instant she advanced the lamp, and the mysteries of the couch stood revealed, she beheld the very gentlest and sweetest of all mild creatures, even Cupid himself, the beautiful God of Love, there fast asleep; at sight of whom the joyous flame of the lamp shone with redoubled vigour, and the sacrilegious razor repented the keenness of its edge. But as for Psyche, astounded at such a sight, losing the control of her senses, faint, deadly pale, and trembling all over, she fell on her knees and made an attempt to hide the blade in her own bosom; and this no doubt she would have done, had not the blade, dreading the commission of such a crime, glided out of her rash hand. And now, faint and unnerved as she was, she feels herself refreshed at heart by gazing upon the beauty of those divine features. She looks upon the genial locks of his golden head, teeming with ambrosial perfume, the orbed curls that strayed over his milkwhite neck and roseate cheeks, and fell gracefully entangled, some before, some behind, causing the very light of the lamp it self to flicker by their radiant splendour. On the shoulders of the volatile god were dewy wings of brilliant whiteness, and though the pinions were at rest, yet the tender down that fringed the feathers wantoned to and fro in tremulous, unceasing play. The rest of his body was smooth and beautiful, and such as Venus could not have repented of giving birth to. At the foot of the bed lay his bow, his quiver, and his arrows, the auspicious weapons of the mighty god. While, with insatiable wonder and curiosity, Psyche is examining and admiring her husband's weapons, she draws one of the arrows out of the quiver, and touches the point with the tip of her thumb, to try its sharpness, but, happening to press too hard, for her hand still trembled, she punctured the skin, so that some tiny drops of rosy blood oozed forth; and thus did Psyche, without knowing it, fall in love with Love. Then, burning more and more with desire for Cupid, gazing passionately on his face, and fondly kissing him again and again, her only fear was that he should wake too soon. But while she hung over him bewildered with delight so extreme at heart, the lamp, whether from treachery or baneful envy, or because it longed to touch and to kiss, as it were, such a beautiful object, spirted a drop of scalding oil from the summit of its flame upon the right shoulder of the god. O rash, audacious lamp! vile minister to love! thus to burn the god of all fire; you, whom some lover, doubtless, first invented, that he might prolong even through the night the bliss of beholding the object of his desire! The god, thus scorched, sprang from the bed, and seeing the disgraceful tokens of forfeited fidelity, without a word, was flying away from the eyes and arms of his most unhappy wife. But Psyche, the instant he arose, seized hold of his right leg with both hands, and hung on to him, a wretched appendage to his flight through the regions of the air, till at last her strength failed her, and she fell to the earth. Her divine lover, however, not deserting her as she lay on the ground, alighted upon a neighbouring cypress tree, and thus angrily addressed her from its lofty top: O simple, simple Psyche, for you I have been unmindful of the commands of my mother, Venus; for when she bade me cause you to be infatuated with passion for some base and abject man, I chose rather to fly to you myself as a lover. That in this I acted inconsiderately I know but too well. I, that redoubtable archer, have wounded myself with my own arrow, and have made you my wife, that I, forsooth, might be thought by you to be a serpent, and that you might cut off my head, which bears those very eyes which have so doted upon you. This was the danger which I told you again and again to be on your guard against, this was what I so benevolently forewarned you of. But, as for those choice counsellors of yours, they shall speedily feel my vengeance for giving you such pernicious advice, but you I will punish only by my flight." And so saying he soared aloft, and flew away. Meanwhile Psyche lay prostrate on the ground, gazing on the flight of her husband as long as ever he remained in sight, and afflicting her mind with the most bitter lamentations. But when the reiterated movement of his wings had borne her husband through the immensity of space till she saw him no more, she threw herself headlong from the bank of the adjacent river into the stream. But the gentle river, honouring the God, who is in the habit of imparting his warmth to the waters themselves, and fearing his power, bore her on the surface of a harmless wave to the bank, and laid her safe on its flowery turf. goddess be mitigated by the lapse of time; or at least until my bodily powers, weakened by long-continued labor, be renewed by an interval of rest." In the meantime Psyche wandered about, day and night, restlessly seeking her husband, and the more anxious to find him, because, though she had incurred his an ger, she hoped to appease him, if not by "I am touched by your tears and entrea the tender endearments of a wife, at least ties," Ceres replied, "and fain would render by entreaties as humble as a slave