me for that fuccour which it was his duty to have given. My next lover was Fungofa, the fon of a stock, jobber, whofe vifits my friends, by the importunity of perfuafion, prevailed upon me to allow. Fun gofa was no very fuitable companion; for having been bred in a counting-houfe, he fpoke a language unintelligible in any other place. He had no defire of any reputation but that of an acute prognofticator of the changes in the funds; nor had any means of raising merriment, but by telling how fomebody was overreached in a bargain by his father. He was, however, a youth of great fobriety and prudence, and fre quently informed us how carefully he would im prove my fortune. I was not in hafte to conclude the match, but was fo much awed by my parents, that I durft not difmifs him, and might perhaps have been doomed for ever to the groffnefs of pedlary, and the jargon of ufury, had not a fraud been difcovered in the fettlement, which fet me free from the perfecution of groveling pride, and pecuniary impudence, I was afterwards fix months without any particular notice, but at laft became the idol of the glittering Flofculus, who prescribed the mode of embroidery to all the fops of his time, and varied at pleasure the cock of every hat, and the sleeve of every coat that appeared in fashionable affemblies. Flofculus made fome impreffion upon my heart by a compliment which few ladies can hear without emotion; he commended my skill in drefs, my judgment in fuiting colours, and my art in difpofing ornaments. But Flofculus was too much engaged by his own elegance, to be fufficiently attentive to the duties of a lover, or or to please with varied praise an ear made delicate by riot of adulation. He expected to be repaid part of his tribute, and staid away three days, because I neglected to take notice of a new coat. I quickly found, that Flofculus was rather a rival than an admirer; and that we should probably live in a perpetual struggle of emulous finery, and spend our lives in ftratagems to be firft in the fashion. I had foon after the honour at a feast of attracting the eyes of Dentatus, one of those human beings whose only happiness is to dine. Dentatus regaled me with foreign varieties, told me of measures that he had laid for procuring the best cook in France, and entertained me with bills of fare, prescribed the arrangement of dishes, and taught me two fauces in. vented by himself. At length, fuch is the uncertainty of human happiness, I declared my opinion too hastily upon a pie made under his own direction; after which he grew fo cold and negligent, that he was eafily difmiffed. Many other lovers, or pretended lovers, I have had the honour to lead a while in triumph. But two of them I drove from me, by discovering that they had no taste or knowledge in mufick; three I difmiffed, because they were drunkards; two, because they paid their addreffes at the fame time to other ladies; and fix, because they attempted to influence my choice by bribing my maid. Two more I difcarded at the fecond vifit for obfcene allufions; and five for drollery on religion. In the latter part of my reign, I sentenced two to perpetual exile, for offering me fettlements, by which the children of a former marriage would have been injured; four, for X 4 represent representing falfely the value of their eftates; three for concealing their debts; and one, for raising the rent of a decrepit tenant. I have now fent you a narrative, which the ladies may oppose to the tale of Hymenaus. I mean not to depreciate the sex which has produced poets and philofophers, heroes and martyrs; but will not fuffer the rifing generation of beauties to be dejected by partial fatire; or to imagine that those who cenfured them have not likewise their follies, and their vices. I do not yet believe happiness unattainable in marriage, though I have never yet been able to find a man, with whom I could prudently venture an inseparable union. It is neceffary to expofe faults, that their deformity may be feen; but the reproach ought not to be extended beyond the crime, nor either fex to be condemned, becaufe fome women, or men, are indelicate or dishoneft. Ν True virtue can the crowd unteach And to the Parthian crown reftor'd. FRANCIS. IN the reign of fenghiz Can, conqueror of the east, in the city of Samarcand, lived Nouradin the merchant, renowned throughout all the regions of India, for the extent of his commerce, and the integrity of his dealings. His warehouses were filled with all the commodities of the remoteft nations; every rarity of nature, every curiofity of art, whatever was valuable, whatever was useful, hafted to his hand. The streets were crowded with his carriages; the fea was covered with his fhips; the ftreams of Oxus were wearied with conveyance, and every breeze of the sky wafted wealth to Nouradin. At length Nouradin felt himself feized with a flow malady, which he firft endeavoured to divert by application, and afterwards to relieve by luxury and indulgence; but finding his ftrength every day lefs, he was at laft terrified, and called for help upon the fages fages of phyfick; they filled his apartments with alexipharmicks, restoratives, and effential virtues ; the pearls of the ocean were diffolved, the spices of Arabia were distilled, and all the powers of nature were employed to give new fpirits to his nerves, and new balfam to his blood. Nouradin was for fome time amufed with promifes, invigorated with cordials, or foothed with anodynes; but the disease preyed upon his vitals, and he foon difcovered with indignation, that health was not to be bought. He was confined to his chamber, deferted by his phyficians, and rarely vifited by his friends; but his unwillingness to die flattered him long with hopes of life. At length, having paffed the night in tedious languor, he called to him Almamoulin, his only fon, and difmiffing his attendants, " My fon," fays he, "behold here the weakness and fragility of man; "look backward a few days, thy father was great "and happy, fresh as the vernal rofe, and ftrong as "the cedar of the mountain; the nations of Afia "drank his dews, and art and commerce delighted "in his fhade. Malevolence beheld me, and fighed: "His root, fhe cried, is fixed in the depths; it is "watered by the fountains of Oxus; it fends out "branches afar, and bids defiance to the blaft; pru"dence reclines against his trunk, and profperity "dances on his top. Now, Almamoulin, look upon "me withering and proftrate; look upon me, and ❝ attend. I have trafficked, I have profpered, I "have rioted in gain; my houfe is fplendid, my "fervants are numerous; yet I difplayed only a "fmall part of my riches; the reft, which I was hin ❝dered |