English officer, of the name of Wilfon, was quartered for fome time, with the troops under his command, in a town in Portugal. He was young, handfome, and generous; and not a little attracted the notice and favour of the ladies with whom he converfed. But among all he met with, he found none who made fuch an impreffion on him as a young Portuguefe of the name of Thereía. Her beauty, vivacity, good-nature, and fenfe, kindled in his heart the of men; fuffice it here to fay that, after various skirmishes, in which he bravely fought against those whom he confidered as the enemies of his country, he was at last surprised, overpowered by numbers, wounded, and taken prifoner. (To be continued.) ON SCANDAL. · GAINST flander there is no dame of love; and the principles of A defence. Hell cannot boaft honour and virtue which fle manifefted in her whole conduct, exalted his affection to a fincere and ardent paffion. fo foul a fiend, nor man deplure fo fell a foe. It ftabs with a wordwith a nod-with a fhrug-with a look-with a fmile. It is the peftiThe young foldier told his foft lence walking in darkness, fpreading tale, and was received with recipro- contagion far and wide, which the cal love; but her relations ftrongly moft wary traveller cannot avoid; oppofed their union. The differ-it is the heart-fearching dagger ence of religion appeared to them of the affaffin;-it is the poifoned an infuperable bar; but, in her arrow whofe wound is incurable; breaft, love triumphed over fuch-it is the mortal fting of the deadly fcruples. Frequently they met, and adder. Murder is its employment wandered through the groves, or by innocence its prey-and ruin its the banks of a winding ftream, vow- fport.-Maria was a fatal inftance. ing to each other eternal fidelity, and Her head was a little raised from the bleft in the mutual confidence they pillow, fupported by her hand, and repofed in each other's fincerity. her countenance was exceedingly forrowful-the glowing blush of eighteen vanished from her cheeks, and fever rioted in luxury upon her damak fkin. It is even fo;-a bursting figh laboured from her bofom ;-virtue is no protection while detraction breathes malignity-while envy fearches for faults, and tortures truth. I might have been happy! In this world, happiness like this is commonly tranfient. Captain Willon's corps was fuddenly ordered to proceed, by forced marches, to a confiderable diftance from the town which held the object of his fond affection. He could not even find an opportunity to take leave of her; but left a letter, in the hands of a perfon in whom he could confide, to be delivered to her, expreffive of his love, and fixed refolution to return and fee her again the moment it fhould be in his power. His adventures in the field, his marches, countermarches, onfets, retreats, and the numbers who fell by the hands of himfelf and his party, fhall be left to be recorded by that more dignified hiftoric Mufe whofe attribute it is to record the miferies but oh! ye bufy thoughts, recall not to my memory thofe joyful hours!-fhe ftruggled-but in vain. The invisible power of darkness clofed her eyes, and her heaving breaft panted with the laft throbbings of a broken heart.-She is now no more. Scandal triumphed over the lovely maid. Superior qualifications made her the dupe of envy, and a fever followed. She fell a facrifice to exquifite feelings! SHOW SHOW and USE; or, the Two and was content with fending them to the curate of the parish. At four years old, Young Deer From Dr. Aikin's "Evenings at ftarted for a fubfcription-purfe, and ONE Home."] came in fecond out of a number of competitors. Soon after, he won a country plate, and filled his mafter with joy and triumph. The fquire now turned all his attention to the turf, made matches, betted high, and was at firft tolerably fu cefsful. At length, having ventured all the mo NE morning, lord Richmore, coming down to breakfast, was welcomed with the tidings that his favourite mare, mifs Slim, had brought a foal and also that a fhe afs, kept for his lady's ufe as a milker, had dropt a young one. His lord-ney he could raise upon one grand fhip fmiled at the inequality of the match, Young Peer ran on the wrong prefents nature had made him.- fide of the poft, was distanced, and "As for the foal, (faid he to the the fquire ruined. groom) that, you know, has been. long promifed to my neighbour Mr. Scamper. For young Balaam, you may difpofe of him as you pleafe." The groom thanked his lordship, and faid he would then give him to Ifaac the woodman. In due time, mifs Slim's foal, which was the son of a noted racer, was taken to fquire Scamper's, who received him with great delight, and out of compliment to the donor named him Young Peer. He was brought up with at least as much care and tenderness as the fquire's own children-kept in a warm stable, fed with the best of corn and hay, duly dreffed, and regularly exercifed. As he grew up, he gave tokens of great beauty. His colour was bright bay, with a white ftar on his forehead; his coat was fine, and fhone like filk; and every paint about him feemed to promife perfection of fhape and make. Every body admired him as the completeft colt that could be feen. Meantime young Balaam went into Ifaac's poffeflion, where he had a very different training. He was left to pick up his living as he could in the lanes and commons; and on the coldeft days in winter he had no other fhelter than the lee-file of the cottage, out of which he was often glad to pluck the thatch for a fubfiftence. As foon as ever he was able to bear a rider, Ifaac's children