could you assistance; but I cannot provoke the urge. Perceiving a temple on the summit displeasure of my relative, to whom I am of a lofty mountain, "How can I tell," said also united by ties of friendship of old she, "but yonder may be the residence of date, and who besides is a very worthy lady. my lord?" and immediately she hastened Begone, therefore, from this temple directly." thither, while wayworn and exhausted as Venus, meanwhile, declining to employ she was, hope and affection quickened her earthly means in pursuing her inquiries steps, and gave her vigor to climb the high-after Psyche, returned to heaven. est ridges of the mountain, and enter the temple. There she saw blades of wheat, some in sheaves, some twisted into chaplets, and ears of barley also. There were scythes likewise, and all the implements of harvest, but all lying scattered about in confusion, just as such things are usually thrown down, in the heat of summer, from the careless hands of the reapers. Psyche began carefully to sort all these things, and arrange them properly in their several places, deeming it her duty not to fail in respect for the temples and ceremonies of any deity, but to implore the benevolent sympathy of all the Gods. Bounteous Ceres found her thus diligently employed in her temple, and cried to her from a distance: 46 Ah, poor unfortunate Psyche! Venus, full of rage, is eagerly tracking your footsteps, craving to inflict upon you the deadly penalties, and the whole force of her divine vengeance. And can you then busy yourself with my concerns, and think of anything but your own safety?" Psyche, prostrating herself before the goddess, moistening her feet with abundant tears, and sweeping the ground with her locks, besought her protection with manifold prayers. "I implore thee," said she, "by thy fruit-bearing right hand, by the joyful ceremonies of harvest, by the mysterious rites of thy cists, by the winged car of the dragons, thy servants, by the furrows of the Sicilian soil, by the chariot of the ravisher, by the earth that closed upon him, by the dark descent and unlighted nuptials of Proserpine, by the torch-illumined return of thy recovered daughter, and by the other mysteries which Eleusis, the sanctuary of Attica, conceals in silence; succour, O succour the life of wretched Psyche, thy suppliant! Suffer me, if for a few days only, to conceal myself in that heap of wheat sheaves, till the raging anger of the mighty She ordered the chariot to be got ready, which Vulcan had constructed with exquisite skill, and presented to her before the celebration of her marriage. The nuptial gift was of burnished gold, and was even the more precious through the diminution of its material by the file. Four white doves out of the many that nestled about the chamber of their mistress, advanced with joyous flutterings, and bending their painted necks to the jewelled yoke, flew forward with the chariot that contained the goddess. Around it wantoned chattering sparrows and other birds of sweet note, which announced the approach of Venus in melodious strains. And now the clouds dispersed, heaven unfolded itself before its daughter, and the lofty æther received the goddess with joy; nor did the tuneful retinue of Venus dread the attacks of eagles or rapacious hawks. She went straightway to the royal citadel of Jove, and with a haughty air demanded, as especially necessary, the services of the crier god; nor did the azure brow of Jove refuse its assent. Exulting Venus, accompanied by Mercury, immediately descended from heaven, and thus anxiously addressed him: "My Arcadian brother, you well know that your sister, Venus, never did anything without the presence of Mercury, nor are you ignorant how long I have been unable to find my absconding female slave. Nothing remains, therefore, to be done, but for you to proclaim her in public, and announce a reward to him who shall find her." Mercury hearing this, made proclamation, the desire of obtaining such a reward exci ted the emulous endeavours of all mankind, and this circumstance it was that quite put an end to all Psyche's hesitation. She was already near her mistress's gates when she was met by one of the retinue of Venus, whose name was Habit, and who cried out, as loud as she could bawl. "So you most good-for-nothing wench, have you at last begun to discover that you have a mistress? And do you pretend too, in your abundant assurance that you don't know what immense trouble we have had in endeavoring to find you out? But it is well you have fallen into my hands of all others, and have got within the very jaws of Orcus, to receive, without delay, the penalty of such obstinate contumacy. So saying, she resolutely twisted her hands in Psyche's hair, and dragged the unresisting captive along. But Venus, the moment she was dragged into her presence, burst into a loud laugh, such as people laugh who are furiously angry; and shaking her head and scratching her right ear; "6 At length," said she, "have you deigned to pay some respect to your mother-in-law? Or rather, have you come to see your sick husband, who is yet dangerously ill from the wound you gave him? But make yourself easy, for I shall at once