ness. This noble deed contributed to convince the pirates that no larger sum could be obtained: they accepted it, and Haller returned to Athens with the friend whom his humanity had preserved.

FRIEND OF THE POOR.

During the great scarcity, or rather high price, of provisions in 1800, the Earl of Warwick distinguished himself for his humane interposition between the farmers under his immediate influence and the starving poor. Finding his injunctions disregarded, he sent the following circular letter to his tenants.--"This is to acquaint you, that I view your past and present conduct with abhorrence. After the total disregard which you have already shown to my particular request, it would not become me to renew it, if I had not been compelled by the miserably distressed condition of the poor, actually starving. I therefore hereby declare it to be my unalterable resolution to provide another tenant for the farm you now occupy as soon as I can legally do so, unless you will directly engage to bring your grain to market, and to sell it there at such reasonable price as may enable your fellow creatures to exist, while it leaves you more profit than you have any title to claim as a tenant. "WARWICK."

DELICATE BENEFICENCE.

Buonaparte, when Emperor of France, ordered letter boxes to be fitted up in all the churches of Paris, where the virtuous poor, without their delicacy being wounded, could as they passed deposit a note

expressive of their wants. These boxes were only opened by the higher clergy, who were sworn to secresy; and the wants of the parties were thus relieved without any of the humiliating circumstances of a public application.

BUONAPARTE.

Monsieur le Comte de Polignac had been raised to honour by Buonaparte ; but, from some unaccountable motive, betrayed the trust his patron reposed in him. As soon as Buonaparte discovered the perfidy, he ordered Polignac to be put under arrest. Next day he was to have been tried, and in all probability would have been condemned, as his guilt was most undoubted. In the interim, Madame Polignac solicited and obtained an audience of the emperor. "I am sorry, Madame, for your sake," said he," that your husband has been implicated in an affair which is marked throughout with such deep ingratitude." "He may not have been so guilty as your majesty supposes," said the countess. "Do you know your husband's signature?" asked the emperor, as he took a letter from his pocket, and presented it to her. Madame de Polignac hastily glanced over the letter, recognized the writing, and fainted. As soon as she recovered, Buonaparte, offering her the letter, said, "Take it it is the only legal evidence against your husband; there is a fire beside you." Madame de P. eagerly seized the important document, and in an instant committed it to the flames. The life of Polignac was saved; his honour it was beyond the power even of the generosity of an emperor to redeem.

;

LAVALETTE.

When Lavalette had been liberated from prison by his wife, and was flying with Sir Robert Wilson to the frontier, the postmaster examined his countenance, and recognized him through his disguise. A postillion was instantly sent off at full speed. M. de Lavalette urged his demand for horses. The postmaster had just quitted the house, and given orders that none should be supplied. The travellers thought themselves discovered, and saw no means of escaping, in a country with which they were unacquainted; they resolved upon defending themselves, and selling their lives dearly. The postmaster at length returned unattended, and then addressing himself to M. de Lavalette, he said, " you have the appearance of a man of honour; you are going to Brussels, where you will see M. de Lavalette; deliver him these two hundred Louis d'ors, which I owe him, and which he is no doubt in want of;" and without waiting for an answer, he threw the money into the carriage and withdrew, saying, you will be drawn by my best horses, a postillion is gone on to provide relays for the continuance of your journey."

MASSACRE OF THE HUGONOTS.

When Catherine of Medicis had persuaded Charles IX. to massacre all the protestants in France, orders were sent to the governors of the different provinces, to put the Hugonots to death in their respective districts. One catholic governor, whose memory will ever be dear to humanity, had the courage to disobey

the cruel mandate. "Sire," said he, in a letter to his sovereign, "I have too much respect for your majesty, not to persuade myself that the order I have received must be forged; but if, which God forbid, it should be really the order of your majesty, I have too much respect for the personal character of my sovereign to obey it."

BENEVOLENT GAOLER.

In the year 1786, an order came to Mr. Simpson, the keeper of Norwich gaol, to send three female convicts under sentence of transportation to Plymouth. One of these unfortunate females was the mother of an infant about five months old, which she had suckled from its birth. The father of the child was likewise a felon, under a similar sentence. He had repeatedly expressed a wish to be married to the woman, and was much distressed at the order for her removal. Application was made to the secretary of state, to admit him to accompany her, but without success. When Mr. Simpson arrived with his party at Plymouth, the captain of the hulk refused to take the infant, saying he had no order to take children. Neither the entreaties of Mr. Simpson, nor the agonies of the poor woman, could prevail on the brutal captain even to permit the babe to remain till instructions from government could be received. The gaoler was therefore obliged to take the child, and the frantic mother was led to her cell. Determined if possible to restore the child to its parent, Mr. Simpson set off for London, carrying the infant all the way in his arms. When he reached town, he hastened to

the office of Lord Sidney, the secretary of state, but was denied admittance. But humanity is not to be restrained by forms; and Mr. Simpson, after waiting attendance for several days, at length saw Lord Sidney descend the staircase, to whom he made so pathetic an appeal, that his lordship instantly gave orders that the child should be restored to its mother, and that the father should accompany them; directing at the same time that they should be married before they went on board. Mr. Simpson afterwards saw his lordship's directions carried into effect; and after travelling seven hundred miles with the child on his lap, returned home, amply rewarded by the approval of his own heart for all the trouble and solicitude he had undergone.

THE CALIPH OMAR.

As the Caliph Omar, the successor to Mahomet, was on his way to Jerusalem, to take possession of that celebrated city, he met with a number of unfortunate men, who were bound fast to trees, and exposed to all the rigours of a vertical sun. The caliph enquired of them, wherefore they had been condemned to undergo so dreadful a torment? They answered, that they were poor debtors, unable to satisfy their creditors. Omar immediately ordered them to be unbound, and having sent for those to whom they were indebted, he addressed them in these words: "Cease to torment these poor men. Do not require of them more than they can perform. For I have often heard the prophet say, do not make men suffer affliction, for such as afflict men in this world, will most surely be punished in the next."