from the labours of the field, stopped to observe' me, and perceiving that I was weary and dejected, inquired into my situation.

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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 perform'ed to'wards a stränger 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 reşüme' their task of spinning cotton; in which they continued to employ themselves great part of the night.

12. 66 They lightened their labour by songs, one of which was composed ex-těm'po-rē; for I was my-self' the subject of it. It was sung by one of the young women, the rest joining in a sort of chorus. The ai. was sweet and plaintive, and the words, literally translated, were these.

The poor

13. The winds roared, and the rains fell. 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 pathetick sentiments, have been very beautifully versified and expanded, by the Dutch'ess of Dev'on-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 prepare.

2. The storm is o'er, the tempest păst,

And nĕrcy's voice has hush'd the blǎst;

66

The wind is heard in whispers low;
The white man far away must go;
But 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 pray'r,
Remembrance of the negro's care.]

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

SECTION XVI.

Căth-a-ri'nă, empress of Rus'sia.

1. CATH-A-RI'NA A-LEX-OW'NA, born near Der'păt, a lit city in Li-vó'ni-ă, was heir to no other inheritance than t virtues and frugality of her parents. Her father being de she lived with her aged mother, in their cottage, cover with straw; and both, though very poor, were very content

2. Here, retired from the gaze of the world, by the labo of her hands she supported her parent, who was now in pable of supporting herself. While Cath-a-ri'nă spun, old woman would sit by, and read some book of devoti When the fatigues of the day were over, both would sit do contentedly by their fire-side, and enjoy their frugal mea

3. Though Căth-a-ri'na's face and person were mòd'ěls perfec'tión, yet her whole attention seemed bestowed up her mind. Her mother taught her to read, and an old 1 ther-ǎn minister instructed her in the maxims and duties religion. Na'ture† had furnished her not only with a rea but a solid turn of thought; not only with a strong, bu right understanding.

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

5. Căth-a-ri'nă was fifteen years old when her mot

Lū'ther-ǎn minister, by whom she had been instructed from her childhood. In this house she resided, in quâlity of governess to his children; at once reconciling in her character unerring prudence with surprising vi-văc'i-ty.

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 Li-vō'ni-a 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 Căth-a-ri'nă, though possess'ed 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 Măr'i-en-burgh, 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 through a region miserable by nature, but rendered still more hideous by the Swedes and Rus'sians, who, as each happened to become masters, plundered it at discretion: but hunger had taught her to despişe' 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 Swe'dish soldiers.* They might probably have carried their insults into violence, had not a sub'altern officer, accidentally păs'sing by, come in to her assistance.

10. Upon his appearing, the sōl'diers immediately desisted; but her thankfulness was hardly greater than her surprise, when she instantly recollected, in her deliverer, the son of the Luther-an minister, her former instructer, benefactor, and frierd. This was a happy interview for Căth-a-ri'nă.

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 entertain.. ed her in their houses: her generous countryman, there'fore, 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 Măr'i-en-bùrgh.

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Introduction, &c

[Part 1.

SECTION XVII.

The same subject continued.

1. THE beautiful stranger was well received at Măr'i-enburgh. 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 vir'tue,* 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 deliverer only, though he had lost an arm, and was otherwise disfigured by wôûnds, received in the service.

3. In order, there'fore, 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 Rus'sians laid siege to Mari-en-burgh. The unhappy soldier was immediately ordered to an attack, from which he never returned.

5. In the mean time, the siege went on with fury, aggravated on one side by obstinacy, on the other by revenge.. The war between the two northern powers at that time was truly barbarous; the innocent peasant and the harmless vir'often shared the fate of the sōl'dier in arms.

gin,

6. Măr'i-en-burgh was taken by assault; and such was the fury of the assailants, that not only the garrison, but almost all the inhabitants, men, women, and children, were put to the sword.

7. At length, when the carnage was pretty well over, Căth-a-rină was found hid in an oven. She had hitherto been poor, but free. She was now to conform to her hard fate, and learn what it was to be a slave. In this situation, however, she behaved with piety and humility; and though misfortunes had abated her vivacity, yet she was cheer'ful.

8. The fame of her merit and res-ig-na'tión,‡ reached even prince Men'zi-koff, the Rus'sian general. He desired to see her; was pleased with her appearance; bought her from the soldier, her master; and placed her under the dice:'ishū. tăk'ishū-ā-ted ‡ rès-xìg-nā'shún.

rec'tion of his own sister. Here she was treated with all the respect which her merit deserved, while her beauty every day improved with her good fortune.

9. She had not been long in this situation when Pe'tér the Great, paying the prince a visit, Căth-a-ri'nă happened to come in with some dried fruits, which she served round with peculiar modesty. The mighty monarch saw her, and was struck with her beauty.

10. He returned the next day; called for the beautiful slave; ǎsk'ed her several questions; and found the charms of her mind superiour even to those of her person. He had been forced when young, to marry from motives of interest; he was now resolved to marry pursuant to his own inclinations. He immediately inquired into the history of the fair Li-vō'ni-ăn, who was not yet eighteen.

11. He traced her through the vale of obscurity; through the vicissitudes of her fortune; and found her truly great in them all. The meanness of her birth* was no obstruction to his design. The nuptials were solemnized in private; the prince declaring to his court'iers,† that virtue was the properest ladder to a throne.

12. We now see Căth-a-ri'nă, raised from the low, mudwalled cottage, to be empress of the greatest kingdom upon earth. The poor solitary wânderer is now surrounded by thousands, who find happiness in her smile. She, who formerly wanted a meal, is now capable of diffusing plenty upon whole nations. To her good fortune she owed a part of this pre-eminence, but to her virtues more.

18. She ever after retained those great qualities, which first placed her on a throne; and while the extraordinary prince, her huş'bánd, laboured for the reformation of his male subjects, she studied, in her turn, the improvement of her own sex. She altered their dresses; introduced mixed assemblies; instituted an order of female knighthood; promoted piety and vir'tue; and, at length, when she had greatly filled all the stations of empress, friend, wife, and mother, bravely died without regret,-regretted by all.

*běrth.

+ kārte'yŭrs.

GOLD'SMITH.