1786. A remarkable Prediction of a young Lady in France. part of the inteftines themselves, which gives those women the appearance of being pregnant. The hind part of the ftays is generally very ftiff, and as far as they reach render the fpine of the back immoveable. The arm-pits are always hurt when the stays are too high under the arms, and the two muscles, which form the arm-pits, namely the great pectoral and the great dorsal, are confined and ftrangled, as it were with a cord.These and the other compreffions, which are too many to mention in particular, being duly confidered, it is very evident they muft produce chronic difeafes of different kinds; for inftance, the jaundice is owing to the compreffion of the liver; a bad digeftion and fick fits to that of the ftomach and duodenum; the green-fickness to that of the lymphatic glands. In fhort, obftructions, tumours, and fchirrofities, to the compreffion of the mefenteric glands, the pancreas, ovaries, and other internal parts of the lower belly. But the mifchief does not ftop here: the head and the breaft have likewife their fhare. The diaphragm being thruft upwards, the lungs will not have room to play and expand freely, whence fhortnefs of breath will neceffarily arife; befides the circulation of the blood through the lungs will be impeded, whence a flagnation on fome part or other may enfue, which will terminate in a vomica, an ulcer, and a confumption of the lungs. In the lower belly the great blood veffels must be very much crowded, which affect the circulation of the blood in general; the regular courfe of which is fo neceffary to life and health. The paffage of the blood from the heart, by the trunk of the great afcending artery, being retarded, and the flowing of the blood to the heart being rendered more difficult by the preffure of the vena cava, will, in a courfe of years produce palpitations, fainting fits, polypus, and the diforder confequent thereupon. While the paffage of the blood is thus impeded below the heart, it must needs rufh in greater plenty to the upper parts, whence an extraordinary pulfation of the carotid arteries, and fometimes an enlargement of the jugular veins, pains in the head, dizziness, and, not seldom, an apoplexy. 259 from ftrait lacing is not a chimera of the brain, but is fupported by incontestable facts. Befides, the practice of the ladies is an indirect proof of what is here afferted; for when any woman faints, or is taken with any fudden illness, the first thing usually done is to unlace the ftays, and though the reason of this practice is but little attended to, yet the benefit received from it shews beyond all contradiction, that the functions of the body would be more regularly performed, if the females were not thus girded in by these murdering machines. There is one confideration yet behind, which perhaps may have more influence on the ladies than all the reft, and that is, that ftays often spoil the shape which they are intended to preferve. If any of the fair sex will examine their own acquaintance carefully, they will find perhaps fome one that hath the right shoulder larger and more prominent than the left. This is owing to the ftiffness of the part of the stays which cover the back; for though it keeps down both the omoplates equally at firft, yet in procefs of time the right arm being more in motion than the left, it procures more liberty for the shoulder on the fame fide by degrees, and confequently, part of the preffure being taken off, it hath more room to grow than the other, and hence this inequality arises. After all, there are fome cafes where stays and even steel-ftays may not only be indulged but advised; and that is when any part of the bod: has a tendency to grow out; for in this cafe it will prove an efficacious remedy either to prevent or leffen the deformity. But this is by no means a reafon for confining children to this fort of dress in order to preferve their fhape, for where there is nothing of this kind in ufe, there is not one crooked child, nor yet man or woman to be found. I fpeak this from my own experience, for I have viewed the children of haked people in Africa and America, and never faw one deformed in their bodies. And if there were any fuch among the men and women, the crookedness might be readily perceived. A remarkable Prediction of a young Lady in R. and France. Thele ravages, they conftitution would Mtown, near Drogheda, who had a li be much more quick and evident if the ftays were not laid afide at bed-time; and it is exceeding happy for the ladies, that reft at night in fome measure repairs the injuries of the day. This joined to a good conftitution, may, in fome, intirely prevent thefe terrible diforders. But to depend upon this is running a terrible rifque, and what few would be prevailed on to do in any other cafe. This account of the diforders proceeding beral fortune and fine eftate, fituated on the Boyne, juft at the place where King Wil liam's army croffed it, were patterns of hofpitality, virtue, and conjugal affection. Their houfe was the continual refort of both the indigent and the gay; the first found relief, and the latter pleasure and entertainment; they were therefore venerated by all