laft night made her look fo pale, as the ufed herself to go to reft early. They then talked of the different places Alphonfo had vifited, and among others, of feveral curious hermitages he had feen and greatly admired, as they were the beautiful productions of nature. Talking of hermitages, faid the baron, puts me in mind of an extraordinary adventure which I met with fome months ago; if you pleafe I will relate it.They expreffed their defire to hear it, and the baron began as follows: then inquired whether he was the perfon who had fled from me among the mountains. I am, faid he; and though you may think me an unfociable wretch, I can affure you I have my reafons for wishing to avoid the fight of man, which muft ever remain a fecret. My misfortunes are fuch as preclude all hopes of enjoying happinefs in this world. That is out of your power to fay, replied I: the viciffitudes of this life are many; we ought always to live in hopes, without which, life would be miferable. Indeed, no one fhould give himfelf to defpair. I do not, anfwered he; but, having loft all I ever held dear, I have no wish to live otherwife than I do at prefent: all I with, is never to fee mankind again. Heaven knows I have been an innocent fefferer by the perfidy of one of my own racea brother too; but I forgive him, and may the Almighty do the fame. Grief now overcame him, and he threw himself on the ground in an agony not to be defcribed. I tried alf in my power to footh him, and at length fucceeded, and he became more calm. I then begged his pardon for intruding upon his folitude, and entreated his affi.tance to find my way out of the mountains. He then conducted me through them, and brought me to a path that led to the plains. I muft now leave you, faid he, as I have already paffed my limits; but left you fhould think me inhofpitable, you have my permiffion to visit me again, if you have any inclination: - may perhaps be tempted to tell you my tale of horror; but I must exact your promife never to let any one fee me but yourself; my life depends upon concealment. You may ro, perhape, believe me, when I tell you that it is not for my own guilt I fear detection; but that I wifh to avoid the difcovery of my enemies. We then parted, and I gave him a tolemn promife never to "One morning, happening to rife rather fooner than my ufual hour, I took a walk among the neighbouring mountains to país my time till breakfast. The romantic appearance of the scenes around me, fo enchanted my imagination, that I infenfibly ftrolled farther than I intended, and was bewildered in the intricacies of the place. Whilft I was deliberating what courfe to purfue, I perceived a figure at a distance approaching towards me. I therefore advanced to meet it; but as foon as the perfon faw me, he turned back, and fled with precipitation. Curiofity now impelled me, and I ran forwards with fpeed, in hopes to overtake him; but turning a corner of a rock, I left fight of him. Fatigued with my puifuit, I fat down on the ground, and began to confider which way I fhould return; when I thought I heard a deep figh, as if uttered by fome perfon near me. I turned round but could fee no one. In a few moments it was repeated till louder. Starting up, I happened to look behind the place where I fat, and faw a thick cluster of bushes ; and looking nearer, I perceived the entrance of a cave, at the further corner of which was a venerable old man, kneeling before a little wooden table, and, feemingly, in fervent prayer. When he faw me, he role up and invited me to fit down. 1 bring bring any one with me. I have feen him twice fince; but never could make him deviate in the leaft from his first determination. He feems a man of great learning, and by his converfation, I think he is of a noble, generous difpofition. But I tire your patience by fuch a long ftory. Alphonfo and Julia affured him, they were very much pleased with it; and only wifhed to fee fuch an extraordinary a man; but as it was impoffible, they must content themfelves with hearing of him; though from the baron's defcription of him, they should be very much interested in his welfare. ment he beheld her. When he had done fpeaking, he looked at the baron, wishing to read in his countenance an answer favourable to his hopes. THE (To be continued.) On LEGENDS. THE origin of the many fables and intolerable abfurdities, which have been entitled Legends, is to be attributed to the following practice: Before any colleges were established in the monasteries where the fchools were held, the profeffors in rhetoric frequently gave their fcholars the life of fome faint for a trial of their talent at amplification. The ftudents being conftantly at a lefs to furnish out their pages, invented these wonderful adventures. The good. fathers of that age, whose fimplicity was not inferior to their devotion, were fo delighted with thefe flowers of rhetoric, that they were induced to make a collection of thefe miraculous compofitions ; not imagining that, at fome diftant period of time, they would become matters of faith. Yet, when James de Voraigne, (vicar-general of the Jacobins), Peter Nadal, and Peter Ribadeneira, wrote the lives of the faints, they fought for their materials in the libraries of the monafteries; and, awakening from the duft thefe manufcripts of amplification, Another week paffed away, and Alphonfo had yet fixed no time for his departure. Though he knew he had no longer an excufe for ftaying; yet he could not bear the thoughts of parting from his beloved Julia, as he was certain he was not indifferent to her. He therefore thought his beft way would be to acquaint the baron with his love for Julia, and truft to his generofity. He accordingly fent a