acquainting them 4°, that all he had acquired was theirs; that he gave the whole to their disposal, and should only consider himself a sharer with the rest of the children.

The generosity and filial piety of this proposal excited their warmest admiration and occasioned no small compunction 42 in the father for his treatment of such a son. He would not accept the offer in its full extent; but borrowing a considerable share of his son's property, associated him with himself in a mercantile concern, which enabled him to provide handsomely for the rest of his days in ease and content 43.

AIKIN.

et son mari firent long-temps de vains efforts avant de recueillir.40 He concluded... ...... il finit par leur dire.-41 All he, tout ce qu'il.-42 No small compunction, un vif repentir.-43 To provide................ s'assurer une existence aisée et paisible pour le reste de ses jours.

THE STORY OF A DISABLED SOLDIER.

THERE is nothing magnanimous in bearing misfortunes with fortitude, when the whole world is looking on 2: men in such circumstances will act bravely, even from motives of vanity; but he who, in the vale of obscurity 3, can brave adversity; who, without friends to encourage, acquaintances to pity, or even without help to alleviate his misfortunes, can behave with tranquillity and indifference, is truly great; whether peasant or courtier, he deserves admiration, and should be held up for our imitation and respect.

I have been led into these reflections from accidentally meeting, some days ago, a poor fellow whom I knew when a boy, dressed in' a sailor's jacket, and begging at one of the outlets of the town with a wooden leg. I knew him to have been honest and industrious, when in the

* There is. .......

il n'y a pas de grandeur d'âme à..—2 Is looking on, a les yeux fixés sur la victime.— 3 In the vale... dans la situation la plus obscure. - Should be....., devrait être l'objet de.-5 From accidentally.... par la rencontre que je fis, il y a quelques jours, de.—6 Sous-ent: I was; quand j'étais enfant.- Dressed in, revêtu de.-8 Sous-ent: he

country, and was curious to learn what had reduced him to his present situation. Wherefore, after having given him what I thought proper, I desired to know the history of his life and misfortunes, and the manner in which he was reduced to his present distress. The disabled soldier, for such he was, though dressed in a sailor's habit, scratching his head, and leaning on his crutch, put himself in an attitude to comply with my request, and gave me his history as follows 9:

I

"As for my misfortunes, master, I can't 1o pretend to have gone through any more than other folks; for, except the loss of my limb, and my being obliged to beg ", I don't know any reason, thank heaven, that I have 13 to complain; there is Bill Tibbs, of our regiment, he has lost both his legs, and an eye to the boot 4; but, thank heaven, it is not so bad with me15.

13

"I was born in Shropshire 16; my father was a labourer, and died when I so I was put upon the parish 17.

was five years old; As he had been

-10 Can't pour

was. As follows, en ces termes. cannot.-11 And my being.... et la nécessité où je suis de mendier.-12 Don't pour do not.- 3 ] don't know. je ne vois pas quelle raison j'aurais de.-14 To the boot, par dessus le marché. 45 It is not so........ •, je ne suis pas encore si maltraitė.16 Le Shropshire, canton du pays de Galles.17 I was put... je restai à la charge de la pa

a wandering sort of a man, the parishioners were not able to tell to what parish I belonged, or where I was born, so they sent me to another parish, and that parish to a third. I thought in my heart, they kept sending me about so long, that they would not let me be born in any parish at all 20; but at last, however, they fixed me. I had some disposition to be a scholar, and was resolved, at least, to know my letters; but the master of the work-house put me to business as soon as I was able to handle a mallet; and here I lived an easy kind of life for "1 five years. I only worked ten hours in the day, and had my meat and drink provided for my labour. It is true, I was not suffered to stir out 22 of the house, for fear, as they said, I should run away 23; but what of that 24, I had the liberty of 25 the whole house, and the yard before the door, and that was enough for me. I was then bound out to a farmer, where I was up both early and late; but I ate and drank well, and liked. my business

-

roisse,- -18 As he....., comme il n'avait point eu de demeure fixe. 19 Construisez they kept (ils continuèrent à) ...... that I thought...... that they.-20 They would....., qu'ils voulaient que je ne fusse né dans aucune paroisse.-21 Here I lived.

là

je menai une vie assez tranquille pendant.-22 I was not.... on ne me laissait pas sortir.-23 For fear I should..., de crainte que je ne prissc la fuite.-24 But what of that, mais qu'est-ce que cela?-25 The liberty

well enough, till he died 26, when 27 I was obliged to provide for myself; so I was resolved to go and seek my fortune 28.

"In this manner I went from town to town, worked when I could get employment, and starved when I could get none; when happening one day to go through a field belonging to a justice of peace, I spied a hare crossing the path just before me; and I believe the devil put it in my head to fling my stick at it;—well, what will you have on't 29? I killed the hare, and was bringing it away when the justice himself met me; he called me a poacher and a villain; and collaring mé, desired I would give an account of myself. I fell upon my knees, begged his worship's " pardon, and began to give a full account of all that I knew of myself; but though I gave a very true account, the justice said I could give no account; so I was indicted at sessions, found guilty of being poor, and sent up to London to Newgate, in order to be transported as a vagabond.

30

"People may say this and that of being in

mort.

of, la liberté de courir dans.-26 Till.. ...... jusqu'à sa .-27 When, alors.-28 So I was..., je résolus d'aller chercher fortune.-29 Well, what..., ch bien ! qu'en résulta-t-il?—3° Desired I would give,

me

somma de rendre. 31 Worship, honneur.