the fame time, from her bewitching been taught by precept and example eyes, a draught, which fpread an irrefiftible poifon through his veins. The baron was indebted to nature for a fiue person, and to art, for that impofing elegance of addrefs, which feldom failed to infinuate his wifhes with fuccefs, when the dominion of a tender paffion tempted him to glofs over his haughty demeanour with diffembled condefcenfion. Just as he was return ing the cup to the lovely Emma, who food to receive it with her looks bent upon the ground, to avoid the fixed gaze of his penetrating eyes, Bernard fuddenly appeared, and afforded his daughter an opportunity to retire into the cottage. The good old bailiff accofted his lord with a refpect, which, while it acknowledged his fuperiority as a mafter, was unmixed with that kind of fervile humility, which demeans the dignity of man. He had never before attracted the notice of the baron, who forgetting the diftance which birth and fortune had placed between them, recollected only that he was the father of Emma, and might, perhaps, affift him in his views, which he had formed to corrupt her virtues Accofting him, therefore, with kind familiarity, he requested that he might take a furvey of his little dwelling, which he should be welcome to exchange for one more comfortable and convenient. My lord,' replied Bernard, in this. humble dwelling my infant eyes firft opened, and here I would wish to close their aged lids." But,' interrupted the baron, you begin to bow under the weight of years, and ftand in need of rest and indulgence; I fhall feel a true fatisfaction in rendering your latter days happy.' Permit me to affure you, faid Bernard, that a life of honeft induftry, and unicorrupted innocence, has already infuted to me that happiness in its clofing feene, which an irreproachable confcience only can beftow, but which riches can never give. You have a daughter, however, interrupted the baron, fmiling, too young to have adopted your ftoical ideas." I have a daughter, retorted Bernard, who inherits her mother's virtues, and has thofe fentiments, which have rendered her too contented in her fituation, to harbour an ambitious with in her bofom. The baron reddened at these words, but commanding, for his own fecret purposes, the rifing indignation of his mind, he condefcendingly bade the venerable Bernard adieu: faying, that he ftill hoped mature reflection would induce him to accept the favours which he was anxious to confer upon a man, whofe refpectable character, and long life of unfullied virtue, claimed i fingular reward. So faying he mounted his horfe, and returned to the caftle, revolving in his mind, every practicable fcheme for the feduction of the devoted Emma. He reflected that he never had beheld a female half fo lovely; and as he on no occafion had accuftomed himself to combat his inclinations, or subdue his paffions, he refolved to lofe no time in accomplishing his defign. The humble fituation of Emma, gave him in his opinion, an uncontrouled right to her fubmiffion; but he was folicitous, if poffible, to gain an afcendency over her heart, by awakening with her gratitude tenderer fentiments; for this purpose he determined to wear the mask of hypocrify a little longer, and then to attempt, by every art of foft deception, to fecure her affections in his favour. A week elapfed after the baron's vifit at the cottage, without any renewal of his great offers; a circumftance that contributed to difpel those fears, which had been awakened in the bosom of Bernard, by the interview of the baron with Emma, and his generous profeffions of friendship to himfelf-profes fions, so oppofite to the natural ferocity of his temper. Bernard confidered them no longer in any light, but in that of a temporary inclination toward humanity and kindness, which could have no root in a foil fo barren. He pursued, therefore, without further fufpicion, his ufual labours; taking, however, the precaution never to leave his daugh ter without a companion, in his abfence. One morning when he had quitted the cottage about an hour, a halty mes fenger fenger from the cattle terrified Emma with an account that her father was taken with a fudden indifpofition as he paffed the gates; and having been fupported into the houfe by fome of the domeftics, who obferved him finking on the ground, the houfekeeper had thought it proper to fend for his daughter, who, by being accuftomed perhaps to these feizures, knew beft how to treat them. The trembling Emma, alarmed to the utmoft degree at a diforder, which had never yet attacked her beloved father, delayed not a moment to follow her conductor; and taking the arm of her friend Agnes, who had been liften ing to her as he was reading aloud, proceeded with tottering fteps to the caftle, diftant from her humble cottage about a mile. When the arrived in the great hall, the met a female of a refpectable appearance, and of an advanced age. She eagerly enquired after her father, and earneftly requefted to be permitted to fee him. The housekeeper anfwered Emma, with the appearance of much fenfibility, that Bernard was fo perfectly recovered, by a cordial which he had adminiftered, that he returned to his daily occupation, ignorant that his illness could have reached his daughter's ears. Thank heaven!' exclaimed the innocent Emma, O, madam, accept my humble gratitude for your kind care, and suffer one of the domeftics to direct me to the fpot where I may find my dear father; I will watch by his fide during the labours of the day, or attend him to our cottage, if he will permit me to lead him thither.' 