buting somewhat to so generous an undertaking. If you throw your work into the form of chronicle, I am in hopes I may furmsh out a page in it towards the katter end of the volume, by a narration of a modern date, which I had in the year 1700 from the gentleman to whom it happened.

• About sixty years ago, when the plague raged at Naples, sir George Davis (consul there for the English nation) retired to Florence. It happened one day be went out of curiosity to see the great duke's lions. At the further end, in one of the dens, lay a lion, which the keepers in three years' time could not tame with all the art and gentle usage imaginable. Sir George no sooner appeared at the grates of the den, But the lion ran to him with all the marks of joy and transport he was capable of expressing: he reared himself up and licked his hand, which this gentleman put in through the grates. The keeper, affrighted, took In by the arm and pulled him away, begging hint not to hazard bis life by going so near the fiercest Creature of that kind that ever entered those dens. However, nothing would satisfy sir George, notwithstanding all that could be said to dissuade him, but he must go into the den to him. The very instant he entered, the lion threw his paws upon his shoulders, and licked his face, and ran to and fro in the den, Yawning, and full of joy, like a dog at the sight of his master. The rumour of this interview between the lion and the stranger rung immediately through the whole city, and sir George was very near passing for a saint amongst the people. The great duke, when he heard of it, sent for sir George, who waited upon his highness to the den, and, to satisfy his curiosity,

riosity, gave him the following account of what seem-ed so strange to the duke and his followers.

:

A captain of a ship from Barbary gave me this lion when he was a young whelp. I brought him up tame; but when I thought him too large to be suffered to run about the house, I built a den for him in my court-yard from that time he was never permitted to go loose, except when I brought him within doors to show him to my friends. When he was five years old, in his gamesome tricks, he did some mischief by pawing and playing with people: having griped a man one day a little too hard, I ordered him to be shot, for fear of incurring the guilt of what might happen: upon this, a friend, who was then at dinner with me, begged him: how he came here I know not.'

Here sir George Davis ended; and thereupon the duke of Tuscany assured him that he had the lion. from that very friend of his.

I am, sir,

Your most obedient servant,
and constant reader, &c.'

SANTON BARSISA. No. 148.

THERE is a kind of apophthegm, which I have fre quently met with in my reading, to this purpose: that there are few if any books out of which a man of learning may not extract something for his use.' I have often experienced the truth of this maxim, when, calling in at my bookseller's, I have taken the book next to my hand off the counter, to employ the minutes I have been obliged to linger away there, in waiting

2

waiting for one friend or other. Yesterday, when I came there, the Turkish Tales happened to lie in my way: upon opening of that amusing author, I happened to dip upon a short tale, which gave me a great many serious reflections.

The History of Santon Barsisa.

There was formerly a santon whose name was Barsisa, which for the space of a hundred years very fervently applied himself to prayer; and scarce ever went out of the grotto in which he made his residence, for fear of exposing himself to the danger of offending God. He fasted in the day-time, and watched in the night: all the inhabitants of the country had such a great veneration for him, and so highly valued his prayers, that they commonly applied to him when they had any favour to beg of heaven. When he made vows for the health of a sick person, the patient was immediately cured.

It happened that the daughter of the king of that country fell into a dangerous distemper, the cause of which the physicians could not discover, yet they continued prescribing remedies by guess; but instead of helping the princess, they only augmented her disease. In the mean time the king was inconsolable, for he passionately loved his daughter; wherefore one day, finding all human assistance vain, he declared it as his opinion that the princess ought to be sent to the santon Barsisa.

All the beys applauded his sentiment, and the king's officers conducted her to the santon; who, notwithstanding his frozen age, could not see such a beauty without being sensibly moved. He gazed on her with pleasure;

pleasure; and the devil taking this opportunity, whispered in his ear thus: O santon! do not let slip such fortunate minute: tell the king's servants that it is requisite for the princess to pass this night in the grotto, to see whether it will please God to cure her; that you will put up a prayer for her, and that they need only come to fetch her to-morrow.'

How weak is man! The santon followed the devil's advice, and did what he suggested to him. But the officers, before they would yield to leave the princess, sent one of their number to know the king's pleasure. That monarch, who had an entire confidence in Barsisa, never in the least scrupled the trusting of his daughter with him. < 'I consent,' said he, that she stay with that holy man, and that he keep her as long as he pleases: I am wholly satisfied on that head.'

When the officers had received the king's answer, they all retired, and the princess remained alone with the hermit. Night being come, the devil presented himself to the santon, saying, Canst thou let slip so favourable an opportunity with so charming a creature? Fear not her telling of the violence you offer her: if she were even so indiscreet as to reveal it, who will believe her? The court, the city, and all the world are too much prepossessed in your favour, to give any credit to such a report. You may do any thing unpunished when armed by the great reputation for wisdom which you have acquired.' The unfortunate

Barsisa was so weak as to hearken to the enemy of mankind. He approached the princess, took her into his arms, and in a moment cancelled a virtue of a hundred years' duration.

He had no sooner perpetrated his crime, than a thousand

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thousand avenging horrors haunted him night and day. He thus accosts the devil: O wretch!' says he, it is thou which hast destroyed me! thou hast encompassed me for a whole age, and endeavoured to seduce he; and now at last thou hast gained thy end.' '0 santon!' answered the devil, do not reproach me with the pleasure thou hast enjoyed. Thou mayest repent: but what is unhappy for thee is that the princess is impregnated, and thy sin will become public: thou wilt become the laughing-stock of those who admire and reverence thee at present, and the king will put thee to an ignominious death.'

Barsisa, terrified by this discourse, says to the devil, What shall I do to prevent the publication of my shame?' To hinder the knowledge of your crime you ought to commit a fresh one,' answered the devil: kill the princess, bury her at the corner of the grotto; and when the king's messengers come to-morrow, tell them you have cured her, and that she went from the grotto very early in the morning: they will believe you, and search for her all over the city and country; and the king her father will be in great pain for her: but after several vain searches it will wear off.'

The hermit, abandoned by God, pursuant to this advice, killed the princess, buried her in a corner of the grotto, and the next day told the officers what the devil bid him say. They made diligent inquiry for the king's daughter: but, not being able to hear of her, they despaired of finding her-when the devil told them that all their search for the princess was vain; and relating what had passed betwist her and the santon, he told them the place where she was interred. The officers immediately went to the grotto, seized Barsisa,