There, on the tea-board oft I stand,
And often in the waiter's hand,
And near the hearth I find a seat,
For I delight in warmth and heat;
Should cards appear, you'll see my facc,
Safe in the pack I have a place:

There with each lurking knave I'm seem,
But ne'er go near the king or queen;
Sometimes I'm seen within the park,
And, strange to tell, you'll see me in the dark :
I'm captain of a chosen band,

And seen at sea as well as land:

I'll say no more, ere now, no doubt,
You've rent the veil, and found me out.

3.

CHARADE.

My first's a carriage known to ancient Rome,
And us'd in war to bring the victors' home:
My second oft prevails in flocks of sheep,
My whole's a useful root, both good and cheap.

ACROSTIC.

Who art thou, lovely bard, whose tender lines
In such unrivall'd lustre shines,

Let me approach, let me attempt to shew,
Lov'd youth, to thee, respect so justly due:
In vain's the attempt, my weaker lay,
At sight of thee, must vanish quite away,
May you compare the lunar to the solar ray.

Could I but write like thee, ingenuous youth,
And in my lines such virtue, love and truth,
So smooth, so sweet, and yet so grand,
E'en thou might own me for a friend.

REBUS, BY J. R. TOULMIN.

Three-fourths of mischief, youths, disclose,
Which is the first part of my theme:
Two-fourths of a coin I propose

Next, of the Spanish sort, I deem.

My whole, undoubtedly, you'll quickly view,
You must my worthy elder brother shew:
For many his conduct do greatly prize,
He acts that part that's good, and just, and wise.

THE HISTORICAL MUSEUM.

No. II.

Consisting of Miscellaneous Curiosities, extracted from various Authors.

OF THE BLAMELESS AND INNOCENT LIFE OF SOME PERSONS.

IF

man alone is a wonder, the good and virtuous man must certainly be a double one: he is such a rarity, that Diogenes thought the sun at noon scarce a sufficient light to make his discovery by, when he went up and down in quest of such a one, whimsically carrying a candle and lanthorn to assist his discovery. Vir bonus cito nec fieri, nec intell.gi potest; nam ille alter fortasse tanquam Phænix, anno quingentesimo nascitur: "A good man is neither quickly made, nor easily understood; for like the Phoenix of Arabia, there is possible one of them born in the space of five hundred years." This was the opinion of Seneca: and since ths world is so seldom enriched with these jewels, the reader will the less wonder at that poverty of instances, that is to be met with in writers, and may do well to have in greater veneration the virtues of those illustrious persons which he is here presented with.

1. Camerarius mentions an inscription upon a tombstone in Rome, near the place of the Jews, in these words:

Julia B. Prisca vixit Annos XXVI.

Nihil unquam peccavit nisi

quod mortua est. i. e.

"In this only she did amiss, 'that she died." Camer, Oper. Subsis, cent. 1. c. 97.

2. M. Portius Cato the Elder lived with that integrity, that though he was fifty times accused, he was yet so many times adjudged innocent, nor did he obtain this by favour or wealth, but against the favour and riches of almost the whole city. His honesty and severity had raised him up very many enemies, and much of envy, for he spared no man, nor was a friend to any who was not so to the commonwealth. At last, being accused in his old age, he required and obtained that Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, one of the chiefest, of his enemies, should be appointed for his judge: but even he acquitted him, and gave sentence that he was innocent. Through this his confident action he ever after lived both in great glory and equal security. Lips. Monit. l. 1. c. 7. p. 92. Plin. Nat. Hist. 1. 7. c. 27. p. 170. Solin. c. 7. p. 196.

3. It is said of King Henry the Sixth of England, that he had one immunity peculiar, that no man could ever be revenged of him, seeing he never offered a man an injury: once for all let his Confessor be heard speak, who in ten years confession never found that he had said or done any thing, for which he might jnstly be enjoined penance. Bak. Chron. p. 287.

4. When the corpse of Thomas Howard, second Duke of Norfolk, was carried to be interred in the Abbey of Thetford, Anno 1524, no person could demand of him one groat for debt, or restitution for any injury done by him. Weaver's Fun. Monum. p. 839.

5. Aristophon the Athenian used to boast amongst his citizens, that whereas he had been ninety-five times cited and accused before the Tribunal of justice, yet he had ever been absolved and

pronounced innocent, in every of those trials. Zuing. Theatr. vol. 3. l. 5. p. 765.

6. Julius Drusus, a Tribune of the people, had a house, that in many places lay open to the eyes of the neighbourhood. There came a workman to him, and told him that at the price of five talents, he would so alter it, that it should not be liable to that 'inconvenience. "I will give thee ten talents, "said he, "if thou canst make my house conspicuous in every room of it, that so all the city may behold after what manner I lead my life." For he was a man of great temperance and moderation. Lipsius calls him Livius Drusus, and relates the story in somewhat a different manner, though to the same purpose. Zuing. Theatr. vol. 1. 1. 2. p. 133 Lips. Monit. l. 1. c. 6. p. 88.

7. Aristides was the most just and honest person amongst all the Greeks, and by reason of the glory and name he had gained, was in danger of a ten years exile, which, from the manner of the suffrage, the Greeks call Ostracism. While they were now giving in their voices, and he himself was present, standing in the crowd and throng of the people, there came one to him, who (not able to write himself) desired him (being next to him) that he would write the name of Aristides in his shell, viz, him that he would have condemned and banished. "Do you know him then," said Aristides," or has he any ways injured you?" "Neither," said the other, but this is that which vexes me, and therefore I would he were condemned, because I hear him called up and down, Aristides the just or honest." Aristides took his shell, and wrote his name in it as he had desired. Lips. Monit. l. 1. c. 7. p. 90.

8. Scipio Nasica was judged once, by the Senate of Rome (and each of those Senators were sworn to speak without passion or affection), to be the best

and most honest man that ever was from the beginning of the world: yet this same man, as upright and innocent as he was through the ingratitude of the people, was not suffered to die in his own country. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 7. c. 34. p. 173. Solin. c. 7. p. 196.

9. M. Cato the younger, was flatterer of no mortal: he frequently opposed Pompey, fearing his greatness, for he esteemed the commonwealth more dearly than any other person or thing. He was suspicious and jealous of any thing that was beyond measure, as dreading an excess of power in any upon the score of the republick. He sided with the people in any thing for their advaatage; and would freely deliver his opinion in things that were just, let the hazard and danger of doing it be as great as it would. Xiphil. p. 6.

10. Asclepiodorus went on a pilgrimage from the City of Athens into Syria, and visited most cities as he went along. This he undertook, that he might observe the manners of men and their way of life. His journey being ended, he said, "that in all his perambulation he had not met with more than three men, that lived with modesty and according to the rules of honesty and justice." These three were Ilapius a philosopher in Antioch; Mares of Laodicca, the most honest man of that age; and Domninus the philosopher; so that it should seem Heraclitus had reason for his tears, who is said to weep as oft as he came abroad, in consideration of so many thousands of evil livers as he beheld about him. Cal. Rhod. 1. 14. c. 3. p. 631.

11. Biblius (as we read of him) was a man of that integrity and singular abstinence, in respect of what was another's right, that if he casually saw any thing as he passed upon the way, he would depart without offering to take it up: saying, “It