got upon him, fometimes two or three at once; and if he did not go to their mind, a broomstick or bunch of furze was freely applied to his hide. Nevertheless he grew up, as the children themfelves did, ftrong and healthy; and, though he was rather bare on the ribs, his fhape was good, and his limbs vigorous. It was not long before his mafter thought of putting him to fome ufe; fo, taking him to the wood, he faftened a load of faggots on his back, and fent him with his fon Tom to the next town. Tom fold the faggots, and mounting upon Balaam, rode him home. As Ifaac could get plen So fine a creature could not be destined to any useful employment.ty of faggots and chips, hè found it a After he had paffed his third year, he was fent to Newmarket to be trained for the turf; and a groom was appointed to the care of him alone. His mafter, who could not well af ford the expenfe, faved part of it by turning off a domeftic tutor whom he kept for the education of his fons, Vol. XXVII, profitable trade to fend them for daily fale upon Balaam's back -Having a little garden, which from the barrennefs of the foil yielded him nothing of value, he bethought him of loading Balaam back from town with dung for manure. Though all he could bring at once was contained 3 R the enemy, who for the space of ten years has given you so much alarm." "Ah! my fon, (anfwered the father) it is thus at your age a youth fhould fignalife himself, and not by filly amours." Father, (replied Aucaffin) no reflections, I entreat you; I have difcharged my engagement; now think of performing yours." "What, my dear fon?" in two finall panniers, yet this in time amounted to enough to mend the foil of his whole garden, fo that he grew very good cabbages and potatoes, to the great relief of his family. Ifaac, being now fenfible of the value of his afs, began to treat him with more attention. He got a finall ftack of rufhy hay for his winter fodder, and with his own hands built him a little thed of boughs and mud, in order to fhelter him from "What! did you not make me a the bad weather. He would not folemn promife, that if I would go fuffer any of his family to ufe Ba- out to the battle, I fhould once more laam ill and after his daily journies fee and exchange a kifs with Nicohe was allowed to ramble at plea- lette? If you do not recollect the fure. He was now and then clean-engagement, I, for my part, have ed and dressed, and, upon the whole, not forgotten it." made a reputable figure. Ifaac took in more land from the wafte, fo that by degrees he became a little farmer, and kept a horfe and cart, a cow, and two or three pigs. This made him quite a rich man; but he had always the gratitude to impute his profperity to the good fervices of Balaam, the groom's prefent; while the fquire curfed Young Peer as the caufe of his ruin, and inany a time wifhed that his lordship had kept his dainty gift to himself. "May I die inftantly if I agree to it! I would rather, were fhe in my power this moment, throw her be fore your face into the flames." "Father, is that your final refolution?" 66 Yes, by heavens!" "Indeed, I am much concerned to find you capable of fuch a breach of honour."-Then, turning to Bongars, Count of Valence, (said he) are you not my prifoner ?" "Moft affuredly, fir." "Then give me your hand, and make a folemn oath never to omit AUCASSIN AND NICOLETTE. an occafion, during life, to hurt and difgrace my father." "Sir, I am your prifoner, and you may require for my ranfom what you pleafe. Demand gold, filver, horses, dogs, furs, either white or grey; I will engage for all:-but ceafe, I pray you, to treat me with mockery and infult." "I will have no reply, no gainfaying (anfwered Aucaffin); either comply with my requifition, or die this moment by my fword." Bongars, terrified at this menace, made no further resistance, but took all the oaths required; after which his conqueror conducted him to one of the gates, and fet him at liberty. But all that Aucaffin acquired by his achievement, was the count's order ΤΟ to be arrested and imprisoned in the tower. Nicolette continued in ler confinement strictly watched. One night, being unable to compofe her eyes to fleep, fhe perceived the moon fhining with prodigious brightnefs in the firmament, and heard the nightingale's plaintive notes refound in the garden: for it was in that pleafant time of the year, when the days are long, and the nights ferene. Her thoughts were then engaged on Aucaffin, her lover, and the perfecution the fuffered from the count Garins. The old woman appointed to guard her was at that moment afleep, and Nicolette thought the opportunity favourable for her efcape. She rose without noife, put her filken mantua upon her fhoulders, and fixing her sheets, tied together, to the fath of the window, the ufed them as a rope, and flipped down into the garden. By the light of the moon the difcerned the garden gate, which fhe opened; and, obliged to crofs the town in her flight, he arrived under the very tower in which her lover was confined. This tower was ancient, and had crevices open in feveral places. The maid, as fhe paffed along, fancied fhe heard a perfon complaining; and, applying her ear to one of thofe openings, he knew the voice to be that of Aucaffin, who was lamenting his hapless love. When he had liftened for fome time, "Aucaffin, (faid fhe) gallant bachelor, why weep and lament in vain? I am hateful to your father and your family; we cannot meet and live together: adieu! I am going to cross the feas, and to hide myfelf in a far diftant country:" on faying which, the cut off a lock of her hair, and threw it into the tower. The lover received the gift with tranfport. He kiffed it in raptures, and then concealed it in his bofom. But what Nicolette had juft announced to him filled him with defpair. "My charmer, (he cried) you must not leave me, unless you mean to doom me to deftruction." The fentinel, pofted upon the tower, overheard their difcourfe, and pitied them. All at once, he defcried, at the further end of the ftreet, the foldiers coming their rounds, with drawn fwords under their cloaks. "She will be difcovered and arrested (said he, within himfelf): what a pity that fo beautiful a damfel should perifh!