vitas was actually written on the paper by some angel, by the express command of God.

Although the conduct of Zeno, in the case above mentioned, was extremely laughable, it was not crimin al. But some monarchs have been such mere block. heads, that they have been led by the belief of dreams, predictions, or oracles, to perpetrate shameful and atrocious crimes; and even to murder their nearest rela tions or friends. Of this, many examples might be found, I shall, however, only trouble the reader with a few: and these will be mentioned without any regard to chronological order.

Antigonus, successor to part of the territories subdued by Alexander king of Macidon, had in his court a young prince by the name of Mithridates, who had been placed there for his education. And while Mithridates was there, Antigonus dreamed that he was in a spacious field where he had sown golden seed: `that a wonderful crop of that brilliant metal sprang up, and grew, until it came to muturity; and that returning soon after, to reap the golden harvest, he discovered that it was all cut down ; and nothing but chaff and stubble left. He thought in his dream, that he was extremely troubled at this disappointment and that he overheared some persons saying, that it was Mithridates who had reaped the golden crop; and had returned with it into the kingdom of Pontus. Merely in consequence of this ridiculous dream,Antigonus resolved to destroy the life of Mithridates; and certainly would have accomplished it, if the young man had

not received an intimation of his design; and made a

timely escape.

Another sample of princely imbecility, and wickedness, tending to manifest the truth of the text, may be found in the character of Andronicus I. emperor of Constantinople. Being told by a magician, that a person whose name began with J. S. would dethrone him, he killed every man he could find whose name began with these letters.

The absurdity of such men does not appear in their credulity only; but in the measures which they adopt in consequence of it. Indeed, by their actions we should suppose, if it were possible, that they both believed and disbelieved, at the same time for they think that dreams and magical predictions are true; and must be fulfilled or verified; and yet they endeavour to avoid the suppositively foreknown evil, as if they thought that they were not true: and that the predicted event might be avoided. Or, in other words, they seem to believe that whatever magicians or necromancers pretend to foretell, is both inevitable and not inevitable. Thus in the case of Andronicus; he believed the magician, and yet he endeavoured to prevent, by murder, what had he predicted.

To conceit that the most ignorant vagabonds in existence, can foresee events, which the wisest men are unable to discover, is obviously a mark of egregious folly. But to believe that what is contingent, uncertain, and evitable, can be foretold; or that what is prefixed and -certain, can be prevented; is a proof of superlative ig

norance, and stupidity.

For how can that, which is lia

ble to prevention, contingent, and not preordained, be foretold? and, if nothing but what is prefixed and certain can be foretold, how can that which is foretold, be avoided? one would naturally and abstractedly suppose, that the reason of him, who could believe such fancies, is but one degree above the brutal instinct, or rather instinct than reason.

As I have already mentioned oracles, the belief of which has so often evinced the folly of kings, some further account of them; and also, some instance of their iufluence, may perhaps be expected. To satisfy this expectation, I will relate the case of Aristodemus. king of the Messenians.

The ancients had certain priests, who, being placed in costly and magnificent temples, were supposed to derive their information from heaven. They were generally consulted in cases of difficulty or danger; and they, or their answers were called oracles. In a war between the Messenians and Lacidemonians, one of these oracles, on being consulted by the former, assured them that they could not gain a victory over their enemies, unless the virgin daughter of the most excellent person among them was sacrificed. The king,

as might be expected, had vanity enough to think, that he was the most excellent person; and therefore resolved to sacrifice his daughter. And, although a young man to whom she was engaged, made an attempt to save her, by declaring that she was not a virgin; and therefore, could not be the person intended by the ora

cle: yet the cruel and fanatical father, though he was credulous enough to beleive an oracle, which was infieitely more improbable, would not credit this plausible declaration; but, with the enthusiastic rage of a bigot, slew his daughter with his own hand; and killed himself on her tomb. Such naked and manifest folly requires no comment.

The last case of princely stupidity, which I shall mention in this note, is that of the emperor Vitellius. He was told by an old woman, that, if he survived his mother, he should reign many years in happiness. And this silly emperor, who was probably much more foolish than the foolish old hag who deceived him, starved his mothor to death; that he might enjoy what the old woman had promised him. Hence, it must appear, that in monarchies a set of wicked, or crack brained astrologers, magicians and fortunetellers, through their influence on monarchs, may often have the power to direct the affairs of nations; and to destroy men with impunity.

It would be useless to swell this note, with a greater number of cases of this kind, if the curious reader, wishes to see other instances of royal turpitude or bigotry, they are numerous; and may easily be found by examining the lives or history of monarchs.

NOTE 76. Nero was so foolishly childish, that he ordered a lion to be made of pasteboard, and placed in the theatre which being done he appeared on the stage against it; with prodigious courage attacked his paper lion; and knocked it down with a large club.

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NOTE 77.

Caligula expended great sums of

money, in erecting a temporary bridge; and in adorning it with houses, and triumphal arches; merely for the simple purpose of strutting over it and back again, with his attendants, like a procession of school boys. When this rediculous performance was ended, he ordered the bridge, on which he had just before expended such vast sums of money, to be destroyed. To give a still more remarkable proof of his folly and extravagance, he had jewels dissolved in his sauces; and spent thousands at a meal. Succeeding emperors were no less prodigal. "Some of them, when they were at the sea shore, would eat nothing but what was brought from the most distant mountains'; and when they were furthest from the sea, **would eat nothing, but what was brought from the sea shore.

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NOTE 78. After the feudal system of government had spread over Europe, the most numerous and useful class of inhabitants, were reduced to so wretched a state of slavery, that their masters had the power of putting them to torture or death, whenever they pleased. They were frequently punished with the greatest cruelty, by their savage lords; and until the twelfth century, no fine, or penalty of any kind, was imposed on the nobility, for destroying the life of a peasant. After that period, they became, in some parts of Europe, subject to a small fine for murdering their vassals: but they still continued to hold them in bondage, claiming them as their property; and transferring them like cattle, or the soil on which they toiled. In other parts of Europe,