rents and relations, as well as her husband, to attend him at an appointed time. They met accordingly, and in less than half an hour Scipio appears to them, and leads his prifoner into their prefence. The Romans (as noble as they were) feemeed to allow themselves a little too much triumph over the conquered: As S.ipio therefore approached, they all threw themfelves on their knees, except the lover of the lady: But Scipio obferving in him a manly fullennefs, was the more inclined to favour him, and fpoke to him in these words. "It is not the manner of the Romans to use all the power they justly may: We fight not to ravage countries, or break through the ties of humanity; I am acquainted with your worth, and your intereft in this lady: Fortune has made me your mafter, but I defire to be your friend. This is your wife; take her, and may the gods bless you with her! Far be it from Scipio, to purchase a loose and momentary pleasure at the rate of making an honeft man unhappy." Indibilis's heart was too full to make any anfwer, but he threw himself at the feet of the general, and wept aloud. The captive lady fell into the fame pofture, and they both remained so, till the father burst into the following words: "Oh, divine Scipio! The gods have given you more than human virtue. Oh, glorious leader! Oh, wondrous youth! does not that obliged Virgin give you, while fhe prays to the gods for your pofterity, and thinks you fent down from them, raptures above all the the tranfports which you could have acquired from the poffeffion of her injured perfon." The temperate Scipio anfwered him without much emotion, and retired, faying, Father, be a friend to Rome. An immenfe fum was offered as her ranfom: But he fent it to her husband, and smiling, faid, This is a trifle after what I have given him already. THE APPLICATION. Chastity in youth is a much more difficult virtue to practise than generosity. ATYS AND PHRYNE. The There was an old man whofe name was Sophronius, who had two children, a fon and a daughter. name of the fon was Atys, the daughter was called Phryne. It happened one day, as thefe two were playing together, they found a looking glafs in their mother's bed chamber; and looking into it, they difcovered that Atys was extremely handfome, but Phryn very deformed. The boy was not a little proud of this: he immediately began to entertain a very high opinion of himself, and to defpife his fifter. He was always talking of his own beauty, and putting Phryne in mind of her deformity. He would run to the glafs every minute, and call upon his fifter to obferve how differently they appeared in it in fhort, he omitted nothing which might create a mortification to his fifter, or improve the opinion which he thought every one entertained of the comeliness of his perfon. Phryne, grieved to find herself the conftant fubject of her brother's mirth, at length complained to her father of his behaviour. The. old man, who had a tender affection for them both, and was forry to find there was any quarrelling between his children, thought this was a proper occafion to bestow fome good advice upon them. After having kiffed them both; "If, (faid he) Atys, you find, by looking in the glafs, that nature has bestowed a handsome face upon you, I would have you, by all means, endeavour to render your inward accomplishments answerable to fuch an outside. Let your actions be handsome as well as your perfon. And you, (faid he) my dear Phryne, if you cannot recommend yourself by your beauty, may procure a more lafting commendation by your behaviour. The world will overlook the defects in your perfon, if they find you are not wanting in the perfections of the mind." ATELMOULE. AN EASTERN STORY. There was among the Caliphs, one more renowned than all the reft, for the goodnefs and fingularity of his temper, whofe name was Haroun Abrashid. It was his cuftom to give. away custom to walk unknown among his fubjects, and hear, from their own mouths, their grievances, and their opinion of their rulers. He advanced, and degraded according to thefe reports; perhaps fometimes too haftily, though always with an upright purpofe; and ufed to fay he was the only fovereign that heard the thoughts of his people. One morning about fun-rife, as he was walking along the fide of a river, he faw an old man and his grandfon earnest in difcourfe. The boy, in wantonnefs, had taken a water-worm out of the flags; and having thrown it on the ground, had lifted up his foot to crufh it. The old man pulled him back, and just as the Caliph came up, was faying to him, Boy don't take that which is not in thy power He who gave life to that infect, gave life alfo to thee: how dareft thou destroy what he bestowed? and thou wilt find mercy." The Caliph stopped, and hearing rags and beggary fo eloquent, flood aftonished. "What is your name, and where is your habitation ?" faid he. The old man told him he was called Atelmoule, and pointed to his cottage. In an hour, a robe of ftate was fent to the cottage, officers attended, and Atelmoule was told he was appointed Vifier. They conducted him full of wonder and confufion to the Caliph, when he fell upon his face before the throne, and without daring to look up, kiffed the verge of the royal robe. "Rife, Atelmoule," faid the Caliph, " you are now next to the throne, forget not your and you fhall find it." Shew mercy, own leffon-" Shew mercy, The man with aftonishment The Vifier hung and surprise recollected in the Caliph, the person whom he had spoke with in the morning. Mean time the fun was warm; the worm whofe life this new Vifier had faved, opened his fhelly back, and gave birth to a fly that buzzed about, and enjoyed his new-born wings with rapture; he fettled on the mule that carried back the Vifier, and ftung the creature. The mule pranced and threw his unaccustomed rider. by a part of his robe, and was killed by a stroke of the creature's heel. The account was brought to the palace, and even those who had murmured, at the exaltation of the man, pitied that death he owed to his virtue: even Providence was cenfured, fo daring and ignorant is man; but the Caliph, fuperior to the reft in virtue as in office, lifting up his hands to heaven, cried "Bleffed be thy facred name, O Prophet, I had dccreed honours to Atelmoule, but thou haft fnatched him to thy paradife, to enjoy greater honours. THE FUNERAL OF MARIA, Advantages to be d awn from Scenes of Sorrow. FROM THE MIRROR. Though neither the fituation of the world, nor the formation of our minds, allow the thoughts of futu rity or death a conftant or prevailing effect upon our lives, they nay, furely, 1ometimes, not unfeasonably, prefs |