affection with all His choicest blessings.

"Nor was his humanity confined to his own species; the innocent
inhabitants of the forest were safe from the pursuit of Sophron; and all
that lived under his protection were sure to meet with distinguished
tenderness. 'It is enough,' said Sophron, 'that the innocent sheep
supplies me with his fleece to form my winter garments, and defend me
from the cold; I will not bereave him of his little life, nor stop his
harmless gambols on the green, to gratify a guilty sensuality. It is
surely enough that the stately heifer affords me copious streams of pure
and wholesome food; I will not arm my hand against her innocent
existence; I will not pollute myself with her blood, nor tear her warm
and panting flesh with a cruelty that we abhor even in savage beasts.
More wholesome, more adapted to human life, are the spontaneous fruits
which liberal nature produces for the sustenance of man, or which the
earth affords to recompense his labours.'"

Here the interest and concern which had been long visible in Tommy's
face, could no longer be repressed, and tears began to trickle down his
cheeks. "What is the matter, my darling?" said his mother: "what is
there in the account of this young man so deeply interests and affects
you?" "Alas! mamma," said Tommy, "it reminds of poor Harry Sandford;
just such another good young man will he be when he is as old as
Sophron; and I--and I," added he, sobbing, "am just such another
worthless, ungrateful wretch as Tigranes." "But Tigranes," said Mrs
Merton, "you see, became a great and powerful man; while Sophron
remained only a poor and ignorant shepherd." "What does that signify,
mamma?" said Tommy: "for my part, I begin to find that it is not always
the greatest people that are the best or happiest; and as to ignorance,
I cannot think that Sophron, who understood his duty so well to his
parents and to God, and to all the world, could be called ignorant; and
very likely he could read and write better than Tigranes, in spite of
all his pomp and grandeur; for I am sure there is not one of the young
gentlemen that went home to-day can read as well as Harry Sandford, or
has half his understanding." Mr Merton could hardly help smiling at
Tommy's conjecture about Sophron's reading; but he felt the greatest
pleasure at seeing such a change in his sentiments; and, looking at him
with more cordiality than he had done before, he told him that he was
very happy to f