THE Lady's Magazine; For JULY, 1779. OMRAH RESTORED. | improved, and was reckoned the most [Embellished with a curious Plate, from the Defign of a great Artift.] venerable and refpectable Imam of eve- was the caliph will conduct, will prevent, will for Omrah was acquainted with the fufpicions his father had entertained of his mother's fidelity, and dreaded the confequences with refpect to himfelf, but much more with respect to his attachments to Abuzeda. When he was ordered by his father to place himself under the care of Adullam, his prefage was realized, and the long vifto of his misfortunes was opened to the eyes of his understanding. his mother was fufpected of in-give-his prophet has affured us as fidelity to the rites of marriage. Tho' much in the Koran: he has wrote it educated in all the learning of the in the leaf of every vegetable; it glitEaft: though reckoned the most ac-ters in the brightness of every ftar; it complished youth of his age, his fa- diffufes its odours in every breath from ther's jealoufy wronged, hurt, and al- the aromatic coafts; it appears in all moft annihilated him. his works, and appears placid and mu When he arrived to the age of nine-nificent in the inanimated pebble." teen, his father Abdallah was told by his vizir that he was certain his fon would dethrone him. The yearnings of a parent counterpoifed the advice of the vizir; and Omrah ftill kept the predominance in the opinion, in the predilection of his parent. Still Abdallah was hurt by the folicitude of his vizir, who affured him he had intimations that he was refolved to dethrone him--" Dethrone me!" faid Abdallah-" the light of his life!-knew that his intercourse with AbuIt cannot be !-Dethrone me! It can- zeda must be fufpended, and he tremnot, cannot be !" bled left the artifices of Abdallah, "It may be!" replied the vizir- who was a man of an ambitious and "He folicits the fmiles of Abuzeda. enterprifing difpofition, might pave the Thou knoweft that fhe is a defcend-way to his ruin. Though reprefented ant from the race of Abulfeda, of an as an enemy to his father's repofe, he oppofite line to thine-but I need add endeavoured, by his obedience, to me. no more." rit his esteem, and remove the fcruples which Abdallah endeavoured to inftil He “Thou haft faid enough! He fhall go forthwith to my good friend Adul-into his mind, and to demonftrate lam." that they were without the least foun Adullam had imbibed the principles dation. of erudition, the feeds of which he had Xx3 After Levant gale fpringing up, he landed him on the beach, which was overlooked by the refidence of Adullam, whither he conducted Omrah, and received the greatcft marks of civility for the gener ous treatment, which Omrah had re When the English commander had taken his leave, Adullam informed Omrah, that he had received advice of all that had paffed at the court of his father, concluding that trials ferve to render thofe virtues confpicuous, which would otherwife lay dormant in the gloom of oblivion. He rather reprobated the engagement he had formed with Abuzeda, but remarked that though time might not eraze her image from his heart, it might ferve to soften that of his father, and reconcile him to his connections with her; as for the fufpicions he had of his mother's infidelity, he knew that they would vanish like the morning dew, and endear her the more to his affection. After a tender, an affectionate interview with Abuzeda, wherein they mutually interchanged the vows of unfhaken conftancy, he fet fail towards Adullam; but in his paffage met with a Spanish xebeck, which, after an engagement of three glaffes, took the vef-ceived from him. fel on board of which he was embarked. The treatment which he received from thefe baptized infidels, ferved to convince him of the divinity of the Koran, and his recognizing the laws of the prophet cheered his mind amidst the horrors of flavery, and the tortures of cruelty. His eyes ftreaming with a briny deluge, he fighed a prayer for his deliverance, for his dear Abuzeda, for the removal of the clouds which obfcured the mind of his father, and for the vindication of the character of his mother. While he was engaged in this effufion of piety, a fail appeared at a distance, bearing down upon the Spaniard, which appeared to be an English frigate, that nation was at that time at war with Spain. The fhip on board of which he was a captive, prepared to give the English a warm reception, determined either to fink or to conquer. After a terrible conflit, hoth fhips were fo much damaged in their mafts and rigging, that they hawled off to repair, and then returned again to the engagement: by fome accident a fpark falling into the powderroom, the cabin of the Spanish fhip blew up, and Omrah, who was at the other end of the veffel, caft himfelt into the fea to avoid his impending dan ger. The English keing him ftrug gling with the waves, put out their boat to fave him and the rest of the Spanish crew; for though that nation are in battle like lions, yet in the exercife of the focial duties, they do honour to humanity. When