ures were offered to foul idols, and
Mexico has been ever since the property of the Spaniards, a Christian
land.

And what became of Cortez? He died sadly and in disgrace. He sowed, and
other men reaped. If he was cruel and covetous, he was punished for it
in this world heavily enough. He had many noble qualities though. He
was a better man than those around him; and one good thing he did, which
was to sweep off the face of the earth as devilish a set of tyrants as
ever defiled the face of the earth. Give him all due honour for it, and
let him rest in peace. God shall judge him and not we.

But take home with you, soldiers all, one lesson from this strange story,
that while a man can keep his courage and his temper, he is not only
never really beaten, but no man can tell what great things he may not do.

III. PICTURE GALLERIES.

Picture-galleries should be the working-man's paradise, {230} a garden of
pleasure, to which he goes to refresh his eyes and heart with beautiful
shapes and sweet colouring, when they are wearied with dull bricks and
mortar, and the ugly colourless things which fill the town, the workshop
and the factory. For, believe me, there is many a road into our hearts
besides our ears and brains; many a sight, and sound, and scent, even, of
which we have never _thought_ at all, sinks into our memory, and helps to
shape our characters; and thus children brought up among beautiful sights
and sweet sounds will most likely show the fruits of their nursing, by
thoughtfulness and affection, and nobleness of mind, even by the
expression of the countenance. The poet Wordsworth, talking of training
up a beautiful country girl, says:--

"The floating clouds their state shall lend
To her--for her the willow bend;
Nor shall she fail to see,
Even in the motions of the storm,
_Grace which shall mould the maiden's form_,
_By silent sympathy_.
* * * * *
And she shall bend her ear
In many a secret place
Where rivulets dance their wayward round,
_And beauty_, _born of murmuring sound_,
_Shall pass into her face_."

Those who live in towns should carefully remember this, for their own
sakes, for their wives' sakes, for their children's sakes. _Never lose
an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful_. Beauty is God's
handwriting--a wayside sacrament; welcome it in every fair face, every
fair sky, every fair flower, and thank _Him_ for it, who is the fountain
of