removed himself from his relations, his friends, and his beloved Emma,

More than once did he repent of the ftep he had taken, but it was too late; he was obliged to make the best use of it. At length, however, his profpects mend. ed. By making himself ferviceable to one of the merchants, he was carried by him to his compting houfe. This was an event which feemed to make him amends for every thing he had undergone; as he hoped, in confequence of his new fituation, to be a merchant himself. He now thought he fhould be above all his family, and might have it in his power to make his Enima a gentlewoman, who was firmly attached to him, though he had never breathed a wish that the fhould keep herfelt difengaged on his account. So firm indeed was her attachment to him, that notwithstanding the improbability of his ever returning to his family, the rejected feveral advantageous offers, and refolved to marry nobody while her Charles was fingle.

On the death of her laft parent-her father and mother both died in a year and a half after Charles's departure William (who lived in the fame cottage with his father) and his wife invited her to make their home bers. She accepted their invitation, and affifted Patty in nurfing her children.

While Charles's relations were so properly employed in England, he was riing in his mafter's favour in America; and under his almoft paternal roof was extremely happy, till the unhappy difputes between Great Britain and her Colonies began to have an alarming appearance. What anguifh did not poor Emma's ten der heart feel, when she heard that troops were actually landed at Bofton! She could not be fure that her beloved Charles would not fall in the first battle, and her terrified imagination often prefented him to her eyes among the flain.

The father of Charles was now fo anxious for his fafety, that he wished-a thousand times he wifhed, he had never left his domeftic poffeffions, or that he could prevail upon him to return to them, -As he had never been taught to write when he was young, he defired William to fend a letter to his brother, fetting forth the many difagreeable confequences which might arife from his taking up arms on either fide, and entreating him to come back." Tell him," continued the good old man," that I will give up the farm which will one day be his, as foon as he arrives; I am grown too weak to do much

bufinefs, and a very little will ferve to fupply all my wants."

William, upon this occafion, fhewed himself in the most amiable light; he offered to furnish his father with a fufficiency for his life, upon the refignation of his farm to Charles (having been enabied, by a feries of fuccessful years, to purchase feveral acres, and to find them annually improving under his hands) and joined with him in perfuading his brother to quit all his American connections. He even gave a hint that Emma was made very wretched by his abfence, in order to quicken his return; and this hint might have haftened it, had he ever received the letter which contained fuch interesting intelligence-but it mifcarried in its paffage.

Charles, however, did not at this time ftand in need of the above-mentioned family-epittle to induce him to leave a country which began to be very difagre able. He had been early taught to believe that it was his duty to fight for his King whenever the affiftance of his fubjects fhould be required, and he wanted not courage to give proofs of his loyalty; but as he could not help thinking that matters had been carried on with too high an hand on both fides, and as he alfo looked upon the people among whom he at that time lived as his friends and fellow-citizens, he could on no account bring himself to lift his arm against them.

Equally culpable would he have thought himself at the fame time, had he committed hoftilities against his mother-country with those who, while they had recourfe to military proceedings in defence of their privileges, might plunge the innocent and the guilty into the moft dreadful diftreffes.

The merchant with whom Charles was engaged, having met with great losses in confequence of the national quarrel, was unable to carry on his business as a merchant; he, therefore, determining to join the army of the Provincials, informed Charles that he had no longer any employment for him as a clerk, but perfuaded him ftrongly to enter himself as a foldier in the cause of freedom. His perfuafons, however, though forcible, were fruitless. Charles now thinking that he could not do better than to return to the peaceful fcenes from which he had wandered under the delufions of ambition; fcenes which he had quitted with more precipitation than prudence, in fearch of a fortune which he had no right to expect, and which, if he had

This letter came fafe to the farm (though all those from thence had never to which they had

productive of actual felicity, if you will condefcend to crown my wishes with your band.”

Emma blufhed confent;-they were foon united, and Charles being as induftrious as William, found himself as happy.

Volio and Ifaa. An Eaftern Tale. Tranfated from the Arabic of Arvassan Iroufoul, of Hofud.

government Agra, in the

to every creature belonging to it.

William, as foon as he heard that the fhip in which his brother had taken his paffage was arrived at the destined port, intended to fet out to meet him, and to conduct him to the longing arms of his aged father. While he was finishing what he was about in a hay-field with his men, a person who had lived in the family before Charles's departure, and who had been dispatched to the next town, came, in a great hurry, to tell them, that "he faw young mafter a little way off."

