8. The king was instantly fired with indignation He ordered that ample justice should be done without delay, that the possessions should be immediately restored to the man whose charitable offices had been thus horridly repaid; and, to show his abhorrence of the deed, he caused the soldier to be seized, and to have these words branded on his forehead-❝ The Ungrateful Guest."

SECTION XV.

The hospitable negro woman.

GOLDSMITH.

1. THE enterprising traveller, Mungo Park, was employed, by the African Association, to explore the interior regions of Africa. In this hazardous undertaking, he encountered many dangers and difficulties. His wants were often supplied, and his distresses alleviated, by the kindness and compassion of the negroes. He gives the following lively and interesting account of the hospitable treatment he received from a poor negro woman.

2. "Being arrived at Sego, the capital of the kingdom of Bambarra, situated on the banks of the Niger, I wished to pass over to that part of the town in which the king resides · but, from the number of persons eager to obtain a passage I was under the necessity of waiting two hours.

3. "During this time, the people who had crossed the river, carried information to Mansong, the king, that a white man was waiting for a passage, and was coming to see him.

4. "He immediately sent over one of his chief men, who informed me that the king could not possibly see me, until he knew what had brought me into his country; and that I must not presume to cross the river without the king's permission.

5. "He therefore advised me to lodge, for that night, at a distant village to which he pointed; and said that, in the morning, he would give me further instructions how to conduct myself.

6. "This was very discouraging. However, as there was no remedy, I set off for the village; where I found, to my great mortification, that no person would admit me into his house. From the prejudices infused into their minds, I was regarded with astonishment and fear; and was

obliged to sit the whole day without victuals, in the shade of a tree.

7. The night threatened to be very uncomfortable; for the wind rose, and there was great appearance of a heavy rain: the wild beasts too were so numerous in the neighDourhood, that I should have been under the necessity of climbing up the tree, and resting among the branches.

8. "About sunset, however, as I was preparing to pass the night in this manner, and had turned my horse loose, that he might graze at liberty, a negro woman, returning from the labours of the field, stopped to observe me; and perceiving that I was weary and dejected, inquired into my

situation.

9. "I briefly explained it to her; after which, with looks of great compassion, she took up my saddle and bridle, and told me to follow her. Having conducted me into her hut, she lighted a lamp, spread a mat on the floor, and told me I might remain there for the night.

10. "Finding that I was very hungry, she went out to procure me something to eat; and returned in a short time with a very fine fish; which, having caused it to be half broiled upon some embers, she gave me for supper.

11. The rites of hospitality being thus performed towards a stranger in distress, my worthy benefactress (pointing to the mat, and telling me I might sleep there without apprehension) called to the female part of her family, who had stood gazing on me all the while in fixed astonishment, to resume their task of spinning cotton; in which they continued to employ themselves great part of the nignt.

12. "They lightened their labour by songs, one of which was composed extempore; for I was myself the subject of it. It was sung by one of the young women, the rest joining in a sort of chorus. The air was sweet and plaintive, and the words, literally translated, were these.

13. The winds roared and the rains fell.-The poor white man, faint and weary, came and sat under our tree.— He has no mother to bring him milk; no wife to grind his corn. Chorus. Let us pity the white man: no mother has he to bring him milk; no wife to grind his corn.”*

* These simple and pathetic sentiments, have been ve beautifully versified and expanded, by the Dutchess of Deve

14. "Trifling as these events may appear to the reader, they were to me affecting in the highest degree. I was oppressed by such unexpected kindness; and sleep fled from my eyes. In the morning I presented to my compassionate landlady two of the four brass buttons which remained on my waistcoat; the only recompense it was in my power to make her." PARK'S TRAVELS.

SECTION XVI.

Catharina, empress of Russia.

1. CATHARINA ALEXOWNA, born near Derpat, a little city in Livonia, was heir to no other inheritance than the virtues and frugality of her parents. Her father being dead, she lived with her aged mother, in their cottage covered with straw; and both, though very poor, were very contented.

2. Here, retired from the gaze of the world, by the labours of her hands she supported her parent, who was now

shire. The following is a copy of this little interesting piece of poetry.

