thing; but candour, who reafons in a different manner, would fuppofe what was really the cafe-that it was a blush, not of avarice and deception, but of benevolence graced by modefty. Curiofity, however, caught the bag, opened it, and turned out its contents, among which was a golden ducat, that by its date and brightness had been horded. Ah, ah, faid curiofity, who does this belong to, I wonder? Guilt and innocence, avarice and benignity, are alike honeft in one point; fince they all in the moment of attack, by fome means or another, discover what they wish to conceal. There was not in the then large company a fingle perfon, who could not have exclaimed, to this young lady, with affurance of the truth-Thou art the woman! There was no denying the fact; it was written on every feature of her enchanting face. She ftruggled, however, with the accufation, almoft to tears, but they were fuch tears as would have given luftre to the fineft eyes in the world, for they gave luftre to

hers.

Well then, if nobody elfe will own this neglected ducat, cried the mafter of the houfe, who was uncle to the lady abovementioned, I will: whereupon he took it from the heap, and exchanged it for two others, which

enriched the collection.

IN

While the bufinefs of the heart was thus carrying on, the poor birdman, who was the occafion and object of it, was at firft divided by contrary emotions of pain and pleasure his eye fometimes directed to the maffacred canary, and fometimes to the company at length generofity proved the ftronger emotion, and grief ebbed away. He had loft a bird, but he had gained the good will of many human beings. That bird, it is true, was his pride and fupport, but this was not the crifis any longer to bewail its fate. He accepted the contribution-purfe, by one means or another filled like the fack of Benjamin, even to the brim, and bowed, but fpoke not; then folding up the corpfe of the canary in its wool and cotton fhroud, departed with one of thofe looks, that the moment it is feen, is felt and understood, but for which, being too powerful for defcription, no language has yet been provided. On going out he beckoned the muficians to follow. They did fo, ftriking a few chords that would have graced the funeral of Juliet.-My very foul purfued the founds, and fo did my feet. I haftened to the outer door, and faw the birdman còptending about returning the money, which the founders of the benevolence (for fuch were the musicians,) had fubfcribed.

N a village in the fouth of France, lived a peafant, whofe only wealth confifted in thofe mental poffeffions which adorn greatnefs and dignify poverty. He had acquired, by his integrity and industry, the approbation of the mafter whom he had long ferved as under-bailiff, and the esteem of all his neighbours. In his hours of leifure, he delighted in the difcharge of his parental duty, by cultivating the native graces of an only child. Emma, at the age of eighteen, was

1

Emma affifted her father's honeft toils, by employing herself in spinning and netting, which contributed to acquire thole comforts, that rendered them happy and contented.

The duty and affection of Emma was unparalleled: oft would he climb the verdant steep, or wander. in the filent vale, to wait the return of her father from his daily labours, when the evening fun cafts its faint gleams upon the fummer fcene.Sometimes feated by this venerable fire, fhe difcourfed with him on the virtues of her departed mother, whom fate had fummoned from the world in the early infancy of her daughter; and they fed tears of forrow and regret to her loved memory. Sometimes, in the feafons of feftivity, Emma would join in the rural dance with the villagers, or chaunt her meJadious notes to the foft flutes of the youthful peafants.

How often has the bleffed the coming day, When toil relenting, lent its turn to play, And all he village train from labour free,

Led up their fports beneath the spreading

tree,

While many a paflime circled in the

fhade,

Such was the life led by Emma and her father; but they were foon to ex perience a fatal calamity, in the death of the Marquis de Clairville, whofe lofs was univerfally lamented. For fome days after his deceafe, the eyes of his tenants and dependents ceafed not to flow with tears of gratitude and forrow. At the funeral of the Marquis, conducted with all the pomp due to his rank, the inhabitants of the furrounding hamlets at tended; grief was imprinted on eveby countenance, as they followed the body in mute dejection. A young ftranger, returning to Swifferland from a tour, chanced to firike out of the road as he approached near the

castle, tempted by the beauty of the long avenues which led to it. He reached the gates juft as the mournful proceffion was beginning to move. Enquiring the name of the deceased, one of the peasants informed him, that in their master, the Marquis de Clairville, they had loft the best of lords, and molt generous of patrons; the tears which rolled down his cheeks as he spoke, gave evidence of his feelings: Albert dismounted from his horfe, and giving charge of it to his fervant, mingled with the peasan, try, and, moving flowly, arrived with them at the church, about half a mile diftant, where the remains of Clairville were to be depofited in the vault of his ancestors. He placed himself near the grave: before the ceremony was ended, and while a folemn dirge was chanting, he observed the mourners to fall back, and form on each fide an opening, thro' which he beheld advancing a group of village maidens, with baskets of flowers on their arms, which they ftrewed in profufion over the coffin. Albert's attention was foon attracted toward the loveliest object he had ever beheld; he was diftinguished from her companions by a fuperior elegance of mien and grace of features, the wore a veft of white stuff, fitted to her shape, and round her flender waist was bound a fearf of black gaufe; a fmall cap, whiter than Alpine fnows, attempted vainly to confine her flaxen treffes, which fell in waving ringlets on her shoulders, and ftrayed over her fair forehead. When he had emptied the fragrant-contents of her basket, she bent on one knee upon the brink of the grave, then raifing her tearful eyes of celeftial blue to heaven, the feemed to breathe a filent prayer for the foul of the departed Marquis; then, accompanied by the village maidens, he retired from the fpot, paffing through the vacancy which again was formed for them. Albert followed

