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came back. But this promise lasted forever; for he has never been seen there since; nor did he ever intend to go back; for when he had obtained the approbation of the oracle to bind them to their promise, and set them an example of fortitude, he starved himself to death in the temple.

J. I do not know whether I like Lycurgus or not; but I should like to hear of some others of these ancient Greek gentlemen.

F. I will tell you about some of their poets, Jane. The two first that are mentioned, are Homer, and Hesiod. Homer wrote two poems about the Trojan war, which have been considered the greatest poetical productions, which were ever written: and other writers have been thought good, in proportion as they have resembled Homer.

Mrs H. That is, in the kind of poetry which he wrote.

J. Where did Homer live?

F. Seven cities contended for the honor of his birth, of which, Rollin thinks, Smyrna has the best claim. Then there was Archilochus, who wrote very good poetry, but it had very bad sentiments in it; and the Spartans would not let it be read in their city. Then there was one whose name was Hipponax. He wrote very severe poetry. He was very ill looking and very small; and

two sculptors cut his image, to ridicule him. But they soon repented of their fun; for he wrote some poetry about them, which made them appear so ridiculous themselves, that they left the city; and some historians say they hung themselves out of mere mortifi

cation.

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Simonides was another who gained a prize for his poetry when he was only twenty-four years old. Once he was cast away in a storm at sea; and when all the other passengers were trying to save some of their effects, Simonides tried only to save himself. When the captain inquired the reason of this he replied, I carry my treasures about me.' And so it proved; for some of the passengers were drowned in trying to swim to the shore, loaded with their goods; and those who got safe to land, were robbed by thieves as soon as they went on shore, and were obliged to beg their way through the streets. But a rich gentleman who lived in the nearest city, heard that Simonides was there, and he sent for him and supplied him with all he wanted, thinking it an honor to entertain such a man. So that the riches of their mind which Simonides carried about him, proved to be of more value by far than those treasures which perished so easily.

J. I like this part, Fanny; do tell more about him.

F. He was blamed as being ungenerous, because he acquired his property by writing poetry, and would not write for any body till they agreed to pay him. One time a man who had gained a prize in the chariot races, wished him to write a poem in his praise. Simonides thought the price he offered was not enough; and he pretended he could not write on that occasion, because the man's chariot was drawn by mules, and mules were not proper subjects of poetry. But as the man rose in his price, the mules rose in dignity, till at length the poetry appeared, and the poor beasts came out honored with the most illustrious titles.

H. Now that is a real funny story; I should not have thought Fanny's grave face could have told it so well.

F. I can tell you a grave story of him if you like. Hiero, king of Syracuse, asked him the question, What is God?' Simonides wished for a day's time, to frame his answer in. On the morrow, instead of answering the question, he asked for two days; and every time the question was repeated, he doubled the time. Hiero asked him at last, why he hesitated so long for an answer? Because,' replied the poet, the more I study into the nature of the Supreme Being, the more incomprehensible it appears.' Mrs H. You have obliged us with a ve

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ry good story, my dear; but did you find one for Jane?

J. Yes, mama: there was a female poet whose name was Sappho: she did not bear a good character, but her poetry was very beautiful: she was said to excel all other poets, in eloquence and style.

Mrs H. And who were the seven wise men of Greece?'

F. Rollin says, there were many men who were placed in this list, some authors preferring one, and others another. Little is known about them, except that they were usually kings, philosophers, and poets.

J. But, mama, what is a philosopher? Is it a man who studies philosophy all the time?

Mrs H. Not exactly. The ancient philosophers, indeed, were men who made study and teaching their principal business; but they understood, really, very little of what you would call philosophy; that is astronomy, light, motion, heat, optics, magnetism, &c. &c.; though in some of these things, they were wise for those times. But their philosophy, was more like what we should call the philosophy of the mind. A man who claimed this title, was supposed to have a great deal of knowledge of various kinds; to know very well how to speak, and write, and reason; to be very strict, and regular,

in his habits and morals; to care very little for riches, or pleasures, or fatigue, or pain; to be very fond of thinking, and reading, and to feel that the study of truth and justice and good government, and the government of his own temper and inclinations, was the most noble employment in the world.

J. Thank you, mama; I think I shall understand these stories much the better for your explanation. Fanny can you think of any more of these philosophers? and when you and Henry have done, I will tell anoth. er story, which papa told me when I was in the garden with him, digging roots, before breakfast.

F. Oh yes, I can think of several more. Thales, of Miletus, was one of the most celebrated of these men. He lived to be more than 90 years old, and is said to have been the founder of the science of philosophy in Greece, and to have been the first there, who studied astronomy. When he was travelling in Egypt, he discovered a way to find the exact height of the pyramids; that is by observing when the length of his own shadow was the same as the height of his body, he knew that the height of the pyramid was the same as the length of its shadow. This had never been thought of before; and then they did not perceive that they could as easily tell when the

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