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due to me in right of my office." Upon which he crammed the whole into his mouth, and with great gravity dismissed the court.1

DODSLEY. 1703-1764.

III.-DESTRUCTION OF THE ALEXANDRIAN LIBRARY.

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WHEN Alexandria was taken by the Mahometans, Amrus, their commander,2 found there Philoponus, whose conversation highly pleased him, as Amrus was a lover of letters, and Philoponus a learned man. On a certain day Philoponus said to him: "You have visited all the repositories or public warehouses in Alexandria, and you have sealed up things of every sort that are found there. As to those things that may be useful to you, I presume to say nothing; but as to things (which are) of no service to you, some of them perhaps may be more suitable to me. 198 Amrus said to him: "And what is it you want? "The philosophical books," replied he, 'preserved in the royal libraries."- "This," said Amrus, "is a request upon which I cannot decide.10 You desire a thing where I can issue no orders till I have leave from Omar, the commander of the faithful." Letters were accordingly written " to Omar, informing him of what

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1 He dismissed the court, Il leva l'audience.

2 Commander, Général.—3 Highly pleased him, Le charma beaucoup. On a certain day, Un jour.-5 Repositories, Magasins.— • You have sealed up, Vous avez mis le scellé sur.-7 See § 18.-8 To be more suitable, Convenir davantage.-9 Preserved, Qui sont.— 10 Which I cannot decide, Que je ne puis me permettre de vous ac corder.-11 Letters were accordingly written, On écrivit alors.

Philoponus had said; and an answer was returned by Omar, to the following purport: "As to the books of which you have made mention, if there be contained in them3 what accords with the book of God (meaning the Alkoran), there is without them, in the book of God, all that is sufficient. But if there be anything in them repugnant to that book, we in no respect want them. Order them therefore to be all destroyed."6 Amrus upon this ordered them to be dispersed through the baths of Alexandria, and to be there burnt in making the baths warm. 8 After this manner, in the space of 10 six months, they were all consumed.

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Thus ended this noble" library; and thus began, if it did not begin sooner, the age of barbarity and ignorance.

HARRIS. 1709-1780.

IV.-A TURKISH TALE.

WE are told that the Sultan Mahmoud, by his perpetual wars abroad12 and his tyranny at home 13 had filled his dominions with ruin and desolation, and half unpeopled the Persian empire. The vizier to 15 this great

1 An answer wa eturned to the following purport, Omar y répondit en ces termes.-2 Of which you have made mention, A propos desquels vous m'avez écrit.-3 If there be contained in them, Si ce qu'ils contiennent.-4 Repugnant, De contraire.-5 In no respect, Nullement. Order them therefore to be all destroyed, Faites-les donc détruire tous.-7 To be dispersed through, Qu'on les distribuât. -8 In making warm, En faisant chauffer.- After, De.—10 In the space of, En.-11 Noble, Magnifique.

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Abroad, Au dehors.-13 At home, Au dedans.-14 See § 35, 10.— 15 Sce § 33, 11.

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sultan pretended to have learnt of a certain dervise to understand the language of birds, so that there was not a bird that could open his mouth but the vizier knew1 what it was he said. As he was one evening with the emperor, on their return from hunting, they saw a couple of owls upon a tree that grew near an old wall out of a heap of rubbish. "I would fain know,”3 said the sultan, "what those two owls are saying to one another; listen to their discourse, and give me an account of it." The vizier approached the tree, pretending' to be very attentive to the two owls. Upon his return to the sultan : " Sire," says he, "I have heard part of their conversation, but dare not tell you what it is." The sultan would not be satisfied with 10 such an answer, but forced him to repeat, word for word, everything the owls had said. "You must know then," said the vizier, "that one of these owls has a son, and the other a daughter, between whom they are now upon a treaty of marriage.12 The father of the son said 13 to the father of the daughter, 'Brother, I consent to this marriage, provided you will settle upon your daughter fifty ruined villages for her portion.'14 To which the father

