esting; the translation elegant; and the reflections profound. Their suffrage alone, was the sole price Alladin acquired for a work which ought to have given him great reputation in Persia, and obtained for him the superiority over all his contemporaries.

CHAPTER VII.

The success of mediocrity.

He quitted politics, which appeared to him too dangerous, and applied himself to the belles lettres. There is a kind of vivacity and warmth in the human mind, which in some measure urges one to write. This seems to be to the mind what the pleasures of love are to the senses. Alladin, urged by this necefsity, commenced poet. He exercised his genius first on philosophical subjects, which he embellished with the flowers of a brilliant imagination. A few intimate friends only were admitted to see his works he read them to them; but above all to the Calender, who gave him much good advice. His cousin Salem thought this a frivolous, and even a dangerous amusement: he did not think it decorous for a person of a certain rank, to condescend to turn author; and that it was losing time in making verses, which could be so much more usefully employed in state affairs, or in making a fortune, Salem frequently eyed Alladin with a disdainful smile, when he found him thus employed. "Salem is in the right (said the Calender), he judges after the common opinion, and from himself; it will not be difficult for him to abstain from temptation." The wise reflections of Salem were soon justified: the works of Alladin were handed about, altered and disfigured

and, as soon as it was known that he made verses, he was fathered with satires, which attacked many per sons in power; and in which even the sultan himself was not spared.

The friends of Alladin advised him to travel for some years: and when Salem came to take his leave of him, said, "I told you cousin, it did not become persons of our rank to turn authors."

The conduct of Salem was quite the reverse. He was afsiduous in his attendance at court; followed his point with perseverance; and was great in trifles. He was always praised; but more for the failings he did not pofsefs, than for the qualities he was master of. No one was more attentive with regard to others. He kept two secretaries; one for compliments of joy, the other for those of condolence. No event, that interested any noble family in the slightest degree, but what was the occasion of a letter and a visit from Salem. His visits were never long: the most interesting conversation could not detain him more than a quarter of an hour in any one house; and he left it without pain. His soul was incapable of feeling those sensations of generosity and interest for others; and his mind was not eager after information. He commonly conversed with a person in the corner of a room, in a kind of half whisper. This has a good effect in general; and besides, no unforeseen contradictions happen; and this sort of mystery, gives an appearance of importance. Every thing which was contrary to received prejudices, or which was out of the common order of things, Salem looked upon as imprudent and rash.

The word, systematical, was always on his tongue; which he applied to all, who, quitting the beaten track, wish to ascend to first principles. Salem was good, but without animation. He never would do an unjust act, or intentionally hurt any one; but he would never stir out of his way to do the smallest act of benevolence. He loved women, but without pafsion; and attached himself, as it were by instinct, to those who enjoyed most power or credit. They took him without any determined sentiment: but, what added to his succefs, was the opinion the ladies had formed of his discretion. He was one to be depended upon in society; and he remained the friend of those of whom he had been the lover. His billets doux could never hurt him. They were not those impafsioned letters, which are so ridiculous when read in cold-blood, nor those, where the whole soul is painted; his letters were like printed formulas, which would have served every lover. It seemed as if he had them for every occasion; for the declaration of his pafsion, the triumphs of it, and the raptures, one of each might serve for all his intrigues.

Salem however had insensibly acquired an as cendancy over the women; he was the man whom they esteemed, and consulted upon all the little quarrels in their families, upon what were the proper steps to be taken at court; for he was acquainted with every avenue; he had attached to him a crowd of subalterns by his officiousnefs and his visits, who informed him directly of every change in the public affairs. The visirs were not afraid of him, for he never proposed any important innovations,

217 and executed whatever was intrusted to him with the most exact precision. Salem could tell you the uniform of every regiment, and the mottos on their colours. The vizirs were qu te a onifhed at the profound knowledge he had of the smallest details.

He sometimes offered projects, but always accommodated to the ideas of the moment. He presented one day a very large memorial to retrench one skirt of the furniture from each dragoon and light horseman; and proved with wonderful intelligence that from the hundred thousand cavalry of the sultan, this economy would produce 4774 sequins a year, without tarnishing the eclat of the troops of so great a monarch. He gave also another economical project, which for a long time had much success: it consisted in only fhcing the fore feet of the cavalry. Envy was silent; and Salem advanced rapidly towards the temple of fortune. He was very methodical, and noted down all he was to do in the course of the day, and sometimes what he was to say. His cousin one day by accident picked up his pocket book and read as follows:

"To call on the vizir to-day at ten o'clock, and on his secretary at twelve.

"Remember not to fail sending a blue and red parrot to the favourite slave of the sultana Fatima, who seemed to wish for such a one.

"To call on the princess Cheriti, and not to forget to condole with her on the lofs of her little dog Ruby, which she is inconsolable after.

"To visit the Mollach Abilek, who is ill, and to converse with him about the new mosque he is

building."

To be continued.

THE ADVENTURES OF A SHILLING.

For the Bee.

EVERY mind feels an innate curiosity from its earliest formation, which grows with its growth, and increases with its strength; and though probably some of your readers may pofsefs it in a more eminent degree than others, I flatter myself that the bulk of them have a portion sufficient to relish the enumeration of a few incidents that occurred to me in the course of a series of perambulations.

I shall not trouble you with iny birth, or from what mint I was ushered into the world; but I scarcely began to move in the circulating scene, when I found myself surrounded by a variety of figures all anxious to pofsefs me; some on account of the mildness of my features, and the striking resemblance I bore to my sovereign master; but by far the greatest number on account of my intrinsic worth. Thus sought after by the young, courted by the gay, and prized by the wise, I felt a secret elation of joy on considering my own importance.

In my earliest days, while perambulating among the fashionable world, and passing incessantly from hand to hand, I had no power of reflection, and was left not an hour to myself. Thus was I charmed with novelty,