Carthage, where he should have the advantage of
ending a long life both gloriously and usefully. This generous advice
was consented to; and he took his leave of his country and his weeping
friends, to go to certain death, with that cheerful composure, as a man,
after the fatigue of business in a court or a city, retires to the next
village for the air.

* * * * *

_When the heart is right there is true patriotism_.

BISHOP BERKELEY.--1684-1753.

XV. THE GOLDEN SCALES.

JOSEPH ADDISON.--1672-1719.

_From_ THE SPECTATOR, August 21, 1712.

I was lately entertaining myself with comparing Homer's balance, in
which Jupiter is represented as weighing the fates of Hector and
Achilles, with a passage of Virgil, wherein that deity is introduced as
weighing the fates of Turnus and AEneas. I then considered how the same
way of thinking prevailed in the eastern parts of the world, as in those
noble passages of Scripture, where we are told, that the great king of
Babylon, the day before his death, had been weighed in the balance, and
been found wanting. In other places of the holy writings the Almighty is
described as weighing the mountains in scales, making the weight for the
winds, knowing the balancings of the clouds; and, in others, as weighing
the actions of men, and laying their calamities together in a balance.
Milton, as I have observed in a former paper, had an eye to several of
these foregoing instances, in that beautiful description wherein he
represents the archangel and the evil spirit as addressing themselves
for the combat, but parted by the balance which appeared in the heavens,
and weighed the consequences of such a battle.

The Eternal, to prevent such horrid fray,
Hung forth in Heaven his golden scales, yet seen
Betwixt Astrea and the Scorpion sign,
Wherein all things created first he weigh'd,
The pendulous round earth with balanced air
In counterpoise; now ponder; all events,
Battles and realms: in these he puts two weights,
The sequel each of parting and of fight:
The latter quick up flew, and kick'd the beam;
Which Gabriel spying, thus bespake the fiend.

"Satan, I know thy strength, and thou know'st mine,
Neither our own, but given; what folly then
To boast what arms can do! since thine no more
Than Heaven permits; nor mine, though doubled now
To trample thee as mire: for proof look up,