4 · her into a large faloon, he turned round to feck for Agnes, whom till that inftant, fhe imagined to have been ftill near her fide. She expreffed fome anxiety at her abfence, to the housekeeper, who obferved, that her friend had remained in the firft hall, and im mediately fent a woman, then defcending a faircafe, to escort her to them. Emma, in the mean time, purfued the fteps of her conductress, who having paffed feveral ftate apartments, opened a door that led to a library, and which the had no fooner entered, and directed the attention of Emma to a fine por trait of the late marchionéfs de Clairville, that hung over the chimney, than fhe difappeared. Emma, for fome moments, was loft in contemplating the angelic countenance of a woman, whofe fad fate the had heard fo frequently and fo tenderly deplored, when the was fuddenly roufed from thefe melancholy reflections, by the opening of a glass door, which led to a colonnade filled with exotic plants, If the felt embarraffed by the appearance of the baron, who entered thence into the library, what were her fenfations, when, on making an immediate attempt to quit it herself, the found the door of the apartment locked, and beheld the baron de Morenzi at her feet, în an attitude of refpectful tenderness. (To be concluded in our next.) Anecdote of Voltaire. THE prefent emprefs of Ruffia once fent this celebrated genius a little ivory box made by her own hands. Voltaire, upon this, got his niece to inftruct him in knitting ftockings, and actually half finished a pair of white filk, when he became completely tired. In this unfinished ftate he fent them to the emprefs, with a charming poetical, epiftle, replete with gallantry, in which he told her, that as the had prefented him with a piece of man's workmanfhip, wrought by a woman, he thought it his duty to crave her acceptance in return, of a piece of woman's work from the hands of a man. Be no longer anxious, my lovely child,' replied the matron, your father will be here at the hour when the turret bell fhall call the family to dinner; he promised to meet my lord's fteward, to receive fome orders from the baron. The unfufpecting Emma thanked her kind informer, and was departing, but preffed condefcendingly to continue there till the return of Bernard, and in the interval, to take a furvey of the apartments in the caftle, in fome of which alterations were making, fhe consented to wait her father's return.” While her obliging guide was leading u 2 г The The Bird Catcher and Canary; an af fecting Anecdote. [From Pratt's Glea nings. accufer, it might be, fo: but what I have now to mention exhibits no charge, though it will report an unlucky event. In this very town of Cleves, which with its environs will detain us fome AFTER relating fome traits of fi. time longer. I was refiding with a perftition in Weftphalia, Mr. Pruffian family, during the time of Pratt, in his character of a gleaner, the fair; which I fhall pafs over, havthus proceeds: I fhall not forget, un- ing nothing remarkable to diftinguish der the article of fuperftition, to menti- it from other annual meetings, where on, that in the pretty country of Skuytz, people affemble to ftare at, cheat each Southward of Weftphalia, they have an other, and divert themselves,, and to idea that cats are to be reconciled to a fpend the year's favings in buying those new refidence only by coercive mea- bargains which would have been probafures. In purfuance of which notion, bly better bought at home. One day afa widow woman, at whofe houfe I ter dinner, as the defert was just brought lodged, imprifoned poor cat three on the table, the travelling German nights and days in a dark room, to the muficians, who commonly ply the houses entire deftruction of my reft, and al- at these times, prefented themfelves and moft to the cat's infanity, in order to were fuffered to play, and just as they make her in love with her new house were making their bows for the money Now in England, you know, where they received for their harmony, a birdcats are not a whit more remarkable catcher, who had rendered himself fafor an amiable difpofition, we should mous for educating and calling forth have ftroked the poor animal till fhe the talents of the feathered race, made purred approbation; we fhould have his appearance, and was well received permitted her to feed and fleep the firft by our party, which was numerous night by our fire-fide, and fo hofpitably and