IN fatten quickly upon them, but the meat is fo rancid and ftrong as not to be marketable. They feldom cultivate any flax in Ireland for feed, being fupplied on better terms, annually, from America, than they could raife it themfelves: but, during the late war, they were neceffiated to import it from Ruffia, and different parts of the Baltic. FIRNAZ and MIRVAN: An Eaftern Tale. N the earlier ages of the world, mankind knew no other ties but those of nature. No throne was then erected upon the ruins of liberty, and no men were taught like the favage of the foreft to bow the neck, to force, and ufurpation. The earth covered with riches fupplied a healthful and harmless repaft, and at once gave her inhabitants fecurity and con tent. One day, fatigued with winding through all the mazes of his anxious defires, he infenfibly fell afleep. Fir naz, the king of the Genii, had compaffion upon his wretched fituation, and undertook to cure him of his allufions, by convincing his imaginations in a dream of truths he had feemed to defpife when waking. Mirvan fancied himself placed on the fummit of a mountain, where, In those happy times it was, that leaning against the trunk of a spreadfortune had showered down its gifts ing cedar, he enjoyed at one view, upon Mirvan, who took up his refi- all the poffeflions of his ancestors, dence by the borders of the Cafpian which covered the valley beneath. fea. Here, in a country replete with But far from regarding this wealth every convenience that could fupply with joy, he burst into complaint neceffity, and every charm that could and invective. Affaulted by a thouinvite the eye, he enjoyed, or might fand different defires, he walked forhave enjoyed uninterrupted tranquil ward with an uncertain pace, when lity. He was rich but he was not fuddenly his eyes were ftruck with a happy; wifdom requires no abund- light that feemed more than terreftri. ance to make man content. Tho' al. His furprise was still encreased the education of this youth was cul- by the appearance af a cloud with tivated with all imaginable affiduity, all the beautiful variations of the yet his natural impatience taught rainbow, which ambrofial perfume, him to fpurn the bleffings with which Firnaz, king of the Genii, condu&t. he was furrounded, and carried his ed to the place where the difcontent wifhes even beyond the capacity of nature to fatisfy. His foul foon faw good which he enjoyed. What re ed youth was • Son of mortality, only a difgufting uniformity in the fpeak thy griefs, in order to find redrefs.' Encouraged by the voice, medy for a pain that feemed incur- the youth returned, The dull able? though nature be never fo in- niformity of my condition is infup dalgent, fhe is poor to the defiring portable; the morning differs not fon of folly. 6 from the night, and to-day refem bles bles yesterday; all my life appears but a moment lengthened by dif gufting repetition. The valley and the foreft are stripped of their beauty, in my eye. Even the charms of the beauteous Thyrza herself, are no longer pleafing fince she has bleft me with enjoyment.' Favourable genius, continued he, for thy looks befpeak thy compaffion, change the country which we now behold, into a region refembling that poffeffed by thofe beings who refide above the ftars. Let it contain an abstract of all thofe beauties which are difperfed round the creation, that all may flatter my fenfes, and that my foul may have entire fruition in all that imagination can conceive of pleasure. He wish'd, and the indulgent genius foon complied with his importunate request. The face of nature grew ten thoufand times more beautiful than ever rapturous poet had fancied. The violet and the amaranthus fprung up beneath their steps. The zephyr, enchanted with this delightful landfcape, wafted its odoriferous breath on every fide. All that could gratify fenfe, or excite fatiety, were there in profufion. Mirvan now began to revive; he perceived himself placed upon a bed of rofes, over-fhaded by a bower of ne ver-fading green. In the enthufiafm of his rapture he arofe, traversed the charming plain with an hafty step. Here distracted in a variety of beauty, he seemed at a lofs what to prefer. The juicy anans, the delicate lotos, by turns, attract his hand and his eye; his ears are flattered by the confort of the grove.-Like a weary traveller, our youthful complainant feemed now at eafe, having come to the feat of deftination. He had not wandered long in this ideal fcene of beauty, when he difcovered feven nymphs who fixed their regards upon him. They moved with unfpeak able grace, and all their looks ferved to inspire pleasure. Mirvan faw and was enchanted with their beauty; the other charms of the country now feemed loft in the comparison. The nymphs feemed to be confcious of his paffion, and affuming an air of modefty, fled to the thickeft fhades, fure of being pursued. Thus bleft and bleffing, he at first thought his raptures would never end. But fcarce were eight days paffed in this abode, when the minutes began to lengthen, and new wishes to interrupt his happiness. His ears were fatigued with continued harmony, his eyes with the repetition of beauty. The reafoning principle feemed funk on the bed of oth, and the foul had no opportunity of vigorous exertion.