me, do the same good office for you. I make
no pretensions to wisdom: I speak only of
such things as I know. Believe me, all
wisdom which extends no farther than yourself
is unworthy of you. A life sacrificed to
subtle speculations is a life wasted. Let the
eagle be the object of your emulation as he
was of mine. The more gifts you have
received, the better use it is expected you will
make of them. Although the All-Powerful
alone can implant virtue in the human heart,
it is still possible for you, as the dreaded
representative of authority, to excite to deeds
of benevolence, even those who may have no
better motive for doing good, than the motive
of serving their own interests. With time,
you may teach them the knowledge of higher
things. Meanwhile, it will matter little to
the poor who are succoured, whether it is
mere ostentation or genuine charity that
relieves them. Spread the example, therefore,
of your own benevolence, beyond the
circle of those only who are wise and
good. Widen the sphere of your usefulness
among your fellow-creatures, with every day;
and fortify your mind with the blessed
conviction that the life you will then lead, will
be of all lives the most acceptable in the eyes
of the Supreme Being.

"Farewell. May the blessings of a happy
people follow you wherever you go. May
your name, when you are gathered to your
fathers, be found written in the imperishable
page— in the Volume of the Book of Life!"

Abbas ceased. As he bowed his head, and
folded up the scroll, the emperor beckoned
him to the foot of the throne, and thanked
the sage for the lesson that he had read to his
Sovereign and to all the Court. The next
day, the Vizir was sent back to his government
at Morodabad. Shah Jehan also caused
copies of the letter to be taken, and ordered
them to be read to the people in the
high places of the city. When that had been
done, he further commanded that this
inscription should be engraved on the palace
gates, in letters of gold, which men could
read easily, even from afar off:—

THE LIFE THAT IS MOST ACCEPTABLE TO
THE SUPREME BEING, IS THE LIFE THAT IS
MOST USEFUL TO THE HUMAN RACE.

Surely not a bad Indian lesson, to begin
with, when Betrayers and Assassins are the
pupils to be taught!

DOWN AMONG THE DUTCHMEN.

VIII.

THUS far into the bowels of the land have
we marched on without impediment, and, it is
to be hoped, with some certain profit. What
Mr. Marvell with such sad disrespect styles
the huge Butter-Coloss, together with the
faithful partner of his joys and sorrows
(for whom, by the way, Mr. Marvell has
other unflattering epithets), hath been
contemplated in all social aspects. Not
certainly microscopically, and with much high
finishing—the figures being washed in, as
it were, with broad sepia tinting— very much
after the manner of that Mr. Gilray before
alluded to.

Take him for all in all, the huge Butter-
Coloss is a good fellow. Which nobody can
deny. For he's a (and here that profane
and roystering chaunt intrudes) good at his
knife and fork; good at his bottle. Which
nobody can deny! For he's a jol-ly good
fel-low, which nobody can deny! Good in
his connubial relations: a decent father o'
family, and the rest of it. A good citizen,
upright dealer, cheerful tax-payer: which
nobody can deny, either. Heavy enough, in
all conscience, on him such fiscal weigh. The
landlord of Amsterdam Hotel asseverating
that, for his narrow tenement, he is assessed to
the tune of, say, one hundred pounds annually.
Our huge Butter-Coloss is burdened with the
heaviest water-rate of any man living. Those
terrible earthworks, that sluicing, those
miles of piling, must be paid for handsomely.
Blank day for father o' family when he is
informed that an extra rate has been struck,
and that by reason of certain tempestuous
weather off the coast, which has done grievous
damage, the burgomaster and councillors
are compelled to levy more dyke-money.
Even the water that he drinks— and though
not too partial to that fluid, he must have
some to mix with his schiedam— travels
to him from afar off; from Haarlem,
being borne along in pipes underground,
acquiring an unpleasant brackish savour on
the journey. You may see it gushing from
taps in the open street; a water-bailiff
standing sentry over it, and dispensing it to
housewifes at so much per pailful. Terrible,
too, is his expense in building, should he be
filled with enterprise, and bethink him of
enlarging his concerns, or should he receive
significant hints as to necessity of repairs by
any sudden sinking of his back wall. He must
perforce rebuild, and all things come down
at once,—neighbour's houses being kept from
utter collapse by beams artfully disposed.
Then must he dig; and, at about two feet
from the surface, find his labour eventuate
peradventure in an artificial pond. Natural
but unpleasing result; for his tenement
stands but a few feet from a green and
sweet-smelling canal. Still must he dig on.
Gentlemen attached to the water interest
arrive presently with exhausting pumps and
other appliances; and, after them, the gentlemen
connected with the pile interest. These
are awful beings; awful, too, their implements
and machinery; sufficient to give eternal
night-mare to a poor father o' family's heart.
All the English world knows what were
unsuspicious Mr. Briggs' feelings, when that
unhappy gentleman, being informed that a
slate or so was off his roof, was prevailed on
to have the masons in. The masons, as the
sad tale has it, were had in while the too