benevolent. The muficians, who treated her, that at the breakfaft table had heard of this bird-catcher's fame, next morning, fhe would have found begged permiffion to ftay; and the herfelf one of the family. maiter of the houfe, who had a great fhare of good-nature, indulged their curiofity: a curiofity, indeed, which every body participated; for, all that we have heard or feen of learned pigs, affes, dogs, and horfes, was faid to be extinguished in the wonderful wifdom, which blazed in the genius of this bird-catcher's canary. The canary was produced, and the owner harangued him in the following manner, placing him upon his forefinger. Bijou (jewel) you are now in the prefence of perions of great fagacity and honour: take heed you do not deceive the expecta tions they have conceived of you from the world's report: you have got laurels beware their withering. In a word deport yourself like the bijou (the jewel) of canary birds, as you certainly Not that I would have you fuppofe I am an advocate for the feline race, except on general principles of juftice and mercy. A dog is often an example to his mafter, and a proper object of his love, honour, imitation, and good faith. But a cat I take to be (with very rare exceptions indeed) both a traitor and a fycophant. She is won to you only by fawnings, and if you punith her on ever fo juft a caufe, the either ftrikes immediately, or owes you a grudge, the unexecuted malice of which the can hold till an opportunity of vengeance occurs. Even when you imagine you have gained her affections, the will defert you, like a faithless lover, and clope from your arms. Perhaps, you may not think this the proper moment to introduce an anecdote of one of thefe infidious creatures. You may fufpect me of imitating the grimalkin difpofition by fitting down in malice. Were I about to become an are, : mafter left off fpeaking; and if ever nods were intelligible and promiffory, thefe were two of them. That's good, fays the mafter, pulling off his hat to the bird. Now, then, let us fee if you are a canary of honour. Give us a tune:-The car nary fung. Pihaw, that's too harsh : 'tis the note of a raven with a hoarie nefs upon him: fomething pathetic. The canary whistled as if its little throat was changed to a lute. Fafter, fays the man.-Slower-very wellbut what a plague is this foot about, and this little head. No wonder you are out, Mr. Bijou, when you forgot your time, That's a jewel.-Bravo, bravo, my little man. All that he was ordered or reminded of did he do to admiration. His head and foot beat time-humoured the variations both of tone and movement; and the found was a juft echo to the fenfe,' according to the ftricteft laws of poetical, and (as it ought to be) of mufical compofitionbravo! bravo! re-echoed from all parts of the dining room. The mufi cians fwore the canary was a greater mafter of mufic than any of their band. And do you not fhew your fenfe of this civility, fir, cries the bird-catcher, with an angry air. The canary bowed moft refpectfully to the great delight of the company. His next atchievement was going through martial exercife with a Araw gun, after which, my poor bijou, fays his owner, though haft had hard work, and must be a little weary: a few performances more, and thou shalt repofe. Shew the ladies how to make a curtsey. The bird here croffed his taper legs and funk and rofe with an eafe and grace that would have put half our belles to the blufh-That's my fine bird-and now a bow, head and foot correfponding. Here the ftriplings for ten miles round London might have blushed alfo. Let us finish with a hornpipe, my brave little fellow that's it keep it up, keep it up. The activity, glee, fpirit, and accuracy with which this laft order was obeyed, wound up the applaufe, (in which all the muficians joined, as well with their inftruments as their clappings) to the highe pitch of admiration. Bijou himself, feemed to feel the facred thirst of fame, and hook his little plumes, and carolled an Io paan that founded like the conscious notes of victory. Thou haft done all my biddings bravely, faid the mafter, careffing his feathered fervant; now then, take a nap, while I take thy place. Hereupon the canary went into a counterfeit flumber, fo like the effect of the poppied god, first thutting one eye, then the other, then nodding, then dropping fo much on one fide, that the hands of feveral of the company were ftretched out to fave him from falling, and juft as thofe hands approached his feathers, fuddenly recovering and dropping as much on the other; at length the fleep seemed to fix him in a steady pofture; whereupon the man took him from his finger, and laid him flat upon the table, where the man affured us he would remain in a good found fleep, while he himself had the honour to do his best to fill up the interval. Accordingly, after drinki ing a glass of wine, (in the progrefs of taking off which he was interrupted by the canary-bird fpringing fuddenly up to affert his right to a fhare, really putting his little bill