-I deteft, cried he, a life where nothing is found but fofinefs and eafe, no variety to amufe, no danger to excite refolution. Ah! would Firnaz but once more hear my prayer, it is not to fpend my days in the arms of pleasure, I could wifh to embark in greater raptures, I could wish for power, as I fee the plain without limits lying around me, I would defire alfo to go. vern a people with unbounded authority. He had fcarce spoken when an invifible arm feizing him inftantly, tranfported him through the air. He beheld a country without limits, diverfified with forefts of cedars whose tops feemed to reach the clouds, large rivers divided it, at once fupply ing an eafy coreyance, and giving fertility. Beautiful cities were fcattered up and down without number. All that you fee, cried his conductor, is thine. Mirvan, with a joyful heart bowed to the ground, and thanked the indulgent genius. He fcarce concluded this inftance of gratitude, when he found himfelf in the midst of a circle of heroes and ancient fa ges, who chose him their king, even before before he had time to return from his aftonishment. His brows were bound with a diadem, and the filver founding-trumpet proclaimed his acceffion among the people. The populace thronged around to kifs the fteps of his throne, while numberless camels came loaded with all the riches of the Eat, and the fpices of the neighbouring Ifles. The ears of Mirvan were charmed with the martial notes of the trum pet, and the neighing of the horfes equipped for war: his heart began to beat for conqueft, and as they who wifh for enemies cafily create them, he foon went to war; attacked the foe and was victorious. One conqueft feemed only to induce him to wifh for more: he went from victory to victory, till all his neighbours became tributary, or all their countries laid in ruin. He first then began to form the wifh of a once famous European hero, namely, that of new worlds to conquer; but the time approached that his vanity was to be humbled. A diftant country that had, with jealous eyes, feen his progrefs in invading the liberties of others, begin to fear for their own; a love of freedom fupplied them with both conduct and courage. They attacked the enemy of mankind with a force, which it was impoffible to refilt; the army of flives fell by myriads: the hero now began to confider that he was but min: he A fled for fafety to the foreft, alone, deferted by the crowd of flatterers, and now given up a prey to famine, fatigue and his own reflections ftill more mortifying than either. After a long journey he found himself in the midtt of a plain, encircled by a mountain. He repofed himself on a bank by a glaffy rivulet that poured from a neighbouring hill. The foul of Mirvan feemed all difcord and confufion: wretch that I am, cried he, why was I born to this variety of diftrefs? why brought into the world to furvive every felicity? the poor peafant who feeds upon roots and water; the wandering favage that hunts for a precarious meal is happier far than I; I will not, cannot furvive it! He had fcarce finished, when throwing himfelf headlong into the water, he there expected to terminate a wretched exiftence; when the fancied coldness of the waves gave an instant shock, which awaked him from his dream. Befide him lay the lovely Thyrza, his favourite wife, more beautiful than the morning; his attendants came with fubmiffive affiduity, to know his pleafure; in fhort, he found all his poffeffions real, all his wants imaginary, and ever after retained a proper share of gratitude, for the benefits he enjoyed from heaven, without once murmuring at its having been more indulgent to others. ANECDOTE. GREAT Dignitary of the church in France, upon reading thefe words in the fifth chapter of Genefis, And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years, and he died; and all the days of Seth, were nine hun'dred and twelve years, and he di ed; and all the days of Methufelah, were nine hundred and fixty nine years, and he died;' immediately fhut himself up in a convent, and retired from the world, as not thinking any thing in this life worth purfuing, which had not regard to another. The ORIGINAL POETRY. To the Memory of Mrs. HENRIETTA ANNA MARIA DUBUISSON, a Lady of fingular Beauty, who died at Philadelphia, in July, 1792, aged 19 years. H, lovely Vision! art thou gone? OF Doft thou repofe in Death's dull shade? Are all thy boafted glories flown? Doft thou too rest among the dead? Oh, fairest flower that ever bloom'd Thou wert-but ah! what art thou now? Which shrouds thee from the face of day. Let frantic Mirth be penfive here, Here let Youth weep its tranfient bloom; For Harriet moulders in the tomb. Come, weeping mufe, come form a wreathe But wherefore mourns my heart thine early doom, Or dwells the ætherial being in the tomb? No, bursting from death's dark confines, It wings its flight to happier climes, And gains at last-its long wifh'd heaven. Tell me, fair effence, when releas'd from clay, Did Did not the echoing Lyra's melting strain To rapture foothe each yet remaining fear, Seems to vibrate on my enchanted ear; "Welcome from Sin's baneful pow'r, "All that thou haft heard below, 66 E: erlafting love are thine. "Let the garland we affume, "Lo, the pearly gates unfold! "Ne'er we know returning night- "Hark! I hear the warbling throng New-York, Sept. 1792. A The SONG of the GHOST. LONG the fteep-worn bank that Hudson laves, Sooth'd by the murmuring found of diftant waves, That wakes fad fpeêtres from their lurid tomb. |