black in the face, was convullive all over, and had refpiration fo impeded by it, that he was fhort-breathed as long as he lived, and had a fixed pain under his right breaft for feveral years. It was remarkable, that after a little time, when he grew tired with laughing in carneft, he ftill continued a noife like laughing, when his face grew livid, without a due confent of the mufcles, and it became the Rijus Sardonicus. "Another fine child grew ill, from being provoked to laugh inordinately in the fame manner, and dwindled and wafted away to fkin and bones in lefs than a year." I cannot refrain adding here what the above-named fagacious anatomitt obferves in another part of his book; he there tells us that it is common to fee laughter, when it is vehement, produce a flow of tears. "Tears alfo, (fays he) are often forced from their recefs by nature, to exprefs an overflowing joy. When the joy is received too fuddenly, it amounts to a fhock, whereby the blood is driven at the firft onfet with greater violence to the extremities, and in a greater quantity than can be time enough brought back to the heart; whenee it remains too long contracted before the vena cava can fupply blood enough to force the auricles and ventricles open again, whilft, in the mean time, the head is loaded with too great a quantity, and the perfon in danger. of an apoplexy, or fudden death. In fuch a furprize as this mentioned, tears have another noble ufe, for by flowing plentifully, the lives of many have been faved, for they leffen the bulk of humours, and gain time for the more happy return of the mafs to its natural circulation. Thus, in ve A convulfion, like to laughter, faid to be produced by a plant in Sardinia. Others afcribe to it another origin, and fay that the Sardinians ufed to facrifice their prisoners to Saturn, and that they laughed to fhew their fortitude at t! eir deaths. It is reported alfo, that the Sardinians laugh when they intend milchief to others. hement grief too, fhedding of tears in plenty is known to ease the anxiety ufually attending it." The Dr. then fays he cannot omit Andrew Marvel's beautiful and pathetic lines on the other uses of tears, in which he has fhewn, in the muft expreffive language, that tears are a bleffing peculiar to human nature. How wifely nature did decree I have thro' ev'ry garden been, I beg leave to observe, that though Dr. Parfons has spoken in favour of chearfulnefs, he has faid little in favour of laughing, except only the benefit which it accidentally produces by tears. But may it not be quef-. tioned whether if any hypochondriac grown perfon can be tickled, (as I verily believe he or the may) without danger, the convulfion or agitation of the body and mufctes may not operate to fome falutiferous purpose, and even if they, as the Doctor admits, produce tears. 1 am Sir, Your conftant reader, J-H MILITARY DISTRESS; My fon would have endeavoured to in to what he had to fay. Daminville related, with all the fire of a lover, the detail of his paffion, its beginning, its progrefs: he drew a most amiable portrait of Felicia; there is no woman in the world who unites fo many attras with fo many good qualities; he took care to expatiate upon the advantage of her extraction. "What imports all this?" interrupted his father as he was difplaying all thefe miracles.-" Perfons of your age, I know, are dupes to thefe fol lies-Has the any money?" He remained filent for fome timethen beginning to speak-" Sir," faid be," I affare you that he is the moft "I amiable, the moft refpectable, the best defcended, the most adorable—” "I ask you whether he has any fortune?-anfwer me." Daminville was forced to confefs that Felicia had no money. "Alas!" added he," that is the only thing the wants, and-that is nothing he has many things to compenfate for the want of it; virtue, beauty, nobility, are true riches." Daminville proftrated himself again at his knees, and bathed them with Dear, dearest father, if you are refolved that Felicia fhall not bear the name of your daughter, you have already paffed the fentence of death upon me--I will own it, I cannot survive so severe a refusal. All my happiness depends on my marriage with Mr. Villemont's niece-Condefcend to enquire-condescend to fee her-You will adopt my fentimentsit will be impoflible' دو "It is very poffible for me to put a top to this criminal folly. Hear me; thy mother had but a flender fortune, and I have taken precautions to prevent you from enjoying it, if you do not fubmit to my wishes. Do not oblige me to difinherit you. My nephew fhall take place of my fon, whom I fhall foon forget: this young fellow merits a paternal tenderness: his heart is entirely at my difpofal; he knows nothing but the means of growing rich; it is his only ftudy, his predominant paffion; he will acquire a confiderable fortune, while you spend an heritage.. No, I fhall not die with that fear; you shall be my fecond felf, you fhall be my fon, or, I repeat it, I will difinherit, and give you my-take care that you do not meet with it." "A meer nothing!