Political Freemasonry.

situation in which I am now placed , death for me will be a relief . "' Being near the close of my career , I wish , however , to make a last effort to assist Italy , whose independence has hitherto made me pass through so many perils , and submit to so many sacrifices . She was the constant object of all my affections , and it is that idea which I wish to set forth in

the words to which I address to your Majesty . "' In order to maintain the balance of power in Europe , it is necessary to render Italy independent , or to loosen the chains by which Austria holds her in bondage . Shall I ask that for her deliverance the blood of Frenchmen shall be shed for the Italians ? No , I do not go so far as that . Italy demands that France shall not interfere against herand

, that France shall not allow Germany to support Austria in the struggles in which she may , perhaps , be soon engaged . This is precisely what your Majesty may do , if you are so inclined ; on your will , therefore , depends the welfare or the misfortune of my country—the life or death of a nation to which Europe is , in a great measure , indebted for her civilisation .

"' Such is the prayer which from my cell I dare to address to your Majesty , not despairing but that my feeble voice may be heard . I beseech your Majesty to restore to Italy the independence which her children lost in 1849 through the very fault of the French . Let your Majesty call to mind that the Italians , among whom was my father , joyfully shed their blood for Napoleon tho Great , wherever he

pleased to lead them ; that they were faithful to him until his fall ; and that so long as Italy shall not be independent , the tranquility of Europe and that of your Majesty will only be vain illusions . "' May your Majesty not reject the last prayer of a patriot on the steps of the scaffold . May you deliver my country , and the blessings of twenty-five millions of citizens will follow you to posterity . " ' Prison of Mazas , 11 th February , 1858 . "' FELICE OKSINI . ' "

" There can be no doubt that Louis Napoleon took this appeal seriously to heart . It is a great mistake to suppose , as some of his critics seem to do , that he always acts from calculation . In more than one instance it has been evident that he acts from the blind impulse of fear . " In that fact lies the great danger to which everybody ' s eyes are now opened throughout Europe , except those of that mischievous body of politicians who call themselves the Peace party . "

Classical Theology.—Xxix.

CLASSICAL THEOLOGY . —XXIX .

IX . —BIANA AND NOVEMBER . THE Athenians had ten courts of justice , besides that of the Areopagus . The ' Em naWaSto , a court of judicature so named from the Palladium found b y Acamas , was instituted by Demophoon . In the reign of this king , who was the son of Theseus , some of the Argivi returning to Greece ( under the conduct of either A-

ga memnon or Diomedes ) at the conclusion of the Trojan Avar , being driven in the ni ght upon the coast of Attica landed at the haven of Phalerus , or Phaleron ; supposing this to be an enemy ' s country they commenced ravaging and p illaging it . The Athenians having mustered under the orders of Demophoon , attacked and repulsed the invaders ,

killing a great number of them , and driving the rest back into their vessels . Soon after the break of day , Demopkoon ' s brother Acamas discoA-ered amongst the slain the image of Minerva or Palladium , which had been brought from Troy . _ Thereupon the Athenians consulted the oracle and the mistake of their allies the ives

Arg being explained an honourable burial was awarded to their fallen antagonists . Over the grave , in the place Were the Argives fell , the Athenians erected a temple for the statue , and consecrated it to the goddess of "Wisdom as a court in which cognizance should be taken of those

who had committed involuntary murders . The founders of these peculiar institutions appear , singularly , to have been frequently the first that were tried in them . It is told of Demojihoon that on his return from the conflict having by a sudden plunge of his horse killed one of his subjects , he himself became the first offender arraigned

in this court . If this were reall y the case nothing could show more practically the justice of the king and the the judicial equality of his people . Another court of justice , called the ETTI Ae \< piviw from the temple dedicated to Ap ollo Delphinius and Diana Delphiniain which it was heldtook cognizance of

, , homicide when undenied by the prisoner , pleading that it was justifiable , as in cases of self preservation or the slaying of an adulterer , which were considered equally lawful . Theseus is said is to have been the first who Avas broughtbefore this court , thecharge againsthim , consisting in the curious offence of having , on his journey to Athens

, destroyed the robbers that infested the ways of Trcezene . After him the Pallantida ? , or sons of Pallas , themselves were arraigned for having raised the rebellion against him and his father .

Pandion II ., eighth king of Athens , was deposed by the sons of his uncle Metion , who in their turn were themselves soon deprived of their ill-gotten possessions , by the valour of iEgeus , Lyeus , Pallas , and Nisus , the four sons of Pandion . Having driven out the Metionida ? , Apollodorus inclines to the opinion that the sons of Pandion divided the kingdom by allotment amongst

themselves ; other ancient authorities more consistently assert that Pandion , after being restored by his sons to the peaceful enjoyment of his kingdom , divided it into four parts , and bequeathed , at his death , one portion to each . To iEgeus was assigned the sovereignty of Athens , occasioning great dissatisfaction and envy among his

brethren . They disowned all relationship with him , taunting him with the uncertainty of his birth , andAvith only being the son of their father by adoption . For which reason , it is stated by Plutarch , iEgeus adopted Theseus , and instructed iEthra his mother to send him with all care privately from Trcezenethe place of his

, birth , to Athens , because of the enmity of the Pallantida ? who were continually conspiring againsthim ; he , as they knew , having no issue of his own , and they together being fifty brothers , all the sons of Pallas . They had

hitherto kept their hostility within bounds , perhaps biding their time , or more likely on account of disagreement among themselves as to which should be the successor to the crown after the demise of their uncle . Plutarch says that they no sooner ascertained that Theseus had arrived and was acknowledged by iEgeus as his heirthan proclaiming the king in nowise related to the

, family of the Erictheans , and Theseus to be an . entire stranger , and not at all connected with the Attic nation , they broke out into determined and vigorous rebellion . At this juncture the conduct and courage of the yonthful Theseus soon estabb ' sJied his own rejmtation as a warriorand the wisdom of iEgeus in having chosen him

, for his successor . The Pallantides quickly found themselves not only overreached by iEgeus , but completely overwhelmed and dispersed by Theseus . HaA'ing secured the throne against revolt and seduction , Theseus resolved to deliver the country from foreign oppression . Androgensson of Cretehad been treacherously and

barba-, , rously murdered by the Athenians , on account of his carrying off from ' them all the prizes in the games . Minos , his father , made war against iEgeus , and having vanquished him , imposed on him and his subjects in revenge , the savage conditions of an annual tribute jof seven of their most noble young men , and , some say ,