beneath them, and beloved as well by their equals as their fuperiors. Kk 2 Heaven Heaven bleffed them with one fon, who feemed, from his infancy, born to inherit their mutual good qualities, as well as their fortune: as this young gentleman grew towards manhood, he advanced in all the politer arts that finish that character; but as this cannot be completely done by mere precept or fpeculation, it was necessary he should take the tour of Europe, in order to know men as well as books. So exceffively fond were this happy couple of this their beloved and only offspring, that they imagined it not fafe for him to go abroad without their accompanying him, fo that if any accident happened at fea, as their whole comfort was centered in his life, they might all perish together. After having made all the preparations requifite for fuch an undertaking, the whole family fet out for Paris, at which place they arrived fafe and in full health and spirits.After they had been there fome time, they had an invitation to a fplendid ball; upon which occafion the young gentleman, very lovely in his perfon, was fo elegantly dreffed, that he attracted the eyes of the whole company. A young lady, whom he approved more than any prefent, he selected out to dance with him; but she at first modeftly declined it, and upon his further entreaties, abfolutely refufed him. While young Mr. C-t-n walked to the other end of the room, his mother, whom the young lady did not know, and a gentlewoman whom he was acquainted with, came to her, and afked, Why the, being the brighteft female in the place, could refufe her hand to fo handfome a young gentleman? She answered, that she had her own reafons, gave a deep figh, and endeavoured to avoid more converfation. This awaked all the curiofity of an affectionate mother, who concluded, that the young lady was in love with her fon; the therefore eagerly preffed her to explain that figh, and likewife her previous behaviour. Madam, replied the lady, I think, in my life, I never beheld fo many unftudied charms, as appear in that amiable foreigner; nor did I ever behold a youth my heart would fooner incline me to give my hand to, if it were confiftent with the will of our parents. After telling you this fo candidly, you will judge my refufing to dance with him proceeded from no diflike, either to his country, perfon, or breeding; but, alas! Madam, I fee with grief and horror, that, before this day twelve months, that amiable bloffom of youth and comeliness will die an untimely death. Judge what an alarm was this prognofti cation to the attentive parent; who, tho' the had a great fhare of good fenfe, could not be unalarmed at the dreadful prefage, However, the paffed it off with a becoming decency, and did not interrupt the pleasure of the company or the night, which ended in great harmony. When the old gentleman and his lady retired to their apartment, the acquainted him with what had paffed, in a very serious and pathetic manner. After having gravely attended to her, he burft out a laughing, and told her he minded no fuch fancies, and intreated she would think no more of it: the told him, he knew her too well to suppose her fuperftitious, but at the fame time they could not be too careful in watching againft accidents, where they had fuch a warning given them; therefore, my dear, said the, as you never refused any favour requested by me, I hope you will now oblige me, by returning with our fon to Ireland, where there is fcarce a danger but we may be guarded againft. The good man, already weary of travelling, was pleased with the motion, gave his confent, and without letting the young gentleman know their motive, embarked in a few weeks for Ireland; where, after a fhort paffage, they landed fafe, and again took poffeffion of their own refidence. They continued in their usual tranquility eleven months, at which time Mr. C―n began to banter his wife in private, about her Joan la Pucelle's prophecy, as he termed it; nay, the young man was well and fafe till the night before the predicted time was to expire: which night the ordered the fervants to lock every door in the house, and bring her the keys: fhe then went and saw every bit of fire and candle in the house extinguifhed; after doing this the retired to repofe, and fastened her chamber-door. Young Mr. Cn was a keen fportsman, and had made an appointment to go a hunting the fucceeding morning, of which his mother had no knowledge when he arofe and found all the doors faft, he demanded of the fervants the meaning of it. They informed him it was done by his mother's command: Oh! very well, faid he, then I will get out at the window; which he accordingly did. As foon as he came to the water fide, he found the dogs and horfes gone across the river; therefore determined not to lofe game for a little obftacle, he put himself from the fhore in a fmall cot or canoe. This was carried down by a strong current for half a mile, when it overfet, and the youth was unfortunately drowned, in the prefence of his friends and fervants, who for want of a boat could afford him no affiftance, fo that the first object which ftruck the afflicted mother's eye, when fhe arose in the morning to look out of the window, and