In this dark dungeon, where confined we lie,
Close grated by the sordid bars of sense;

All prospect of eternity shut out;

And, but for execution, ne'er set free."-YOUNG.

Adjoining to the temple of Isis, Cleopatra had caused tombs and halls to be erected, of great size, and magnificent in construction. There she ordered her most precious effects and moveables to be deposited-her gold, silver, jewels, ebony, ivory, and a large quantity of perfumes and aromatic wood; as though she intended to raise a funeral pile, upon which she would consume herself with her treasures. Octavius Cesar, apprehending this would be the result, despatched messengers to her every day, in order to give her hopes of generous treatment. At the same time, he advanced towards the city by forced marches.

On his arrival, Octavius Cesar encamped near the hippodrome; hoping to make himself master of the city, not so much by the aid of his forces, as by the secret intelligence which he held with Cleopatra. Antony, not mistrusting the queen, prepared for a vigorous defence. He sallied out upon the enemy's horse while yet they were wearied with their march, and, having entirely defeated them, returned victorious into the city. This was the last effort of expiring valour; for, after this exploit, his fortitude forsook him. He made, indeed, another sally; but he was repulsed with great loss, the Egyptians having, by Cleopatra's private orders, abandoned him in the heat of the engagement. His friends at this time assured him that Cleopatra was betraying him, and maintaining a secret correspondence with the enemy; but this excited his anger against them, and he replied, that, if those who affected to be his friends proved as faithful to him as Cleopatra, he could put a speedy end

to the war.

But

Antony was soon undeceived. The next morning, he went down to the harbour, resolving to attack Octavius Cesar by sea and land. the signal was no sooner given for the engagement, than Cleopatra's admiral, followed by all the Egyptian fleet, by her orders, went over to Cesar. Upon this, he hastened back to his land army, which he had drawn up on some eminence within the city, and he found that they had all, both horse and foot, deserted to the enemy. His eyes were now opened. In this extremity, not knowing whom to confide in, and having no forces to oppose the enemy, he sent to challenge Cesar to a single combat; but this only drew down upon him the scorn and derision of the conqueror. He was answered, that, if he was weary of life, there were other ways of putting a period to it. Antony now flew, full of rage and despair, to the palace, with a design of slaying the perfidious queen. In this, also, he was thwarted. The artful woman, foreseeing what would happen, retired into the quarter where the tombs of the kings of Egypt were erected, and which was strongly fortified. There, with two of her maids, and one of her eunuchs, she shut herself up, and caused it to be reported, that she had killed herself, to avoid falling into the hands of the enemy. The credulous Antony believed the report, and, passing from an excess

of rage to the most violent transports of grief, thought only of following her to the grave.

Having taken this desperate resolution, the thought of which makes humanity shudder, he shut himself up in his apartment with a faithful slave called Eros; and, having caused his armour to be taken off, he commanded him to run him through with his own sword. But the slave, full of affection, respect, and fidelity for his master, stabbed himself with it, and fell dead at his feet. Antony, encouraged by his example, fell upon his own sword, and gave himself the wound of which he afterwards died. At that moment, an officer of the queen's guards came to inform him that she was alive. The name of Cleopatra was no sooner pronounced, than he opened his eyes; and, being informed that she was still living, he suffered his wounds to be dressed, and afterwards caused himself to be carried to the tower, whither she had retired. Cleopatra would not suffer the gates to be opened for fear of a surprise; but she ordered her servants below to fasten him to the ropes which hung from the top of the fort, and were made use of to pull up stones, that part not being finished. By this means Antony reached the apartment of Cleopatra. As soon as she had taken him in, she laid him on a bed; and, after having expressed her grief and concern in the most tender and affecting terms, she cut off his hair, according to the superstitious notion of the pagans, who imagined that it gave relief to those who died a violent death.

Antony, recovering his senses, and seeing Cleopatra's affliction, told her, that he considered himself happy, since he died in her arms; and as to his defeat, he was not ashamed of it, since it was no dishonour for a Roman to be conquered by a Roman. He then advised her to consult her own interest; to save her life and kingdom, if she could do it with honour; and to trust none of the friends of Octavius Cesar, except Proculeius. With these words, he expired. The lesson his life holds out to us, is, not to listen to the syren voice of pleasure, lest it should beguile us from the paths of moral rectitude, and lead us to destruction. Antony, had he been deaf to its enchantments, at the time of his death might have been master of all Rome, and the world as known to the Romans; but madly following an enervating course of life, his power grew daily weaker and weaker, till at length he was hunted by his foes like a partridge on the mountains, unable to defend himself from his pursuers. And how many are there lost to all eternity, who have been ruined by the sinful pleasures of earth! Well has it been said, that the pleasure which this earth affords is as voices which sing around us, but whose strains allure to ruin; that it is a banquet spread where poison is in every dish; and a couch which invites us to repose, but to sleep on it is death.

