refused to send his bill, because he had never yet met one of the same name, and preferred the honour of serving him for the sake of his name!

Among the Greeks and the Romans, beautiful and significant names were studied. The sublime Plato himself has noticed the present topic, his visionary ear was sensible to the delicacy of a name, and his exalted fancy was delighted with beautiful names, as well as every other species of beauty. In his Cratyllus he is solicitous that persons should have happy, harmonious, and attractive names. According to Aulus Gellius, the Athenians enacted by a public decree, that no Slave should ever bear the consecrated names of their two youthful patriots Harmodius and Aristogeton; names which had been devoted to the liberties of their country, they considered would be contaminated by servitude. The ancient Romans decreed that the surnames of infamous patricians should not be borne by any other patrician of that family, that their very names might be degraded and expire with them. Eutropius gives a pleasing proof of national friendships being cemented by a name; by a treaty of peace between the Romans and the Sabines, they agreed to melt the two nations into one mass, that they should bear their names conjointly; the Roman should add his to the Sabine, and the Sabine take a Roman name.

The ancients named both persons and things from some event, or other circumstance, connected with the object they were to name. Chance, fancy, superstition, fondness, and piety have invented names. It was a common and whimsical custom among the ancients, (observes Larcher, as quoted by Mr. Beloe,) to give as nicknames, the letters of the alphabet. Thus a lame girl was called Lambda, on account of the resemblance which her lameness made her bear to the letter г, or lambda! Æsop was called Theta by his master from his superior acuteness. Another was called Beta from his love of beet. It was thus Scarron, with infinite good temper, alluded to his zig-zag body, by comparing himself to the letters s or z.

The learned Calmet also notices among the Hebrew nick-names, and names of raillery taken from defects of body or mind, &c. One is called Nabal or fool; another Hamor the Ass; Hagab the Grashopper, &c. Women had frequently the names of animals; as Deborah the Bee; Rachel the Sheep. Others from their nature or other qualifications; as Tamar the Palm-tree; Hadassa the Myrtle; Sarah Princess; Hannah the gracious. of North America employ sublime and picturesque names; such are the great Eaglethe Partridge-Dawn of the Day!-Great swift arrow!-Path-opener!-Sun-bright!

the

The Indians

THE JEWS OF YORK.

AMONG the most interesting passages of history, are those in which we contemplate an oppressed, yet, sublime spirit, agitated by the conflict of two terrific passions: Implacable hatred attempting a resolute vengeance, while that impotent vengeance, with dignified and silent horror, sinks into the last expression of despair. In a degenerate nation, we may on such rare occasions, discover among them, a spirit superior to its companions, and its fortune.

In the ancient and modern history of the Jews, we may find two kindred examples. I refer the reader for the more ancient narrative, to the second book of the Maccabees, chap. 14, v. 37. No feeble and unaffecting painting is presented in the simplicity of the original; I proceed to relate the narrative of the Jews of York.

When Richard the I. ascended the throne, the Jews, to conciliate the royal protection, brought their tributes. Many had hastened from remote parts of England, and appearing at Westminster, the court and the mob imagined that they had leagued to bewitch his Majesty. An edict was issued to forbid their presence at the coronation; but several whose curiosity was greater than their prudence, conceived that

they might pass unobserved among the crowd, and ventured to insinuate themselves into the Abbey. Probably their voice and their visage alike betrayed them, for they were soon discovered; they flew diversely in great consternation, while many were dragged out with little remains of life.

A rumour spread rapidly through the city, that in honour of the festival, the Jews were to be massacred. The populace at once eager of royalty and riot, pillaged and burnt their houses, and murdered the devoted Jews. Benedict, a Jew of York, to save his life received baptism; and returning to that city, with his friend Jocenus, the most opulent of the Jews, died of his wounds. Jocenus and his servants narrated the late tragic circumstances to their neighbours, but where they hoped to move sympathy, they excited rage. The people at York soon gathered to imitate the people at London; and their first assault was on the house of the late Benedict, which having some strength and magnitude, contained his family and friends, who found their graves in its ruins. The alarmed Jews hastened to Jocenus, who conducted them to the governor of York Castle, and prevailed on him to afford them an asylum for their persons and effects. In the mean while their habitations were levelled, and the

owners

murdered; except a few unresisting beings, who unmanly in sustaining honour, were adapted to receive baptism.

The castle had sufficient strength for their defence; but a suspicion arising that the governor, who often went out, intended to betray them, they one day refused him entrance. He complained to the sheriff of the county, and the chiefs of the violent party, who stood deeply indebted to the Jews, uniting with him, orders were issued to attack the castle. The cruel multitude united with the soldiery, felt such a desire of slaughtering those they intended to despoil, that the sheriff, repenting of the order, revoked it, but in vain; Fanaticism and robbery once set loose, will satiate their appetency for blood and plunder. They solicited the aid of the superior citizens, who, perhaps not owing quite so much money to the Jews, humanely refused it; but having addressed the clergy (the barbarous clergy of those days) were by them animated, conducted, and blest.

The leader of this rabble was a canon regular, whose zeal was so fervent, that he stood by them in his surplice, which he considered as a coat of mail, and reiteratedly exclaimed, "De

stroy the enemies of Jesus." This spiritual laconism invigorated the arm of men, who perhaps wanted no other stimulative than the hope