led with a thousand odours; the brilliant colouring of the
western heavens was contrasted with the more sober but varied tints of the
rich country. The wheat and barley harvest was over; but the beans were
late, and still stood in the fields. The olives and chestnut-trees were
full of fruit; the early fig was supplying the markets with food; and the
numerous vineyards were patiently awaiting the suns of the next month
slowly to perfect their present promise. The beautiful scene had a moral
dignity, from its associations with human sustenance and well-being. The
inexpressible calmness of evening was flung, like a robe, over it. Its
sweetness was too much for one who had been confined to the monotony of a
sick-room, and was still an invalid. He sat silent, and in tears. It was
life from the dead; and he felt he had risen to a different life. And thus
he came out evening after evening convalescent, gradually and surely
advancing to perfect restoration of his health.

One evening he said, after feeding his eyes and thoughts for some time
with the prospect, " 'Mansueti hereditabunt terram.' They alone have real
enjoyment of this earth who believe in its Maker. Every breath of air
seems to whisper how good He is to me."

Caecilius answered, "These sights are the shadows of that fairer Paradise
which is our home, where there is no beast of prey, no venomous reptile,
no sin. My child, should _I_ not feel this more than you? Those who are
shut up in crowded cities see but the work of man, which is evil. It is
the compensation of my flight from Carthage that I am brought before the
face of God."

"The heathen worship all this, as if God Himself," said Agellius; "how
strange it seems to me that any one can forget the Creator in His works!"

Caecilius was silent for a moment, and sighed; he then said, "You have ever
been a Christian, Agellius."

"And you have not, my father?" answered he; "well, you have earned that
grace which came to me freely."

"Agellius," said the priest, "it comes freely to all; and is only merited
when it has already prevailed. Yet I think you earned it too, else why the
difference between you and your brother?"

"What do you know of us?" asked Agellius quickly.

"Not a great deal," answered he, "yet something. Three or four years back
an effort was made to rekindle the Christian spirit in these parts, and to
do something for the churches of the proconsulate, and to fill up the
vacant sees. Nothing h