"Pleasures are fled, and fewer we enjoy;

Pleasure, like quicksilver, is bright and coy:
We strive to grasp it with our utmost skill;
Still it eludes us, and it glitters still:
If seized at last, complete your mighty gains :
What is it but rank poison in your veins?"-YOUNG.

Reader, it has been wisely remarked, that the pleasures of sense will surfeit, and not satisfy; but the pleasures of religion will satisfy, and not

surfeit. Make these your portion on earth, and they will be continued to you in heaven.

As soon as Antony had expired, Proculeius arrived from Octavius Cesar. This noble Roman could not refrain from tears at the relation of what had passed, and at the sight of the sword still reeking with the blood of Antony. The queen remained in the fort, and refused to surrender herself to him, unless he would promise her, in Cesar's name, both the kingdom of Egypt and her liberty. These were terms which he could not grant; for Octavius Cesar, having a desire to carry her in triumph to Rome, had warned him not to promise her any thing that could prevent him from treating her as a captive. They held a long conference, Cleopatra standing within, and Proculeius without. But, Proculeius exhorting her only in general terms to confide in Cesar, she broke off the conference abruptly, and retired.

After having considered the place well, Proculeius went to make his report to Octavius Cesar; and Gallus was immediately sent to confer with her again. In the meanwhile, Proculeius brought a ladder to the wall, and entered the fort by the same window through which Antony was drawn up, and, followed by two officers, went down to the gate where Cleopatra was conferring with Gallus. When she saw him unexpectedly appear, she drew a dagger, with a design to kill herself; but Proculeius, hastening to her, forced it out of her hands before she could carry her intention into effect. He afterwards searched her robes, lest she should have any weapon or poison concealed in them; and, having exhorted her to be of good cheer, and to confide in Cesar's clemency, he sent to acquaint him that the queen of Egypt was his prisoner. Overjoyed at the news, he sent Epaphroditus, one of his freed-men, to guard her carefully, and prevent her from making any attempt upon her own life; enjoining him at the same time to treat her with complacency and respect.

In the mean time, Octavius Cesar, leaving his camp, drew near to Alexandria, and, finding the gates opened, entered it conversing with Arius a philosopher, and a native of the city, who had been his preceptor. Having arrived at the palace, he ascended a tribunal, which he had caused to be erected there; and, seeing the people prostrate upon the ground, he first commanded them to rise, and then, in an elegant harangue, he told them that he pardoned them for three reasons: 1. Upon the account of Alexander, the founder of their city; 2. For the beauty of their city; and, 3. For the sake of Arius, for whose merit and learning he had great esteem.

Octavius Cesar, being now in possession of Alexandria, sent Proculeius to comfort the queen, and to ask her in his name whether she had any request to make to him? Cleopatra, returning many thanks to Cesar, replied, that she had but one favour to beg of him, which was, that he would give her leave to bury Antony. This was granted, and permission was given her to perform the funeral obsequies with all possible splendour, and to spend what sums she pleased. She availed herself of this permission, for she spared no cost to render his interment magnificent, according to the custom of

Egypt. She caused his body to be embalmed with the most exquisite odours of the east, and placed it in the tombs of the kings of Egypt.

As this ceremony renewed her grief, she was seized with a fever, which she gladly embraced as a pretence to abstain from food, and thereby end her life. She imparted her design to her physician, who approved of it; but Cesar, being informed of her indisposition, sent physicians to her, whom he could confide in, and, by threats against her children, prevailed upon her to follow their prescriptions.

When Cleopatra was in some measure restored to health, he sent Proculeius to acquaint her that he should be glad to wait upon her, if she would permit him. Though greatly disfigured by illness and grief, yet she did not despair of inspiring the young conqueror with sentiments of tenderness and love, as she had formerly done Julius Cesar and Antony. She was therefore pleased to find that he intended to pay her a visit; and, as soon as he entered her room, she threw herself at his feet, and afterwards, in laying before him the state of her affairs, exerted all her charms in the hope of conquering her conqueror. But, whether her charms had no longer the same power, or that ambition was his ruling passion, her beauty and her conversation were lost upon him. He kept his eyes stedfastly fixed on the ground; and, when she had ceased speaking, he returned her this laconic answer: "Woman, be of good cheer; you shall have no harm done you."

