but I fufpect it is only to make us mope alone. A merry companion, and a mug of beer, would make the night pafs cheerily." Parley, however, kept all thefe thoughts to himself, or uttered them only when no one heard, for talk he must. He began to liften to the nightly whistling, of the robbers under the windows with rather lefs alarm than formerly, and was fometimes fo tired of watching, that he thought it was even bet ter to run the risk of being robbed once, than to live always in fear of robbers.

There were certain bounds in which the gentleman allowed his fervants to walk and divert themselves at all proper feafons. A pleafant garden furrounded the caftle, and a thick hedge feparated this garden from the wilderness which was infefted by the robbers, in which they were permitted to amufe themfelves. The mafter advised them always to keep within these bounds. "While you obferve this rule," faid he, "you will be fafe and well; and you will confult. your own fafety, as well as fhew your love to me, by not venturing even to the extremity of your bounds; he who goes as far as he dares, always fhews a wifh to go farther than he ought, and commonly does fo."

It was remarkable, that the nearer these fervants kept to the caftle, and the farther from the hedge, the more ugly the wilderness, appeared. And the nearer they approached the forbidden bounds, their own home appeared more dull, and the wilderne fs more delightful, And

this the master knew when he gave his orders; for he never either did or faid any thing without a good reafon. And when his fervants fometimes defired an explanation of the reason, he ufed to tell them they would understand it when they came to the other houfe: for it was one of the pleafures of that house, that it would explain all the mysteries of this, and any little obfcuri. ties in the master's conduct would be then made quite plain.

Parley was the firft who promised to keep clear of the hedge, and yet was often feen looking as near it as he durft. One day he ventured close up to the hedge, put two or three ftones one on another, and tried to peep over. He faw one of the robbers ftrolling as near as could be on the forbidden fide. This man's name was Mr. Flatterwell, a fmooth, civil man, "whofe words were fofter than butter, having war in his heart." He made feveral low bows to Parley.

Now Parley knew fo little of the world, that he actually concluded all robbers must have an ugly look, which should frighten you at once, and coarfe brutal manners, which would, at firft fight, fhew they were enemies. He thought, like a poor ignorant fellow as he was, that this mild fpecious perfon could never be one of the band. Flatterwell accofted Parley with the utmoft civility, which put him quite off his guard, for Parley had no notion that he could be an enemy who was fo foft and civil. For an open foe he would have been prepared. Parley,

however, after a little difcourfe, drew this conclufion, that either Mr. Flatterwell could not be one of the gang, or that if he was, the robbers themselves, could not be fuch monfters as his master had described, and therefore it was a folly to be afraid of them.

Flatterwell began, like a true adept in his art, by lulling all Parley's fufpicions afleep, and inftead of openly abufing his mafter, which would have opened Parley's eyes at once, he pretended rather to commend him in a general way, as a person who meant well himself, but was too apt to fufpect others. To this Parley affented. The other then ventured to hint by degrees, that though the gentleman might be a good maf ter in the main, yet he must fay he was a little ftrict, and a little ftingy, and not a little cenforious. That he was blamed by the gentlemen in the wilderness for fhutting his house against good company, and his fervants were laughed at by people of fpirit, for fubmitting to the gloomy life of the caftle, and the infipid pleafures of the garden, instead of ranging in the wilderness at large.

"It is true enough," faid Parley, who was generally of the opinion of the perfon he was talking with. "My mafter is rather harsh and clofe. But to own the truth, all the barring, and locking, and bolting, is to keep out a set of gentleman, who, he affures us, are robbers, and. who are waiting for an opportunity to destroy us, I hope no offence, Sir, but by your livery

I fufpect you, Sir, are one of the gang he is fo much afraid of."

Fatterwell. Afraid of me? Impoffible, dear Mr. Parley. You fee I do not look like an enemy. I am unarmed, what harm can a plain man like me do?

Parley. Why, that is true enough. Yet my mafter fays, that if we were once to let you into the house, we fhould be ruined foul and body.

Flatterwell. I am forry, Mr. Parley, to hear fo fenfible a man as you are fo deceived. This is mere prejudice. He knows we are cheerful entertaining people, foes to gloom and fuperftition, and therefore he is fo morofe he will not let you get acquainted with us.

Parley. Well, he fays you are a band of thieves, gamblers, murderers, drunkards, and atheists.

Flatterwell. Don't believe him, the worst we should do, perhaps, is, we might drink a friendly glass with you, to your master's health, or play an innocent game of cards just to keep you awake, or fing a cheerful fong with the maids now is there any harm in all this? Parley. Not the leaft in the world. And I begin to think there is not a word of truth in all my master fays.

Flatterwell. The more you know us, the more you will like us. But I wifh there was not this ugly hedge between us: I have a great deal to fay, and I am afraid of being overheard.

Parley was now juft going to give a fpring

over the hedge, but checked himself, saying, “ I dare not come on your fide, there are people about, and every thing is carried to my master. Flatterwell faw by this, that his new friend was kept on his own fide of the hedge by fear rather than by principle, and from that moment he made fure of him. "Dear Mr. Parley," faid he, "if you will allow me the honor of a little converfation with you, I will call under the window of your lodge this evening. I have fomething to tell you greatly to your advantage. I admire you exceedingly. I long for your friendship; our whole brotherhood is ambitious of being known to fo amiable a perfon." -"O dear," faid Parley, "I fhall be afraid of talking to you at night. It is fo against my mafter's orders. But did you fay you had fomething to tell me to my advantage ?"

Flatterwell. Yes, I can point out to you how you may by a richer, a merrier, and a happier man. If you will admit me to-night under the window, I will convince you that 'tis prejudice and not wifdom which makes your mafter bar his door against us; I will convince you that the mischief of a robber, as your mafter fcurriloufly calls us, is only in the name, that we are your true friends and only mean to promote your happiness.

"Don't fay we," faid Parley, " pray come alone, I would not fee the reft of the gang for the world, but I think there can be no great harm in talking to you through the bars if you come