Being a Rhetor of Sicily, he was the disciple of Empedocles, the master of Isocrates and other orators. It is asserted that as soon as he came forth into the Athenian Forum, he was want to say, propound to me what you please, and I will illustrate the proposition in the most lucid manner. His oratory, indeed, was so highly esteemed, that the days in which he publicly appeared, were called days of golden fire. He acquired so much wealth by his talents, that he was the first of all other orators who placed a statue of beaten gold in the delphic temple of Apollo. Hence Plato, meeting him returning from Delphos, said, "Behold the fair and golden Gorgias!" The famous youths Critias and Alcibiades, and the aged Thucydides and Pericles, were so animated with the dulcedine attractions of Gorgias, that they were linked in his society, and valued him as an Orator and Rhetorician of the first class. Anecdotiana. THURSDAY FATAL TO MONARCHY. P. It is rather singular, that Thursday has been a day fatal to the existence of several sovereigns who have held sway and masterdom over England, and especially to King Henry VIII., and all his posterity; for he himself died on Thursday, the 28th of January; King Edward the VI., on She is come from the chambers of beauty and Thursday, the 9th of July; Queen Mary Love, She is come with her hair on the ray of the wind; on Thursday, the 17th of November; and Queen Elizabeth on Thursday, the 24th of March. AN ARTIST'S REVENGE. The temper of Zucchero the painter was strongly tinctured with resentment as will be seen by the following anecdote related of him. Zucchero while employed by Pope Gregory XIII., to paint the Pauline Chapel in the Vatican, fell out with some of his Holiness's officers. To be revenged, he painted their portraits with ears of asses, and exposed the picture publicly over the gate of St. Luke's Church, on the festi Sketches of Orators, No. 2. val of that Saint, the patron of painters. GORGIAS. GORGIAS the Sophist was reputed the most eloquent man of his time. His elegant and florid diction, heightened by shining figures which he first employed, charmed the Athenians, who were prodigiously affected with the beauties and graces of eloquence. He was therefore sent deputy from the Leontines to Athens, to demand aid against the Syracusans. For this gross affront he was compelled to fly from Rome, and hide himself in obscurity, far beyond the reach of his indignant enemies. DR. JOHNSON. Dr. Johnson being asked his opinion of a very small volume with a pompous title, replied, "That it was like placing an eight-and-forty pounder at the door of a pig-sty." Biary and Chronology. DATE DAYS. DIARY. DATE. June 11 Wed. St. Barnabas. CORRESPONDING CHRONOLOGY. June 11 Saint Barnabas was descended of the tribe of Levi, and born at Cyprus. He was stoned to death by the Jews in the 1st. century. 1574. Born at Westminster, Benjamin Jonson, one of the lights of the age in which he lived; he gained the appellation of Rare Ben for his then considered excellence as a dramatic writer. He was the friend and contemporary of the immortal Shakspeare. For an account of Ben Jonson, see No. 17 and 21 of this work. 1794. Died, in the 72nd year of his age, the learned divine and elegant historian, Dr. William Robertson. It is needless to enumerate here any of his masterly productions, as they are too well known to need comment from us... 12 St. John was a native of Sahagun, in Spain. In the year A. D. 1463, he took the religious habit of the hermits of St. Austin, in Salamanca, and in 1471, the saint was chosen prior of his convent. St. John in his last sickness foretold the day on which he should die, which event took place accordingly. He 1381. Killed in Smithfield, at the head of an im mense band of rioters, the insurgent Wat Tyler, by William Walworth, the then Mayor of London, who was so incensed at his insolence to his sovereign, Richard II, that he struck him a blow with his mace which stunned him, while one of the knights rode up and dispatched him. The occasion of this rebellion was to resist an obnoxious poll tax then ordered to be levied. 13 This saint was born at Lisbon, in 1195; he received his surname of Padua, which city, possesses his relicks. After a laborious and penitential life, he retired to Campietro, but finding himself ill, he desired to be brought back to Padua. stopped in the suburbs, and there died A. d. 1231. 