Alexander and the Female Chief; a Moral Tale in Honor of Women
Beware how thou addest what may subtract of what thou already hast.
Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbor hath put thee to shame.—Prov. xxv. 8.
Alexander, the Macedonian, whose mad ambition knew no bounds, and whose thirst of dominion torrents of human blood could not assuage, after having subdued numerous nations, desolated the fairest part of the globe, and covered the earth with mourning, was far from being contented with his vast dominions. He still sighed for new conquests, and was as restless and as ambitious as ever. Returning from his Indian expedition, he took it in his head to penetrate into the interior of Africa. He communicated his design to some Hebrew philosophers, who then were in his camp. "Thou canst not go thither," said the sages; "there are the dark mountains, which intervene, and which cannot be passed." "I do not ask you," said the headstrong chief, "whether the thing be possible or not. You know I am accustomed to conquer difficulties. My desire is, to know how to proceed." "Well, then," replied the philosophers, "get some Libyan asses, that are accustomed to walk in the dark; bind them