thought her fears were over, was the corpse of her fon carried on a board by fome of the fervants. The lamenting father, on hearing 786. The Hermit; an Oriental Tale. By M, Hays. hearing the news, inftantly became a luna- The Hermit; an Oriental Tale. By M. All paffions in excess are crimes- care, Tho' all feems loft, 'tis impious to defpair; TEAR the northern boundaries of Perfia, 261 company the finest genius, and the most ami able mind. A lively and glowing imagination, a refined and acute fenfibility, gives force and energy to those fenfations, which, divefted of the colourings of fancy, and contemplated through the cool medium of philofophy and reafon, would quickly fubfide, and leave the calm foul astonished at the tumult which, excited by the senses, if not timely checked, might have overwhelmed with a fatal and refiftless power, its temporal and eternal peace. My children (purfued the reverend Sage) beware of the first approaches of thofe infidious and fascinating fentiments which flatter while they deftroy = they influence by pleafing and almoft imperceptible degrees, and the whole foul is affected ere you are aware: Like the poison of the afp, concealed under a thicket of rofes death lurks beneath the intoxicating fragrance. As an overwhelming torrent carries away with impetuous force the cottage NEAR the norther the river Aras (which with its terrified inhabitants; the shepherd, rifing in the mountains of Ararat, falls into the Cafpian fea) grew an ancient and beautiful foreft, whofe ground was enamelled with a profufion of flowers, enriched with all the glowing and variegated tints of Nature. Birds of various-coloured plumage fung har moniously on the branches of lofty cedars, ftately palms, and trees that bore a perpetual fucceffion of bloffoms and fruit. The melody of their notes, the aromatic odours wafted from the bloffoms, the delicious coolness of the fhade, and the dashing of diftant water-falls adding to the beauty of the scene, conftituted the place a perfect paradife below. In the centre of the grove, beneath a tuft of citron and orange trees, was a molly cave hewn out by the hand of Nature, yet fo completely formed, that the Sultan of the East need not difdain to repofe there. It was the habitation of Zeibriel the Hermit, revered and beloved for his benevolence and wisdom, and venerated for his age. A beard of fnowy white reached his girdle; majefty, tempered with benignity, beamed from his eyes; eloquence and foft perfuafion, flowed from his lips, fweet as the honey of Hybla. The fhepherds that dwelt on the adjacent plains quitted their rural sports and occupations to attend to his precepts. He taught them juftice and equity, tempered with mercy; fobriety, temperance, and philanthropy, he made familiar themes to them. He led them into the myfterious path of religion, initiated them in the fublime fciences of philofophy and aftronomy, enlightened their understandings, expanded their ideas, tranquillized their tempers, and amended their hearts. But above all he inculcated on them the danger of irregular and impetuous emotions: The ftrongest paffions (faid he) often ac with his innocent flock; and fweeps, with unrelenting fury, the teeming harvest of the coming year, so ardent and unbounded paffion debilitates the underftanding, obfeures the divine intelligence which irradiates the fouls of the fons of men; enervates that fortitude and felf-poffeffion which is the glory of a rational being, and bears down, with deftructive force, all the faculties of the mind, and the virtues of the heart, which oppofe its progrefs. But these fierce and uncontroulable emotions are finally contracted by thofe gentle and amiable affections which harmonize and ennoble the human mind; that placid and affecting tenderness, which, being confiftent with order, and having virtue for its object, calls forth new graces, and elevates the foul, which cherishes it, to more heroic goodness; that general and focial philantrhopy, which is an emanation of the divine perfections, and which embraces as brethren the whole human fpecies, however diverfified by fentiment, mode, or complexion; and that graceful benevolence which extends its pity and protection, not merely to the rational, but the whole animal creation, proportioning its kindness to the distress of the object which folicits its aid. Happy are The few incidents of my life (continued the Sage) will afford little variety in the relation, yet, to the attentive mind, the recital of my errors may convey a leffon not unufeful or unimportant. thofe, who, wife by the experience of others, tafte of the fruit already gathered, left a ferpent lurk under the leaves, and fting them ere they are aware." I was born in the city of lĺpahan: My father, who enjoyed an honourable and lucrative poft in that splendid and magnificent Court, was furn mened moned by the Angel of Death to render an account of his actions at that high and awful tribunal, before which the greateft earthly potentates must appear, just as I had attained my nineteenth year. A few hours before he expired he fent for me into his prefence, and endeavoured, by a difcourfe full of piety and refignation, to calm the forrows with which he faw me