274 could do many things which were unjust and wrong; yet if any one of them was even convinced that he had made a rash and, cruel law, he had power to alter it, but all its evil consequences must be How wonderfully unreasonable and iniquitous was this! Much displeased with himself for his inadvertent injustice, and in great distress and anxiety on account of the danger of his friend and prime minister, Darius spent the rest of that day in trying to discover some way in which the law might be evaded, or in endeavouring to persuade the enemies of Daniel to withdraw their accusation. But all was in vain. As soon as the last faint rays of the setting sun had faded from the dial in the gardens of thë palace, the men who had accused Daniel, approached the king and reminded him that no law of the Medes and Persians could be changed; on which Darius most reluctantly ordered that Daniel should be led out to execution. The place where criminals were put to death was a den of lions. These were undoubtedly kept hungry, . that they might be more fierte and terrible. This: punishment is unknown in Europe and America, but
