his own life. Although the authenticity of the letter, written by him, in favour of Christianity, has been contested, it is, at least, certain, that he put an end to the rigorous persecutions that had been exercised towards them. Scipio had said, "I would much rather preserve the life of one citizen than put a thousand enemies to death." This admirable sentiment Antoninus often repeated, and made it, as it were, the rule of all his actions. At length, having, through his talents and moderation, kept Rome, and the greater part of the world, in peace, during twenty-three years; he died, in 161, at the age of seventy-five, lamented, as a tender parent, by all orders of the state.

It has been affirmed, that Augustus, in order to render himself regretted, made choice of Tiberius for a successor. Antoninus, snperior to this odious policy, confirmed his benevolence towards the people, by the adop tion of Marcus Aurelius, to whom he had given his daughter in marriage.

POUSSIN.

THE talents of Poussin were cultivated in Italy, though France had the honour of his birth. In Italy he executed those innumerable chef d'œuvres which have immortalized his name, and there he terminated his career. He is considered one of the first artists of the Italian. school, but his country, justly proud of having produced this child of genius, with more propriety claims him as her own,

Poussin has been properly denominated the painter of philosophers and of men of sense, because he is more desirous of impressing the mind with the grandeur of his conceptions, and the strength of his expression, than of pleasing the eye by the charms of factitious colouring. Impressed with the beauty of the antique, he studied it during the whole of his life; and, by this constant meditation, as well as by natural genius, was enabled to mark all his characters with energy, grandeur, and simplicity. With him, beauty is always chastened by grace, modesty, and invariable decency; and the passions, however violent, which he expresses, are never delineated at the expence of dignity and propriety.

Nicholas Poussin was born at the Andelys, a small town of Normandy, in 1594. His parents, though originally of noble birth, but whose ancestors had been ruined in the civil dissentions which prevailed under Charles the Ninth, and Henry the Third and Fourth,

were possessed of little property; yet the education of Poussin was not neglected, and the study of literature invigorated the early and invincible passion which attracted him to the art of painting. At the age of eighteen he quitted his paternal home, and, without assistance or recommendations, found his way to Paris, where he fortunately became acquainted with a young nobleman, who conceived an affection for him, and placed him under the tuition of L'Allemant, and, afterwards, of Ferdinand Elle, two painters in little estimation, Poussin was under them only a few months, and then accompanied his young patron to his residence in Poitou; but when he discovered that he was considered by the family as an useless and intruding guest, he abruptly quitted it, and returned to Paris. Compelled to labour at his art, in order to defray the expences of this long and painful journey, he fell sick, and went into his native province to recover his health. On his return to Paris, he renewed his studies with increased vigour, and particularly employed himself in copying engravings from the works of Raphael and Julio Romano. He then felt an ardent desire to visit Rome; but, unable to go beyond Florence, it may be supposed from the want of money, he was compelled to measure back his steps. Some time after, a second journey was attended with the same imperfect result, and he seemed destined never to behold that illustrious parent of arts, but he had fortunately attracted the notice of connoisseurs, by the execution, in fresco, of six pictures, with which, in eight days, he adorned the church of the Jesuits; this introduced him to the knowledge of the Cavalier Marino, who was then at Paris, and who proposed that he should accompany him to Rome. Poussin there experienced the reception he had a right to expect, and was, by the poet, introduced to the Car