William flew immediately to embrace his brother, after the long feparation, with his rake in his hand, and then led him to their father, who was fitting, fatigued, upon the grafs, with his two grandfons playing round him.-Emma, in the mean while, who had been continually listening in hopes of hearing news of her Charles, flood looking at him full of love, but fearful of being deemed too forward by advancing, tho fhe had brought fome of the richeft fruits fhe could find in her apron to present to him. Her modefty was not difregarded; her diffidence rendered her a confpicuous and a very attractive object. Charles, the moment he had returned his brother's affectionate embraces, with equal warmth paid his duty in the most filial manner to his father, and then addreffing himself to the long-loved mistress of his heart, faid to her, with the livelieft accents, "My dearest Emina, for your fake more than for my own I left my native fields, hoping in a diftant country to gain what fortune had denied me here; but my ambition was not, perhaps, a laudable one, as it has not been fuccefsful. I fhould have difcovered more merit in lending my affiftance towards the cultivation and improvement of thofe acres which I am to inherit.I have not brought home riches, indeed, but I am returned with a refolution to be contented in the ftation in which Providence has placed me. This refolution will be September, 1775.

town called Aaberghii, lived a dervise, whofe name was Kaleb. He preached the laws of the prophet in his neighbourhood with fo much energy, that many of the pagans became of the number of the true believers. The dervife had a daughter, whose name was Ifaa: fhe was lovely as the Houries, and fairer than the most beautiful flave in the feraglio of Dehli. Nature had exhausted all her charms in adorning her perfon, and Alla had furnished her mind with all that was amiable and engaging. O bring the rofe-bud immerged in the dew of the morning, and compare it with the lip of lfaa !-It lofes its blufh! its crimfon fades!-Her breath was more odorous than the foft gales that fly from the bloffoming groves of Labfa and Del Catif.

Volio faw the fair Ifaa.-Say, ye youths of Aaberghii, who could look upon Ifaa, and continue a stranger to love? Volio could not. He bowed at the feet of Ifaa, and kiffed the ground. He was handfome and ingenious, ftrong and healthy; but alas! he was not rich. The dervife Kaleb was poffeffed of many afpres, and would not marry his daughter to one who was not poffeffed of wealth. This Ifaa knew; fhe was therefore obliged to enjoy the company of her lover in fecret. She often met the enraptured Volio in a fmall grove on the banks of the delightful river Kfu, which flowed by the walls of the town of Aaberghii. They invoked the ftream to witnefs their vows, and the rinds of the cedars bore records of their love. There they deplored the fate of lovers, that fhould be fubject to the caprice of a cruel father." Beloved young man," would the tender Ifaa fay, " my father will never fuffer me to be the wife of Volio !" "Ah cruel dervife!" fighed Volio," O wretched Volio!"-" But will I be the wife of any other?" faid fhe, "Not though the commander of the believers fhould offer me a flare of the throne of Delhi!"-Volio fell proftrate

Uuu

"Daughter of Paradife!" faid he, "what fhall Volio do to requite thy affection?" -"Love me," faid the languifhing Ifaa, "and I am overpaid!" "Promife to be mine," faid he, " and I am the most bleffed of mortals."-She promised, he fwore to be the wife of Volio.

They parted, and went home different ways. Volio could not help reflecting in his mind upon the defpotic power that parents cruelly ufurp over the affections of their unfortunate children. "The great Hali," fays he, " has commanded us to obey our parents; but they expect that our affections fhould obey them alfo. Unreafonable expectation!-Our affections are the gift of heaven, and they will not fubmit even to their poffeffors.Love is an involuntary paffion-the will itself has no influence over it. It fpurns at the voice of reafon*, and oppofition to its power is vain. It is ftrong as death, and commands like fate. Ah why did not Alla make me one of the favourites of fortune! Then I should have been acceptable to Kaleb. O why is there a diftinction fet up by mortals among the human race! It is in the mind alone true diftinction lies. The peafant that toils for fubfiftence on the hills of Agra, if his mind is ennobled, is a more envied character than a dull Emir, tho' he riot in the luxurious pleasures of a feraglio." Thus reafoned Volio.

The next day he received a letter from Ifaa, informing him that her father had difcovered their connection, and had obliged her to promife never more to fee the young man. ifaa was tender, soft, fufceptible. The dervife, when he firft

made her underftand that he had difco

vered her intrigue, accofted her in fo

rough a train, that the fainted away. But Kaleb could put on the art of diffimulation. When the had recovered, he altered his manner, aad endeavoured to convince her, with the mott foothing arguments, of the impropriety of her conduct. He made the fimple Ifaa believe that the inevitable confequence would be her ruin, and the death of those who gave her life. He added falle tears to is difcourfe. He melted the heart of Ifaa. Touched with filial tenderness fhe fell down and embraced his knees; and yowed to facrifice her own peace of mind to gratify the avarice of a hard-hearted father." Volio," faid he, ffaa will neger fee thee more !!

port. "O Isaa," said he, “cruel Ifaa! I will not ftay to caufe thee a moment's uneafinefs! I will fly on the gloomy pinions of defpair, to fome dark fequentered spot, and there, in fecret, figh my latest breath in pronouncing the name of Ifaa! Farewell Haa! Farewell, inhuman dervife!" and he fled to the mountains of Varada, near the fource of the majestic Ganges.-There he pined in folitude, and in the twelfth moon he was no more. Ah! hapless Ifaa! the angel of death hath fnatched thy Volio from the cruelty of the dervife, and from thee!

