nities of rendering one's-self eminent, which are never likely to occur. "But, in fact, the Iliad and the Odyssey of Homer contain many beautiful descriptions of domestic scenes, interspersed in the midst of martial combat, and these embellishments are termed episodes. Take, for instance, the interesting interview between Hector (a brave Trojan, who defends Troy against the invasion of the Greeks) and his wife Andromache, when summoned to the field. She attempts to represent to him the uncertainty of his return, and does all in her power to prevent him from leaving her:

'Too daring prince! ah whither dost thou run? Ah, too forgetful of thy wife and son!

And think'st thou not how wretched we shall be, A widow I, an helpless orphan he!

For sure such courage length of life denies,

And thou must fall, thy virtue's sacrifice.

Greece in her single heroes strove in vain;
Now hosts oppose thee and thou must be slain!'

"But Hector is determined, and re

plies:

My early youth was bred to martial pains; My soul impels me to the embattled plains: Let me be foremost to defend the throne, And guard my father's glories and my own.'

"Then follows the parting scene:

Thus having spoke, the illustrious chief of Troy Stretched his fond arms to clasp the lovely boy. The babe clung crying to his nurse's breast, Scared at the dazzling helm and nodding crest. With secret pleasure each fond parent smiled, And Hector hastened to relieve his child, The glittering terrors from his brows unbound, And placed the beaming helmet on the ground; Then kissed the child and lifting high in air, Thus to the gods preferred a father's prayer.'"

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Ah, that is beautiful indeed!-and

did he summon resolution to leave them ?"

"Yes:

Thus having spoke, the glorious chief resumes
His towery helmet, black with shading plumes;
His princess parts with a prophetic sigh,
Unwilling parts and oft reverts her eye,
That streamed at every look, then moving slow
Sought her own palace and indulged her woe.'

"Her fearful predictions proved but too true; Hector returned to the field of battle, where he fought with courage and bravery, zealously defending Troy against the invasion of the Greeks, till he, himself, was slain."

"Poor Andromache! how much she must have been overwhelmed with grief!"

"She was indeed, and her affliction is described with so much feeling, that it would be almost impossible to peruse the passage without emotion. She is

represented as being busily engaged with her embroidery when the melancholy news reached Hector's palace ::

Far in the close recesses of the dome, Pensive she played the melancholy loom; A growing work employed her secret hours, Confusedly gay with intermingled flowers. Her fair-haired handmaids heat the brazen urn, The bath preparing for her lord's return : In vain alas! her lord returns no more! Unbathed he lies, and bleeds along the shore! Now from the walls the clamours reach her ear, And all her members shake with sudden fear; Forth from her ivory hand the shuttle falls, As thus, astonished, to her maids she calls.'

"Her distress, on viewing the dead body of her husband, is depicted in the most lively colours; but you must read the whole poem to enable you to judge of its beauties. When you have perused the Iliad, you will, I believe, acknow

ledge that epic poetry is capable of conveying to the mind some of the most natural and affecting pictures that can possibly be imagined."

Just as Mr. C. had finished speaking, Maurice, who had thrown off the cha-. racter of the venerable sage, and deserted his exalted station in the rock, overtook his papa and sister.

"I am pointing out to Clara some of the beauties that are to be found in epic poetry," said the former, "as she was ready to imagine that the merit of such composition depended entirely upon an accurate recital of wars and battles. I have been telling her, that although the peculiar characteristic of epic poetry is enterprise and action, it may also contain subjects of a different description, which the author is at liberty to introduce by way of variety, or as embellishments to the tale."

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