sighs, accompany'd with bitter tears. In the midst of his misfortunes there was still upon his face an air of greatness, which shew'd, that the most High, in punishing, had not entirely forsaken him. They forbore, out of respect, to speak to him, or to interrupt the profound grief, in which he was plung'd.

Cyrus, deeply struck with the sad condition of this great Prince, stood immoveable, and on his countenance appeared all the tokens of a soul seiz'd with terror and compassion. The King of Babylon observ'd it, and without knowing who he was, said to him: heaven suffers me to have intervals of reason, to make me sensible; that I do not possess it as a property; that a superior being takes it from me, & restores it, when he pleases; & that he who gives it me is a sovereign intelli

cubria en él un ayre de grandeza que manifestaba que el Altísimo castigán dole no le habia abandonado enteramente. No osáron á hablarle por respeto, ni interrumpir el profundo dolor en que parecia estar sumergido.

Herido vivamente Ciro de la triste situacion de aquel gran Príncipe quedó inmoble: veíanse en él todas las señas de una alma ocupada de terror 9 compasion. El Rey de Babilonia lo observó, y le dixo sin conocerle: El cielo me permite intervalos de razon para hacerme conocer que no la poseo en propiedad, que me viene de otra parte; que un ser superior me la quita; y me la vuelve quando quiere; que el que la da es una inteligencia soberana que tiene la naturaleza en

su mano, y que puede reglarla o destruirla como guste.

En otro tiempo ciego del orgullo, y corrompido con la prosperidad decia yo en mí mismo, y á todos los falsos amigos que me circundaban: Nosotros nacimos como á la aventura, y despues de la muerte seremos como si nunca hubiéramos sido: el alma es una chispa de fuego que se apagará quando nuestro cuerpo será reducido á cenizas: venid, pues, gocemos los presentes bienes: démonos prisa en agotar los placeres todos: embriaguémonos de los mas exquisitos vinos: sahumémonos con odoriferos aceytes: coronémonos de rosas antes que se marchiten: sea la fuerza nuestra única ley, y el placer la regla de todas nuestras acciones: hagamos caer el justo en nuestros lazos, porque nos deshonra con su virtud:

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gence, who holds all nature in his hand, & can dispose it in order, or overturn it, according to his pleasure.

Heretofore, being blinded by pride, & corrupted by prosperity, I said within my self, & to all the false friends who were about me: We are born, as if it were by chance, & after death we shall be, as if we had never been: the soul is a spark of fire, which goes out when the body is reduc'd to ashes; come, let us enjoy the present good; let us make haste to exhaust all pleasures; let us drink the most delicious wines, & perfume our selves with odoriferous oils; let us crown our selves with roses before they wither; let strength be our only law, & pleasure the rule of our duty; let us make the just fall into our snares, because he dishonours us by his virtue; let us try him with affronts & tor

ments that we may see whether he be sincere 4. Thus it was that I blasphem'd against heaven, & this is the sour, ce of my miseries. Alas! I have but too much deserv'd them.

Scarce had he pronounced these words, when he started up, ran away, & hid himself in the neighbouring fo rest. This sad spectacle augmented the respect Cyrus had for the deity, and redoubled his desire of being fully instructed in the religion of the Hebrews. He frequently saw Eleazar, with whom he came by degrees into a strict friendship. The eternal, being watchful over Cyrus, whom he had chosen to bring about the deliverance of his people, thought fit, by his conversation with this Hebrew sage, to prepare him to receive, soon after,