......slew, je n'ai plus qu'un mot à dire : J'ai tué-19 need, demander.

ENGLAND'S RISE TO GREATNESS.

231

ENGLAND'S RISE TO GREATNESS.

The sources of the noblest rivers which spread fertility over continents, and bear richly laden fleets to the sea, are to be sought in wild and barren mountain tracts,1 incorrectly laid down in 2 maps, and rarely explored by travellers. To such a tract the history of our country during the thirteenth century may not unaptly be compared. Sterile and obscure as is that portion of our annals, it is there that we must seek for the origin of our freedom, our prosperity, and our glory. Then it was 5 that the great English people was formed, that the national character began to exhibit those peculiarities which it has ever since retained, and that our fathers became emphatically islanders,-islanders not merely in geographical position, but in their politics, their feelings, and their manners. Then first appeared with distinctness that constitution which has ever since, through all changes, preserved its identity; that constitution of which all the other free constitutions in the world are copies, and which, in spite of some defects, deserves to be regarded as the best under which any great society has ever yet existed, during many ages. Then it was that the House of Commons, the archetype of all the representative assemblies which now meet, either in the old or in the new world, held its first sittings.

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9

1 Mountain tracts, régions montagneuses-2 laid down in, représentées sur 3"the history, etc......may not unaptly (peut avec assez de justesse) be compared to such a tract"-4 sterile......as is, toute stérile......qu'est-5 "it is"- _6 emphatically, dans toute la force du terme- under which, sous le régime de laquelle—3 any, une-9 yet, jusqu'à présent.

Then it was that the common law rose to the dignity 1 of a science, and rapidly became a not unworthy rival of the imperial jurisprudence. Then it was that the courage of those sailors, who manned the rude barks of the Cinque Ports first made the flag of England terrible on the seas. Then it was that the most ancient

3

2

colleges which still exist at both the great national seats of learning were founded. Then was formed that language, less musical indeed than the languages of the South, but in force, in richness, in aptitude for all the highest purposes of the poet, the philosopher, and the orator, inferior to the tongue of Greece alone. Then, too, appeared the first dawn of that noble literature, the most splendid, and the most durable of the many 5 glories of England.

MACAULAY, "History of England."

JOHNSON AND HUME. *

6

It is worthy of note that, in our little British Isle, the two grand antagonisms of Europe should have stood embodied, under their very highest concentration, in two men produced 10 simultaneously among ourselves. Samuel Johnson and David Hume, as was observed, were children of the same year: through life they were spectators of the same life-movement;

12

1 The common law rose to the dignity, le droit commun s'éleva à la hauteur-2 made, see note, p. 2-3 seats, foyers- indeed, il est vrai-5 the many, toutes les.

6 Note, remarque-7 should have stood embodied, se soient trouvés personnifiés—3 under, dans—9 in, en-10 produced, qui se sont produits 11 as was observed, comme on en a fait la remarque-12 through life, dans tout le cours de leur vie.

* David Hume was born at Edinburgh, in 1711, and died in

3

JOHNSON AND HUME.

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often inhabitants of the same city. Greater contrast, in all things, between two great men could not be. Hume well born,1 competently provided for, whole in body and mind, of his own determination forces a way into literature: Johnson, poor, moon-struck, diseased, forlorn, is forced into it 5 "with the bayonet of necessity at his back." And what a part did they severally play there! As Johnson became the father of all succeeding Tories, so was Hume the father of all succeeding Whigs, for his own Jacobitism was but an accident, as worthy to be named Prejudice as any of Johnson's. Again, if Johnson's culture was exclusively English, Hume's, in Scotland, became European, -for which reason, too, we find his influence spread deeply over all quarters of Europe, traceable 1o deeply in all speculation, French or German, as well as domestic ; while Johnson's name, out of England, is hardly anywhere to be met with.11 In spiritual stature, they are almost equal; 12 both great, amongst the greatest; yet how unlike in likenesses! Hume has the widest methodising, comprehensive eye; Johnson the keenest for perspicacity and minute detail: 13 so had, perhaps chiefly, their education ordered it. Neither of the two rose into poetry; yet both to some approximation thereof:

14

1 Well born, de bonne famille competently provided for, dans une position de fortune aisée-3 whole in, entier de forces a way, se fraie un chemin—5 is forced into it, s'y trouve poussé—6 at his back, dans les reins-7 severally, chacun de son côté -8 again, d'autre part-9 for which reason, too, we find, aussi trouvons-nous10 traceable, empreinte-11 is hardly anywhere to be met with, ne se rencontre guère nulle part-12 in spiritual stature, they are almost equal, intellectuellement, ils sont presque égaux de taille-13 Hume has, etc......detail, le regard de Hume est plus étendu et embrasse l'ensemble des choses avec plus d'ampleur; celui de Johnson est plus pénétrant et saisit plus finement les détails-14 both, etc...... thereof, ils en approchèrent l'un et l'autre.