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and disappointment, their feelings fuffer a far greater flock than can be felt by thofe, who, from their childhood, have been plunged in irregularities, and are well practifed in meanness and deceit.

The fting of remorfe feldom lafts longer than that punishment which they bring upon themselves through perpetual indifcretion and deliberate chemes of villainy while the man who has been merely led away by example, or youthful follies, receives with redoubled force that blow which ftabs at once his character and reputation. Nor can he, though the clouds of defpair, which encompassed him, may ve fucceeded by the funfhine of profperity, think of difagreeable events, at a former part of life, but with anguish and diftrefs.

Of the numberlefs griefs and afflictions to which human nature is fubject, poverty is held up as one of a confiderable magnitude; it generally procures contempt and illtreatment from the haughty fons of wealth; and the opinion of the world in general, are by no means favourable to those who are not poffeffors of riches and affluence. Thefe mistaken and shameful ideas are almost too pa dominant in every country, and the child of mifery receives great addition to his woes by the Ineers and fcandal of his neighbours. Equality, though a word of terror to the great, if taken in its true meaning, implies fentiments of the most noble and generous kind; instead of pulling down laws, and levelling the whole clafs of mankind, it would confirm unity, peace, and good order.

The rod of oppreffion too often falls upon that man who is unable, through misfortunes, or peculiar circumftances, to raise himself against the weight; but, crufhed by its power, he finks beneath the force of injuftice, and is lot to his God, his family, and kinfelf. Whereas

in the time of his forrows, had he received comfort, fuccour, or affistance, he might have continued to have proved a valuable member of fociety.

Alfred Maferini meditated with painful ideas on those diftreffes which had happened, through his ovn misconduct, during the time they had been in England. He not only beheld himself furrounded with difficulties; but his fifter, who was innocent of the caufe, equally involved, through his errors and vices. Young, beautiful, and accomplished, fhe was but ill calcu lated to undergo the hardships of life; yet she submitted to them with refignation, and could even teach patience to him, who had brought her to the prefent difquietude. This would cut him to the foul, and the fcalding tear of repentance would often start from his eye, in defiance of the many efforts he made to conceal it.

He was impetuous, proud, and courageous in his difpofition; yet, in feelings he was a woman: nor was his pride of that nature to make him overlook affliction, although concealed in a hut of poverty and mifery. But he laid too great a ftrefs on the punctilios of honour and high birth; he valued the name he bore with fuch ardour as to make him refent the leaft affront offered in the family to which it belonged.

Their arrival at Calais was attended with difagreeable and degrad ng circumstances, on account of their giving in their names, (which were feigned ones) and the review of their baggage, which confifted of clothes and a few articles which Matilda had received from Mr. Millverne's valet: that gentleman having procured from fir Peter's what little goods fhe fet a ftore on, and defired his fervant to deliver them at Dover. Their travelling through France was in every

refpect

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refpect extremely uncomfortable, and the difficulties they met with, in confequence of their endeavouring to conceal themselves from vulgar curiofity, extremely diftreffing.

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flept in thofe rooms which were on fire; but no one dared to go to their afliftance, as the whole fabric was expected to fall in a few minutes. Nor was the general conjecture wrong, for in a very little time the front gove way, and fell, which difcovered the internal part of the two rooms. They could fee nothing of the gentleman; it was therefore fuppofed that he was fuffocated, and had fallen among the ruins at the back part; but the eyes of the fpectators experienced a moft horrid fight in the other apartment: young lady was standing in the middle of the flames. The agony fuch a fituation muft infpire, had made her infenfible; her hands were clafped together, and her eyes lifted towards heaven. The people cried out to give her affiftance; but none dare try the experiment, till Alfred, touched with compassion for the unfortunate female, fprung forward with a ladder, and placed it against the part of the building which was yet ftanding: he had afcended above half way, when the part where the ladder refted against broke from his weight; but he had rofe far enough to perceive, to his aftonifhnient, that it was lady Caroline Albourn. He then forgot all danger, and rewolved to die or fave her: he accordingly, when he found the fteps fall from under him, clafped a post which supported the ftory, and with an amazing agility fprung on the tottering floor of the room. He took her in his arms, but found no ladder fet for his defcent; the people were afraid to come near, on account of the falling in of the building, which would bury them in the ruins. He called to them, but his cries were vain; till Leonard, who was returned from conducting Matilda to a house a little diftance from the fpot, eeing his matter in fuch a fituation, fan for the ladder; but it was too late, for Alfred felt the place on which

