which I see but little hopes, he will, in his twenty-third year be under the same evil direction, and if he also should then escape, the thirty, third or thirty-fourth year is, I fear,Here he was interrupted by the immoderate grief of his lady, who could no longer hear so much calamity prophesied to befal her son.

The time at last came, and August was the auspicious month in which young Dryden was to enter into the eighth year of his age.

Mr. Dryden being then at leisure to leave the town, he was invited to the country-seat of the Earl of Berkshire, his brother-in-law, to spend the long vacation with him at Charlton, in Wilts; his lady going at the same time on a visit, to pass the remaining part of the sum mer at her uncle Mordaunt's.

When they came to divide the children, his lady would have had him take his son John, and let her have Charles. But Mr. Dryden was too absolute, and they parted in anger: he took Charles with him, and she was obliged to be content with John.

When the fatal day arrived, the anxiety of the lady's spirits caused such an effervescence of blood, as threw her into so violent a fever, that her life was despaired of, till a letter came from Mr. Dryden, reproving her for her womanish credulity, and assuring her that her child was well, which revived her spirits, and in six weeks received an eclaircissement of the whole affair.

Mr. Dryden, either through fear of being reckoned superstitious, or thinking it a science beneath his study, was extremely cautious of letting any one know that he was a dealer in astrology; therefore could not excuse his absence on his son's birth-day, from a hunting-match which Lord Berkshire had made, to which all the neighbouring gentlemen were invited.

When he went out, he took care to set his son a double exercise in the Latin tongue, which he taught his children himself, with a strict charge not to stir out of the room till his return, well knowing that the task he had set him would take him a much longer time than he could be absent from home.

Charles was performing his exercise in obedience to his father's command, when, as ill fate would have it, the Stag made towards the house, and the noise alarming the servants, they hastened out to see the sport; one of them taking young Dryden by the hand, let him go along with him, when just as they came to the gate; the Stag being at bay with the Dogs, made a bold push, and leaped over the court-wall, which being low and very old, the Dogs followed, threw down a part thereof, and poor Charles was buried in the ruins. He was presently got out but much bruised, so that he languished for six weeks in a very dangerous way, which accomplished the former part of his father's prophecy.

In his twenty-third year, being at Rome, he fell from the top of an old tower, belonging to the Vatican, occasioned by a swimming in his head, with which he was seized by the heat of the weather. He recovered this also; but ever after remained in a languishing sickly state, till the thirty-third year of his age, when, being returned to England, he was drowned at Windsor, being taken with the cramp as he was bathing in the Thames with another gentleman, to whom he called for assistance, but too late.

Thus his father's prophetical calculation proved but too true!

THE EARTHQUAKE.

A TALE TOO TRUE.

BY THE REVEREND MR. MAVOR.

FROM of pquake, even virtue must not hope for exemp

ROM the scourge of pestilence, the pinings of famine, or the de

tion, nor can innocence expect security. The ways of Heaven are dark and intricate;' the good and the bad are involved in common calamities, and partake of common blessings: but the former enjoy the pleasure of conscious rectitude, and they can rely on a bright reversion of the sky;' while the latter endure the stings of conscience, even amid the gleam of prosperity; and in the dark hour of adversity must confess the justice of their fate, and embrace the spectre Despair, instead of the angel Hope.

Signora Ramoni, the subject of this little history, was descended from the ancient family of Ramoni, in Sicily. She was fortunate in her connections; she was favoured by nature; and the hand of diligent cultivation had rendered her mind as lovely, at a very early period; as her person was enchanting. With every advantage from fortune, and every attraction that beauty can confer on a polished understanding, it is natural to imagine the heroine of our melancholy tale could not long remain unadmired and unsolicited. The richest and most accomplished young gentlemen of her native isle paid her the most flattering marks of attention before she had completed her fifteenth year; but Providence seems to have reserved her for another love, which neither party at that time had ever conceived probable, or even considered as an object of hope.

