gerous element in any and
all communities. Let this be deeply impressed on your youthful minds, and
seek earnestly to cultivate those nobler powers of the mind, as well as
the intellectual faculties.

"Those of you from Egypt, and especially those of you from Judah, have no
faith in our gods, or sympathy with our mode of worship. From your
infancy ye have been taught to do homage to the God of your fathers and
to his worship ye have pledged your future lives. The King of Babylon, in
his great wisdom, has seen fit to put no obstacles between you and the
worship of your deities. Ye are at liberty to serve your gods and adore
after the dictates of your own consciences; and, moreover, ye are not
required to perform any act that may be contrary to your religious
convictions. I trust that this great favor will be rightly appreciated,
and never abused. While ye are thus kindly permitted to worship your own
gods, show no disrespect to those who may differ from you, and on whose
good-will and favor your future success must greatly depend.

"As a proof of his high regard for your physical and intellectual
prosperity, the king has appointed your meat and drink to be conveyed
from his own table. This, indeed, is an honor conferred on but few in
Babylon. Thus, ye readily perceive that nothing is wanting that is in the
least calculated to enhance your comfort or speed your literary progress.
Ye have but to apply yourselves diligently to your studies and be careful
to maintain a correct deportment, and ye shall reap the reward of
fidelity, in being permitted to stand in the presence of the king.

"It is the desire of your sovereign that those from Egypt and Judah be
known hereafter by names more suitable to the country in which ye now
abide. These names ye shall hereafter learn from your teachers. Ye may
now return in perfect order to your respective apartments. To-morrow at
the second hour, at a given signal, ye will appear at this place again,
and formally enter upon your studies."

The four youths, after having reached their rooms, for a while sat in
silence; and from the countenance of Daniel it might have been easily
gathered that all was not well. The brothers were not slow to notice
this, and it caused them some uneasiness. Usually their cousin took the
lead in all conversation, but at this time Daniel was mute.

"Well, cousin," said Azariah, "how wast thou pleased with the address of
our new master?"

"Highly pleased, up