They had nearly arrived at the Alps, when they halted for the night at a fmall inn. The accom modation was very indifferent, and they were given to understand by the hoftefs that fome English perfons of diftinction were then in the house, who took up the best rooms. They were therefore neceffitated o put up with the inconvenience, and after a fcanty meal, retired to poor and defolate apartments. Both Alfred and Matilda, with Leonard, had the last day's journey rode, on horfes, which the former purchated of a fimuggler at a low price, confidering that it would be the cheapest and moft fecret way of travelling. Leonard-faw the cattle fafely placed in a barn fome diftance from the houfe; the ftables being occupied by the horses and fervants o the perfon whom the landlady had mentioned he then laid himself down on a small bed in one corner of the building. Leonard had not been asleep above two hours, before he was awakened by a glare of light, which darted right on his eyes, through an opening on one fide of the barn. He immediately ftarted up, and looked out at the door, and perceived that the inn was in flames. He hurried on his clothes, and ran as fast as poffible to the fpot, in order to affift his mafter and young lady. By the time he got there, one part of the boule was entirely burnt down, and the remainder furrounded with flames: he was happy however to fee his master an; Matilda fafe; and the former delivered to him the trunks, which he took care to place in fecurity. A number of peafants were affembled round, and each femed to bewail the fituation of a

ng lady, and her father, who

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he stood, must fink with them, be- | fore he could get to the ground by that method: he therefore, with remarkable intrepidity, jumped from the part with lady Caroline in his arms, and fell on a feather bed which by chance had been thrown out at the beginning of the fire.

They were immediately dragged fome distance off, and in one minute after, the whole fabric fell to the ground.

fly to her affiftance in the front. With this idea, he attempted to defcend the ftair-cafe, but found it in flames: this fight drove him distracted. Without waiting for help, he jumped from the window, and was fo hurt by the fall, that he lay infenfible for fome time, when one of his fervants found him in that fituation, and conducted him to the house which was o.cupied by the other fufferers.

Alfred Maférini, his fifter, and Leonard, were in another apartment; they neither of them judged it expedient to appear, before lord Albourn, his daughter, or any of the fervants, for feat a fudden exclamation of their name should difcover them to thofe who were about They resolved, therefore, to remain private till morning, and then have an interview with his lordship. The fire being partly extinguifhed, the people difperfed, and quiet was, in fome measure, reftored.

The fituation of the unfortunate lady Caroline may be better imagined than defcribed; for even when the had recovered from the infenfibility which the thoughts of her danger had caufed, it was but to experience new mifery. Her father, without doubt, was buried in the ruins; he had not yet feen her deliverer, nor knew of the heroic courage that had been exerted in her behalf; for, from the moment the front of her chamber fell, fhe faw nor heard no more till her recovery in the house to which the had been conveyed. She was now attended by feveral perfons, and her own woman fervant, who had flept in the back room, and leapt from the window at the first alarm. At this period, while all were bewailing the lofs of lord Albourn, he entered the room, fupported by two fervants. Lady Caroline fainted, and, afterwards, fell into hyfte-bourn's heart, as well as his daughrics, occafioned by the joy of feeing her father, whom the confidered as no more. He embraced her, and hed tears of paternal tenderness for the fafety of his child.

His lordship, when awoke by the alarm of fire, knew it would be fome time before he could enter his daughter's chamber, as fhe always bolted her door on the infide; and that the fright which fo fudden an information might give her, would moft likely prevent her from opening it at all; he therefore confidered it would be beft to get out at the back part as soon as poilible, and

At breakfast his lordship inquired in what manner his daughter efcaped death. They were both informed of the circumftances relative to the behaviour of the young gentleman who had fo valiantly undertaken to rescue her; and heard not the repeated praises of the ruftics unconcerned. Lord Al

ter's overflowed, with gratitude, and they both requested to fee him as foon as poffible. The woman of the houfe faid fhe would call him directly, for that he had defired to be alone the remainder of the night. She left her noble guests, and repaired to the room whe.e Alfred lept. Having knocked feveral times, without receiving any anfwer, fhe opened the door, and to her aftonishment, found it empty. She immediately entered the chamber of his fifter, and faw that was alfo deferted. The ftables and loft where Leonard flept, were alfo

fearched;

fearched but neither cattle nor man could be seen.

In Alfred's deferted apartment, they obferved a note which lay on the table; it was directed to lord. Albourn he received it, and the intelligence that the writer could no where be found. His lordship read the following words;

tears his lordship started: "I hope, Caroline," faid he with fome warmth, " you encourage not a partiality for a man to whom I have many times declared a total diflike."

Your lordship, furely, cannot blame thefe few marks of fenfibility, for one who has faved my life, and by that, I flatter myself, deferves "To Lord Albourn. your gratitude as well as your daughters."