-a meer nothing!" murmured the old man. Daminville, with tears in his eyes, "Unworthy fon! do you fet fo little mentioned the name of Felicia-"Let value upon wealth? and where have you me not hear that odious name any learnt that manner of thinking?-I more. To take a liking to a girl that thought, when educated under my has nothing, and carry your extravaroof, and furrounded with fo many gance fo far as to be defirous of magood examples, you would have guard-king her your wife! Begone! I caned against fuch romantic ideas! What, not reftrain my anger any longer!have I amaffed fo much money for you Virtue-charms-birth! a fine dowry to lavish it upon a wife, who has not got a farthing?- Won't you double your fortune? What fignify thofe fine words virtue, beauty, and birth ?-Are you fo great a blockhead as to fuffer yourself to be feduced by them? Get away- you are no fon of mine! indeed!" Monforin was unable to fay any more, his paflion fo far got the better of him. He repeated the last words, always more agitated and more full of indignation. Daminville was obliged to leave him. Th's This unhappy youth, engroffed by all the exceffes of defpair, ran to M. de Villemont, and afked to speak with him. Felicia's uncle came to him, and was surprised at the condition in which he faw him.--" I beg, Sir, to fpeak with you on a fubject, which to me is, of all others, the most interesting. At prefent you are the only perfon who can decide my fate-will you, likewife, have no pity on me?" Daminville rélated, with all the openness of honefty, the converfation he had just had, and the little fruit he had reaped from it he difguifed no circumftance: in a word, he showed all the obduracy of his father, but hoped, notwithstanding, to bend his inexorable heart in the end. M. de Villemont interrupted him, "What do you defire of me?-What fervice can I do you?" "What fervice, Sir !" faid Daminville; "the greateft in the world: let me only have a fight of Felicia." "A fight of her, when you must renounce her!" "Alas! Sir," replied Dainiaville, "I defire only one look from her, and that fhall be in your prefence. Would you deprive me of my life?" « Time!” faid the uncle, "you are a ftranger to mankind. It is not at the age of M. Monforin that men be come fenfible; avarice never corrects itself; it ferves only to increase-" "Sir, do not prevent an unfortu nate girl from giving herself entirely to the only state the has to choose; let her fly from a world which ought not to give her the least regret. What is life? Is it not a happiness to learn how to quit it?" Mons. de Villemont remained unfhaken. The importunities, the tears, the groans of the youth could not procure him the permiffion of feeing Felicia: he would never defire to fee her, he faid, but that once. The uncle had fcarcely returned, when he went to feek for his niece, led her to her apartment, and informed her that he had a good many things to fay to her. Felicia imagined fhe forefaw the drift of his difcourfe: a heart that is in love is ingenious in difcovering what concerns its paffion. Villemont informed her that he had juft feen Daminville; that his father was averfe to the marriage which his fon fo ardently wifhed for. He added, "Felicia, I do not imagine f have given you any reason to flight my advice, for I rather acted as a friend than a relation, when I hitherto pointed out the way which every motive obliges you to purfue. You understand me; there is no hopes of mar◄ rying Daminville, and-you fhed tears; your fenfibility" "You affect me, Sir. I would try every means to fweeten it; but honour forbids me to give way to the leaft degree of compaffion. I have forefeen it; it is ufelefs to hope; your father will not change; you ought then to renounce my niece for ever: instead of defiring to fee her, you ought, in one word, to avoid every thing that can recal her to your mind. Why fhould