4

Sevina was a young Sicilian of splendid talents, but moderate possessions. He had studied at Rome, till the prize of literature fell to his lot at almost every competition. His fame had reached the members of the conclave; his merits made impressions in his favour whereever they were known and recorded; and his manners conciliated esteem and friendship wherever they were displayed. He was early devoted to the church, by the premature determination of his father and he had already experienced that struggle between inclination and duty which is so frequently felt, when a path is chalked out by parental authority, in which a child cannot walk with pleasure, and from which he dares not deviate without incurring the blame of disobedience.

r;

After having compleated his general studies, and before he applied himself to divinity as a future profession, a relaxation of a few months, in his native island was wished for and allowed. He set out for Messina, the place of his nativity, with that placid joy which ever pervades the breast when we are about to re-visit scenes endeared to us by early recollection, and to see persons united to us by the binding ties of nature; and he had the happiness to find, that the arms of his parents were extended to embrace him, and the associates of his infancy anxious to recognize him.

The family of Ramoni had been settled in the vicinity of Messina for at least three centuries; between whom and that of Sevini there had always existed a friendly intimacy, notwithstanding a considerable disparity in their fortunes. The only daughter of Ramoni, who had just entered her seventeenth year, was a visitor of the aged Sevini at the time of his son's arrival. We have already given a short description of the person and accomplishments of this lady; and, in the eyes of a youth of twenty, they did not lose their effect. He saw, and was enamoured, before he had time to think on consequences, or knew that he was really a lover. It was his study to pay every attention to the beautiful Ramoni; but this might be ascribed either to elegance of manners, or to the ardour of attachment. The innocent and amiable fair one interpreted his assiduity as the proof of a growing passion, which she suffered herself to indulge; and young Sevini with transport perceived that he was not indifferent in the eyes of his charmer.

If she sought the citron grove that communicated with his father's garden, during the sultry hour of noon; he was sure to trace her steps, and to engage her in some interesting conversation. The conversation was, indeed, general; but the looks, which best explain the heart, were too particular not to be mutually decyphered. They were attached to each other by nature and sentiment; and on such attachments only Heaven can look down with approbation and delight. Why are they not always propitious! why should the gross and selfish passions flaunt it in the face of day, without fear, and without shame; and genuine regard dread the eye of discovery and seek the shade of concealment !

Sevini began to reflect; reflection only served to torment him; and he fled to the presence of his love, to avoid its monitions. His father, he well knew, had, destined him to perpetual celibacy; and his affection was too sincere to permit him to think of dishonourable gratifications. He was reduced to the painful alternative of violating either his love or his duty. The first is the strongest sensation in the heart of man ; and, consequently, when real, will always come off victorious in the conflict with inferior passions. He now resolved to avow his flame, and sacrifice all to affection: but though he had little reason to apprehend the neglect of his mistress, he had as little room to hope that her family would even consent to a match which worldly prudence must deem so unequal. This increased his distress; but his resolution was fixed; and weak must that attachment be which will not inspire fresh confidence, and smooth the aspect of conglomerated difficulties!

While the setting sun was one evening gilding the summits of Etna, the young Sevini, in melancholy mood, entered the garden, which lay at a small distance from the house; and, in order to indulge his reflec ions without interruption, sought an arbour, adapted by nature and art

for pensive thought and secret retirement. At his approach, he found it pre-occupied by his dearest Ramoni. Her head reclined against the trunk of a tree that assisted to form the retreat; in her right hand she held a book; the left contained a handkerchief, which she frequently applied to her eyes as she read; and so intent did she appear on the subject of her study, that she perceived him not till he spoke. Starting up, she exclaimed Is it you, Sevini! I thought myself secure from interruption; and I tremble to think what opinions may be formed of our private interviews, which have been too frequent of late to appear entirely accidental.'

Charming Ramoni!' replied the youth, accident has little share ip what you remark. My feet naturally conducted me to the person in whom my heart has reposed its eternal felicity! You cannot be wholly a stranger to the sensations of my breast: they sufficiently influence my external appearance to witness that I sincerely and ardently love. Will Ramoni, without glancing disdain, permit me to avow myself her most passionate admirer; and will she deign to cast an eye of pity on the unfortunate Sevini!'- Sevini is justly entitled to my most favourable opinion: his merit, his virtues, independent of his expressions of particular regard for me, claim my unreserved esteem; but I know too little of my own heart to define the exact nature of the regard I feel. Perhaps I have confessed too much; but I am unacquainted with the arts of dissimulation, and I am averse to learn their practice. Leave me, for the present, to recover myself from that flutter of spirits into which this unexpected and unusual conversation has thrown me; and, if you are studious to deserve, and anxious to possess them, be assured of the best wishes of Ramoni.'