the

the sweet mourner, who, bidding adieu to her affociates, moved down the church, looking around with anxious eyes, as if in queft of fome object interefling to her affections. Suddenly, the fprang toward a vene rable old man, who was tottering to the porch, and throwing around him her fair arms, the fupported him to a feat, where, placing herfelf by him, they paffed fome moments in the eloquent filence of unaffected grief. Never had Albert beheld fo beauti ful a picture. It was Emma, who fupported on her bofom the filver head of Bernard, while from her eyes tear after tear, in quick fucceffion, dropped on his furrowed cheek !— The ftranger refpected too much their mutual grief to interrupt it, and perceiving the funeral train returning from the grave, he accosted one of the peasants who was nearest to him, and eagerly inquired the name of the maiden who feemed to lead the young group that ftrewed flowers at the grave. The peafant gave Albert every information which he defired, and as the day was declining faft, he offered the traveller a bed at his cottage, which being contiguous to that of Bernard, proved a temptation not to be refifted. Honest Pierot led Albert a fhort cut thro' fome fields, and after having recommended his gueft to the attentions of his wife, he haftened to the caftle gates, in queft of the fervant whom Albert had ordered to wait there his

return.

In this humble but neat dwelLing, the young ftranger determined to refide fome days, under pretence of exploring, at his leifure, the extenfive domains of the caftle, but in reality to introduce himself to the lovely Emma and her father. The impreffion, which her artlefs beauty had made on his heart, was of fo ferious a nature, that he indulged the hopes of making her his wife, if he found, on acquaintance, her mind as Ed. Mag. April 1796.

charming as her perfon, and she would accept his proffered vows.

We must make a thort digreffion while we return to the state of the family affairs of the late Marquis, for fome years before his deceate. He had been married, late in life, to an amiable woman, by whom he had an only fon: having paffed the winter at Paris, he was unexpectedly called away to attend fome important bufinefs at Clairville caftle: he fet off immediately, leaving his lady and infant fon, then about three years old, to follow. After the fatigues of a bufy day, on the evening that he expected the Marchionefs to arrive, he was waiting her approach upon a ter race which commanded his fine park. As his anxious eyes were turned toward the grand avenue, which led to the caftle, he perceived one of the domeltics who had been left to attend her, advancing, with as much speed as the tired fate of his horse would allow. The Marquis haftened toward him, to receive tidings of his beloved wife, but what were his fenfations, when the fervant informed him, that the carriage of the Marchioness and her retinue, had been attacked by an armed banditti, who rushed out of a wood about a league diftant from the caftle. The attendants, who were likewife armed, furrounded the carriage, and for fometime made a flout refittance, but he had every reafon to fear, that, overpowered by numbers, they had fcarce a chance of defending their mistress from the fury of thefe affaffins, and in all probability they had fallen victims with her to the murderous fwords of their affailants. The meffenger of thefe dreadful tidings had been tempted by an early flight to escape to the caftle, impelled by the feeble hope of gaining them fome affiftance; but the road being folitary which led to the chateau, he had met no human being on his way. The Marquis loft no time in ufelefs lamentations, but in

Bantly

ftantly arming himself and several of his brave domeftics, who were ready to encounter any danger for fo beloved a master, they mounted their horfes, and in a fhort time reached the fatal fpot. They here found a fpectacle of horror: the mangled bodies of the fervants lay lifeless round the carriage, in which the murdered Marchioness and her two women remained, with wounds yet bleeding! In the midst of this defolation, the Marquis fought in vain his infant fon, whofe abfence infpired, amid his forrows, a fecret and prefaging hope, that he had been either refcued or preferved. He placed himself and his followers in ambuscade in the wood for the remainder of the day, with a view to furprise the villains fhould they return at night, and either revenge this horrid malfacre, or fall in the attempt: his hopes were vain the wretches, fated with their bloody deeds, approached no more the fatal fpot. Early on the enfuing morning, they began to remove the flaughtered victims: they had been joined by all the neighbouring villa gers, who affifted in the fad office. As they were raifing fome of the lifelefs attendants, they were ftartled by a groan from one of the bodies: on an immediate fearch, they found a dying ftranger, whom they concluded to be one of the banditti, who had fallen by the hands of the domeftics, during the conteft; and who had probably, from being concealed under feveral dead bodies, efcaped the recollection of the villains. They raised and fupported the wounded wretch, hoping, if he recovered, by the affistance of a furgeon, who had followed the Marquis, by his orders, to this fcene of death, and had in vain attempted to refore the Mar. chionefs and her unfortunate fuite, they might obtain information of the fate of the young Marquis.