overwhelmed. Reftrain, my fon, (faid he) thofe expreffions of grief which difcompofe that ferenity I have been endeavouring to preferve. In a few hours I fhall be beyond the reach of human cares, experiencing thofe exquifite and celeftial delights which our holy pro phet has promised to the faithful. My anx ieties at this moment arise only from the idea of leaving my loved Zeibriel at fo early a period of life, in a world abounding with temptation and danger. Preserve, my fon, engraven on the tablets of thy heart, thofe wife and virtuous maxims which it has been the ftudy of my life to implant in thy young and ductile mind. I leave thee wealth fufficient not only to gratify every rational and lawful defire, but also to adminifter to the wants of the neceffitous, to protect the oppreffed, and to patronife obfcure and neglected merit. When thou haft depofited my remains in the maufoleum of my ancestors, retire from the contagion of a Court, whofe air breathes voluptuoufnefs and vice, and where fnares and death lurk beneath the fmile of the deceitful parafite, who flatters but to deftroy. My father (faid Zeibriel) was proceeding in his difcourfe, when the dread meffenger of death put a period to his exiftence, and left me loft in a ftupor of grief that for fome time rendered me incapable of feeling the whole extent of my misfortune: but the lenient hand of time mellowed the acute diftrefs which I felt for the loss of this amiable parent into a tender and melancholy regret, which also fubfided by degrees; and my heart began once more to glow with the ardour of youth, and my eyes to fparkle with the hilarity of hope. The pleasures and elegancies of a Court were too alluring to a youthful mind to be refigned without a painful effort. The recollection of my father's injunctions became irksome to me, and I endeavoured to prevent their return by en gaging in fucceffive parties of amufement and diffipation. A boundless tafte for expence foon drew about me a crowd of vain and licentious companions. Prompted by their flattery and careffes, and inftigated by the prevalence of their example, the virtuous precepts I had imbibed by education became every day lefs influential. As the ftone which rolls down the declivity acquires greater force and velocity the nearer it approaches the Je, fo the mind which once deviates from the paths of rectitude, finks, by rapid degrees, from diffipation to error, from error to vice, and at length perpetrates, without remorse, crimes which it once fhuddered at the idea of. Yet was I not fo hardened in infenfibility as to reflect without remorfe on the licentioufnefs of my conduct. Pleafures, riotous and intoxicating, were fucceeded by moments of fatiety and difguft. I found my health affected, my fortune impoverished, and my peace deftroyed, without any other compenfa tion than a few hours of fallacious and deceitful enjoyment, which left my spirits depressed in proportion as they had been elated, and afforded not any fatisfaction fuitable to a rational and immortal mind. Thefe reflections received additional force from a disappointment I had recently suffered in my addreffes to a young beauty, the daughter of the virtuous Myrza, by whom I had been rejected, (notwithstanding my rank and fortune rendered an alliance with me advantageous) on the account of my immoralities. In vain I endeavoured to erase the idea of the amiable maid from my heart! her image was engraven on my foul in indelible characters, and fo powerfully revived the virtuous impreffions I had received in my earliest years, that my former companions became distasteful to me, their mirth infipid, and the pleasures they preffed me to participate with them excited in my mind fenfations of languor and difguft: yet, enervated by voluptuousness and indolence, I found myfelf incapable of refifting the importunities of thofe affociates who had acquired by habit an unbounded influence over me; and faw my fubftance daily decreasing without retrenching my ex pences, or forming any ylans for the regula tion of my conduct. But I was roufed from this torpor of the foul by the importunity of creditors whom I was unable to fatisfy, which was foon followed by the desertion of those whose friendship I had been fo infatuated as to fuppofe would be my confolation in that adverse fituation to which their pernicious councils, and contagious example, had reduced me. Obliged to deliver up the Thattered remnant of my fortune, avoided by those who had basked in the funshine of my profperity, I wandered into the defert a wretched outcaft from fociety, and rolled myself in the fand in an agony of grief; but the cruel and fevere paffions by which my agitated mind was rent, exhaufted themselves by their violence, and the dread ftillness of defpair fucceeded. My fenfes were benumbed, and a total infenfibility overpowered every faculty, when methought a sudden ray of light fhone around me, and I found myself roufed by the touch of a celestial meffenger, who ftood before me with a countenance in which fe verity verity and heavenly compaffion were blended. Zeibriel (faid he) I am commiffioned by the Moft High to speak unto thee words of correction and confolation. Thou haft miftaken the end of thy