you cherishing a paffion that is traverfed with insurmountable obftacles. Sir. I make no doubt that I am speaking to a man of honour; you have behaved in a noble manner; you would not have Felicia to be unworthy of us, and even of yourfelf; as a facred ceremony cannot unite either of you, your honefty fhould dictate to you what course you ought to take yes, Sir, I know what the would declare." "But, Sir," refumed Daminville, "what reafon have you to imagine my father will be inflexible? Time-" "Dear uncle." replied Felicia, caftherself at M. de Villemont's feet, "I fhould look upon myself. if I should conceal from you any lon ger what is the ftate of my heart. Indeed you are my friend, you have given the most brilliant figns of it, and it is to my friend that I open a heart agitated to the highest degree. Was I doomed to fee Daminville ?--He has excited a perturbation, which never can grow calin." "Felicia," faid her uncle, " are you in love? Oh! unhappy girl! you have loft your peace, that wife indif. ference-dread left virtue-" "Dear Military Difirefs. "Dear uncle," faid fhe, interrupting him," I can answer for my attachment to my duty and honour: you will have no caufe to repent your kindnefs give orders-open the convent for me-I will go and chain myself by ties-far different from thofe, I will confefs, I hoped. I find that I am a prey to a penchant which is but too fatal. I fhall carry to the cloifter, to the feet of the altar, the deep impreffions that have decided the unhappinels of my life." 66 129 and inflexible to others; profufe of his prayers, and penurious of good actions, afferting that there were perfons in diftrefs who deferved not relief, because it was inverting the laws of providence, who certainly punished them, and whom we appeared to rob of his victims; add to this, in his opinion, having nothing to reproach himfelf for, fpeaking always of the wrath of God, but never of his mercy. Such was the character of Darnicourt, who nevertheless was eager to get acquaint A perfon of a piety diametrically oppofite, frequented the houfe of Daminville's father with another view.Beranger, that was his name, was perfectly acquainted with Monforin's in "Ah, Felicia," interrupted Ville-ed with Monforin, with a view of parmont, "I suffer fo much the more, as ticipating his benevolence. I have been guilty of an unpardonable fault. From hence you may difcern the tendency of weak parents, who are not fufficiently apprized of the danger refulting from a trivial complaifance. We ought not have admitted Damin-humanity, and he flattered himself that ville; on his firft vifit it was my duty to infift on an explanation. I am the author of your chagrin. It is your uncle who has dug the pit, from whence it may be impoffible to drag you out. My 1 dear friend, I am the moft miferable man in the world." M. de Villemont and his niece embraced each other, and mingled their tears together. He finished his interview with exhorting her to make ufe of all her power to conquer herfelf, and destroy every idea which might have no other effect than that of rendering her always unhappy. What was the fituation of the most impaffionate and most virtuous lover! He never ceafed importuning his father with fruitlefs folicitations. fell ill, faw himfelf at death's door, and had nothing to restore him to reason. He by explaining to him the true principles of a religion of benevolence, he might lead him to that fensibility which is the effence of true Chriftianity. It was not with a felf-intereited view that he endeavoured to inculcate that generous fentiment; it was for the fake of the diftreffed and the poor, whom he relieved privately. This refpectable perfon fet no bounds to the divine clemency; he never defpaired of thofe who went aftray; he reprefented the Deity as a father whofe yearning bofom was always open to repentance. An amiable chearfulness fhone in his face: when he had no alms to diftribute to thofe in milery, he was at least profufe of his pains, his tears, his confolations, to the utmoft limits of the moll extenfive and moft charitable compaffion. Monforin acquainted them of the fituation of his fon, a prey to a foolish paffion, which fhould never gain his paternal confent. Darnicourt highly approved of his refolution, thundered against thofe indiferect emotions of the heart, which cannot be malered by reafon or religion, devoted, without fcruple, thole children who dared to indulge any fentiment without the ex Two