denotes greatness of mind, particularly in circumstances of trial and adversity. Mr Stretch well observes of it, that it is the good sense of pride, and the noblest way of acquiring applause. It renders the soul superior to the trouble, disorder, and emotion which the appearance of great danger might excite; and it is by this quality that heroes maintain their tranquillity, and preserve the free use of their reason in the most surprising and dreadful accidents. It admires the same quality in its enemy; and fame, glory, conquests, desire of opportunities to pardon and oblige their opposers, are what glow in the minds of the brave. Magnanimity and courage are inseparable.

1. The inhabitants of Privernum being subdued and taken prisoners after a revolt, one of them being asked by a Roman senator, who was for putting them all to death, what punishment he and his fellow captives deserved? answered with great intrepidity, "We deserve that punishment which is due to men who are jealous of their liberty, and think themselves worthy of it." Plautius perceiving that his answer exasperated some of the senators, endeavoured to prevent Magnanimity.

the ill effects of it, by putting a milder question to the prisoner: "How would you behave (says he) if Rome should pardon you?" "Our conduct (replied the generous captive) depends upon yours. If the peace you grant be an honourable one, you may depend on a constant fidelity on our parts; if the terms of it be hard and dishonourable, lay no stress on our adherence to you." Some of the judges construed these words as menaces; but the wiser part finding in them a great deal of magnanimity, cried out, that a nation whose only desire was liberty, and their only fear that of losing it, was worthy to become Roman. Accordingly, a decree passed in favour of the prisoners, and Privernum was declared a municipium. Thus the bold sincerity of one man saved his country, and gained it the privilege of being incorporated into the Roman state.

2. Subrius Flavius, the Roman tribune, being impeached for having conspired against the life of the emperor Nero, not only owned the charge, but gloried in it. Upon the emperor's asking him what provocation he had given him to plot his death? "Because I abhorred thee (said Flavius), though there was not in the whole army one more zealously attached to thee than I, so long as thou didst merit affection; but I began to hate thee when thou becamest the murderer of thy mother, the murderer of thy brother and wife, a charioteer, a comedian, an incendiary, and a tyrant." Tacitus tells us, that the whole conspiracy afforded nothing which proved so bitter and pungent to Nero as this reproach. He ordered Flavius to be immediately put to death, which he suffered with amazing intrepidity. When the executioner desired him to stretch out his neck valiantly, "I wish (replied he) thou mayest strike as valiantly."

3. When the Scythian ambassadors waited on Alexander the Great, they gazed attentively upon him for a long time without speaking a word, being very probably surprized, as they formed a judgment of men from their air and stature, to find that his idea not answer the high idea they entertained of him from his fame. At last, the oldest of the ambassadors (according to Q. Curtius) addressed him thus: "Had the gods given thee a body proportionable to thy ambition, the whole universe would have been too little for thee. With one hand thou wouldst touch the east, and with the other the west; and, not satisfied with this, thou wouldst follow the sun, and know where he hides himself. But what have we to do with thee? We never set foot in thy country. May not those who inhabit woods be allowed to live, without knowing who thou art, and whence thou comest? We will neither command over, nor submit to, any man. And that thou mayest sensible what kind of people the Scythians are, know, that we received from heaven as a rich present, a yoke of oxen, a ploughshare, a dart, a javelin, and a cup. These we make use of, both with our friends and against our enemies. To our friends we give corn, which we procure by the labour of our oxen; with them we offer wine to the gods in our cup; and with regard to our enemies, we combat them at a distance with our arrows, and near at hand with our javelins. But thou, who boastest thy coming to extirpate robbers, thou thyself art the greatest robber upon earth. Thou hast plundered all nations thou overcamest; thou hast possessed thyself of Lydia, invaded Syria, Persia, and Bactria; thou art forming a design to march as far as India; and now thou comest hither to seize upon our herds of cattle. The great possessions thou hast, only make thee covet more eagerly what thou hast not. If thou art a god, thou oughtest to do good to mortals, and not deprive them of their possessions. If thou art a mere man, reflect always on what thou art. They whom thou shalt not molest will be thy true friends, the strongest friendships being contracted between equals; and they are esteemed equals who have not tried their strength against each other: but do not imagine that those whom thou conquerest can love thee."

4. Richard I., king of England, having invested the castle of Chalus, was shot in the shoulder with an arrow; an unskillful surgeon endeavouring to extract the weapon, mangled the flesh in such a manner, that a gangrene ensued. The castle being taken, and perceiving he should not live, he ordered Bertram de Gourdon, who had shot the arrow, to be brought into his presence. Bertram being come, "What harm (said the king) did ever I do thee, that thou shouldst kill me?" The other replied with great magnanimity and courage, "You killed with your own hand my father and two of my brothers, and you likewise designed to have killed me. You may now satiate your revenge. I should cheerfully suffer all the torments that can be inflicted, were I sure of having delivered the world of a tyrant who filled it with blood and carnage." This bold and spirited answer struck Richard with remorse. He ordered the prisoner to be presented with one hundred shillings, and set at liberty; but Maccardec, one of the king's friends, like a true ruffian, ordered him to be slain alive.

5. The following modern instance is extracted from a late French work intitled, École historique & morale du soldat, &c. A mine, underneath one of the outworks of a citadel, was intrusted to the charge of a sergeant and a few soldiers of the Piedmontese guards. Several companies of the enemy's troops had made themselves masters of this work; and the loss of the place would probably soon have followed had they maintained their post in it. The mine was charged, and a single spark would blow them all into the air. The sergeant, with the greatest coolness, ordered the soldiers to retire, desiring them to request the king to take care of his wife and children; struck fire, set a match to the train, and sacrificed himself for his country.