give you such a reception as a good mother-in-law ought to give. Where," she cried, "are those servants of mine, Anxiety and Sorrow?" These attending at her call, she delivered her to them to be tormented. Thereupon, in obedience to the commands of their mistress, they scourged, and inflicted other torments on the wretched Psyche, and after they had tortured her, brought her back again into the presence of Venus. She flew upon her, tore her clothes in a great many places, pulled out her hair, shook her by the head and grievously maltreated her. Then taking wheat, barley, millet, poppy, vetches, lentils and beans, and mixing them all together, in one heap, she said to her: "You seem to me, such an ugly slave as you now are, to be likely to gain lovers in no other way than by diligent drudgery. I will, therefore, myself, for once, make trial of your industrious habits. Take and separate this promiscuous mass of seeds, and having properly placed each grain in its place, and so sorted the whole, give me a proof of your expedition, by finishing the task before evening." Then having delivered over to her the vast heap of seeds, she at once took her departure for a nuptial banquet. But Psyche, astounded at the stupendous task, sat silent and stupefied, and did not move a hand to the confused and inextricable mass. Just then, a tiny little ant, one of the inhabitants of the fields, became Immediately the six-footed people came rushing in whole waves one upon another, and with great diligence separated the whole heap, grain by grain; then, having assorted the various kinds into different heaps, they vanished forthwith. As At nightfall, Venus returned home from the nuptial banquet, exhilarated with wine, fragrant with balsams, and having her waist encircled with blooming roses. soon as she saw with what marvellous expedition the task had been executed, "This is no work of your hands, wicked creature," she said, "but his whom you have charmed, to your own sorrow and his ;" and throwing her a piece of coarse bread, she went to bed. Meanwhile, Cupid was closely confined in his chamber, partly that he might not inflame his wound by froward indulgence, and partly lest he should associate with his beloved. The lovers thus separated from each other under one roof, passed a miserable night. But as soon as Aurora had ushered in the morning, Venus called Psyche, and thus addressed her: "Do you see yonder grove stretching along the margin of a river, whose deep eddies receive the waters of a neighbouring fountain? There shining sheep of a golden colour wander about without a shepherd. I desire that you bring me immediately a flock of hat precious wool, get it how you may." Psyche willingly set out, not with any intention of executing this command, but to procure rest from her misfortunes, by hurl ing herself headlong from the rock into the river. But when she came to the brink, a green reed, the muse of sweet music, divinely inspired by a gentle breath of air, thus prophetically murmured. "Psyche t exercised in mighty sorrows, neither pollute my sacred waters by your most miserable death, nor venture yet to approach the formidable sheep on the opposite bank. While heated by the burning radiance of the sun, they are transported with savage rage, and you CUPID AND PSYCHE. are the destruction of mortals, either by | immediately; whereupon lofty Jupiter sittheir sharp horns, their stony foreheads, or ting upon his sublime throne, thus addressed their venomous bites. Therefore, until the the assembly of the Gods;-"Ye conscript sun has declined from the meridian, and Gods, whose names are registered in the the serene spirit of the flood has lulled the white roll of the muses, you are all well animals to rest, you may hide yourself acquainted with that youth whom I have under yonder lofty plane tree, which drinks reared with my own hands, and the impetuous fire of whose juvenile years I deem it of the same river with myself; and as soon as the sheep have mitigated their fury, if necessary to restrain by some bridle or shake the branches of the neighbouring other. It is sufficient that he is every day grove, you will find the woolly gold every- defamed in conversation, for the adulteries where sticking to them." Thus the artless and all manner of corruption for which he and humane reed taught the wretched Psy- is the cause. Every occasion of this must be taken away, and his youthful libertinism che how to accomplish this dangerous enmust be bound in nuptial fetters. He has terprise with safety. made choice of a girl, and deprived her of her virginity. Let him, therefore, hold her, let him possess her, and embracing Psyche, always enjoy the object of his love." Then, turning his face to Venus, "Nor do you, this occasion, nor fearful that your pedigree my daughter," said he, "be sorrowful on and rank will be disgraced by a mortal marriage; for I will now cause the nuptials not to be unequal, but legitimate, and agreeable to the civil law." Immediately after this, he ordered Mercury to bring Psyche to heaven; and as soon as she arrived, extending to her a cup of ambrosia, "Take this," said he, "Psyche, and be immortal; nor shall Cupid ever depart from your embrace, but