fervant to the baron's. apartment, to inquire whether he might be admitted to an hour's converfation with him. The baron, who was reading in his room, was furprifed at the meffage, and wondered what Alphonfo had to fay to him, that he wished to fpeak privately; he therefore fent word back, he fhould be very happy to hear whatever he had to fay, and begged him to come immediately. When Alphonfo came into the room, the baron took him kindly by the hand-imagined they made an invaluable What, faid he, can my young prefent to the world by laying before friend have to say, that he wishes to them thefe bulky abfurdities. The be fo private fomething very par- people received them with all imaticular, no doubt, elfe he would ginable fimplicity; and, in the laft not have fent fuch a formal meffage. century, it was dangerous for a But come; fit down, and let me man to dare even to fufpect the know all. Alphonfs then told him, reality of thefe pious fictions. We he found it impoffible to departare indebted to Tillemont, to Fleuwithout making him acquainted with his love for his amiable daughter, whom he adored from the first mo ry, Baillet, Lauroi, and Bollandus, for having cleared away much of this rubbish; and by rejecting what was was falfe, with an ingenious and ju- | dicious criticism fhewn us the probable facts which had been nearly loft in fiction. "What has been called The Golden Legend, which is the compilation of the above Voraigne," obferves Patin," is a book replete with the moft ridiculous and filly hiftories imaginable." Melchior Canus, who was a learned Dominican, greatly disapproves of this Legend, and has said, that, “it is a narrative at once anworthy of the faints, and every honeft Chriflian. I do not know why it should be called golden, compofed as it is by a man who had a mouth of iron and a heart of lead." It will probably be agreeable to the reader, to fee a fpecimen of thefe legends. To gratify this curiofity, we have felected the following, which we give, not in the heavy language of James de Voraigne, but in the luminous diction of Mr. Gibbon. "Among the infipid legends of Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, I am tempted to diftinguish the memorable fable of The Seven Sleepers, whofe imaginary date correíponds with the reign of the younger Theodofius, and the conqueft of Africa by the Vandals. When the emperor Decius perfecuted the Chriftians, feven noble youths of Ephefus concealed themselves in a cavern, on the fide of an adjacent mountain, where they were doomed to perifh by the tyrant, who gave orders that the entrance fhould be firmly fecured by a pile of ftones. They immediately fell into a deep flumber, which was miraculously prolonged without injuring the powers of life, during a period of one hundred and eighty in After a flumber as they thought of a few hours, they were preffed by the calls of hunger; and refolved that Iamblichus, one of their number, fhould fecretly return to the city, to purchase bread for the use of his companions. The youth, if we may ftill employ that appellation, could no longer recognife the once familiar afpect of his native country; and his furprize was creafed by the appearance of a large cross triumphantly erected over the principal gate of Ephefus. His fingular dress and obfolete language confounded the baker, to whom he offered an ancient medal of Decius, as the current coin of the empire; and Iamblichus, on the fufpicion of a fecret treafure, was dragged before the judge. Their mutual enquiries produced the amazing difcovery, that two, centuries were almoft elapfed fince Iamblichus and his friends had e fcaped from the rage of a Pagan tyrant. The bishop of Ephefus, the clergy, the magiftrates, the people, and, it is faid the emperor Theodofius himself, haftened to vifit the cavern of the Seven Sleepers, who bestowed their benediction, related their ftory, and, at the fame inftant, peaceably expired. "This popular tale," Mr. Gibbon adds, "Mahomet learned when he drove his camels to the fairs of Syria; and he has introduced it, as a Divine Revelation, into the Koran." The fame ftory has been adopted and adorned by the nations from Bengal to Africa, who profefs the Mahometan religion, feven years. At the end of that THOUGHTS on SOCIAL INTER time, the flaves of Adolius, to whom the inheritance of the mountain had defcended, removed the ftones, to fupply materials for fome ruftic ediice. The light of the fun darted into the cavern, and the Seven Sleepers were permitted to awake. VOL. XXVI. COURSE. time it is fit for him to leave those who wish him at a distance. If we were serioufly to confider how uninterefting, frivolous, and puerile, we generally are in ordinary converfation, we would be ashamed either to speak or to liften, and perhaps condemn ourselves to a perpetual filence. The spirit of polite converfation does not fo much confift in fhewing we have some wit, as in behaving in fuch a manner that others may think they have fome themfelves. He that goes out of your company well pleafed with himfelf, and with his own parts, is perfectly pleafed with you. Men do not love fo much to admire others but that they are difpofed to draw approbation themfelves, and chufe not fo much to be inftructed as to be applauded. The moft delicate pleafure is that of contriving to please others. It is both irreligious and shocking to fupport all we fay in common converfation, be it ever fo uninterefting, by much fwearing and repeated oaths. An honeft man, who fays yes or no, deferves to be believed. His character fwears for him, gives credit to what he fays, and makes every body truft him. He who is inceffantly affirming that he is a man of honour and integrity, and wifhing that he may