eaven, acknowledging
that they were all from Him, and must be held and used for Him; what
great trouble he might have saved himself, and all those who looked up
to him! How soon, by humbling himself, and how effectually he might have
turned aside the threatened judgment! How the great and compassionate
God above would have rejoiced to show mercy! And how the holy angels
would have sung for joy over the repentant king, and the blotting out
of his great sin, and the withholding of judgment, and the showing of
mercy!

But the dream was unheeded. The warning was lost.

The great and mighty king having conquered all his enemies round about,
and extended his power to the utmost limits, devoted his attention to
the improving and embellishing of his capital. And as he saw Babylon
increasing in glory and beauty, his heart became still more lifted up.
He had done it all himself, he thought. He was so great, and so wise,
and so glorious a king, that he had no need of divine aid. Such a thing
as being in any way dependent upon a higher power never entered his
mind, and by very severe means he had to be taught the needful lesson
that might have been learned from the dream that had in mercy been sent
to warn him.

While surveying the glorious city from the roof of his palace, and
congratulating himself upon the dignity to which he had attained, a
voice, like that which he had heard in his dream, fell from heaven,
telling him that his kingdom was taken from him, and that he should meet
the fate of which he had been forewarned by the cutting down of the huge
tree.

And so it was.

That same hour, the terrible malady predicted by Daniel came upon him.
He lost his reason, and became as a wild beast. His costly crown of
gold and pearls and diamonds was taken from him, and he was driven from
his throne. For seven years he lived with the beasts of the field,
stooping down to the earth and eating grass like an ox, and drinking
with his mouth of the flowing streams. The rude winds blew upon him,
ruffling the hair that had been so carefully kept, and the scorching sun
tanned his face, once so expressive of majesty. The hairs of his
neglected beard became like eagles' feathers; and his uncut nails grew
like birds' claws. He noted no difference between the changing seasons;
and when the sun sank in the west, he lay down to sleep upon the hard
ground, like the beasts, his companions, and his body was wet with the
falling dew.

At the end