CHAPTER III.

"Here now the human being stands adorning
This loveliest earth with taintless body and mind,
Blest from his birth with all bland impulses
Which gently in his noble bosom wake
All kindly passions and all pure desires."
Shelley.

THE moon was rising with great beauty over the magnificent mountains towards the north, and her beams were mildly reflected by the trembling waters of the lake, when Douglas, true to his appointment, appeared upon the terrace of Tarbert Hill. In Douglas there was a graceful and manly dignity; his eye beamed with intelligence, and a noble ingenuousness in his countenance at once evinced that all disguise was foreign to his nature: but its most distinguishing characteristic was that of sincere and ardent benevolence. He wore the Highland bonnet surmounted with two black feathers fastened with a silver buckle; and he still retained the ancient dress of his country, over which was thrown a large tartan cloak: his appearance altogether was that of a Highland chieftain. As he was looking over the balus

trade for the approach of Saadi, he heard the gate of one of the landing-places open, and he hastened to receive his friend. The person of Saadi was tall and finely proportioned: in his deportment there was considerable majesty tempered with mildness; his complexion was a dark olive, the contour of his face inclined to the Grecian; and his eyes beamed with that fixed and placid expression, which so peculiarly distinguishes the Eastern character. His dress consisted of white cloth trowsers, a blue cloak trimmed with gold and lined with white silk; in his hat he wore a brilliant diamond crescent, and the hilt of his sabre was embossed with jewels and precious

stones.

"Pardon," exclaimed Saadi, "my delay, but I could not forbear pausing to admire the sublimity of this scene. Yet how much is the interest heightened by the reflection, that in that beautiful valley the inhabitants are enjoying a repose in harmony with the heavenly tranquillity that reigns around them; that, undisturbed by angry passions or by a spirit of rivalry, they will awake in the morning to the sound of music, and go forth to the enjoyment of healthful and useful exercise, of intelligent and affectionate intercourse." The sensibility of Saadi was strongly excited, and he averted his head as if

to conceal his feelings. "Is it possible," said Douglas, "that you should wish to disguise those sympathies which are so grateful to yourself, so pleasing to others, and which it must be the general interest to encourage!" "Such sentiments," replied Saadi, "in Persia are deemed fit only for romance a. Address yourself on this subject to a merchant of Ispahan, he smiles at your simplicity, and passes on with his richly laden caravan. Our nobles, encumbered with the pomp and ceremonies of a court, are equally indifferent to the charms of nature and to the moral improvement of the people. But alas! they are far from being happy. And I have frequently remarked, that while their countenances indicate care and anxiety, the camel drivers, who endure more privations and encounter infinitely greater perils than any other of their own class, are contented and even cheerful."

"Let us," rejoined Douglas, "walk round the terrace; and while enjoying the fragrance of the honey

a If the term romantic implies that which is unnatural, fictitious, or extravagant, then are the men who are generally deemed romantic, the least deserving of the epithet. Those are the romantic, who, blind to the beauties of nature and regardless of her best gifts, search for happiness in the artificial distinctions of society, or solely in the pursuit of wealth.

suckle and the clematis hanging over the balustrade, I must remind you of your promise to explain why your sentiments are so much at variance with those of the Persian nobles, and so congenial, or identified with ours.' 'Congenial, if you please," replied Saadi," but not altogether identified: for yesterday, when passing near the Athenæum, I beheld a number of the community entering, and curiosity prompted me to join them. A lecture by one of the seniors, on the Formation of Character, was delivered, avowing principles to which I could never subscribe. The motives that have induced in me a preference to scientific pursuits and to the study of moral philosophy, I attribute entirely to my education, which devolved upon one of the Imans who was distinguished by great erudition, and by an inflexible integrity in the fulfilment of his engagements. Almured, my tutor, from his youthful days was the 'companion and friend of my father, who was therefore, as may be expected, well acquainted with his character and qualifications. At my birth, my father exacted a promise from him that he would superintend my education. He consented, after stipulating that he should have the appointment of the females who were to take charge of me during infancy; for he was accustomed to remark, that the

disposition of children was in some degree influenced by the temper and management of servants even during the first year it was also agreed that he should select my associates, and in every way possess entire control over me until he finally resigned his charge. The instruction I received for the first six years was chiefly verbal; my tutor taught me a knowledge of things, either by bringing to my view the object itself, or its exact representation. The principle upon which he conducted my education was that of love: knowledge was first solicited; and the gratification of an active curiosity, accompanied by the affectionate manner of my instructor, were sufficient to stimulate further inquiry without

b "Another principal advantage which the ancient mode of the Greek education gave its pupil, was the early access to every branch of philosophical learning. They did not, like us, employ their youth in the acquisition of words; they were engaged in pursuits of a loftier nature, in acquiring the knowledge of things. They did not, like us, spend seven or ten years of scholastic labour, in making a general acquaintance with two dead languages;-those years were employed in the study of nature, and in gaining the elements of philosophical knowledge from her original œconomy and laws."

"Plutarch when he learned the Roman language, which was not till he was somewhat advanced in life, observed that 'he got the knowledge of words from his knowledge of things.'"Langhorn's Life of Plutarch.