the suburbs of Damascus. Bulwer borrowed the incidents of his Roman stories from legends of a thousand years before.

Indeed, Dunlop, who has grouped the history of the novels of all Europe into one essay, says that in the 5 nations of modern Europe there have been two hundred and fifty or three hundred distinct stories. He says at least two hundred of these may be traced, before Christianity, to the other side of the Black Sea. . . .

Why, all the Irish bulls are Greek,-every one of 10 them. Take the Irishman who carried around a brick as a specimen of the house he had to sell; take the Irishman who shut his eyes and looked into the glass to see how he would look when he was dead; take the Irishman who bought a crow, alleging that crows were reported to live 15 two hundred years, and he meant to set out and try it; take the Irishman who met a friend and said to him, Why, sir, I heard you were dead." "Well," says the man, "I suppose you see I'm not."

66

66

"Oh, no!" says

he; "I would believe the man who told me a good deal 20 quicker than I would you." Well, those are all Greek. A score or more of them, of a parallel character, come from Athens.

Abridged.

Rawlinson: an English historian and student of Eastern literature. Gan ́ges: a river of India. - Damas'cus: the capital of Syria and one of the oldest cities in the world. Bul'wer: an English novelist. See page 261. Dunlop: a British author who wrote a history of fiction.. bull: an absurdity which has for the moment a reasonable sound.

HORATIUS AT THE BRIDGE

THOMAS BABINGTON MACAULAY

THOMAS BABINGTON MACAULAY (1800-1859) was an English author who was famous as historian, poet, essayist, and statesman. His style is said to possess every excellence, strength, brilliancy, clearness, melody, and elegance.

NOTE. The people of Rome, having driven out their wicked king, Tarquin, decided to be ruled by kings no more. Tarquin marched with a large force against the city and captured the hill Janiculum. The story goes on from this point.

Out spake the Consul roundly:

"The bridge must straight go down;

For, since Janiculum is lost,

Naught else can save the town."

Then out spake brave Horatius,
The Captain of the gate:

"To every man upon this earth

Death cometh soon or late.
And how can man die better

Than facing fearful odds,

For the ashes of his fathers,

And the temples of his gods?

"Hew down the bridge, Sir Consul,
With all the speed ye may;

5

10

"Lo, I will stand at thy right hand,
And keep the bridge with thee."
And out spake strong Herminius, —
Of Titian blood was he:

“I will abide on thy left side,

And keep the bridge with thee."

"Horatius," quoth the Consul,

"As thou say'st, so let it be.” And straight against that great array Forth went the dauntless Three.

Now while the Three were tightening
Their harness on their backs,
The Consul was the foremost man
To take in hand an ax;

And Fathers mixed with Commons
Seized hatchet, bar, and crow,
And smote upon the planks above,
And loosed the props below.

Meanwhile the Tuscan army,

Right glorious to behold,

Came flashing back the noonday light,
Rank behind rank, like surges bright

Of a broad sea of gold. Four hundred trumpets sounded

A peal of warlike glee,

As that great host, with measured tread,
And spears advanced and ensigns spread,
Rolled slowly towards the bridge's head,
Where stood the dauntless Three.

The Three stood calm and silent,
And looked upon the foes,

And a great shout of laughter

From all the vanguard rose;

And forth three chiefs came spurring

Before that deep array;

To earth they sprang, their swords they drew,
And lifted high their shields, and flew

To win the narrow way.