Cleopatra was not insensible of this coldness, and she presaged no good from it; but, dissembling her concern, and changing her discourse, she thanked him for the compliments Proculeius had made her in his name, and which he had confirmed in person; adding, that, in token of her gratitude, she intended to deliver up to him all the treasures of the kings of Egypt. Accordingly, she put an inventory into his hands, purporting to be an account of all her revenues. Seleucus, one of her treasurers then present, accused her of having concealed part of her most valuable effects; upon which, she flew upon him with great violence, striking him several blows in the face. Then, turning towards Cesar, "Is it not very hard," said she, "that, while you have condescended to visit me in my present condition, one of my own servants should thus insult me in your presence? It is true, I have reserved some jewels, but they are not to adorn my own person: they are reserved for your sister Octavia, and your wife Livia, that by their intercession you may treat an unfortunate princess with favour and kindness."

Octavius Cesar was pleased to hear her talk in this strain, imagining that the love of life inspired her with such language. He told her she might dispose of the jewels she preserved as she pleased; and, after having assured herthat he would treat her with more generosity and magnificence than she could venture to hope, he withdrew, convinced in his own mind that she was deceived.

Octavius Cesar, however, was himself deceived. Not doubting that she was intended to grace the conqueror's triumph when he returned to Rome, she had no other thoughts than to avoid that ignominy by self-murder. She knew

that she was observed by the guards that attended her, and that her time in Egypt was short, the conqueror being about to return to Rome. She sent, therefore, to desire that she might go to pay her last duty at the tomb of Antony, and take her leave of him. Cesar granted her request; and she went thither, and bathed his tomb with her tears. There, it is said, addressing the lifeless corpse, she declared that she would soon give Antony a more certain proof of her affection.

After that fatal protestation, which she accompanied with sighs and tears, she covered the tomb with flowers, and returned to her chamber. She then went into a bath; and from the bath she went to the table, having directed it to be served in a sumptuous manner. In the height of the mirth, she rose from table; and, having written a letter to Cesar, she gave it to Epaphroditus, begging he would deliver it himself, since it contained matters of the utmost consequence. But this was only a pretence to send Epaphroditus, who kept a watchful eye over her, out of the way. When he was gone, she withdrew to her room, attended by two of her women; and, having there dressed herself in her robes, she sat down upon a couch, and asked for a basket of figs, which one of her servants had brought her in the disguise of a peasant.

Among these figs was concealed an asp, which venomous creature Cleopatra applied to her left arm, and, quickly falling as it were asleep, expired; and thus awfully hastened her approach to judgment.

The subject of the letter to Cesar was, to request him that he would suffer her to be buried in the same tomb with Antony. From this he guessed her designs, and immediately despatched some of his friends to see what had happened, and to prevent her, if still alive, from making any attempts on her own life. The messengers found the guards standing at the gates, mistrusting, nothing; but, when they entered her apartment they found her dead. Horace represents her as being too haughty to suffer herself to be led in triumph at the wheels of the victor's chariot.

He says:

"With fearless hands she dared to grasp
The writhings of the wrathful asp,
And suck the poison through her veins,
Resolved on death, and fiercer from its pains;
Then, scorning to be led, the boast

Of mighty Cesar's naval host,

And armed with more than mortal spleen,
Defrauds a triumph, and expires a queen."

This may have been Cleopatra's motive for this appalling deed; but we must look upon her end as the just retribution of Divine Providence for her wicked conduct through life. The reader cannot, indeed, fail to have observed, in the perusal of the latter portion of this history, that punishment ever awaited the evil-doer. The kings and queens of Egypt trampled upon justice, and sported with the lives of their subjects, for many a long year; but the mischief they designed for others, in the end returned upon their own heads. Surely these facts are a lively comment upon the Divine Providence as noted by the psalmist, "Verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth," Psa. lviii. 11. He had marked the iniquities of this infamous woman-infamous,

indeed, beyond the vilest of her race-and a signal fall was hence designed to be her portion, that generations unborn might fear to provoke his displeasure; for such is one grand design in the judgments inflicted upon individuals for their sins; and that, not only where He is loved and feared, but among the nations that call not upon his holy name.

Cleopatra died at thirty-nine years of age, of which she had reigned twenty-two from the death of her father. After her death, Egypt was reduced into a province of the Roman empire, and governed by a prefect, sent thither from Rome. The reign of the Ptolemies in Egypt, if its commencement is dated from the death of Alexander the Great, had continued 293 years; from B. c. 323, to B. c. 30, when it was finally subverted.

