340 
NATHAN. 
No, 
but it may serve as my apology: 
if I can’t venture to decide between 
rings, which the father got expressly made, 
that they might not be known from one ano- 
ther. 
SALADIN. 
The rings—-don’t trifle with me; I must 
think 
that the religions which I nam’d can be 
distinguish'd, e’en to raiment, drink and 
food. 
NATHAN. 
And only not as to their grounds of proof. 
Are not all built alike on history, 
traditional, or written. History 
must be received on trust—is it. not so ? 
In whom now are we likeliest to put trust? 
In our own people surely, in those men 
whose blood we are, in them, who from our 
childhood 
have given us proofs of love, 
cely’d us, 
unless *twere wholescmer to be deceiv’d. 
How can I less believe in my forefathers 
than thou inthine. How can I ask of thee 
to own that thy forefathers falsified 
in order to yield mine the praise of truth. 
The like of christians. 
SALADIN. 
By the living God 
the man is in tke right, I must be silent. 
NATHAN. 
Now let us to our rings return once more. 
As said, the sons coinplain’d. Each to the 
judge 
swore from his father’s hand immediately 
to have receiv’d the ring, as was the case 5 
after he’had long obtain’d the father’s pro- 
mise, 
one day to have the ring, as also was. 
The father, each asserted, could to him 
not have been false ; rather than so suspect 
of such a father, willing as he might be 
with charity to judge his brethren, he 
of treacherous forgery was bold to’accuse 
who ne’er de- 
them. | 
SALADIN. 
Well, and the judge, I'am eager now to 
hear 
what thou wilt make him say. Go on, go 
on. 
NATHAN. 
The judge said, If ye summon not the fa- 
ther 
before my seat, I cannot give a sentence. 
Am Ito guess enigmas? Or expect ye 
that the true ring should here unseal its lips? 
But hold—you tell me that the real ring 
injoys the Hidden power to make the wearer 
of God and man below’d; let that decide. 
Which of you two brothers love the best ? 
You’are silent. Do these love-exciting rings 
act inward: only, not without? Does each 
love but himself? Ye7are all deceiv’d de- 
ceivers, 
Cause of the apparent Variation in 
 [Nov. 1, 
none of your rings istrue. The real ring 
perhaps is gone. To hide or to supply 
its loss, your father order’d three for one. 
SALADIN. 
O charming, charming ! 
NATHAN. 
And (the judge continued) 
if you will take advice in lieu of sentence, 
this is my counsel to you, to take up 
the matter where it stands. If each ef you 
has had a ring presented by his father, 
let each believe his own the real rings 
>Tis possible the father chose no longer 
to tolerate the one ring’s tyranny 3 
and certainly, as he much lov’d you all, 
and lov’d you all alike, it could not please 
him 
by favouring one to be of two the’oppresser. 
Let each feel honour’d by this free affection ~ 
unwarp’d of prejudice; let each endeavour 
to vie with both his brothers in displaying 
the virtue of his ring ; assist its might 
with gentleness, benevolence, forbearance, 
with inward resignation to the gedhead, 
and if the virtues of the ring continue 
to show themselves among your childrens 
children, 
after a thousand thousand years, appear 
before this judgment-seat—a greater one 
thanI shall sit upon it and decide. 
So spake the modest judge. 
SALADIN,’ 
God! 
NATHAN. 
Saladin, 
Feelst thou thyself this wiser, promis’d man ? 
SALADIN. 
I dust, I nothing, God! 
Precipitates himse’f upon Nathan, and 
P ip 
taxes hold of his hand, which be does not 
quit the remainder of the scene. | 
NATHAN. 
What moves thee, sultan ? 
SALADIN. 53 
Nathan, my dearest Nathan, ’tis not yet 
the judge’s thousand thousand years are past, 
his judgment-seat’s not mine. Go, go, but 
love me. 
— N 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR 
> 
T has frequently been observed, that 
the days lengthen more ina given 
space of time, suppose a fortnight, three 
weeks, a month, or more, after the winter 
solstice, or the shortest day, than they 
have shortened in the same space of time 
preceding. The observation is true, so 
far‘as it relates to the appearances in the 
evening, when such remarks are gene- 
rally made; but the real cause of this ap- 
parent variation has been seldom consi- 
dered, though scarcely a doubt has ever 
been entertaimed of the faci, Jt may 
got 
