Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1886-06-03
The Younger Pliny.
BY HARRIET WATERS PRESTON.

Yet the "fruits Of the spirit" ripened rich
ly in many Of those pagan souls. Who
dare deny its The most enlightened
Christian benevolence could not well have
devised anything more wise and noble than
the benefactions which Pliny made in his
lifetime to his beloved native place, and the
bequests by which these were supplemented.
He gave public library to Como and the
interest Of large amount for its mainte-
nance. He established school of rhetoric
there, agreeing to pay third part of the
salary Of the professor, provided the rest
were subscribed by the citizens. He also
pledged a considerable sum, secured by
sort of mortgage upon landed property of
his along the lake, the interest of which was
to be applied to the education of the chill
dren of poor gentlemen and to providing
dowries for the girls. He left money for
the establishment Of public baths at Como,
and there may still be seen, in the Brera at
Milan, mutilated stone containing frag-
ment of the inscription in his honor, sup
posed to have been set above the entrance TO
the building There was yet another sum
Of money, the interest of which was to be
divided among hundred of his own freed
men, so long as any Of these survived and
when they were all gone il was to be APP
piled to an annual public festival for the en-
tire population Of Como. II is plain that
he thought out the conditions of his chari-
ties as carefully as the most scrupulous phil
anthropist Of modern davs could do. 70 his
slaves he was, in the best sense of the
word, pateraa ruler; watching them in
illness mourning their loss remitting their
burdens if the crops were bad encouraging
them to make wills, and seeing that the pro-
visions of these testaments were carried out:
sending one of his freedmen to Forum Julli
(freJusl on the Riviera, in the hope Of cur
ing his cough, with as many njunctious to
his friend Paulinus, 10 whose care he recon-
mends him, as # he were introducing an in
valid of the greatest consequence. And what
shall We say of the letter to Gemnius. IN
which he so gracefully eXpounds his refined
and almost transcendental theory Of "motes'
and "beams 4" II consider him the most
excellent and admirable Of all men" he
writes, who orerooks the errors Of others
on the ground that he himself sins every day.
and yet strives as earnestly to abstain from
SIN as II he never overlooked a fault in
any one. Let US all endeavor at home.
p.acahic % ourselves, but merciful to Others,
even p those who never pardon any but
Themselves. Let Us never forget the word
Of that gen'est and for the seifsame rea-
son that greatest, Of men, Thrasea, lie
who hates wees hates men"
And there : another letter 70 the same
GeminiuS, with whom be seems to hav. been
fond Of discussing the higher ethics. in
which he speaks q some one whom Geminl-
" had praised for bis lberalty 10 certain
persons. "And praise him, too" replies
P.Iny, provided he has not been liberal to
these alone. | would have a man generous
TO his country, ms neighhor~. has kindred
his friends, and most Of all has poOr trisnd-
Not like some who are most lavish with
those who arc able VI give most h them"
All the more, perhaps because the place,
time, and manner Of his death are uncertain.
because has familiar name vanlshes without
flourish Or warning from the record, in
which L occupied for a time so interesting
and conspicuous place. ID We seem 10 fee.
his genial presence beside vs. in every spot
with winch that name j. associated most
o. all ~ those whose beauty, by intense ap-
probation and affection. he has made pecu-
Harly his own. \. We loI'er along the
shores Of Como, We always fancy him SIT
ting in the shade. high up On some wooded
hillside, .ost, tor the time being 10 all out
ward sights and sounds 10 his beloved book
While alry hunr,men follow their prey along
the sylvan reaches Or, hap,y. W. are
threading the enchanted solitude Of the
mysterious pinsf1 upon the Os'an shore
and as We stoop 10 add to our gathered cu.-
terS Of pale pink heath little pale blue
rosemary, "fnr remembrance" III h.m. we
hear The tapping NJ an elastic faa,stcp upou
the messy fla stones of 'ke path behind u.,
and an oat-trctchrl hand ware- say.y and
lnNltingly toward glade in The dim forest.
through which W see gleam, for a moment.
N all their pristine glory, the sunny colon
nades of THE Lauren,lnr villa.
J,tae iHantr