being, and haft fought for happiness in thofe gratifications which the animal creation partake in common with thee, inftead of elevating thy mind to thofe higher and more exquifite fources of felicity which alone deferves the attention of an intelligent foul; but thy vices and thy errors have carried with them their own punishment. Pleasure has produced fatiety; revelling, laffitude; and prodigality has been followed with a certain attendant, overty. Thy mind is lacerated by disappointment and remorfe; and thy health debilitated by luxury and excefs. Humbled in the duft, thou art neceffitated to adore that Providence, whofe juft and wife difpenfations have allotted to vice and folly, even in this lower world, (where his eternal diftributions are but commencing) a recompence dependent on, and springing from the fame fource with those errors which juffly incur the divine difpleasure. Repent, and amend thy conduct; or tremble at the vengeance which awaits thee: the trial is at hand: be firm; and engrave on the tablets of thy foul this certain truth, That the offspring of vice and folly are mifery and death, and that felicity is the child of truth and order. The celeftial meffenger here ceafed, and afcended to the third heaven. A ray of dis vine confolation seemed to enlighten my foul as he withdrew. Thofe turbulent paffions which agitated my mind as the fouthern whirlwinds fweep the fandy defert, fubfided; tears of penitence and contrition flow ed from my eyes, and, proftrate on the earth, I adored the judgments of the Moft High, and deprecated his wrath. As the burning fands of Lybia imbibe the refreshing dews of heaven, fo did my heart expand to welcome the new fenfations of piety and peace. Calm and refigned, I arofe; and, wrapped in contemplation, wandered towards the city, unconscious of the path I took, when I was awakened from my reverie by a flave whom I knew to be an attendant of one of my former companions, Zeibriel (faid he, accofting me) my mafter, who fincerely laments thy misfortunes, would speak with thee on bufinefs of importance. I made no anfwer, but followed him to the manfion of his lord, who waited for me in a private apartment of his palace. I have need of thy fervices (faid he): be diligent and difcreet, and thou shalt be reinstated in thy former magnificence: Revenge thyself on a man by whom thou haft been treated with contempt, and poffefs the beauteous Almerine, whom thou haft long fecretly loved. My heart throbbed with tumultuous ex pectation (as he fpoke), and I felt a glow of exultation fuffufe my cheek; but a fudden recollection checked the rifing emotion, and, fixing my eyes on the ground, I liftened in filence to his propofal. But how did my foul shake with horror when this execrable monfter, to gratify an inordinate avarice, and to revenge fome fancied indignity, revealed to me a scheme for the affaflination of the virtuous Myrza, whofe daughter and effects he meant to seize with rapacious and facrilegeous hands; and, entreating my concurrence and affiftance (which my forlorn fituation gave him no reafon to doubt) promifed to reward my fidelity and fecrecy with the charming Almirine, and an equal fhare of the spoil. I received this, deteftable and criminal propofition with the indignation it merited, and was quitting his prefence with averfion and difdain, when the vile and cruel traitor, drawing a poniard, rufhing on me, and endeavouring to plunge it in my heart, Thou shalt not, faid he (in a furious tone) by thy cowardice and pufillanimity, difappoint my juft vengeance, and live to betray the fecret I have been fo weak as to entru thee with. His violence threw him off his guard; I wrefted the dagger from his hand, and, incenfed by his perfidy and villainy, buried it in his bofom. He groaned, and fell. I quitted with precipitation a house in which it was no longer fafe for me to remain, and, haftened to Court, rushed into the prefence of my Sovereign, and proftrated at the foot of the throne, recited the circumstances which I have related, "and implored the royal clemency. Selim the Magnificent, who then swayed the feeptre of Perfia, (ordering me to be detained in an apartment of the palace), commiffioned his officers to enquire into the truth of the tranfactions which I had revealed. They found the wretch ftill living. Terrified at the fight of the royal mandate, and that diffolution which he felt approaching, he confeffed, without referve, the crime which he had been about to perpetrate, and refigned himself into the hands of juftice. But the angel of death, a few hours after, fummoned him to a tribunal ftill more awful, and prevented the execution of that fentence which an earthly judge would have inflicted. The deftruction of this unhappy criminal hung heavy upon my foul, and I withdrew myself again from the haunts of men, and retired into the gloomy recèffes of the foreft; when Myrza, filled with gratitude for the fervices I had rendered him, fought me in the folitude which I had chofen, and, clafping me in his arms, poured out the effufions of his heart in expreffions the moft animated and grateful. Come (faid he) my preferver, and partake with me the bleflings which I enjoy. Thou haft now convinced me of the |