rifing from beneath the hill. At the tage."--On faying this the fage ap: firft fight of the charming Selima, theproached the fhepherd, and Selima reexpecting Selim was confufed and de-paired to their habitation, to wait the lighted. He was now confirmed in return of her father. his opinion that fhe was lovely indeed, and imagined he saw before his ravished eyes the holy prophet, attended by one of the fair maidens of Paradise. Selim, who faw Omar coming towards him, advanced and met him, addreffed him with an heart-felt joy, and having congratulated each other on their happy meeting, the fage defired the young man to accompany him home, which requeft he readily com heart replete with pleasure, followed the father of Selima to the door of the cot. But no fooner did he enter, than the fair Selima was fuddenly ftruck with his appearance. She waved her hand towards a rural bench, on which the happy Selim feated himself; but the young maiden felt unusual tumults in her tender heart, and never before was fo embarraffed: though it may the blooming Selima, who had been educated by fo careful and cautious a parent, fhould be fo fuddenly agitated at the first fight of this young fhep minds, where every kindred virtue reigns, where foft fenfibility prefides, thefe, added to the approbation of an affectionate parent, and the timidity The fage Omar faw the fhepherd, and turning to his daughter, thus exclaimed- Behold, my Selima, that young fhepherd who is ftanding yon-plied with, and with willing steps, and der. He is worthy the admiration and imitation of every virtuous mind. His father was a very rich merchant in the city of Bagdat, and, while alive was Áriving continually to paint forth religion and piety in the moft expreffive colours to the youthful mind of Selim, who was his only child: but the angel of death fnatched this worthy parent from his beloved fon, who was just growing to a state of man-feem ftrange for fome to imagine that hood. Then was his virtuous education put to a trial, for, on the decease of this affectionate friend, Selim found himfelf in poffeffion of immenfe wealth. Thus fituated, vaft numbers of pre-herd;-but when we confider that tended friends, of every rank and ftation, prefented themfelves before him, and each ftrove to entice his youthful mind to every pleasure and vice; but Selim was deaf to their entreaties.—and love which beamed from the eyes The wife admonitions of his departed of the youth, were too much for the parent returned with redoubled force delicate Selima to behold with infento his imagination. He rejected all fibility; but the was forced to love in their proposals with that fteadiness, return; and when Selim rofe to dewhich is rarely to be met with in part, her expreffive eyes followed him youth: but fearing that his refolution till quite out of fight. At his deparmight be fhaken by remaining in the ture, her father gave him an invitation gay and voluptuous city, he was re- to vifit them often; for the tender folved to retire, with a few domeitics, anxiety of this young pair could not to a neat habitation left him by his fa- remain unperceived by the penetrating ther, there to spend his time in the eyes of Omar, who beheld their ripeaceful pleafures of a country-life.fing affection with a fecret fatisfaction. He foon fettled all his affairs in the It may eafily be imagined that the city, and then repaired to his rural a-young fhepherd made great advantage bode, where he paffes his youthful of the invitation given him by the fage. days in a manner very different from In confequence of which he became a any of his late companions, in reading very frequent vifitor at the cottage, and obferving thofe laws, recorded by where the youthful pair had many opour holy prophet. Thus, my daugh-portunities of feeing and converfing ter, I believe this young fhepherd to be with each other. worthy of our regard. I will ascend the hill, and invite him to our cot After a short space of time, Selim took courage to pour forth his paffion Selim and Selima. An Oriental Tale: perfuafive accents, begged her permiffion to folicit the confent of her father. She received his declaration with becoming modefty, and having minutely confidered the fituation of her heart, fhe gave him the wifhed-for permiffion to addrefs her father, which he quick1 ly did, and received the following anfwer 627 to the amiable Selima, and in the moft | they came up to her, and not regarding her cries and tears, put her into a caravan, to convey her to Bagdat, where they were going. As their views were mercenary, they were determined to fell her at an high rate. As fhe was young and handfome, they had an opportunity offered on their arrival in the city, and they fold her to a rich merchant at a very high price, who carried her directly to the Caliph Haroun Alrafchid, who prefenting her to his favourite queen Zobiede, fhe and her ladies did all in their power to endeavour to confole the fair stranger. "My fon, I have long admired your virtues; I have been witnefs to your excellent conduct, and to your temptations from vicious companions, which you have rejected with that fteadiness, which gave rife to my affection for you. Take my Selima, my much-loved, dutiful child: you only are worthy of her but remember that it is on account of your virtues that I give her to you, for I regard not riches; therefore continue to be virtuous, and may our holy prophet reward you and my Selima." Selim was quite delighted with this anfwer, and the pleafing news was quickly communicated to the virtuous maid, who received it with modefty, and their marriage was agreed on.But this happy pair had not yet experienced any of the various viciffitudes of cruel fortunc, which every person must one day feel. The time was now approaching which was to render them the happieft of mortals, when, behold they were fuddenly made the most miserable! A few days before the intended nuptials, fome bufiuefs of confequence fummoned Omar and Selim to the city of Bagdat. The lovely Selima was to remain at the cottage, and wait their return. They took leave of each other rather ominoufly, promifing to meet again in the evening.They had been gone fome time, when Selima, who was unufed to be long alone, had an inclination to walk to amufe herself, and the time paffing away, fhe found fhe had proceeded much farther than fhe intended, and was going to return, when a banditti of Arabian robbers, who came from the defart, chanced to espy her alone. Determined to fecure fo fair a prize, The fage and his elected fon were as expeditious as poffible with their bufinefs, and returned much earlier than they expected, hoping to fee their dear Selima ready to receive them with her ufual pleafure; but were quite difappointed at not meeting with her at the door. They went in, when imagine their furprize, not to find her any where!