"Paris, 21st December, 1792.

But

"You are undoubtedly surprised, my dear and honoured friend, that while the Clergy of France are flocking to England for shelter and support, I should remain here amidst the ruins of this afflicted, persecuted Church. Indeed I have often wished to fly to that land of true liberty and solid peace; and to share, with others, of your hospitable board, where to be a stranger and in distress is a sufficient title. Almighty God has baffled all my measures, and ties me down to this land of horror by chains which I am not at liberty to shake off. The case is, the malheureux maître charges me not to quit the country; as I am the person whom he intends to prepare him for death, if the iniquity of the nation should commit that last act of cruelty and parricide. I prepare myself for death, for I am convinced that popular rage will not allow me to survive one hour after that tragic act; but I am resigned. My life is of no consequence: the preservation of it, or the shedding of my blood, is not connected

with the happiness or misery of millions. Could my life save him qui positus est in rúinam et resurrectionem multorum, I should willingly lay it down, and should not then die in vain: fiat voluntas tua! Receive this unfeigned assurance, perhaps for the last time, of my respect and affection for you, which I hope even death will not destroy."

186. CHRYSIPPUS AND CICERO RESPECTING THE SOUL OF BEASTS AND IDIOTS.

Chrysippus said that a soul was given to a hog in lieu of salt, to preserve the liv ing animal from putridity; and Cicero (de Nat. Deor. lib. 2) applies the saying to idiots and sottish men. Philo Judæns has said the same of fish. Clem. Alex. Strom. lib. 7. page 304, attributes this idea to Cleanthus, Διο καὶ Κλεάνθης φησιν, ανθ' άλῶν αυτές έχειν την ψυχήν, ἵνα μὴ σαπῇ τα κρέα. Animam eis pro sale datam, ne putrescant. They have souls, instead of salt, to preserve the living body from falling into corruption. See also the same Clement of Alexandria, Strom. lib. 2. page 174; and Plutarch Sympos. lib. v. quæst. 10.-Pliny, Hist. Natur.

lib. 8. cap. 51. Philo Judæus de opificio mundi, p. 10.

187. REMOVAL OF THE OBElisks:

No human labour is more surprising than the removal of the Obelisks from the quarries to Rome. Pliny (lib. 36, cap. 9) has preserved some of the particulars of this undertaking. When the great Obelisk was hewn, in order to convey it from the quarry, a canal was cut beneath it, of sufficient depth, and nearly as wide as the length of the Obelisk, so that the Obelisk rested by its two ends over the canal. From this canal to the Nile another was cut, into which they turned the river. They then loaded, down to the water's edge, two large boats with stones, and conducted them under the Obelisk; after which the boats, being gradually unloaded, rose to receive the Obelisk; which was conveyed first to Alexandria, and then to the port of Ostia. In Pliny's time, was still to be seen at Ostia one of the vessels on which, by command of Augustus, was conveyed down the Tiber to Rome the great Obelisk now in the Place

of St. Peter. Claudius Caesar sent another of them to the mouth of the Tyber, to shut up part of the port, and render it more

secure.

188. THE MARCHIONESS DE MERTBUIL.

When the book entitled les Liaisons Dangereuses, appeared in England, it was read with extreme avidity, because it was understood to exhibit the manners of the polished people in Paris. Unhappily, not a single character was to be found in it that was interesting from its virtues; and the hero and heroine of the romance are depraved monsters. One day, at a great dinner, one of the company observed, that such a woman as the Marchioness de Merteuil, the principal female character in the work, could not be found in England. Another of the guests said, he knew a lady of quality who might have sat for the picture, but that he could not name her. A seconu, and a third, declared the same. The master of the house added, that he also knew one that might pass for the original, and proposed that each should write the name of

the lady he had in his mind: they did so, and each named the same lady.

189. THE JEWS BELIEVED IN THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL, AND THE RESUR

RECTION.

Far from admitting that the Jews did not believe in those two important points, which are the foundation of all religion, I shall prove that their opinion on these topics was perfectly established.

About 300 years before Christ, a certain person, named Antigonus, began to teach that men ought not to serve God from the hope of rewards, but from a disinterested love and veneration of him. Two of his disciples, Sadoc and Baithus, inferred that there were neither rewards nor punishments after this life, and consequently no resur rection or future state. Sadoc had many followers, and from him arose the sect called Sadducees. Though this sect was the least numerous of those which divided the Jews, it acquired great consideration, from its including in its bosom many weal thy families, and persons of distinction. John