fuffer all the evil he would do to others, and fwearing to make you believe that he is fincere in fuch a wish, does not make a cunning ufe of the mask of honesty. FANNY WOOBURN. By T. LACEY. HE parents of Fanny Wooburn were poor, yet induftrious cottagers; they refided in a village in Devonshire, and were refpected by the whole neighbourhood for their honesty and indefatigable exertions to provide for their numerous family, which confisted of nine children. Fanny, who is the heroine of the prefent ftory, was the eldest girl. At the age of nine years fhe was taken from home by a Mrs. Clifford, who was a widow and a lady of immenfe, fortune, who refided in a fplendid manfion, near the fame village. Providence not having bleffed her with any offspring, during her matrimonial ftate, fhe confidered Fanny as her own child, and accordingly brought her up in the most affectionate manner; and when Fanny attajned her tenth year, fent her to a boarding school of eminence, where fhe was educated in the most accomplished flyle poffible. Mufic, dancing, drawing, and the French language, formed part of her polite education; in fact, Fanny was deem ed the most elegant scholar in the feminary. It must be remarked, that the perfon of Fanny Wooburn was delicately beautiful, her complexion fair to admiration, and her features difplayed all the fafcinating charms of lovely innocence. the age of fourteen she was taken from school, it being then thought fhe was fufficiently accomplished to be a defirable companion for her worthy and inestimable friend, Mrs. Clifford, whofe philanthropy and tenderness reflected the highest luftre on her humanity and goodness. Mrs. Clifford, who, it must be observed, was a lady of the most refined fenfibility, was never fo happy as when fhe was performing acts of charity. To her honour be it fpoken, her purfe was ever open to alleviate the wants of honesty in diftrefs. The aged parents of Fanny Wooburn were conftantly receiving tokens of efteem from Mrs. Clifford; in short, through her friendship' they were rendered very comfortable and hap py. Mrs. Clifford being of a lively difpofition, and particularly partial to company, the frequently attended concerts and affemblies. At very elegant affembly, where much polite company was expected, fhe requested Fanny would appear as fuperb in dress as poffible; in confequence of which the difplayed all that tafte, ingenuity, or fancy could fuggelt. Being engaged one evening at a | his requeft, which was to elope with him at an appointed time, that he would deprive himself of life, by difcharging the contents of a loaded This depiftol through his head. claration made fuch a powerful impreffion on the feelings of the amiable and unfufpecting Fanny, that fhe could not think of being the cause of her fond lover committing an act of fuicide; and the made every preparation poffible for the elopement, unknown to her kind protectrefs Mrs. Clifford. The midnight hour was the appointed time; a ladder was erected by the fide of Fanny's bed-room window, purpose with the greater facility. The captain was punctual to the hour, and was accompanied by a poftchaife and four. Having afhifted Her lovely grace and beautiful figure in the ball-room attracted the attention of every one prefent; but more particularly that of a bluftering modern military cockade hero, known more commonly by the name of captain (whofe defigning arts too frequently prove fuccefsful in alluring female innocence from the path of virtue). His tortured brainly that he might effect her efcape was on the rack of invention the whole evening; fo fair a prize as Fanny Wooburn he thought mult be obtained, let the hazard be what it would. Accordingly, he with-his fair fugitive in the hazardous drew into an adjacent room, and enterprize, they both fet off for wrote a letter. Having by fome Scotland, where they arrived in a unknown means learnt Fanny's few days, in order, as he pretended, name, when Mrs. Clifford's coach to confummate the celebration of came to the door, the gallant cap- their wedding day; but alas! fad to tain of course was the firft to conduct relate, after he had deprived her of the ladies to their carriage; and the most valuable treasure attendant on a female character, virtue and having affifted Mrs. Clifford, he next escorted Fanny to her feat; in innocence, he then, with a baseness doing which, he flipt the letter im- which difgraces human nature, deperceptibly into her hand; upon ferted her under the flimfy pretence which, the coach drove off. Fanny of his being ordered for foreignbeing anxious to be acquainted with fervice. the contents of the letter; when they arrived at Mrs. Clifford's houfe, he took an opportunity to perufe the compofition, which was couched in the most bombastic and flattering terms an artful feducer could poffibly employ. Fanny being an utter ftranger to the world, with refpect to its bafe deceptions, concluded that every line the letter contained was fincerity; and confequently began to entertain a tender regard for this dashing lover. The captain declared his ardent paffion for Fanny, and vowed the most honourable intentions. He went fo far as to fay, that unless the complied with The distracted affliction of the unhappy wanderer on this occafion may be better conceived than defcribed. She foon after his departure fell a victim to inconfolable grief and defpair. Mrs. Clifford was fo much diftreffed on hearing the afflicting narrative, that he was thortly after feized with a dangerous illness, which speedily terminated in her death! Thus have we given a melancholy picture of the fatal effects of modern gallantry, which pofitively féems to be the rage of the prefent day. Clements-Inn. L 2 GON |