"My Lord,

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My moft fincere gratitude he certainly deferves," replied his lordfhip; "but yet I would rather he

If your lordship's curiofity fhould lead you to know the name of that man who faved your daugh-fhould have any recompenfe in the ter from the flames, it may be fa. tisfied by perufing thefe lines: the only return you can make him is to keep it a fecret; an unfortunate circumftance having occurred, that renders a decampment (both mean and daftardly) neceffary; the manner of which is totally inconfiftent with the character, and equally against the inclinations of

ALFRED MASERINI."

If Lord Albourn was aftonifhed at the elopement of lady Caroline's preferver, he was, if poffible, far more furprised at the contents of this note; and although he felt the fame obligation to him as to any other individual; yet he would rather have had lady Caroline's life faved by any other perfon. He concluded, Alfred was in debt, and was therefore obliged to keep con. cealed. Lord Albourn was a nobleman of the niceft honour, and moft generous fentiments; he could not therefore confider himself happy in being obliged to a man, whofe ill qualities he had only known; and as a stranger to his real character, detefted his principles. He ftrictly obferved what was mentioned in the note, and made an excufe for the gentleman's fudden departure.

In private he acquainted his daughter with the truth. She fhed

world than the affections of my child. You well know, Caroline, pride was never a leading trait in my character: I have never attempted to bias your inclinations refpecting the choice of a hufband, although you have had many noble. offers. I therefore think I may reafonably require your compliance in one point, which is, never to marry a gamefter: of this defcription Mr. Maferini is known to be, and by that title I never could own him a fon-in-law."

Lady Caroline fighed; her underftanding told her his lordship's arguments were juft; but her heart informed her the muft fuffer in the acquiefcence to them.

Lord Albourn remained near fix weeks at that place, till he was quite recovered, and then purfued his journey flowly towards Italy.

(To be continued.)

The FORTUNATE DINNER.
An ANECDOTE.

being in want of a dinner, Poor unbeneficed clergyman bethought himself of paying a vifit to Lambeth Palace, where it has been a custom from time immemorial, to keep an open table for cafual vifitants.

After

After he had dined, though not perfealy fatisfied, becaufe the fervant who fupplied him with meat had entirely forgotten his drink, the former defired the favour of pen, ink, and paper, when he wrote the following lines for his grace's perufal :

Pifcis in difco Mihi datur

Ab Archiepifco
Po, non ponatur,
Quia non mihi bibere datur.

The prelate, after reading the paper, fent for the writer, and dehired a tranflation, which is here given:

They sent me fish
In a dish

From the archbish

Op, was not there

Because there was no beer.

With this conceit his grace was fo well pleased, that he bestowed a good living upon its author,

DESCRIPTION

OF THE

LADIES' DRESSES on her MAJESTY'S BIRTH-DAY.

T

The Queen.

white fatin, in oval forms, feftooned with gold laurel. The body and train white and gold.

Princess Augufta. A very beautiful petticoat of white crape, most richly embroidered with gold and filver. In the front was a defign of the Order of the Garter. It is impoffible to conceive any thing more elegant than the work. The colours of the rofe and thiftles might rival nature; and the garter and the plume of feathers were likewife done in the most exquifite workmanfhip. The drapery was embroidered the fame. The body and train of green and gold tissue filk.

Princess Elizabeth. A crape petticoat, embroidered with filver and purple foils, with a drapery festooned with velvet, richly embroidered with filver. The train was purple and filver tiffue, richly embroidered round the bottom.

Princefs Sophia. The fame, only the embroidery was green. The train, a green and gold tiffue.

Princess Mary. Crape petticoat, embroidered with gold à la Grecq. with ftripes of gold foil and velvet, with a drapery of white fatin fpangled with gold. The drapery was drawn up with rich cord and taffels. The body and train purple and gold.

The Duchefs of York's dress was fuperbly elegant; the body and train of violet fatin, richly embroidered with filver and ftones. The petticoat a filver tiffus, with a drapery beautifully ornamented with grapes and vine leaves; feftooned with filver laurel and taffels. Her headdrefs was purple velvet, with feathers and diamonds, formed en cafque, attracted particular notice.

HEpetticoat of white fatin,richly embroidered in chenille with gold and filver, in the form of feathers feftooned with gold laurel. The whole embroidery has been worked by the princess Elizabeth, who has difplayed uncommon tafte in the execution of it. The train and body of black velvet. Princess Royal. A crape petti-white fatin. ccat, embroidered with gold and VOL. XXVI.

Duchefs of Rutland, in a very pretty fancy dress of crap, embroidered with gold foil in tripes. The drapery was drawn up with gold foil bands, and feftoons of

Countess of Glasgow was dreffed

Ver

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