1483. Beheaded, William Lord Hastings, the Lord Chamberlain of Edward IV., through the machinations of Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who perceiving him to obstruct his ambitious designs, procured his disgrace, and caused him to be executed without any form of trial. 14 St. Methodius I. was Patriarch of Constantinople. He is recorded to have been a zealous defender of Images; his enemies charged him with various acts of immorality, of which accusations he fully cleared himself. He died A, D 847. 1800. The battle of Marengo was fought on this day, between the forces of Bonaparte and the Austrians, when the former entirely routed the latter with the loss of seven generals, 400 officers, and 8000 men killed or wounded. The French, when the battle was ended, were the possessors of 12 standards and 26 pieces of cannon that belonged to the Austrians. 15 16 St. Julitta and her infant son, Quiricus, suffered 17 These saints were beheaded about the year A. D. Chronicles SECOND SERIES. ST. VALENTINE'S DAY; THE FAIR MAID OF PERTH. (Concluded from Page 359.) "THE course of true love never did run smooth," writes one who knew the human heart as well as Him who made it. Our last extracts left Henry Smith enjoying the hour and the honours of triumph; and the Fair Maid, we may imagine, a little less disinclined to listen to the pleadings of her father in his behalf. But suddenly a cloud lowers over the humble house of the Glover. The success of the Smith in conquering the butcherly Bonthron, and the disclosures made by that wretched culprit, have raised up powerful enemies to the peace and prosperity of father, daughter, and lover. The two first are charged with suspicion of heresy; and are forewarned by Sir Patrick Charteris to fly for their lives. VOL. I. 2 B The Glover takes refuge in the highlands with young Conachar now received back to the bosom of his clan; the Fair Maid is, with the assistance of Sir Patrick, sent for safety to the Duchess of Rothsay, a proud daughter of the Douglas, whose character is beautifully sketched off by the inimitable pencil of the author. The Glover arrives in the Highlands just in time to hear of the recent death of the Chief to whom he had fled for succour, and to witness his funeral honours, and to see his apprentice Conachar assume his station as the legitimate Chieftain of the Clan Quhele, under the Gælic appellation of Eachin Maclan. He is hospita bly received by the young prince; who, in an interview following the feasting, discloses to the Glover his passion for his daughter. The father, however, is not to be moved from his purpose, that of making her the wife of Harry Gow. The conversation then takes a new turn; and Eachin, after much hesitation, discloses to his late master how uneasily his new honours sit upon him, and confesses with the heart-broken humility of selfabasement that he is " a COWARD!" and 24-SATURDAY JUNE 21, 1828 dreads the contest which is to take place between his own Clan and the Clan Chattan. The old man listens to this confession with astonishment and with pain; and advises him to take better courage, and fortify his mind against the worst; but he counsels and consoles the young Chieftain in vain. Perhaps this scene is the most pathetic in the work; exhibiting the minute knowledge the author has acquired of the strength and weakness of the human heart. But we will leave the fortunes of the ill-fated Conachar, and will return to those of the Fair Catharine. She has arrived at the place of her destination in safety, but mischief is on foot to entrap her, when she deems she is most safe "It was an hour before noon, when Catharine, escorted by old Henshaw and a groom of the Knight of Kinfauns, arrived before the lordly tower of Faulkland. The broad banner which was displayed from it bore the arms of Rothsay, the servants who appeared wore the colours of the Prince's household, all confirming the general belief that the Duchess still resided there. Catharine's heart throbbed, for she had heard that the Duchess had the pride as well as the high courage of the house of Douglas, and felt uncertain touching the reception she was to experience. On entering the Castle, she observed that the train was smaller than she had expected, but as the Duchess lived in close retirement, she was little surprised at this. In a species of anteroom she was met by a little old woman, who