get me. Adorno poured out the effufions of a grateful and affectionate heart, and they parted with mutual tears and embraces.

11. The young man had a profperous voyage home; and the transport with which he was again beheld by his almost heart-broken parents may more easily be conceived than defcribed. After learning that he had been a captive in Tunis (for it was fuppofed that the hip, in which he failed, had foundered at fea)" and to whom," faid old Adorno, "am I indebted for the inestimable benefit of reftoring you to my arms?" "This letter," faid his fon, "will inform you." He opened it, and read as follows.

12. "That fon of a vile mechanic, who told you that one day you might repent the fcorn with which you treated him, has the fatisfaction of feeing his prediction accomplished. For know, proud noble! that the deliverer of your only fon from flavery is the banished UBERTO."

13. Adorno dropped the letter, and covered his face with his hand, while his fon was difplaying in the warm eft language of gratitude the virtues of Uberto, and the truly paternal kindnefs he had experienced from him. As the debt could not be cancelled, Adorno refolved, if poffible, to repay it. He inade fuch powerful interceffions with the other nobles, that the fentence pronounced on Uberto was reverfed, and full permiffion given him to return to Genoa. In apprifing him of this event, Adorno expreffed his fense of the obligations he lay, under to him, acknowledged the genuine nobleness of his character, and requested his friendship. Uberto returned to his country, and closed his days in peace, with the univerfal esteem of his fellow citizens.

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W

CHAPTER XLVI.

VICE.

E all of us talk fo loud against vicious characters, and are fo unanimous in our cry against them, that an inexperienced man, who only trufted his ears, would imagine the whole world was in an uproar about it,

I

and that mankind were all affociating together, to hunt vice utterly out of the world.

2. Shift the fcene, and let him behold the reception which vice meets with, he will fee the conduct and behaviour of the world towards it fo oppofite to their declarations; he will find all he heard fo contradicted by what he faw, as to leave him in doubt which of his fenfes he is to truft; or in which of the two cafes mankind were in earnest.

3. Was there virtue enough in the world to make a general ftand against this contradiction; that is, was every one, who deferved to be ill spoken of, fure to be looked on 100; was it a certain confequence of the lofs of a man's character, to lofe his friends-to lofe the advantages of birth and fortune, and thenceforth be univerfally fhunned, univerfally flighted, there would be hopes of a reformation.

4. Was no quality a fhelter against the indecorum of the other fex, but was every woman, without diftin&ion, who had juftly forfeited her reputation-from that mo ment was the fure to forfeit likewise all claim to civility and refpect; or, in a word, could it become a law in our ceremonial that wherever characters of either fex were become notorious, it should be deemed infamous, either to pay or receive a vifit from them, and that the door fhould be fhut against them in all public places, till they had fatisfied the world, by giving teftimony of a better life; a few fuch plain and honeft maximis, faithfully put in prac tice, would force us upon fome degree of reformation. Till this is done it avails little that we have no mercy up. on them with our tongues, fince they efcape without feeling any other inconvenience,

5. We all cry out that the world is corrupted, and I fear too justly; but we never reflect what we have to thank for it, and that our open countenance of vice, which gives the lie to our private cenfures of it, is its chief protection and encouragement, To thofe, however, who ftill believe that evil fpeaking is some terror to evil-doers, one may anfwer, as a great man has done upon the occa fion-that after all our exhortations against it-it is not to be feared but that there will be evil-fpeaking enough left in the world to chaftife the guilty, and we may fafe ly trust them to an ill natured world, that there will be no Gailure of juftice upon this fcore.

6. The paffions of men are pretty severe executioners, and to them let us leave this ungrateful task; and rather ourfelves endeavour to cultivate a friendly one, recommended by the Apostle-of letting all bitterness, wrath and clamour, and evil fpeaking, be put away from us; and of being kind to one another, forgiving one another, even as God for Chrift's fake forgave us.

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CHAPTER XLVII.

SCHEMES OF LIFE DEFEATED BY IRRESOLUTION.

An Eaflern Tale.

OMAR, the fon of Hassan, had paffed feventy-five

years in honour and profperity. The favor of three fucceffive Califfs had filled his house with riches, and whenever he appeared, the benediction of the people proclaimed his approach.

z. Terrestrial happiness is of fhort continuance. The brightness of the flame is wafting its fuel, and the fragrant flower paffing away in its own odours. The vigor of Omar began to fail, the curls of beauty fell from his head, ftrength departed from his hands, and agility from his feet. He gave back to the Califf the keys of truft, and the seals of fecrecy, and fought no other pleasure for the remain. der of his days, than the converse of the wife, and the gratitude of the poor whom he relieved.

