on the point of committing an unlawful deed? Why does the very
murderer,--his victim sleeping before him, and his glaring eye taking
measure of the blow,--strike wide of the mortal part?--Because of
conscience! 'T was that made Casar pause upon the brink of the Rubicon.
Compassion!--What compassion? The compassion of an assassin, that feels a
momentary shudder as his weapon begins to cut!

Casar paused upon the brink of the Rubicon!--What was the Rubicon?--The
boundary of Casar's province. From what did it separate his province? From
his country. Was that country a desert? No: it was cultivated and fertile;
rich and populous! Its sons were men of genius, spirit, and generosity! Its
daughters were lovely, susceptible, and chaste! Friendship was its
inhabitant!--Love was its inhabitant!--Domestic affection was its
inhabitant!--Liberty was its inhabitant!--All bounded by the stream of the
Rubicon! What was Casar, that stood upon the brink of that stream?--A
traitor, bringing war and pestilence into the heart of that country! No
wonder that he paused! No wonder if, in his imagination, wrought upon by
his conscience, he had beheld blood instead of water; and heard groans
instead of murmurs. No wonder if some Gorgon horror had turned him into
stone upon the spot.--But, no!--he cried, "The die is cast!" He
plunged!--He crossed!--and Rome was free no more.
J. S. Knowles.


XLVI.

GUSTAVUS VASA TO THE DALECARLIANS.

Swedes! countrymen! behold at last, after a thousand dangers past, your
chief, Gustavus, here! Long have I sighed 'mid foreign lands; long have I