less important to their own happiness and
that of society than their knowledge of things
and reasons; and it should be steadily borne in
mind that no amount of political economy, and
no working of figures, will or can ever do without
them. Still, that in its influence upon the
well-being of the children and upon the future
of the country to which they belong, this is an
important and useful labour, we are quite sure
we need not insist. Very distinct illustrations
of that fact will occur at once to all of us.

      THE GOLDEN AGE OF HUNGARY.

EVERY nation has an epoch in the history of
its past, more brilliant than the rest, shining
with undimmed lustre through all succeeding
generations, and on which posterity looks
back with fond regret—particularly in the
time of adversity.

This epoch for Hungary is the age of the
Hunyad; ever memorable, not only for a long
series of heroic deeds, but, even more, for its
progress in literature and the education of the
people: transforming the land of the Magyars,
for a time, into the enviable seat of the arts
and sciences.

What would have become of Europe, had not
the Hunyads, at the head of that gallant nation,
repeatedly driven back the mighty hosts of
Turkey; and where could the many learned
men have sought refuge, after the conquest
of Constantinople, had they not been received
and entertained in a princely manner by a
member of that royal race?

The family of Hunyad did not grow into
greatness with the history of the country, like
many others of the nobility, but appeared
with the brave John, the founder of it, at
once like a brilliant meteor on the scene. It
disappeared after a short, but unequalled
existence, still more brilliantly with his son.

History has preserved no authentic dates
of their origin; but the following tradition
on the subject has been thought deserving of
some credence by several historians.

King Sigismund, who had sullied the
throne of Hungary during fifty-one years by
murder, oppression, and excess, visited
Transylvania during the year 1399. There he
resided at the house of a wealthy Hungarian,
and was greatly pleased on discovering that
hia host possessed amongst his treasures a
very beautiful daughter.

The king soon became enamoured of the
fair maiden, a love which she returned.
After a visit of some weeks, when he was
about to depart, he told her, that if ever she
should require his protection she was to come
to the palace at Buda, promising at the same
time to provide for her there in royal style.
As a token of his affection, he presented her
with a costly diamond ring, which would
ensure her instant admittance to the palace.

A few months after the king's departure
the fair Hungarian became the mother of a
son, who received at his baptism the name
of John. A year later the young mother and
her baby, accompanied by her brother,
proceeded to Buda to claim the king's protection
for his child.

On their way. as they rested in a forest by
the side of a well, the mother gave the ring
to her restless baby to play with. The
diamond, sparkling in the sun's rays, attracted
a raven, that bird, as it is well known, having
a partiality for shining objects: the raven
flew past unobserved and, before the mother
remarked it, had carried off the ring.

Great was her terror in discovering the
theft, as she had thus lost her only sign of
recognition by the king. Luckily the raven
did not fly far, but perching upon a
neighbouring tree, seemed quite occupied in
examining its booty. The brother, a capital
marksman, seized his cross-bow, and aimed
so well that the raven, pierced through by his
arrow, fell with the ring to the ground.

The beautiful Hungarian reached the
palace at Buda without farther accident,
where, on producing her recovered treasure,
she quickly gained admission.

King Sigismund received her kindly, and
was so much amused on hearing of her adventure
with the raven, that he named the child
" Corvinus "— Corvus signifying raven in
Latin; elevated the family to the rank of the
Hungarian nobility, and presented little John
with the hereditary castle of Hunyad in
Transylvania, besides other large possessions,
and gave him for his armorial bearings a
raven pierced by an arrow, holding a ring in
its beak.

Afterwards little John became the
renowned Hungarian warrior, the terror of the
Turks. It would be difficult to say whether
he won more glory by his virtues as a citizen
or his exploits as a soldier. Above the lower
passions which so often darken the career of
the greatest men, he never sought after
honours or after riches; fortune, therefore,
never made him arrogant, and in misfortune
he remained unshaken. The best proof of
the high estimation his merits were held in
by his country is, that he, a simple nobleman,
was chosen governor of the realm, during the
minority of King Ladislas the Fifth, with the
consent of the haughty magnates, each of
whom considered himself a king.

For six years he held this honourable but
arduous office, devoting every moment of his
time in the service of his country. His
active life closed as it began, with a victory
against the hereditary enemy of his nation.
His contemporaries say of him that standing
or sitting, on foot or on horseback, everywhere
he practised justice. Even Sultan
Mahmoud, who was defeated by Hunyad at
Belgrade, a short time before his death
exclaimed, on hearing the news of it, that the
world had lost a citizen in him rarely to be
met with.

This noble warrior, when feeling the
approach of death, summoned his two sons,