bind your father's hands, that when Cæsar comes he may find me unable to defend myself? Do you imagine that without a sword I cannot end my life? Cannot I destroy myself by holding my breath for some moments, or by striking my head against the wall?"

His son made no reply, but retired weeping, and the sword was at length sent in to him by a slave.

"Now," said Cato, as he drew it, "I am my own master." When he found himself alone, he again took up his book, and when he had once more read the dialogue, he lay down and slept. Toward the dawn of day he took his sword and pressed the point into his body a little below the chest, inflicting an extensive, but, as it appeared, not fatal wound. As he fell he overturned a table, the noise of which gave the alarm. He was found insensible, weltering in his blood, with his bowels protruding from the wound.

While the surgeon was replacing the uncut bowels, Cato recovered his consciousness, thrust the surgeon from him, tore out his bowels with his hands, and immediately expired. Thus perished Cato, miscalled the Philosopher, in the forty-eighth year of his age.

PETER THE GREAT.

ABOUT the year 1683, a young man named Francis Le Fort, a native of Switzerland, found himself, after many adventures, in the city of Moscow, in the military service of Russia. He was a highly educated person, spoke several languages, was well versed in military science, and possessed the accomplishments of a gentleman and a soldier. He was, in truth, an eminently civilized, humane, and virtuous man.

There were then living in one of the palaces of Moscow two boys, one thirteen years old, the other eleven, who had been recently crowned joint Emperors of Russia, and were living under the regency of their sister, the Princess Sophia, awaiting the time when they should be old enough to reign. Ivan (or John) was the name of the elder of these boys, and the younger was named Peter, now universally known as Peter the Great. The true heir to the throne was Ivan; but he was half an idiot, and it was deemed best to associate with him his younger brother, a lad of excellent promise.

The education, however, of this boy, Peter, the destined monarch of a prodigious empire, was almost totally neglected. Russia did not much value knowledge at that time, but Peter was even more ignorant than was usual with Russian boys of high rank, for his sister Sophia, an ambitious and bad woman, purposely kept him in ignorance, that she might the more easily retain an ascendency over him, and over Russia through him. Notwithstanding this, he had picked up a little knowledge, since he had that sure sign of intellect which we call curiosity. He was a great asker of questions, fond of looking on while work was doing, and of trying his own hand at it.

While he was thus living in retirement, a boy czar, passing

his time in amusements suited to his age, he noticed the young officer, Le Fort, who was frequently on duty about the imperial palaces. The appearance and manners of Le Fort were as pleasing as his character was superior, and the young emperor was so strongly attracted by him that he caused him to be attached to his own household, and became his inseparable companion.

The favorite of a monarch usually becomes such, and usually retains his influence, by flattering his master's worst propensities. Le Fort, on the contrary, won the confidence of Peter, and kept it, by being his true friend, by instructing his ignorance, awakening his nobler ambition, and restraining his evil passions. He told the young czar of courts that were not barbarous; of kings who lived for their country's good; of nations where knowledge and the arts were held in honor; of peoples who were polite and humane. He showed him that Russia was behind all the Christian countries of Europe in civilization, and assured him that the greatness of a country does not consist either in the extent of its territory or the number of its people. He taught him something of history, the rudiments of science, the elements of language; but, above all, he lifted him up high out of the depths of Russian pride and exclusiveness, and showed him the inferiority of his country in all that constitutes the true glory of a nation. He formed a class of fifty young Russian nobles into a kind of military school, and they all studied, drilled, and played together. The seed sown by Captain Le Fort fell into ground prepared to receive it. Both the father and the grandfather of Peter had desired and endeavored to raise Russia in the scale of civilization, and this boy inherited from them the same desire, with better means of carrying it into effect.

The Princess Sophia, meanwhile, governed the empire with absolute sway. She understood nothing of what was going on in the palace of the young czars. Seeing them drilling and sporting with their youthful companions, under the direction of a young foreigner, a person of no importance, she thought they were merely amusing themselves. She supposed, too, that when they had outgrown these boyish games, the vigorous and

ignorant Peter would abandon himself to the brutal vices so common, at that day, in the courts of kings, and leave the care of governing Russia to her.

Six years passed. Peter was a young man of seventeen. Not free from the vices of his age and country, he had nevertheless become, by the aid of Francis Le Fort, an intelligent, inquiring, and, upon the whole, estimable prince, and truly intent to employ his power in improving his country. A trifling incident now revealed to him the ambition of his sister Sophia, and induced him to assert, sooner than he otherwise would, the rights of his birth. Peter's mother, anxious to preserve him from an irregular life, caused him to be married at the age of seventeen, and the Princess Sophia appeared at the wedding wearing the insignia of absolute power. Not the young czar only, but all his friends, marked the presumption of the regent, and measures were promptly concerted between them to terminate the regency, and shut up the ambitious lady in a convent. Le Fort was the czar's chief adviser, and he was aided by other foreigners, as well as by the party in Russia who were most disposed to reform.

The struggle was severe, but short. Sophia had her adherents among the militia, the priesthood, and the nobility; but nothing availed against the energy, the talents, and the popularity of the youthful Peter. In October, 1789, when he was little more than seventeen, he entered Moscow in triumph, with his brother at his side; and Sophia was consigned to a convent, where she spent many years in intriguing to regain her liberty and power.

Russia had then two emperors in name, but only one in reality. Ivan, conscious of his inability to rule, gave up all authority to Peter; and Peter, on his part, treated Ivan with the utmost kindness and respect, until his brother's early death left him sole sovereign of the empire. Le Fort was raised by his grateful pupil to the highest dignities which a subject can fill, and he continued the chief and most trusted counsellor of Peter as long as he lived. Russian historians agree that he made a noble use of his power. In all the czar's good designs

he was a powerful and wise co-operator, without ever abetting him in his violence and severity.

Peter reigned over Russia thirty-six years. During the first few years of his reign he devoted his chief attention to gaining knowledge, and to maturing the vast plans which he had conceived for the regeneration of his empire. When he began to rule in earnest, his first care was to create a regular army, which should take the place of a turbulent and undisciplined militia, that had often plunged the country into anarchy. This was a work of many years; but he accomplished it at last; and when the militia rose in revolt against his measures, he was able, not merely to subdue, but to disband them forever. He next turned his attention to the creation of a navy. His father, in pursuance of the same design, had caused one ship to be built for him in Holland; but that one ship, the whole navy of Russia, had been burnt, and in all the empire there were but two men capable of navigating a ship. Peter sought out these two men, one of whom proved to be a man of great ability; and him the czar promoted to the post of chief constructor. Workmen were brought from Holland; a navy yard was established; and soon the first vessel was launched.

It so happened that Peter was one of those persons who are easily made sea-sick, and he had also inherited a morbid dread of the ocean. But, as it was a principle with him to do himself everything that he required of others, he made a sea voyage in the first of his ships that was finished, in the course of which he completely overcame these weaknesses, and became a very tolerable navigator. By the time he had his army and fleet in readiness he had use for them in a war with the Turks, in which he experienced many disasters. This man, however, was one of those whom disasters instruct, but never dishearten ; and as soon as he had made an advantageous peace, he was more eager than ever to carry on the work of reform. Fifty intelligent young noblemen he sent to study in foreign countries; and, at length, he resolved to go himself to Holland, England, and Italy, to acquire a better knowledge of the mechanic arts. He was twenty-five years of age; tall, strongly built, of fresh complexion, and of very easy, familiar manners, though in his