orman Lords, carried them all prisoners into Normandy, where
Arthur soon disappeared: the Britons assert that he was murdered by his
uncle; and the Normans that he was accidentally killed in endeavouring to
escape. The death of their favourite Prince stung the Britons to madness,
as in him centered their last hope of regaining independence: an ardent
imagination led them to believe their future destiny connected with this
child, which inspired them with a wild affection for Philip, as being the
enemy of his murderer. They accused John before the French King of
Arthur's murder, and he was summoned as a Vassal of Normandy to appear and
defend himself before the twelve Peers of France. This command being
treated with contempt, the lands John held under the French crown were
declared forfeit, and an army levied to put it into execution. It was on
this emergency that John found a safe place of concealment in the cavern
of Robert the Devil.

* * * * *

LACONICS, &c.

(_Continued from page 53_.)

Generosity is not the virtue of the multitude, and for this reason:
selfishness is often the consequence of ignorance, and it requires a
cultivated mind to discern where the rights of others interfere with our
own wishes.

If commerce has benefited, it has also injured the human race; and the
invention of the compass has brought disease as well as wealth in its
train.

The days of joy are as long and perhaps as frequent as those of grief; but
either the memory is treacherous or the mind is too morbid to admit this
to be the case.

Without occasional seriousness and even melancholy, mirth loses its magic,
and pleasure becomes unpalatable.

It is unlucky that experience being our best teacher, we have only learnt
its lessons perfectly, when we no longer stand in need of them; and have
provided ourselves armour we can never wear.

Chastity in women may be said to arise more from attention to worldly
motives than deference to moral obligation: there is not so much
continence amongst men, because there is not the same restriction.

A resolution to put up calmly with misfortune, invariably has the effect
of lightening the load.

Conceit is usually seen during our first investigations after knowledge;
but time and more accurate research teach us that not only is our
comprehension limited, but knowledge itself is so imperfect, as not to
warrant any vanity upon it at all.

Extravagance is of c