_Anne._ Which was called Jerusalem, was it not, mamma?
_Mrs. Harley._ Yes, my dear, I am glad to find you recollect what you read. Cyrus lived to be very old, and was succeeded by his son Cambyses, who, far from following the virtuous example of his father, committed numberless crimes, among which was the murder of his own brother. After him reigned Smerdis the impostor, who pretended to be the true Smerdis that had been killed by Cambyses: next to him Darius, who was chosen because his horse neighed before any of those belonging to the other competitors for the crown: then Xerxes, a very vain-glorious prince, who attempted to conquer Greece, but was himself beaten, and obliged to make his escape from thence in a little fishing boat: he was succeeded by his son Artaxerxes, and at length, after several other kings, Darius ascended the throne, who, had he not been proud of his riches, might have been a wise and good sovereign. During his reign, the Greeks (who inhabited that country which is now the southern part of Turkey in Europe) determined, under the command of the famous Alexander, to make the Persians submit to their power: accordingly, an immense army invaded the Persian dominions, and after several battles, they were completely conquered, and Darius was killed by one of his own nobles. Thus Alexander putting an end to the Persian monarchy, established the third Universal Empire about 330 years before Christ.
_Anne._ I suppose then, that Alexander was a native of Greece, pray tell me a little about that country?
_Mrs. Harley._ Long before the time of Alexander, Greece had been highly celebrated. It was divided into several small states, the principal of which were, Sparta and Athens. Sparta was governed by kings; Lycurgus was their famous legislator; he framed many wise laws, which greatly added to the prosperity of the kingdom. Athens was a commonwealth, and even more renowned for wisdom than Sparta. Solon was their lawgiver, and his laws tended much more to the refinement of the people, than those of Lycurgus, some of which were very cruel. Macedon was a state of little consequence till the time of Philip, who greatly increased its importance: he procured himself to be appointed commander-in-chief of all the armies destined for the invasion of Persia, but he was killed before he set out on this expedition. He was succeeded by his son Alexander, both as king of Macedon and generalissimo of Greece, who, after settling the affairs of his native country, marched into Persia; not contented with conquering this vast country, he turned his arms against the Indian princes, many of whom were obliged to submit to his authority; one of them was named Porus, a man of extraordinary stature, who afterwards became the sincere friend of the conqueror.