left
that scene? What was the principle in action there, but faith in the new
life, faith in the God who gave it!

We do not wonder, as Seneca wondered, that such a man as Paul dared say
anything to such a boy as Nero! The absolute courage of the new faith
was the motive-power which forced it upon the world. Here were the
sternest of morals driven forward with the most ultra bravery.

Perfect faith gave perfect courage to the first witnesses. And there was
the "mystery" of their victories.

And so, in this case, when after a while Seneca again reminded Nero of
his captive, poor Nero did not dare but meet him again. Yet, when he met
him again in that same judgment-hall, he did not dare hear him long;
and we may be sure that there were but few words before, with such
affectation of dignity as he could summon, he bade them set the prisoner
free.

Paul free! The old had faced the new. Each had named its champion. And
the new conquers!

THE DOT AND LINE ALPHABET.

[This sketch was originally published in the Atlantic Monthly for
October, 1858, just at the time that the first Atlantic Cable, whose
first prattle had been welcomed by the acclamations of a continent,
gasped its last under the manipulations of De Sauty. It has since been
copied by Mr. Prescott in his valuable hand-book of the electric
telegraph.

The war, which has taught us all so much, has given a brilliant
illustration of the dot and line alphabet, wholly apart from the
electric use of it, which will undoubtedly be often repeated. In the
movements of our troops under General Foster in North Carolina, Dr. J.B.
Upham of Boston, the distinguished medical director in that department,
equally distinguished for the success with which he has led forward the
musical education of New England, trained a corps of buglers to converse
with each other by long and short bugle-notes, and thus to carry
information with literal accuracy from point to point at any distance
within which the tones of a bugle could be heard. It will readily be
seen that there are many occasions in military affairs when such means
of conversation might prove of inestimable value. Mr. Tuttle, the
astronomer, on duty in the same campaign, made a similar arrangement
with long and short flashes of light.]

* * * * *

Just in the triumph week of that Great Telegraph which takes its name
from the Atlantic Monthly, I read in the September number of that