Ifaa lived a prey to remorfe. She wept the fate of Volio. She perceived the cruelty of Kaleb, when it was too late. Had Volio been rich, he would have been the favourite of Kaleb! "O gentle virgins of Indoftan," said Ifaa,

fhun my hapless fate! Let nothing tempt you to facrifice your affections at the expence of your happiness. O liften to the dictates of your own hearts! Liften to the foft voice of virtuous love. Let not intereft overbalance love. O ye maids of Indoftan! thun the fate of ifaa !”

Say, where are the roses fled from the cheeks of Ifaa!-Her eyes once fpark led like the fapphire of Golconda; but where is their luftre vanished? Her lip glowed like the ruby of Guzarat; now the crimfon tint is loft! Ye tender fathers, imitate not the dervife!Ye gentle maidens, pity Ifaa !-Ye lovefick youths, weep over the grave of Volio:

A Remarkable Inftance of Conjugal Heroijm in Low Life.

meaneft birth, and of no fort of edu

AMES JOHNSON, a person of the

NOTE.

lefs

lefs attempts to borrow, and even to beg relief of every body fhe knew, the anguifh of her heart got the better at once of terror and of confcience, and the privately took out of the house of a perfon who used to employ her, a small fum of money out of a large quantity; and this, not without the most firm refolution of replacing it from the effects of that labour, a double portion of which the devoted herself to, when her child fhould be recovered.

Hitherto the mother has been the heroine of our humble flory; the fcene now changed; and threw that office on the father: before the effects of the little relief the parent had obtained at this dear rate could be known upon the child, the money was miffed; the mother, who had been begging there in vain, was sufpected, and on fearching her poor apart ment, the very pieces miffed from the drawer of the owner were found.

It was in vain that the unhappy woman pleaded her known neceffities, the cruel owner of the money was deaf to all remonftrances, and the was fent to prifon. Not the horrors of a dungeon could remove the mother's fondness from this unhappy creature's breast: fhe petitioned for leave to have her dying infant with her to employ her care on; but the poor have no friends;-this was denied: the unfortunate little wretch was committed to the care of the parish, and fell a facrifice in the common mifery.

The husband, who was rather of a thoughtless and idle, than a villainous difpofition, was now awaked to thought. He faw his wife often, and always behaved to her with a kindness more than ufual, but with a mixture of referve and fecrecy which the could not underftand. In fine, he was prefent at the trial, when the proofs appearing too plain to admit of any evasion or defence, they were both ftruck with an additional and unspeakable furprife, on finding that a circumstance, which they had not before thought of (the forcing a lock in the getting the money) rendered the crime capital. As foon as this was found, the husband, before any thing farther was done, begged permiflion to fpeak with his unhappy wife, and addreffed her, in a whifper, in the following manner. "I have been a villain, and though no law reaches my crime of idleness, it is that which occafioned your misfortune: we have two children yet remaining; I can be of no fervice to them, or to the world, but you may: fuffer me, therefore, to take this crime

upon myself, and let me die, who deferve it, not you, who merit the greatest rewards for what is fuppofed to be a crime in you."

The dread of death prevailed upon the unhappy woman to confent, and her husband then addreffing himself to the judge, faid, "You will now fee how little witneffes are to be regarded: I alone committed that crime for which you are going to condemn this innocent woman, and I cannot fee her fuffer for it." He added circumstances which he had before concerted in his mind, and which were fo well laid together, that the very wit neffes themfelves came over to his opinion: the court was convinced, the woman acquitted, and fentence paffed upon him.

This may furely be inftanced as a proo of the highest pitch of heroifm, in a perfon as far from the character of a great man or hero, as any man could be. But the fequel is still more interesting.

The unhappy woman whofe dread of imminent death, which had made her confent to this act of generofity in her husband at the time of her trial, now grew, by degrees, more weak in her, could not bear to think of seeing her hufband die for her offence. She, therefore, confeffed the crime, and divulged the fecret of the conversation which had preceded her husband's taking it upon himself. The judge, who had not yet left the court, was ftruck with fuch an inftance of a mutual affection and generofity, in the breafts of people of this low rank, in both fo much fuperior to the fears of death: he faw the woman in private, and heard her relate the whole flory, in confequence of which the reader will not wonder that he pardoned both, and that a life of industry and happiness fucceeded this terrible event in the generous couple.

Afhort but extraordinary Hiftory of a

Countess of Shrewsbury, Lady Elizabeth, Daughter of John Hardwick, of Hard. wick, in Derbyshire, Efq;