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fortable grot, and here have I resided for a few weeks. My mind is now tolerably composed-I derive inexpressible satisfaction in administering to the comforts of the industrious, I feel myself happy in rendering them so; I am pleased with their artless conversation, and am desirous of pleasing. Indeed, I have as yet no cause to regret leaving for awhile the sumptuous table and the downy bed; on the contrary, rather ought I to rejoice.

I listened with attention to the preceding narra tive, and esteemed Corvinus for his candour. I seldom let a day escape without seeing my new friend. I beg you will accept of the following desultory journal; while I feel pleasure in the relation, it may serve to give you a faint idea how we appropriated the long summer day, and the winter's contracted one. Refulgent summer disclosed a brightening prospect, all around, and with joy we viewed the laughing world. In the morn we imbibed the blissful fragrance; in the mid-day hours reclined under the shady grove, and in the evening tasted the sublimity of darkening nature. Oft we

visited the surrounding cots-oft we held converse pleasing with the humble sons of contentment-and were not unfrequently struck with admiration at the depth of their reasoning. We, one morn, entered the cot of Arlonda; a variety of old mathematical instruments lay in every corner. Arlonda divested himself of a kind of power which dwelt on his forehead when first we entered his dwelling, and soon displayed wonderful powers of mind; on ascending to history and astronomy, his knowledge burst like a torrent, he even expatiated with such warmth, that his imagination outstepped the bounds of human ken; the poor man descanted on history and the planetary system till his mind be

*

*A true portrait of the author of " Modern Europe."

adorned. Futile as are the doctrines of the new school, subversive as they are to the harmony of society; and deformed as they are in their own nature, still they seem espoused by the self-sufficient insects of the day, with a more than common zeal. But to nourish them is to nourish an unnatural adder; they are painted dogmas, that glitter for the moment: take from them their outward garb, and you shrink with horror from the monster.

Once more I returned to view the vernal beauties of the country. Two summers passed away in this happy situation. I say happy, for I felt so. I marked the progress of agriculture, and cherished the effort of industry; I delighted in administering to the, wants of my fellow-creatures-their thanks, their praises, were a sufficient reward. How short-sighted are our joys.-Death deprived me of an affectionate, a dutiful father.-Peace to his memory! My honoured parent had scarce breathed his last, ere two parliament hunters were ravaging the whole county. I was solicited by my friends to fill a station in which my honoured parent had gained universal applause. The time of election arrived. I addressed my constituents-adverted to my father's services in their behalf-and assured them mine should be equally unremitting in the discharge of those duties incumbent on a legislator. They seemed to swallow my words with adulation. My opponents respectively harangued the populace, they promised much, and much they flattered the propensities of the croud-they corrupted the constituents with gold-it reflects an indelible shame on the English nation-much of the gold flowed from a source that ought only to dispense justice, integrity, and virtue-the consequence, a triumph on their part. My cause was, however, espoused and supported by the most respectable and independant individuals in the county. From this

political struggle I discovered the imperfections of every government; in short, as long as man is the creature of habit, and the vehicle of passions, so long must there remain room for improvement.

I have already told you, that I had two sisters. The eldest of whom married Sir Robert H-, he was a generous man. They lived happy, and in affluence; and, had it not been for fashionable villainy, to this day might have continued so.-Sir Robert was generous- -was importuned by friends-he readily lent his aid-but, alas! the thousands procured from the generous heart were appropriated to the discharge of gambling debts, and not a farthing did he recover. In fine, Sir Robert found himself on the brink of adversity ere he had given it a thought. There is in man a stubborn something, which we may, in a physical light, denominate velocity, in a moral pride. From this compound in our natures, we are as it were, either supported by fortitude, or depressed with fear. Sir Robert's mind was of that texture which neither can solicit nor accept pecuniary aid. He could not think of reducing his retinue-his spirits became every day more and more depressed, and this gloomy malady, in spite of every effort on the part of my sister and his friends, gained so far an ascendency, as to hasten him to the silent tomb.-My sister's sympathising heart dissolved in tenderness-soon she followed to the grave the best of men. I here could perceive the heart of Corvinus much affected.-He cast a wild look athwart the woodlands, and then

proceeded thus::-"My youngest sister was beautiful as is the new blown rose, gentle as the breezes of the spring, her mind was without stain, and her manners without art. Many were the suitors who solicited her hand; it was at length resigned to Mr. S, son of a worthy friend of my father's, and well he merited such beauty and goodness-he was a firm, generous, and noble youth.

came totally immersed in speculative error; with difficulty we calmed his distemper. We afterwards learnt that astronomy, history, and poetry, often called forth the energy of his mind in such a manner, that in his flights of fancy every thing fell prostrate before him, amongst the rest the instru ments appertaining to the sciences.

THE FISHERMAN

Dwelt in a little hovel by the river side, patience was pictured in his features, indolence in his gait, industry in his front, and in his eye anticipationunacquainted with letters, unskilled in artifice, save in the line of his profession; mild in his nature, though a natural advocate for liberty. He had a wife and three little ones-Mary was thrifty as well as faithful; by spinning she procured some few luxuries, but then her "humble wishes never learnt to stray." It was her sole pride to nourish with tenderness her infants; to have a clean hearth, a sparkling fire, and at church to appear decent. Oh! cursed ambition, was it not for thee we should all of us travel placidly through the valley of life; war would cease to devastate, and angelic peace wanton on the plain.

THE VILLAGE SCHOOLMASTER,

By experience stern, to learning prone, a foe to disobedience, a friend to emulation, assiduous in his avocations, regular as the coming morn; by many disapproved, by many loved. Such the man whose daily cares were to learning given, and it is a pity his cares are not more gratefully owned.

The name of Amelia E—— roused every dormant faculty in the Stranger's soul-but he forgot resentment-he felt other emotions than those of hatred for the man he had cause to deprecate.-A few hours hurled the miserable Colonel Reternity.

into

Spring again gladdened the fields with a tinge endearing to the soul; the husbandman again resumed his toil, and all was harmony around. To his grot the Stranger once more retired. We are not to expect striking occurrences where quietness reigns we are not to look for the daring front of commotion in scenes of solitude-no!-their all is peace and quietness. Chance one day directed us to the retired abode of Ednor, age had furrowed his cheek, but then it was the furrow of age only. There was in Ednor's manners a something peculiarly engaging-his precepts flowed from an energetic mind, they evinced the substance of reason, not the shadow. Speaking of happiness, he said, "it was the goal at which we all wished to arrive -it was an eminence to which we all aspired. In the pursuit a favoured few succeeded, but, alas! the great body deviated widely from the path that leads to it, and in doing so, were precipitated into horrid caverns, there to howl in misery.'

Treating of our duties, the sage Ednor said, "that we ought to begin nothing of which we had not well considered the end-in attending to this maxim we discover, as through a glass, the light-house, and hence escape the hidden rocks." Thus, in his graver hours, the old good man discoursed; but when he pleased, a sprightlier mood he could put on, "and laughing, instruct." Monitor of my youth, well I remember thy sage precepts, and thy jocular tales-for many a sage precept and jocular tale hadst thou.

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