He

In laying down this history, one great truth must be impressed upon the mind of the reader -that of the mutability of all earthly things. He has seen a great nation arise from one small family, and that great nation perish, after many changes, almost entirely from under the sun. has seen monarch succeed monarch, and either from violence or natural causes lay each his head low in the dust. He has seen pyramids, and temples, and palaces, and cities, erected by the art and labour of man, as though they would emulate the height of the blue vaults of heaven, and defy the utmost shock of time; and then moulder away, as though they had not been. He has seen generation succeed to generation-one race of rulers succeed to another race of rulers, until all have blended with their mother earth. He has seen the mighty striving for the mastery with the mighty, and then has beheld them forgetting the deadly strife, and lying down in the cold tomb. He has seen the oppressor and the oppressed bow their heads alike to the stroke of the one common tyrant of the whole human race-death. Yes, reader,

"All has its date below; the fatal hour
Was registered in heaven ere time began.
We turn to dust, and all our mightiest works
Die too: the deep foundations that we lay,
Time ploughs them up, and not a trace remains.
We build with what we deem eternai rock:
A distant age asks where the fabric stood;
And in the dust, sifted and searched in vain,
The undiscoverable secret sleeps."-Cowper.

Happy are they whose hopes are fixed on Christ; for other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ," 1 Cor. iii. 11. Let the world change as it may, and vary itself, as it ever doth, in storms and calms; their rest is pitched aloft, far, far above the sphere of changeable and perishing mortality!

These truths are also impressed upon our minds by the subsequent history of Egypt; at the same time, it affords a lively comment upon the prediction which declares, that Egypt should become the "basest of kingdoms." It was oppressed, agitated, and despoiled, under the dominion of the Romans, till the Mohammedan conquest, A.D. 638. At that date, under the caliphate of Omar, Egypt was invaded by Amer

Ebnel As, who took Pelusium and Babylon of Egypt, a strong Roman station, after a siege of seven months. From thence he advanced to Memphis, which John Mecaukes, governor for the Byzantine emperor, treacherously surrendered, and the Copts agreed to pay tribute, or a capitation tax, to the caliph. Alexandria also was captured, and the whole country as far as Syene reduced to a province of the caliphate. In the year 868, Ahmed ebn é Tooloon, governor of Egypt for the Abasside caliphs, usurped the dominion of the country, which lasted till 906, when the caliphs retook Egypt. In 912, Abayd Allah el Mahdee invaded Egypt, which he retained till 934, when he was defeated by the forces of the caliph. Two years after, El Akhshed Mohammed ebn Tughg, a Turkish chief, in the service of the caliph, usurped the government of Egypt, and began a new dynasty, which lasted till 970, when the Fatimeh, who ruled in Africa, took possession of the country. These Fatemite caliphs ruled over Egypt till the period of the crusades, A.D. 1171, when the Kurd Salah é deen Yoosef Ebn Eyoob founded the dynasty of the Eyoobites, which existed till 1250. At this period, El Moez, a Turkoman memlook, or slave after murdering Touran Shah, usurped the throne, and founded the dynasty of the Baharite sultans. Baybers, a memlook, also assassinated his master in 1261, or 1262, and made himself sultan of Egypt. His descendants ruled under the title of Baharite Memlook Meleks, or sultans, till 1382, when Dowlet el Memeleek el Borgéëh, a Circassian slave, founded the dynasty of the Borgéeh, or Circassian memlooks, which lasted till 1517, when Selim I., the Ottoman sultan, defeated the memlooks at Heliopolis, and caused Toman Bey, the last of their rulers, to be hanged at Cairo. The memlooks, however, still retained power in Egypt. Selim, indeed, made conditions with the memlooks, by a treaty, in which he acknowledged Egypt as a republic,

governed by twenty-four beys, tributary to him and his successors, who appointed a pacha, or governor, to reside at Cairo. The beys were to elect from among themselves a sheikh of Belad, to be their head, who was looked upon by the Porte as the chief of the republic, or the memlook aristocracy. This latter body was to enjoy absolute power over the inhabitants of Egypt. They were permitted by this treaty, which was signed A.D. 1517, to levy taxes, keep a military force, raise money, and exercise all the rights of sovereignty.

Egypt remained under this form of government till the French invasion, 1798, when Napoleon, under the pretence of delivering the country from the power of the memlooks, took possession of it. He was expelled from thence in 1801; and the pacha appointed by the sultan, was restored to his government. The memlooks and the pacha, however, could not agree; and, at length, Mohammed Ali collected most of the beys, with their principal officers, within the citadel of Cairo, where he caused them all to be massacred. This occurred A.D. 1811. A few escaped into Upper Egypt, from whence they were driven into Nubia, and finally, the few who survived, took refuge in Darfur. This was the end of the memlook power, which had ruled over Egypt for more than 400 years, and under whose power the country had suffered more than during any other period of its history.

Such are the vicissitudes to which Egypt has been subjected, such the manner in which it has been scourged. Other changes futurity will develope; and He only who has pronounced a woe upon the land, knows what those changes will be. Reader, ponder upon these things, and, in the spirit of fear and love,

Adoring stand before his throne,

And his dread power and justice own.