1. The loud wind roar'd, the rain fell fast;
The white man yielded to the blast.
He sat him down beneath the tree,
For weary, sad, and faint was he:
And ah! no wife or mother's care,
For him the milk or corn prepare.

CHORUS.

The white man shall our pity share:
Alas! no wife, or mother's care,
For him the milk or corn prepure.

2. The storm is o'er, the tempest past,
And mercy's voice has hush'd the blast;
The wind is heard in whispers low :
The white man far away must go;
Buf ever in his heart will bear
Remembrance of the negro's care.

CHORUS.

Go, white man, go; but with thee bear
The negro's wish, the negro's prav'r,
Remembrance of the negro's care.

incapable of supporting herself. While Catharina spur, the old woman would sit by, and read some book of devotion. When the fatigues of the day were over, both would sit down contentedly by the fire-side, and enjoy their fruga meal.

3. Though Catharina's face and person were models of perfection, yet her whole attention seemed bestowed upon her mind. Her mother taught her to read, and an old Lutheran minister instructed her in the maxims and duties of religion. Nature had furnished her not only with a ready, but a solid turn of thought; not only with a strong, but a right understanding.

4. Her virtues and accomplishments procured her several solicitations of marriage, from the peasants of the country: but their offers were refused; for she loved her mother too tenderly to think of a separation.

5. Catharina was fifteen years old when her mother died. She then left her cottage, and went to live with the Lutheran minister, by whom she had been instructed from her childhood. In his house she resided, in quality of governess to his children; at once reconciling in her character unerring prudence with surprising vivacity.

6. The old man, who regarded her as one of his own children, had her instructed in the elegant parts of female education, by the masters who attended the rest of his family. Thus she continued to improve, till he died; by which accident she was reduced to her former poverty.

7. The country of Livonia was at that time wasted by war, and lay in a miserable state of desolation. Those calamities are ever most heavy upon the poor; wherefore Catharina, though possessed of so many accomplishments. experienced all the miseries of hopeless indigence. Provisions becoming every day more scarce, and her private stock being entirely exhausted, she resolved at last to travel to Marienburgh, a city of greater plenty.

8. With her scanty wardrobe, packed up in a wallet, she set out on her journey, on foot. She was to walk througn a region miserable by nature, but rendered still more hidecus by the Swedes and Russians, who, as each happened to become masters, plundered it at discretion: but hunger had taught her to despise the dangers and fatigues of the way. 9. One evening, upon her journey, as she had entered a

cottage by the way-side, to take up her lodging for the night, she was insulted by two Swedish soldiers. They might probably have carried their insults into violence, had not a subaltern officer, accidentally passing by, come in to her assistance.

10. Upon his appearing, the soldiers immediately desisted; but her thankfulness was hardly greater than her surprise, when she instantly recollected, in her deliverer, the son of the Lutheran minister, her former instructer, be nefactor, and friend. This was a happy interview for Catharina.

11. The little stock of money she had brought from home was by this time quite exhausted; her clothes were gone, piece by piece, in order to satisfy those who had entertained her in their houses: her generous countryman, therefore, parted with what he could spare, to buy her clothes; furnished her with a horse; and gave her letters of recommendation to a faithful friend of his father's, the superintendent of Marienburgh.

SECTION XVII.

The same subject continued.

1. THE beautiful stranger was well received at Marienburgh. She was immediately admitted into the superintendent's family, as governess to his two daughters; and, though but seventeen, showed herself capable of instructing her sex, not only in virtue, but in politeness.

2. Such were her good sense and beauty, that her master himself in a short time offered her his hand; which, to his great surprise, she thought proper to refuse. Actuated by a principle of gratitude, she was resolved to marry her de liverer only, though he had lost an arm, and was otherwise disfigured by wounds, received in the service.

3. In order, therefore, to prevent further solicitations from others, as soon as the officer came to town upon duty she offered him her hand, which he accepted with joy; and their nuptials were accordingly solemnized.

4. But all the lines of her fortune were to be striking. The very day on which they were married, the Russians laid siege to Marienburgh. The unhappy soldier was im