eyes, would deferve more compaffion than an or dinary blind man. DEMOCRITUS.. Come, let us accommodate the bufinefs. There is fomething to be faid on each side of the question. There is every where reafon for laughing, and reafon for weeping. The world is ridiculous, and I laugh at it it is deplorable, and thou lamenteft over it. Every perfon views it in his own way, and according to his own temper. One point is unquestionable, that mankind are prepofterous: to think right, and to act well, we must think and act differently from them. To fubmit to the authority, and follow the example of the greater part of men, would render us foolish and miferable. HERACLITUS. All this is, indeed, true; but then, thou haft no real love or feeling for thy fpecies. The calamities of mankind excite thy mirth: and this proves that thou haft no regard for men, nor any true refpect for the virtues which they have unhappily abandoned. FENELON, Archbishop of Cambray. SECTION II. DIONYSIUS, PYTHIAS, AND DAMON. Genuine Virtue commands refpect, even from the Bad. DIONYSIUS. AMAZING! What do I fee? It is Pythias juft I did not think it arrived. It is indeed Pythias. I did poffible. He is come to die: and to redeem his friend! PYTHIAS. Yes, it is Pythias. I left the place of my confinement, with no other views, than to pay to Heaven the vows I had made; to fettle my family concerns according to the rules of juftice; and to bid adieu to my children, that I might die tranquil and fàtisfied. DIONYSIUS. But why doft thou return? Haft thou no fear of death? Is it not the character of a madman, to feek it thus voluntarily? PYTHIAS. I return to fuffer, though I have not deferved death. Every principle of honour and goodness, forbids me to allow my friend to die for me. DIONYSIUS. Doft thou, then, love him better than thyself? PYTHIAS. No; I love him as myself. But I am perfuaded that I ought to suffer death, rather than my friend; fince it was me whom thou hadft decreed to die. It were not just that he should fuffer, to deliver me from the death which was defigned, not for him, but for me only. DIONYSIUS. But thou fuppofeft, that it is as unjust to inflict death upon thee, as upon thy friend. PYTHIAS. Very true; we are both entirely innocent and it is equally unjust to make either of us fuffer. DIONYSIUS. Why doft thou then affert, that it were injustice to put him to death, instead of thee? PYTHIAS. It is unjuft, in the fame degree, to inflict death either on Damon or on myfelf: but Pythias were highly culpable to let Damon fuffer that death, which the tyrant had prepared for Pythias only. DIONYSIUS. Doft thou then return hither, on the day ap pointed, with no other view, than to fave the life of a friend, by lofing thy own? PYTHIAS. I return, in regard to thee, to fuffer an act of injuftice which is common for tyrants to inflict; and, with refpect to Damon, to perform my duty, by refcuing him from the danger he incurred by his generofity to me. DIONYSIUS. And now, Damon, let me addrefs myself to thee. Didft thou not really fear, that Pythias would never return; and that thou wouldst be put to death on his account? DAMON. I was but too well affured, that Pythias would punctually return; and that he would be more folicitous to keep his promise, than to preferve his life. Would to heaven, that his relations and friends had forcibly detained him! He would then have lived for the comfort and benefit of good men; and I should have the fatisfaction of dying for him! DIONYSIUS. V What! Does life difpleafe thee? DAMON. Yes; it difpleafes me when I fee and feel the power of tyrant. DIONYSIUS. It is well! Thou fhalt fee him no more. I will order thee to be put to death immediately. PYTHIAS. Pardon the feelings of a man who fympathizes with his dying friend. But remember it was Pythias who was devoted by thee to destruction. I come to fubmit to it, that I may redeem my friend. Do not refufe me this confolation in my laft hour. fet DIONYSIUS. I cannot endure men, who defpife death, and my power at defiance. DAMON. Thou canst not, then, endure virtue. DIONYSIUS. No: I cannot endure that proud, difdainful virtue, which contemns life; which dreads no punishment ; and which is infenfible to the charms of riches and pleasure. DAMON. Thou feeft, however, that it is a virtue, which is not infenfible to the dictates of honour, justice, and friendship. DIONYSIUS. Guards, take Pythias to execution. We fhall fee whether Damon will continue to defpife my authority. DAMON. Pythias, by returning to submit himself to thy pleasure, has merited his life, and deferved thy fa vour; but I have excited thy indignation, by refigning myfelf to thy power, in order to fave him: Be fatisfied, then, with this facrifice, and put me to death. PYTHIAS. Hold, Dionyfius! remember, it was Pythias alone who offended thee: Damon could not DIONYSIUS. Alas! what do I fee and hear! where am I! How miferable; and how worthy to be fo! I have hitherto known nothing of true virtue. I have spent my life in darkness and error. All my power and honours are infufficient to produce love. I cannot boast of having acquired a fingle friend, in the course of a reign of thirty years.. And yet thefe two perfons, in a private condition, love one another tenderly, unrefervedly confide in each other, are mutually happy, and ready to die for each other's preservation. PYTHIAS. How couldft thou, who haft never loved any perfon, expect to have friends? If thou hadit loved and refpected men, thou wouldst have feThou haft feared mankind; and they fear thee; they deteft thee. cured their love and refpect. DIONYSIUS. Damon, Pythias, condefcend to admit me as a third friend, in a connexion fo perfect. I give you your lives; and I will load you with riches. DAMON. We have no defire to be enriched by thee; and, in regard to thy friendship, we cannot accept or enjoy it, till thou become good and juft. Without thefe qualities, thou canst be connected with |