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and architect named Smeaton undertook to erect a lighthouse of solid stone. Smeaton's lighthouse has withstood the buffeting of winds and waves for more than a century, but this most solid of solid structures at last begins to show signs of decay. It is the constant dropping which proverbially wears away the stone; and the millions of drops of water which, for the last hundred and twenty years have been hurled perpetually against the granite of the Eddystone lighthouse, have naturally done their work, and it has now become necessary to anticipate its overthrow by erecting a still stronger tower in its place.

Ominously significant, having an ill-omened meaning, or one that augured ill.

2 Simultaneously, at the same time. (Lat. simul, together.)

3 Decapitating machine, one for cutting off the head. (Lat. caput, the head; de, from.)

4 Providential retribution, a punishment brought about by God's interposing hand.

8

THE LIGHTHOUSE.

THE scene was more beautiful far to my eye
Than if day in its pride had array'd it:
The land-breeze blew mild, and the azure-arch'd sky
Look'd pure as the Spirit that made it.

The murmur rose soft as I silently gazed

On the shadowy waves' playful motion:

From the dim distant hill the lighthouse fire blazed,
Like a star in the midst of the ocean.

No longer the joy of the sailor-boy's breast

Was heard in his wildly-breathed numbers;
The sea-bird had flown to her wave-girdled nest,
The fisherman sunk to his slumbers.

One moment I look'd from the hill's gentle slope;
All hush'd was the billows' commotion:

And I thought that the lighthouse look'd lovely as Hope,
That star on life's tremulous ocean.

The time is long past, and the scene is afar,
Yet when my head rests on its pillow,
Will memory sometimes rekindle the star
That blazed on the breast of the billow.

In life's closing hour, when the trembling soul flies,

And death stills the heart's last emotion,

O then may the seraph of mercy arise
Like a star on eternity's ocean!

ΟΝΕ

CINCINNATUS.

of the most famous men of Rome in ancient

times was Cincinnatus, who lived in the fifth century before the Christian era. He was so called from wearing his hair in long curling locks (cincinni). He had at one time been a rich man, but he was reduced to poverty by the wild conduct of his son, who, after being released on bail, fled from Rome, leaving his father to pay the forfeit. Cincinnatus then retired to a small farm on the banks of the Tiber, and tilled the soil with his own hands.

Next year all Rome was alarmed by finding that the Capitol1 had been seized during the night by a band of desperate exiles and fugitive slaves. The Consul 2 collected a force and took the Capitol, but in the assault was himself killed. A successor was now wanted, and the public choice fell upon Cincinnatus. At the end of his year of office he was urged to accept it for another

year, but thinking it would form a dangerous precedent, he declined the honour, and returned to his rustic life as if he had never left it.

Two years later a neighbouring people, called the Equians, threw the city into great consternation." They had blockaded the Roman army in one of the narrow valleys of Mount Algidus. Unless relief came speedily hunger would compel them to surrender.

In any great crisis the Romans were accustomed to appoint a Dictator, whose word was law, until the danger was passed. The Senate now looked to Cincinnatus as the only man that could save Rome. So they sent a deputation with authority to declare him Dictator.

When the deputies arrived, they found him working on his farm in his "shirt-sleeves," as we should say. Hearing that they had a message from the Senate, he hastened to wipe off the sweat and dust, and to put on his toga. On hearing the object of their visit, he at once set out for Rome, a boat being ready to take him across the Tiber.

5

On his arrival at Rome he ordered all business to be suspended. He directed every man of military age to meet him in the evening, each bringing five days' provisions and twelve stakes. All was done as commanded. At sunset they marched, and that night reached Mount Algidus, where the Roman army was hemmed in.

On their arrival, they placed their baggage in a suitable place, and then proceeded under cover of the darkness to surround the enemy's camp. This being accomplished, every man raised a shout as a signal to their brethren that succour was at hand, and then pro.ceeded to dig a trench and to fix their stakes.

The Consul's army, which was blockaded, heard the shout of their friends, and flew to arms, and so hotly did they fight that the Equians had no time to attend. to the new-comers. The Dictator's men had thus an opportunity of completing the trench and constructing a palisade on the outer side of the enemy's camp, so that in the morning the Equians found themselves between two Roman armies, and their retreat cut off by a trench and palisade. They were thus forced to surrender. The Dictator made their whole army pass under the yoke, which was formed by two spears fixed upright in the ground, and a third across them at the top.

Cincinnatus returned to Rome amid the shouts and exultations of the rescued soldiers. Thus in a single day he had collected one army, released another, and captured a third. One evening he marched forth from the city to deliver his countrymen, the next evening he returned victorious. The crisis being past, Cincinnatus resigned his dictatorship, and returned once more to resume the labour of his farm.

1 Capitol, the citadel of Rome.

2 Consul, the chief magistrate of the Roman Republic in ancient times. 3 Consternation, excessive dread and confusion.

4 Deputation, a body of men sent to speak on behalf of many others.

It

5 Toga, the distinctive Roman dress.
6 Pass under the yoke. This was
done as a sign of submission.
was usual to sell all such into
slavery.

ADVERSITY.

SWEET are the uses of adversity;

Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head;
And this our life, exempt from public haunt,

Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks;
Sermons in stones, and God in everything.