the English had breathed from the fatigue of the engagement, the commander enquired into the quality of the perfons whom he had faved from the wreck, and being informed of the rank and nation of Omrah, paid him every attention, that could render his misfortunes fupportable. A Omrah liftened to his difcourfe with the profound eft filence, and affured him,that his dictates fhould be the ftar to guide his little bark through the tempeftuous ocean of human life, and implicit obedience should render him worthy of his attentions. Omrah continu, ed with Adullam for three years, during which his improvements kept pace with the inftructions of his venerable tutor. At the expiration of this pace, a meffenger arrived from the caliph, who informed them, that the vizir had formed a defign of dethron. ing him, and to render his plot fuccefsful, had applied to Abuzeda, offering his affiftance to restore her to the dignity of her ancestors, providing the would give her hand to his fon in marriage. Abuzeda thinking this a proper crifis to acelerate her union with Omrah, and remove the objections which Abdallah had to the alliance, pretended to accede to the propofals of the vizir, defiring only till the next day to give a more ample confent, and to concert fuch measures as might render their project fuccefsful. The vizir returned home highly pleafed Omrah restored. with the reception he had met with from Abuzeda, and held a long conference with his fon on his approaching greatnefs, and in planning fuch measures as must crown his endeavours with fuccefs. In the meanwhile Abuzeda went to the palace, and applied to the chief eunuch to introduce her to the caliph, to impart to him an affair of the greateft importance; the caliph alarmed at a meffage of this nature from a perfon, whom he looked upon as his natural enemy, ordered her to be admitted into a private room; and defiring her to feat herself on the fofa near him, requested her to inform him of the caufe of her addrefs. On this the communicated to him the application, that had been made to her by the vizir. The news aftonished the caliph, as he had always efteemed him a perfon of the moft untainted honour, and the most unfhaken fidelity: he defired Abuzeda to fulfil her promife of meeting him the next day, and proposed to attend in perfon in fome contiguous apartment to be a witness to his treachery. 341 the caliph," that he acknowledged the juftice of his fentence, as the whole time of his miniftry abounded in fraud and perfidy; that he fuggefted, falfely fuggefted, reports of the inconftancy of his wife, and the treafon of his fon; for which he begged pardon of him. and the prophet, and fhould after this confeffion meet his fate with compofure." As When Omrah and Adullam had heard this alarming narrative, the former was eager to obey the invitation, which his father had fent him, to return but expreffing fome uneafinefs at parting with the venerable Imam, Adullam agreed to accompany him. They embarked on board the fame veffel together, and had for fome time a pleafant voyage, during which they amufed themfelves in difcourfing on the viciffitude of human affairs, on the anxiety of greatness, and the uncertainty of human happiness. they drew near to their intended shore, a prodigious ftorm arofe, which difmafted the fhip, and notwithstanding the utmost care of the mariners, drove it on a rock, and funk it. -- Omrah The next day the feveral parties and Adullam got to fhore on part of met according to their affignation; a maft, and had not walked many the caliph in the contiguous apart-paces before they defcried Abuzeda ment, and the vizier and Abuzeda and the caliph walking together. by themselves. When they were Enraptured with the fight, they feated, Abuzeda faid, "that as the fprung forwards, proftrated themattempt was great, fhe fhould be glad felves on the ground, and were gracito know what plan the vizier had oufly raised by the caliph, who conformed to make it fuccefsful." With- ducted them to his palace, ordered out the least hesitation, he replied, them dry clothes and refreshments, "his project was to corrupt the and after some respite rejoined them. eunuchs, and affaffinate the caliph When they were feated, the caliph inwhen afleep."-Abdullah fhuddered formed Omrah," that he was not on hearing fuch an horrible project, ignorant of his attachment for Abuand no longer able to contain himself, zeda, and as fhe was the preferver of rufhed into the room with his drawn his own life, he could not think her unfabre, feized on the vizier, and comworthy of being his daughter." In a mitted him to the cuftody of the few days the marriage was celebrated eunuch, who attended him, telling with the greateft fplendor; and the cahim," that the next day he fhould liph refigned his throne to his fon, who pay for his treachery by a public took for his motto the following fendeath." tence from the writings of AbulfedaThe interval between his condem-" After a fhower the fun appears nation and execution the vizier spent brighter." in the deepest penitence, and informed R |