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1 So that there was not a bird that could open his mouth but the vizier knew, Si bien que pas un d'entre eux ne pouvait ouvrir le bec, sans que le vizir sût.-2 See § 31, 6.-3 I would fain know, Je voudrais bien savoir.- See § 20.5 And give me an account of it, Et viens m'en rendre compte.-6 See § 37, 1.-7 Pretending, En faisant semblant.-8 To, A ce que disaient.-9 Upon his return to, Revenu vers.-10 The sultan would not be satisfied with, Le sultan

voulut pas se contenter de.-11 You must know then, Vous saurez alors.-12 Between whom they are now upon a treaty of marriage, Dont ils font en ce moment le contrat de mariage.-13 Said, A dit.-14 Provided you will settle upon your daughter for her portion, Pourvu que vous constituiez en dot à votre fille.

of the daughter replied, 'Instead of fifty, I will give her five hundred,' if you please. God grant a long life to Sultan Mahmoud; whilst he reigns3 over us, we shall never want ruined villages.'

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The story says, the sultan was so touched with the fable, that he rebuilt the towns and villages which had been destroyed, and from that time forward consulted the good of his people."

ADDISON. 1672-1719.

V.-TURNING THE GRINDSTONE.

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WHEN I was a little boy, I remember one cold winter's morning I was accosted by a smiling man' with an axe on his shoulder." My pretty boy," said he, "has your father a grindstone ? " 10" Yes, sir," said I.—" You are a fine little fellow," said he; "will you let me grind 11 axe on it?" 12

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Pleased with his compliment of "fine little fellow," “Oh yes, sir,” I answered, "it is down13 in the shop." "And will you, my man,' "14 said he, patting me on the

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1 See § 18.- 2 If you please, Si cela vous fait plaisir.-3 See § 42. The story says, On dit que.-5 From that time forward consulted the good of his people, Depuis lors ne désira que de rendre son peuple heureux.

6 One cold winter's morning, Un matin d'hiver quand il faisait très-froid..—7 I was accosted by a smiling man, Un homme m'adressa la parole en souriant.-8 With, Il avait.—9 On his shoulder, Sur l'épaule.—10 Grindstone, Une meule.-11 To grind, Repasser.-12 On it, Sur cette pierre.—13 It is down, La meule est.—14 My man, mon petit homme.-15 To get, Me chercher.-16 A kettleful, Une bouilloire toute pleine.

"How old are you, and what's your name?" continued he, without waiting for1 a reply. "I am sure you are one of the finest lads that I have ever seen.2 Will you just turn a few minutes for me?"

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Tickled with the flattery, like a fool I went to work,' and bitterly did I rue the day." It was a new axe, and I toiled and tugged till I was almost tired to death." The school-bell rang, and I could not get away; my hands were blistered, and it was not half ground.

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At length, however, the axe was sharpened,1o and the man turned to me with," "Now you little rascal, you've played the truant; 12 scud to school or you'll rue it." Alas! thought I, it was hard enough to turn a grindstone this cold day, but now to be called a little rascal was too much.15 It sank deep in my mind,16 and often have I thought of it since.17

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When I see a merchant over polite to his customers, begging them to take a little brandy, and throwing his goods on the counter-thinks I, that man has an axe to grind.18

1 See § 36, 3.-2 That I have ever seen, Que j'aie jamais vus.—— 3 To turn, Tourner la meule.- Tickled with the flattery, like a fool I went to work, Charmé du compliment je commençai le travail comme un imbécile.-5 The day, Le travail de la journée.— 6 It was a new axe, La hache était neuve.-7 Tugged till I was almost tired to death, Je me donnais du mal, jusqu'à ce que je pensais mourir de fatigue à la fin.- Blistered, Couvertes d'ampoules.—9 It, La hâche, see § 49.—1o Sharpened, Aiguisée.—11 With, En disant.-12 You little rascal, you've played the truant, Petit vaurien, tu as fait l'école buissonnière.-13 Scud to school or you'll rue it, Dépêche-toi d'aller à l'école ou l'on t'en fera repentir.-14 This cold day, Aujourd'hui quand il faisait si froid.-15 Was too much, C'était un peu trop fort.-16 It sank deep in my mind, Ces mots se gravèrent profondément dans mon esprit.-17 See § 30, 5.-18 To grind, Qu'il veut faire repasser.

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