these nuptials of yours shall be perpetual." Psyche, therefore, observing all the directons, found her obedience was not in vain, but returned to Venus with her bosom Yet full of the delicate golden fleece. she was not able to win the approbation of her mistress by this second perilous labour. In the meantime, Cupid, wasting away through excess of love, and dreading his mother's sudden prudery, betakes himself to his usual weapons of craft, and having with rapid wings penetrated the summit of heaven, supplicates the mighty Jupiter, and Then Jupiter, stroking defends his cause. the little cheeks of Cupid, and kissing his hand, thus addressed him :-" Though you, my masterful son, never pay me that rever ence which has been decreed me by the Synod of the Gods, but perpetually wound this breast of mine, by which the laws of the elements and the revolutions of the stars are governed, and frequently defile it by earthly intrigues, contrary to the laws of the Julian edict, and public discipline, injuring my reputation and fame by base adulteries, and sordidly changing my serene countenance, into serpents, fire, wild beasts, birds, and cattle; nevertheless, remembering my own moderation, and that you have been nursed in these hands of mine, I will accomplish all that you desire. At the same time you must be sensible that you ought to guard against rivals, and to recompense me for this service, by presenting me with any girl of transcendent beauty that may now happen to be upon the earth.' Having thus spoken, he ordered Mercury immediately to summon an assembly of all the gods; and at the same time to proclaim, that if any one of the celestials absented himself, he should be fined ten thousand pieces of money. The fear of such a penalty caused the celestial theatre to be filled Then, without delay, a sumptuous wedding supper was served up. The husband reclining at the upper end of the table, embraced Psyche in his bosom; in like manner Jupiter was seated with Juno, and after them the other gods and goddesses in their proper order. Then Jupiter was presented with a bowl of nectar, the wine of the gods, by the rustic youth, Ganymede, his cupbearer; Bacchus supplied the rest. Vulcan dressed the supper; the Hours empurpled everything with roses and other fragrant flowers; the Graces scattered balsam; the Muses sang melodiously; Apollo accompanied the lyre with his voice; and beauti ful Venus danced with steps in unison with entertainment was, that the Muses should the delightful music. The order, too, of the sing the chorus, Satyrus play on the flute, and Pensicus on the pipe. Thus Psyche came lawfully into the hands of Cupid; and at length, a daughter was them, whom we shall denominate Plea sure. born to APULEIUL NOCHE SERENA. [LUIS PONCE DE LEON, one of the most gifted of Span List to the concert pure Of yon harmonious, countless worlds of light! Each takes his journey bright, ish poets, born at Granada in 1527, died 1590. De-Led by an unseen hand through the vast maze of night! See how the pale Moon rolls scended from noble ancestry, he dedicated himself to religion and to poetry, and became professor in the university of Salamanca. The Edinburgh Review says of his poetry-" with the lofty idealism of the Platonic phi- Her silver wheel; and, scattering beams afar losophy, he exhibits in his style all the clearness and precision of Horace. But the moral odes of Luis Ponce On Earth's benighted souls, de Leon have a spell beyond the odes of the Epicurean Or, in his fiery course, the sanguine orb of poet." When yonder glorious sky, Lighted with million lamps, I contemplate; And turn my dazzled eye To this vain mortal state, All dim and visionary, mean and desolate : A mingled joy and grief Fills all my soul with dark solicitude ; I find a short relief In tears, whose torrents rude War; And, circling all the rest, Roll down my cheeks; or thoughts which thus See Saturn, father of the golden hours: intrude : Thou so sublime abode ! Temple of light, and beauty's fairest shrine ! My soul, a spark of God, Aspiring to thy seats divine, While round him, bright and blest, Its glorious streams of light on this low world But who to these can turn, Why, why is it condemned in this dull cell to And weigh them 'gainst a weeping world like pine? Why should I ask in vain this, Nor feel his spirit burn To grasp so sweet a bliss, For truth's pure lamp, and wander here alone, And mourn that exile hard which here his And all its flattering hopes, and all its frown-rian and statesman, 1797-1877, was born at Marseilles, ing fears. What is the ground ye tread, and died in Paris. Educated to the law, he went to Paris in 1815, serving his apprenticeship to literature by contributing articles to the daily press. This brought him But & mere point, compared with that vast into the best political and literary society in Paris, and space, Around, above you spread,- The present, future, past, hold an eternal he planned his great "Histoire de la Révolution Française" (10 vols., 1823-27). This comprehensive and carefully-executed work raised the young author at once to the height of celebrity. Three editions were quickly sold, and Thiers emerged from an obscure garret to |