3 The powers of his mind were yet unimpaired. His chamber was filled by vifitants, eager to catch the dicfates of experience, and officious to pay the tribute of admiration. Galid, the fon of the viceroy of Egypt, entered every day early, and retired late; he was beautiful and eloquent; Omar admired his wit, and loved his docility. "Tell me," faid Calid, “Thou to whofe voice nations have liftened with admiration, and whose wisdom. is known to the extremities of Afia, tell me how I may refemble Omar the prudent. The arts by which thou haft gained power, and preferved it, are no longer neceffary, or useful to thee; impart to me therefore the fecret of thy conduct, and teach me the plan on which thy wisdom has built thy fame."

4. "Young man," faid Omar, "it is of little ufe to form plans of life. When I took my first furvey of the world, in my twentieth year, having confidered the various conditions of mankind, in an hour of folitude I said thus to myfelf, leaning against a cedar which fpread its branches over niy head, feventy years are allowed to man ; I have yet fifty remaining; ten years I will allot to the attain. ment of knowledge, and ten I will pass in foreign coun tries.

5. "I fhall be learned, and confequently honoured; every city will shout at my arrival, and every fludent will folicit my acquaintance. Twenty years thus paffed will ftore my mind with images, which will be employment for me through the reft of my life, in combining and com. paring. I fhall revel in frefh accumulations of intellectual wealth. I fhall find new pleasures for every moment, and shall never more be weary of myself."

6 "I will, however, not deviate too far from the beaten track of common life, but will try what can be found in je male converfation. I will marry a wife beautiful as the Houries, and wife as Zobida. With her I will live twen ty years within the fuburbs of Bagdat, in every pleasure that wealth can purchase, and fancy can invent. I will then retire to a rural dwelling, and pafs my laft days in ob. fcurity and contemplation; and lie filently down on the bed of death. Through my life it fhall be my fettled ref olution, never to depend on the fmiles, nor ftand expof ed to the artifices of courts; I will never pant for public honours, nor difturb my quiet with affairs of ftate. Such was my scheme of life in my younger days.

7. "The first part of my enfuing time was to be fpent in fearch of knowledge, and I know not how I was diverted from my defign. I had no visible impediments without, nor fuffered any ungovernable paffions within. I regarded knowledge as my highest honour and most engaging pleafure; yet day ftole on day, and month glided after month, tili I found that feven years of the fift ten had vanished, and left nothing behind them.

8. "I now poftponed my purpofe of travelling; for why should I go abroad, while fo much remained to be learnt at home? I therefore immured myself at home for four years, and studied the laws of the empire. The

Fame of my knowledge reached even the judges; I was found able to speak upon doubtful queftions, and was commended to stand at the foot-ftool of the fupreme Ca. liff. I was heard with attention. I was confulted with confidence, and the love of praise fastened on my heart.

9. "I ftill wished to fee diftant countries, liftened with rapture to the relations of travellers, and refolved to ask my dismiffion, that I might feaft my foul with novelty; but my prefence was always neceffary, and the ftream of bufinefs hurried me along. Sometimes I was afraid left I fhould be charged with ingratitude; but I pro pofed to travel, and therefore would not confine myfelf by marriage.

10. "In my fiftieth year I began to fufpect that the time of travelling was paft, and thought it beft to lay hold on the felicity yet in my power, and indulge myself in domeftic pleasures But at fifty no man finds a woman beautiful as the Houries, and wise as Zobida. I Inquired and rejected, confulted and deliberated, till the fixty fecond year made me ashamed of gazing upon the fair. I had now nothing left but retirement, and for retirement I never found a time, till disease forced me from public employment.

II. "Such was my fcheme, and fuch have been its confequences. With an infatiable thirst for knowledge, I trifled away the years of improvement; with a restlefs defire of feeing different countries, I have always refided in the fame city; with the higheft expectation of connu. bial felicity, I have lived unmarried; and with una terable refolutions of contemplative retirement, I am going to die within the walls of Bagdat."

CHAPTER XLVIII.

PRIDE.

RIDE is a vice which grows up in fociety fo infenfibly; fteals in unobferved upon the heart on fo many occafions; forms itfelf upon fuch ftrange pretenfions, and when it has done, veils itself under fuch variety of unfuspected appearances, fometimes even under that of