perfons of oppofite difpofitions frequently vifited M. Monforin. The former of which was one of thofe gloomy, melancholy devotees, who profcribe mildnefs and indulgence, and thew virtue in the most forbidding light. Darnicourt dwelt on nothing Lut the threatening thunderbolts of an avenging deity; he oppofed, moth renuolly, all degrees of mercy, which he reprefented as a weaknefs; he thun-prefs command of their parents, and dered out anathema, against the least deviation. Complaifant to himf, VOL. X. added fuel to M. Martin's refentmelt. Beyanger made ute of a dif The two difputants were allowed to vifit the patient, and spare no arguments. Darnicourt preferved his favage and imperious character: his difagreeable lectures produced that effect which might be expected from them : they fhocked and confirmed Daminville. Beranger adopted a more infinuating mode: he at firft liftened with attention to Monforin's fon, who concealed nothing of the violence of his paffion from him. The able counsellor appeared affected with the chagrin which the young man experienced; he entered into details, developed with great address the fatal confequences of thofe attachments which are entered into without a parent's knowledge.— "It feems, Sir," added he, "that ferent language; he pitied the young man, made him appear more indifcreet than criminal, reprefented youth as neceffarily given to the feduction of the paffions, if paternal authority, or rather tenderness, did not lead him mildly back again." How!" cried Darnicourt, "would you have the gentleman diveft himself of the authority which he has received from heaven, to treat his fon as if he were his equal." "Certainly, Sir, and it is by means of that fpirit of equality that we are more likely to bring men to the end we have in view. The gentleman is for deftroying a penchant, which is irreconcileable to his mode of thinking. He ought to be his fon's friend, and act accordingly; let him infinuate himfelf gradually into his heart, in-heaven takes their parts to embitter ftead of tearing it to pieces; let him produce, with mildnefs, all thofe arguments which oppose that inclination in its birth; let him fhed tears, and then the young man will yield to fuch arms. Fathers are not tyrants; they are the fupports defigned by the Deity to fuccour our weakness." "Religion-" "It is religion from whence I fetched my arguments, Sir. Believe me, fhe is in friendship with nature, and nature commands us to be friends to our children. Daminville refembles a blind man, who ought to be gently treated, and not to be injured by acrimony." thofe marriages which are difapproved by our parents. Make your utmost efforts to conquer a paffion, which will be followed by the moft diftressful events. You have virtue, and a gentle and amiable character; you know your duty; and fhall all thefe advantages turn out against you? Sacrifice yourself to the wifhes of your father; forget an object-" "Forget her! O Sir, what do you demand of me!--Let my father require me to facrifice my life; it is a gift which I owe him; I am ready to reftore it to him; but to ceafe loving Felicia, to efface a fingle trait of her image, of that image which fills my Darnicourt interrupted Beranger to foul, that effort is not in my power. accufe him of a criminal effeminacy. My father would not have me mar The other was fatisfied with replying, ry her; be it fo, Sir; I fhall die "If I fhould be tutor to the gentleman's without having her, and fhall dedifon, I know what ton I ought to take, cate my laft fighs in adoring her. and how I ought to conduct myself. Sir," continued the youth, bursting Surely I fhall not be underflood as ri- into tears, "were you acquainted with fing up against the father to cherish the her. She is honesty and virtue itself. errors of his fon; but it is my duty to I imagined that my father was rich econvince M. Monforin of my fincerity,nough to permit this union. Does and I fhould be wanting in my duty to humanity itself, if I were to fpeak otherwife. Give me leave to add, it feldom happens that mafters are not difagreeable to mankind, they look out for friends, for equals, and it is only in the power of fuch to advise and perfuade" fortune make us happy?-Can my father be fo-Alas! he is the author of all my diftreffes!" Beranger did not omit reprefenting to Daminville what a multitude of dif appointments and even tortures he was going to abandon himself to; he joined to the strongeft exhortations all the |