after felicity, he had recourse to a sage, who, after spending his youth in travel and observation, had retired from all human cares, to a small habitation on the banks of Oxus, where he conversed only with such as solicited his counsel. "Brother," said the philosopher, "thou hast suffered thy reason to be deluded "by idle hopes, and fallacious appearances. Having "long looked with desire upon riches, thou hadst "taught thyself to think them more valuable than na"ture designed them, and to expect from them, what experience hath now taught thee, that they cannot 66 give. That they do not confer wisdom, thou mayest "be convinced, by considering at how dear a price they tempted thee, upon thy first entrance into the "world, to purchase the empty sound of vulgar ac"clamation. That they cannot bestow fortitude or magnanimity, that man may be certain, who stood trembling at Astracan, before a being not naturally superior to himself. That they will not supply un"exhausted pleasure, the recollection of forsaken palaces, and neglected gardens, will easily inform thee. That they rarely purchase friends, thou didst "soon discover, when thou wert left to stand thy "trial uncountenanced, and alone. Yet think not "riches useless; there are purposes, to which a wise

man may be delighted to apply them; they may, by "a rational distribution to those who want them, ease "the pains of helpless disease, still the throbs of rest"less anxiety, relieve innocence from oppression, "and raise imbecility to cheerfulness and vigour. "This they will enable thee to perform, and this will "afford the only happiness ordained for our present "state, the confidence of divine favour, and the hope of future rewards."

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The INDIAN and BRITISH OFFICER.

D

A TRUE STORY.

URING a late war in America, a company of

the Delaware Indians attacked a small detachment of the British troops, and defeated them. As the Indians had greatly the advantage of swiftness of foot, and were eager in the pursuit, very few of the fugitives escaped; and those who fell into the enemy's hands, were treated with a cruelty of which there are not many examples even in that country.

Two of the Indians came up with a young officer, and attacked him with great fury; as they were armed with a kind of battle-axe, which they call a tomahawk, he had no hope of escape, and thought only of selling his life as dearly as he could; but just at this crisis another Indian came up, who seemed to be advanced in years, and was armed with a bow and arrows. old man instantly drew his bow; but after having taken his aim at the officer, he suddenly dropped the point of his arrow, and interposed between him and his pursuers, who were about to cut him in pieces-they retired with respect.

The

The old man then took the officer by the hand, soothed him into confidence by caresses; and, having conducted him to his hut, treated him with kindness which did honour to his professions. He made him less a slave than a companion, taught him the language of the country, and instructed him in the rude arts that are practised by the inhabitants. They lived together in the most cordial amity; and the young officer found nothing to regret, but that sometimes the old man fixed his eyes upon him, and, having regarded him for some minutes, with a steady and silent attention, burst into tears.

In the mean time the spring returned; and the Indians having recourse to their arms, again took the field. The old man, who was still vigorous, and well able to bear the fatigues of war, set out with them, and was accompanied by his prisoner. They marched above two hundred leagues, across the forest, and came at length to a plain where the British forces were encamped. The old man shewed his prisoner the tents at a distance, at the same time remarked his countenance with the most diligent attention. "There," says he, are your countrymen; there is the enemy who wait to give us battle. Remember that I have saved thy life, that I have taught thee to construct a canoe, and to arm thyself with a bow and arrows; to surprise the beaver in the forest, to wield the tomahawk, and to scalp the enemy. What wast thou when I first took thee to my hut? Thy hands were those of an infant; they were fit neither to procure thee sustenance nor safety. Thy soul was in utter darkness; thou wast ignorant of every thing; and thou owest all things to me. Wilt thou then go over to thy nation, and take up the hatchet against us?" The officer replied, That he would rather lose his own life than take away that of his deliverer." The Indian then bending down his head, and covering his face with both his hands, stood some time silent; then looking earnestly at his prisoner, he said, in a voice that was at once softened by tenderness and grief, "Hast thou a father?"-" My father," said the young man, was alive when I left my country."- Alas," said the Indian, "how wretched must he be!" He paused a moment, and then added, "Dost thou know that I have been a father? I am a father no more. saw my son fall in battle; he fought at my side; I saw him expire! but he died like a man. He was covered with wounds when he fell dead at my feet; but I have revenged him!"

66

I

He pronounced these words with the utmost vehe

mence; his body shook with a universal tremor; and he was almost stifled with sighs that he would not suffer to escape him. There was a keen restlessness in his eye; but no tear would flow to his relief. At length he became calm by degrees, and turning towards the east, where the sun was then rising, "Dost thou see," said he to the young officer, "the beauty of that sky, which sparkles with prevailing day? and hast thou pleasure in the sight?"-"Yes," replied the young officer, "I have pleasure in the beauty of so fine a sky."-"I have none," said the Indian; and his tears then found their way.

A few minutes after he shewed the young man a magnolia in full bloom. "Dost thou see that beautiful tree?" says he; and dost thou look upon it with pleasure?"-"Yes," replied the officer, I do look with pleasure upon that beautiful tree.' -"I have pleasure in looking upon it no more," said the Indian hastily; and immediately added, "Go, return to thy countrymen, that thy father may still have pleasure when he sees the sun rise in the morning, and the trees blossom in the spring."

MARIA, the MAID of MOULINES.

T

PART I.

Sterne.

HEY were the sweetest notes I ever heard; and I instantly let down the fore-glass to hear them more distinctly-'Tis Maria, said the postillion, observing I was listening-Poor Maria continued he (leaning his body on one side to let me see her, for he was in a line betwixt us,) is sitting upon a bank,

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playing her vespers upon her pipe, with her little goat beside her.

The young fellow uttered this with an accent, and a look so perfectly in tune to a feeling heart, that I instantly made a vow, I would give him a four and twenty sous piece when I got to Moulines

-And who is poor Maria? said I.

The love and pity of all the villages around us, said the postillion-it is but three years ago, that the sun did not shine upon so fair, so quick witted, and amiable a maid; and a better fate did Maria deserve, than to have her banns forbid by the intrigues of the curate of the parish who published them

He was going on, when Maria, who had made a short pause, put the pipe to her mouth, and began the air again-they were the same notes;-yet were ten times sweeter; it is the evening service to the virgin, said the young man-but who has taught her to play it-or how she came by her pipe, no one knows; we think heaven has assisted her in both; for ever since 'she has been unsettled in her mind, it seems her only consolation-she has never once had the pipe out of her hand, but plays that service upon it almost night and day.

The postillion delivered this with so much discretion and natural eloquence, that I could not help decyphering something in his face above his condition, and should have sifted out his history, had not poor Maria's taken such full possession of me.

We had got up by this time almost to the bank where Maria was sitting: she was in a thin white jacket, with her hair, all but two tresses, drawn up into a silk net, with a few olive leaves twisted a little fantastically on one side- -she was beautiful; and if ever I felt the full force of an honest heart-ach, it was the moment I saw her

-God help her! poor damsel! above a hundred masses, said the postillion, have been said in the seve