ividual monarchs, or the
narratives of single events, they can go more fully into detail; they
conceive of the transactions described as realities; their reflecting
and reasoning powers are occupied on what they read; they take notice
of the motives of conduct, of the gradual development of character,
the good or ill desert of actions, and of the connection of causes and
consequences, both in respect to the influence of wisdom and virtue on
the one hand, and, on the other, of folly and crime. In a word, their
_minds_ and _hearts_ are occupied instead of merely their memories.
They reason, they sympathize, they pity, they approve, and they
condemn. They enjoy the real and true pleasure which constitutes the
charm of historical study for minds that are mature; and they acquire
a taste for truth instead of fiction, which will tend to direct their
reading into proper channels in all future years.

The use of these works, therefore, as text-books in classes, has been
kept continually in mind in the preparation of them. The running index
on the tops of the pages is intended to serve instead of questions.
These captions can be used in their present form as _topics_, in
respect to which, when announced in the class, the pupils are to
repeat substantially what is said on the page; or, on the other hand,
questions in form, if that mode is preferred, can be readily framed
from them by the teacher. In all the volumes, a very regular system of
division is observed, which will greatly facilitate the assignment of
lessons.

CONTENTS.

Chapter Page

I. HERODOTUS AND XENOPHON 13

II. THE BIRTH OF CYRUS 37

III. THE VISIT TO MEDIA 68

IV. CROESUS 101

V. ACCESSION OF CYRUS TO THE THRONE 124

VI. THE ORACLES 144

VII. THE CONQUEST OF LYDIA 164

VIII. THE CONQUEST OF BABYLON 187

IX. THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS 207

X. THE STORY OF PANTHEA 226

XI. CONVERSATIONS 253

XII. THE DEATH OF CYRUS 270

ENGRAVINGS.