'He feemed to revive a little by an effect which the attention had upon

him. The Marquis affifted in fup porting him, while the furgeon poured a cordial down his throat. His faculties in fome degree appeared to return, he gazed on the Marquis and attempted to fpeak, but in vain.Clairville then addreffed him thus :"I conjure thee, by thy hopes of mercy here and hereafter, tell me, if thou haft power to speak, where is my fon?does he furvive? Answer that question only for the present, and I will wait the event of thy recovery for further information."

66

The dying man, made repeated efforts to articulate, but for fome moments he remained fpeechlefs: at length he faintly uttered, young Clairville lives." He could no more; the exertion overcame him; and fucceffive convulfions feizing his whole, frame, he expired in agonies.

This confeffion, in the midft of fo fevere an affliction, long kept alive. in the bofom of the Marquis fome feeble embers of expiring hope: he returned to his folitary castle, fo late the fcene of all his happinefs, where he hut himself up for feveral days to give vent to the firft emotions of his forrow. The fufpence, which he yet endured, relative to his fon's destiny, had fuch an effect upon his fpirits, that he determined to retire wholly from the world, and to implore, in the folitude of his caftle, the misfortunes of his family: but he did not fo much yield to the impreffions of grief, as to be regardless of his te nants and dependents: his generous nature would not permit him to be unmindful of their interefts. They had long been the objects of his boun ty: they now became the children of his adoption; and, loft to domes tic felicity, he centered all his remaining confolation in difpenfing hap piness to all around him. followed years, in this manner; eve ry fearch after his beloved fon had been fruitless; he had long ceafed to indulge the flattering profpect, which

Years

..ha

he had at first entertained, of recovering his loft treasure; and though his pious refignation permitted him not to murmur at the decrees of Providence, yet no ray of hope cheared his declining age.

He beheld death approaching with that fecret fatisfaction, which anticipated a bleft re-union with thofe dear objects, who had already fo long partaken of the rewards of innocence and virtue. On the decease of the Marquis, his eftates devolved by inheritance, on the Baron of Morenzi, who was of a haughty, cruel character, and revengeful; whofe reafon and actions were fubfervient to his paffions; and who fcrupled not the commiffion of any excefs, to gratify his ambition, avarice, or fenfuality.

Over these vices he had, by art and cunning, drawn a veil, which im. posed on strangers; and to unfold which, a confiderable share of fagacity and penetration was requifite: on those whom his heart fecretly detefted, he could fmile with ease. A character fo hypocritical could not fail of becoming the averfion of the adjacent country: for however the deceiver may conceal his vices, in the formalities of courts and public life, they will always appear in their true light to those, to whom they are objects of neither fear nor regard. His new vaffals and dependents received a fpecimen of that treat ment which they were in future to expect, from the first moment of his arrival at his new abode.

They had collected together in the court of the castle, to celebrate his approach. "Wherefore," said he, as he defcended from his carriage, 66 are you affembled here with gloomy faces and fable habiliments?-Is this the welcome you give your new lord? I think you might have fpared thefe trappings of woe for a departed mafter, to wait with joy the commands of his fucceffor." An univerfal fi

lence fucceeded this ungracious ha rangue, which fo exafperated the baron, who expected to be received with acclamations of pleasure, that he broke forth in the following words: "Depart, you minions of that indo. lent fupinenefs, which marked the character of him whom you mourn in vain;-quit my caftle, and if you have any bufinefs to tranfact, I refer you to my fteward, who has attended me hither, and who will impart to you my commands," Awed and fhocked to filence, the humble train retired from the prefence of a man, whofe dominion over them promifed nothing but the exertion of ty ranny and oppreffion, In a day or two after his arrival, the fyftem of affairs was entirely changed. The old fteward was difcarded, and his place fupplied by a man, who had gained the confidence of the baron by the abject fervility of his flattery.

The faithful fervants were discharged, and fucceeded by others, who had been the inftruments of his vices, Bernard only, and a few more, who from the meannefs of their fituations had efcaped his notice, were ftill permitted to occupy their feveral departments. Inftead of the condefcenfion, with which their late lord had treated all around him, the new matter of these domains kept them at an awful distance; and never permit ted the plaints of poverty to reach his

ear, or the groans of oppreffion to plead for mercy: fuffering virtue never obtained redrefs from his compaffion, nor innocence from his juftice. He had lived a life of luxury and debauchery, which had involved his private fortune in difficulties, from which his great acquifition was calculated to extricate him. A multitude of importunate creditors, difturbed the firft moments of his fmiling fortune; and instead of appropriating to the payment of his debts, a part of the princely revenue, the enjoyment of which he fo little me

rited,