With these words she darted from his sight, before the pleasing impression they had made would permit him to recover from his reverie of bliss, and to frame a suitable reply, or obey the injunction she had already rendered useless. However, he speedily recollected himself to follow her; and, advancing towards the house, saw her enter the door, which was instantly shut: and thus he was, for this time, precluded from renewing his professions, or urging his plea.

But love had gained an equal ascendency over the breast of Ramoni; their hearts beat in unison; their eyes, on every occasion, interchanged the sweetest effusions of mutual regard; and had not the destination of Sevini lulled the vigilance of his family, and the rank of the lovely Ramoni stifled conjecture, perhaps every domestic spectator would have penetrated into the emotions of their souls.

Their interviews were now frequent, but private. Time flew on his swiftest wings; and the mournful day almost imperceptibly approached, on which Sevini was again to bid adieu to his native Messina, and Ramoni to re-visit the seat of her sire. They well knew that a discovery would have, blasted both their hopes; they reasonably concluded that entreaty or expostulation would be in vain: they therefore agreed on a private marriage; and resolved, if possible, to conceal their connection till the death of one or both their fathers, who were far advanced in years, or till some more favourable occurrence should justify their avowal. The marriage was solemnized the very day before Sevini set out for Rome; and such extreme caution was observed, that even suspicion slept.

The priest who joined them was the only person privy to this transaction; and him they engaged to carry on their mutual correspondence. The melancholy moment of heart-rending separation at last arrived. The sun shot his fairest beams into the chamber of Sevini; the birds carolled their sweetest notes from the spray; the voice of chearful labour resound ed in his ears; and Messina seemed proud to feast his eyes, for the last time, with a display of her most magnificent structures. But he was to bid adieu to his mistress, his bride, his wife; he was to become an invo luntary exile from all he held dear; and nature, to his gloomy apprehension, seemed dressed in her most forbidding garb, and every object to sympathize with his distress.

Ye who have felt the ardour of genuine regard, the exalted glow of original affection; ye who have tasted the luxury of love repaid; think, for ye know, what Sevini suffered at this crisis! what the beautiful Ramoni endured at the solemn word Farewel! To you I need not attempt to describe what the sterility of language denies; and to you, who derive your happiness from insensibility, I disdain to address myself. This frame, which is feelingly alive to every touch of distress; this heart, which vibrates to every impulse of pity-wretched as it is from the keen reflection of losses not to be recovered, and the prospect of ills that still menace a fall-shall never pay homage to unamiable indifference, or seek for shelter in sullen apathy!

Sevini reached Rome without meeting any particular accident to retard his journey; and Ramoni bid farewel to the scenes which were now no longer lovely when deprived of her lord. But, alas! she carried her unhappiness with her. Sevini was ever present to her mind, though lost to her sight; and the tear was often ready to start when she was invited to festivity and joy. Her father, who was not destitute of penetration, saw the anguish of his daughter's breast; but, as he could not possibly conjecture a probable cause at present for what was too conspicuous to escape observation, he waited till some circumstance might occur to develope the mystery he could not comprehend, and which he was unwilling to investigate by a formal enquiry.

Six months rolled away their melancholy hours, during which Sevini and his bride regularly corresponded, and had hitherto escaped suspicion. This was remote from felicity; but it did not preclude hope. It did not, indeed, gratify the enthusiasm of love; but it repressed the arrows of despair. A time, they fondly imagined, would arrive, when it would be no crime to be known by one common name; and when one house, one table, one bed, would be neither criminal nor unlawful. The fond ideas of bliss they allowed themselves to indulge, Heaven forbade to realize. The storm began to collect, the clouds to impend, and all their combined vengeance at once to burst on their heads.

Signora Sevini began to feel that, if the name of wife might be concealed, she would soon be a mother. This she communicated to Sevini with all that anguish which enght only to attend guilt. He endeavoured to console her; and, by a letter glowing with terms of the most ardent affection, proposed to her that he should leave Rome, and return to that country and that society which was dearer to him than fame, and sweet as life. She was musing on this letter when her father entered her chamber; the tears were trickling down her cheeks, and seemed ambitions to obliterate the writing, to prevent a discovery. The old man saluted her before she suspected interruption- And whence, my child,