seemed bent double with age, and supported herself upon an ebony staff. "Truly thou art welcome, fair daugh ter,' said she, saluting Catharine, and, as I may say, to an afflicted house; and ĺ trust (once more saluting her) thou wilt be a consolation to my precious and right royal daughter the Duchess. Sit thee down, my child, till I see whether my lady be at leisure to receive thee. Ah, my child, thou art very lovely indeed, if Our Lady hath given to thee a soul to match with so fair a body,' "With that the counterfeit old woman crept into the next apartment, where she found Rothsay in the masquerading habit he had prepared, and Ramorny, who had evaded taking part in the pageant, in his ordinary attire. "Thou art a precious rascal, Sir Doctor,' said the Prince; by my honour I think thou couldst find in thy heart to play out the whole play thyself, lover's part and all.' "If it were to save your highness trouble,' said the leech, with his usual subdued laugh. "No, no,' said Rothsay, 'I'll never need thy help, man-and tell me now, how look I, thus disposed on the couchlanguishing and lady-like, ha ?" 66 6 Something too fine complexioned and soft-featured for the Lady Marjory of Douglas, if I may presume to say so,' said the leech. 66 6 Away, villain, and marshall in this fair frost-piece-fear not she will complain of my effeminacy-and thou, Ramorny, away also.' "As the knight left the apartment by one door, the fictitious old woman ushered in Catharine Glover by another. The room had been carefully darkened to twilight, so that Catharine saw the apparently female figure stretched on the couch without the least suspicion. "Is that the maiden?' asked Rothsay, in a voice naturally sweet, and now carefully modulated to a whispering tone -Let her approach, Griselda, and kiss our hand.' "The supposed nurse led the trembling maiden forward to the side of the couch, and signed to her to kneel. Catharine did so, and kissed with much devotion and simplicity the gloved hand which the counterfeit Duchess extended to her. "Be not afraid,' said the same musical voice; in me you only see a melancholy example of the vanity of human greatness--happy those, my child, whose rank places them beneath the storms of state.' "The jest hath been played,' she said, with as much firmness as she could assume; may I entreat that your Highness will now unhand me,' for he still kept hold of her arm. Nay, my pretty captive, struggle not-why should you fear?' "I do not struggle, my lord. As you are pleased to detain me, I will not, by striving, provoke you to use me ill, and give pain to yourself, when you have time to think." 666 Why, thou traitress, thou hast held me captive for months,' said the Prince; and wilt thou not let me hold thee for a moment?' "This were gallantry, my lord, were it in the streets of Perth, where I might listen or escape as I listed-it is tyranny here.' 6 "And if I did let thee go, whither would'st thou fly?' said Rothsay. The bridges are up-the portcullis down-and the men who follow me are strangely deaf to a peevish maiden's squalls. Be kind, therefore, and you shall know what it is to oblige a Prince." "Unloose me, then, my lord, and hear me appeal from thyself to thyselffrom Rothsay to the Prince of Scotland. I am the daughter of an humble but honest citizen. I am, I may well nigh say, the spouse of a brave and honest man. If I have given your Highness any encouragement for what you have done, it has been unintentional. warned, I entreat you to forego your power over me, and suffer me to depart. Your Highness can obtain nothing from me, save by means equally unworthy of knighthood or manhood.' Thus fore You are bold, Catharine,' said the Prince; but neither as a knight nor a man can I avoid accepting a defiance. I must teach you the risk of such challenges.' While he spoke, he attempted to throw his arms again around her, but she eluded his grasp, and proceeded in the same tone of firm decision. 66.6 My strength, my lord, is as great to defend myself in an honourable strife, as yours can be to assail me with a most dishonourable purpose. Do not shame yourself and me by putting it to the combat. You may stun me with blows, or you may call aid to overpower me; but otherwise you will fail of your purpose.' "What a brute would you make me!' said the Prince. The force I would use is no more than excuses women in yielding to their own weakness.' |