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him, he would fay, were bribes re-
ceived by Eucrate; for Eucrate had
the most compaffionate spirit of all
86
men living, except his generous ma-
fter, who was always kindled at the
least affliction which was communi-

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"not add to that load of forrow I fee "in your countenance the awe of my 66 prefence; think you are fpeaking to your friend; if the circumstances of your diftrefs will admit of it, you "fhall find me fo." Fo whom the ftranger" Oh, excellent Phara"mond! name not a friend to the un"fortunate Spinamont. I had one, but "he is dead by my own hand; but, "oh Pharamond! though it was by "the hand of Spinamont, it was by the "guilt of Pharamond. I come not, "oh excellent prince! to implore your "pardon; I come to relate my forrow, "a forrow too great for human life to "fupport: from henceforth fhall all oc

cated to him. In the regard for the miferable, Eucrate took particular care, that the common forms of distress, and the idle pretenders to forrow, about courts, who wanted only fupplies to luxury, fhould never obtain favour by his means: but the diftreffes which arife from the many inexplicable occurrences that happen among men, the unaccountable alienation of parents 'from their children, cruelty of hufbands to wives, poverty occafioned from fhipwreck or fire, the falling out " of friends, or fuch other terrible difafters, to which the life of man is expofed: in cafes of this nature, Eucrate was the patron; and enjoyed this part of the royal favour fo much without 66 being envied, that it was never in( quired into by whose means, what no one elfe cared for doing, was brought ahout.

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'One evening when Pharamond came into the apartment of Eucrate, he 'found him extremely dejected; upon 'which he asked, with a fimile which ་ was natural to him-" What, is there any one too miferable to be relieved by Pharamond, that Eucrate is nɛe"lancholy?"—"I fear there is," an'fwered the favourite; "a perfon without, of a good air, well dreffed, and though a man in the ftrength of his "life, feems to faint under fome incon"folable calamity: all his features seem "fuffufed with agony of mind; but I "6 can obferve in him, that it is more in"clined to break away in tears than rage. I asked him what he would "have; he said he would fpeak to Pharamond. I defired his bufinefs; he "could hardly fay to me- Eucrate, carry me to the king, my ftory is not to "be told twice, I fear I fhall not be able to speak it at all." Pharamond commanded Eucrate to let him enter; he did fo, and the gentleman approached the king with an air which spoke him under the greatest concern in what manner to demean himself. The king, who had a quick difcerning, relieved him from the oppreffion he was under; and with the most beautiful complacency faid to him-"Sir, do

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currences appear dreams or fhort in"tervals of amufement, from this one "affiction which has feized my very "being: pardon me, oh Pharamond! "if my griefs give me leave, that I lay "before you, in the anguifh of a "wounded mind, that you, good as

you are, are guilty of the generous "blood fpilt this day by this unhappy "hand: oh that it had perished before "that inftant!" Here the ftranger

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paufed, and recollecting his mind, after fome little meditation, he went on in a calmer tone and gefture as follows.

"There is an authority due to dif"trefs, and as none of human race is "above the reach of forrow, none should "be above the hearing the voice of it; "I am fure Pharainond is not. Know "then, that I have this morning unfer"tunately killed in a duel, the man "whom of all men living I moft loved. "I command myfelf too much in your

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"court, happen, that it fhall not be "unfashionable to do what is unlawful. "But, alas! in the dominions of Pha"ramond, by the force of a tyrant cuftom, which is mif- named a point of "honour, the duellift kills his friend "whom he loves; and the judge con<demns the duellift, while he approves "his behaviour. Shame is the greatest "of all evils; what avail laws, when "death only attends the breach of them, "and fhame obedience to them? As "for me, oh Pharamond! were it pof"fible to defcribe the namelefs kinds of "compunctions and tendernesses I feel,

"when I reflect upon the little accidents "in our former familiarity, my mind "fwells into forrow which cannot be "refifted enough to be filent in the pre"fence of Pharamond." With that ⚫he fell into a flood of tears, and wept

aloud. "Why fhould not Pharamond "hear the anguish he only can relieve "others from in time to come? Let him "hear from me, what they feel who "have given death by the falfe mercy "of his adminiftration, and form to "himself the vengeance called for by "those who have perifhed by his negli gence."

N° LXXXV. THURSDAY, JUNE 7.

INTERDUM SPECIOSA LOCIS, MORATAQUE RECTE
FABULA, NULLIUS VENERIS, SINE PONDERE ET ARTED
VALDIUS OBLECTAT POPULUM, MELIUSQUE MORATUR,
QUAM VERSUS INOPES RERUM, NUGÆQUE CANORÆ.

HOR. ARS POET. V. 319.

SOMETIMES IN ROUGH AND UNDIGESTED PLAYS
WE MEET WITH SUCH A LUCKY CHARACTER,
AS, BEING HUMOUR'D RIGHT, AND WELL PURSU'D,
SUCCEEDS MUCH BETTER THAN THE SHALLOW VERSE,
AND CHIMING TRIFLES OF MORE STUDIOUS PENS.

IT is the custom of the Mahometans,

if they fee any printed or written paper upon the ground, to take it up and lay it afide carefully, as not know. ing but it may contain fome piece of their Alcoran. I must confefs I have fo much of the Muffulman in me, that I cannot forbear looking into every printed paper which comes in my way, under whatfoever defpicable circumstances it may appear; for as no mortal author, in the ordinary fate and viciffitude of things, knows to what use his works may, fome time or other, be applied, a man may often meet with very celebrated names in a paper of tobacco. I have lighted my pipe more than once with the writings of a prelate; and know a friend of mine, who, for thefe feveral years, has converted the effays of a man of quality into a kind of fringe for his candlesticks. I remember in particular, after having read over a poem of an eminent author on a victory, I met with feIveral fragments of it upon the next rejoicing day, which had been employed in quibs and crackers, and by that means celebrated it's fubject in a double

ROSCOMMON.

H

of

capacity. I once met with a page Mr. Baxter under a Christmas pye. Whether or no the pastry-cook had made ufe of it through chance or waggery, for the defence of that fuperftitious viande, I know not; but upon the perufal of it, I conceived fo good an idea of the author's piety, that I bought the whole book. I have often profited by thefe accidental readings, and have fometimes found very curious pieces, that are either out of print, or not to be met with in the hops of our London bookfellers. For this reafon, when my friends take a furvey of my library, they are very much furprized to find, upon the thelf of folios, two long band-boxes ftanding upright among my books, until I let them fee that they are both of them lined with deep erudition and abftrufe literature. I might likewife mention a paper-kite, from which I have received great improvement; and a hat-cafe, which I would not exchange for all the beavers in Great Britain. This my inquisitive temper, or rather impertinent humour of prying into all forts of writing, with my natural aver

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