-Alas, Aucaffin, my prince, will alfo fuffer! The charitable fentinel would fain have warned Nicolette fully of her danger; but that the foldiers should not difcover it, he could do it no otherwife than by a fong appofite to the occafion. The fair one eafily divined the meaning of the fong; and, after breathing out an acknowledgment to the kind fentinel, he wrapped herself up in her mantua, and, favoured by the fhadow of a post, hid herfelf in an angle of the tower, fo that the foldiers paled by without obferving her. When they had got to a distance, fhe bade adieu to her lover, and approached the walls of the town, to feek a paffage for her efcape. There was the terrified, at first looking over, with the fight of a very deep ditch; but the danger that already threatened her, from the anger of the count Garins, overcame all leffer apprehenfions; fo, after commending herfelf to God, the flipped down into the moat. Her delicate hands and tender feet, not ufed to fuch encounters, were wounded in feveral places: nevertheless, her fears made her infenfible of the pain. But to have reached the bottom of the ditch was not enough: it was neceffary to climb the other brink; and here lay the difficulty. Her good fortune, however, directed her to one of thofe fharp pointed takes, that had b.en hurled by the defenders of the town upon the 3 R2 enemy enemy in the late affault. This fhe employed to dig her way, fiift advancing with one foot and then another; till at length, with much pain and labour, fhe reached the fummit. At twice the diftance of a bowfhot from the ditch, was the border of the foreft, about one and twenty leagues in extent each way, and full of ali forts of venemous and ravenous animals. Nicolette durft not enter it, through fear of being devoured. On the other hand, as the was in imminent danger of being apprehended and carried back to prifon, The ventured to conceal herfelf in a fmall thicket, which made the felvage of the wood. There, fatigued and exhaufied, he lay down and flept till the morning, when fome fhepherds 'were driving their flocks to the adjacent verdure. they accepted; not undertaking to go to the town on purpose to acquaint Aucaffin with what the defired; but they promised to do it, if they fhould fall in with him: to which fhe affented, and retired. Charmed with the hopes the had received, fhe thought of nothing from that moment but the reception the thould give her lover. For that purpose, the conftructed, near the road, a finall arbour made of green branches; with which, at the fame time, fhe was defirous of trying him. "If his love is as violent as he declares, when he fees this, it will arrest his attention." When the arbour was completed, and garnished with flowers and odoriferous herbs, the fair one ftepped afide a few paces, and fat down under a thicket, to fee what Aucaffin would do on his arrival. Whilft the animals fed on the 'He had been liberated from his borders of the foreft, the fhepherds imprifonment. The vifcount was went and fat down by a ftream that no fooner informed of the escape of winded round it. There, fpreading his ward, than he went, in order to on the earth a cleak, they put their allay any fufpicions of the count his provisions down, and began their fovereign, to inform him, that the breakfaft. Nicolette, whom the had died in the night; and Garins, noife awakened, approached them; freed, in confequence of her fuppofed and, faluting them courteoufly, in- death, from his apprehenfions, reHe quired, if they knew Aucaflin, fon ftored Aucaffin to his liberty. of Garins, the count of Beaucaire. even took it into his head, for the They answered in the affirmative; confolation of his fon, to give an but the inftant they caft their eyes entertainment to all his barons, and The court affembled was upon her, they were dazzled at her vaffals. charms, and took her for fome fairy numerous, and there abounded a that frequented the wood. She fur-variety of amufements; but Aucafther said, My friends, I defire that fin could tafte no pleasure in the abyou will go and tell him, that there is fence of his love. Plunged in the here a white-coloured doe, for which deepeft melancholy, he kept himself he would readily give five hundred apart from the company, leaning ma ks in gold, or indeed all the gold forrowfully against a pillar.. in the world, if it was in his difpotal; A knight coming up to him faid, that he is defired to come and catch"Sire, I have been fick like you, her, and that he is endowed with and of the fame malady; I am the virtue to cure him of all evils: therefore qualified to offer you my but that un. Is he cones within three advice upon the fubject. Get on days, he will never find her, and horfeback, and ride along the edge may renounce to ever all hopes of of the foreft; the finging of the cure." She then opened her purfe, birds, the frethinefs of the verdure, and gave them fome n.oney, which the beauty of the flowers, or tome7 thing |