into the glass, and then laying himself down to fleep again) the owner called him a faucy fellow, and began to fhow off his own independent powers of entertaining. The forte of thefe lay chiefly in ba lancing with a tobacco pipe, while he fmoked with another, and feveral of the pofitions were fo difficult to be preferved, yet maintained with such dexterity, that the general attention was fixed upon him. But while he was thus exhibiting, a huge black cat, who had been no doubt on the watch, from fome unobferved corner fprung upon the table, feized the poor canary in its mouth, and rushed out of the window in defpite of oppofition. Though the dining room was emptied in an inftant, it was a vain purfuit, the life of the bird was gone, and its mangled body was brought in by the unfortuna te owner in fuch difmay, accompanied by Tuch fuch looks and language, as muft have awaked pity in a mifanthrope. He fpread him half length over the table, and mourned his canary-bird with the moft undiffembled forrow. Well may I grieve for thee, poor little thing; well may I grieve: more than four years haft thou fed from my hand, drank from my lip, and flept in my bo fom. I owe to thee my fupport, my health, my ftrength, and my happinefs; without thee what will become of me. Thou it was who enfured my welcome in the best company. It was thy genius only made me welcome. But thy death is a juft punishment for my vanity had I relied only on thy happy powers, all had been well, and Thou hadft been perched on my finger, or lulled in my breaft at this moment! but trufting to my own talents, and glorifying myself in them, a judgment has fallen upon me, and thou art dead and mangled on this table. Accurfed be the hour I entered this house! and more accurfed the deteftable monfter that killed thee! Accurfed be myself, for I contributed. I ought not to have taken away my eyes when thine were clofed in frolic. Ó, bijou, my deareft, only bijou, would I were dead alfo ! As near as the fpirit of his difordered mind can be transfufed, fuch was the language and fentiment of the forlorn bird-catcher; whofe defpairing motion and frantic air no words can paint. He took from his pocket a little green bag of faded velvet, and taking out of it fome wool and cotton, that were the wrapping of whiftles, bird-calls, and other inftruments of his trade, (all of which he threw on the table, as in fcorn,) and making a "couch, placed the mutilated limbs and ravaged feathers of his canary upon it, and renewed his lamentations. Thefe were now much foftened, as is ever the cafe, when the rage of grief yields to its tenderness: when it is too much overpowered by the effect to advert to the caufe. It is needlefs to obferve to you, that every one of the company fympathifed with him. But none more than the band of musicians, who, being engaged in a profeffion that naturally keeps the fenfibilities more or lefs in exercife, felt the diflrefs of the poor bird-man with peculiar force. It was really a banquet to fee these people gathering themselves into a knot, and after whifpering, and wiping their eyes, depute one from among them to be the medium of conveying into the pocket of the bird man, the very contribution they had juft before received for their own efforts. The poor fellow perceiv ing them, took from the pocket the little parcel they had rolled up, and brought out with it, by unlucky accident, another little bag, at the fight of which he was extremely agitated; for it contained the canary feed, the food of the dear loft companion of his art.' There is no giving language to the ef fect of this trifling circumftance upon the poor fellow; he threw down the contribution money that he brought from his pocket along with it, not with an ungrateful but with a defperate hand. He opened the bag, which was fattened with red tape, and taking out fome of the feed put it to the very bill of the lifelefs bird, exclaiming-No, poor bijou, no-thou canst not peck any more out of this hand, that has been thy feeding place fo many years -thou canft remember how happy we both were when I bought this bag full for thee. Had it been filled with gold thou hadft deferved it. It shall be filled,and with gold, faid the mafter of the houfe, it I could afford it. The good man rose from his feat, which had long been uneafy to him, and gently taking the bag, put into it fome filver; faying, as he handed it to his nearest neighbour, who will refuse to follow my example; it is not a fubfcription for mere charity, it is a tribute to one of the rareft things in the whole world; namely, to real feeling, in this fophiftical, pretending, parading age. If ever the paffion of love and gratitude was in the heart of man, it is in the heart of that unhappy fellow, and whether the object that calls out fuch feelings be bird, beaft, fifh, or man, it is alike, virtue and ought to be rewarded faid his next neighbour, putting into the bag his quota. It is fuperfluous to tell you that after the feed had been taken wholly away, and put very deli cately |