-Selim ran to her favourite bower, but fhe was not there!They then fearched every avenue round the cottage, but all to no purpofe, till the unfortunate youth was ready to expire with grief: nor was the fage Omar in a better condition. The night paffed away in filent forrow, and early the next morning the haplefs fhepherd made fearch and inquiries in every part, but without fuccefs. Another day and night paffed in the fame manner, when they could contain themselves no longer, but both refolved to go to the city, and try if they could not hear fomething of the beauteous maid. Accordingly, with heavy hearts, they both arrived at Bagdat, and made many enquiries amongst all their friends, but to no purpofe, and spent the whole day without being able to gain any intelligence. As they were walking through the city in the evening, deploring their misfortunes, they were fuddenly accofted by a merchant, who had walked fome time behind them. He informed them that he found, by their difcourfe, that they were in troub and politely offered his affifter them, begging they would favour him with their company that evening, and immediately difmiffed the two flaves which attended him, to make the neceffary preparations for the reception of his guefts, who, notwithstanding their affliction, could not refufe the request of their new friends. They foon arrived at a gate, which was direaly opened by the merchant's two flaves, and they were conducted thro' feveral handfome rooms to a noble hall, which was grandly illuminated, where there was an elegant entertainment prepared; and though neither of them were inclined to partake of any refreshment, yet they were obliged to comply with the request of the merchant, by eating a fmall quantity. (To be concluded in the Supplement.) The tragical Story of LUDOVISIO CA- to amiable as Olympia, her younger fifter. This capricious preference was evident even in their infancy. Victo ria enjoyed all the careffes of her fa ther, nor could her fitter obtain the fmalleft token of his tenderness or affection. Her mother's love, indeed, made her fome amends for this indifference; but death having deprived her of this confolation, she was expofed to numberlefs contradictions, and fuffered continual ill-treatment. Victoria's beauty, and the fortune which the might expect from the wealth and par, tiality of her father, foon drew about her a great number of fuitors; and Carantani, that he might marry his favourite with the greater advantages, was determined to facrifice to be intereft the happiness of Olympia, whom he, accordingly, put into a convent, and caused a report to be spread that fhe had refolved upon a religious life. This report gained credit; the num ber of Victoria's lovers increased, among whom were gentlemen of the best families in the country. THERE is no fpecies of domeftich. The father already congratulated preffive as that which unreafonable parents frequently exercife over their children in p cuties, by forcing them into a ftate of life to which they have no call, not the leaft inclination. If children ought ever to be left to their own free choice, it is certainly when the fhutting them up for life in a convent or monaftery is under confideration; for God requires the confecration of the heart, and to him that oblation alone which is pure and voluntary is an acceptable facrifice. : As he had always treated the amiable Olympia with feverity, he was perfuaded that she would be foothed by the tranquility of a convent, and think herfelf happy to have efcaped the rudenefs and neglect which the suffered at home. Nor was he altogether mil taken for at the folicitation of feveral of her relations, who were devotees, and had been gained over by her father, fhe confented to take the habit of a novice or probationer in the monaftery of San Martino. But there is a time of life when nature speaks a language very different from that of monaftic devotion. Olympia, though young, lively, and of a complexion na turally amorous, was on the point of Ludovifio Carantani, a native of becoming the victim of her father's Varefa, a city of the Milanefe, had ambition, and her own inexperience; only two daughters by a wife who had on the very day, however, of the cere brought him a confiderable fortune; mony, fhe faw amongst the company, af but that parental affection which ought fembled, as ufual, on thofe occafions, an to have been divided between them, amiable cavalier, who had made a deep was confined to the eldest, whofe name impreffion on her heart. Immediatewas Victoria, though fhe was not nearly the thoughts of a convent became The following story affords a ftriking example of the fatal confequences of fuch compulfion, and is too well attefted to admit any doubt with regard to the truth of it. Tragical Story of Ludovifio Carantani. intolerable; and fhe reflected with horror upon the facrifice which he was just about to make, of all the advantages which he might promife herfelf in this world. 629 frious, Carantani was so much enraged, that the next time he vifited Olympia, he told her, in a tranfport of fury, that if fhe did not take the veil as foon as her noviciate expired, he would put her to death with his own hand. ter, calmly, "it fhall not be by your hand. I have often represented to you my averfion to a monastic life, yet you command me to facrifice myself to the fortune of my fitter, and to that exceffive fondness which you have always fhewn for her; and if it be impoffible for me to prevail on you to retract this command, you shall be obeyed, fince my obedience will spare you the crime which you threaten to commit against me; but you and my fifter will facrifice which you oblige me to make you" adding, that he might, whenever he thought proper, order the neceffary preparations for her ceremony. She then withdrew. The nuns, and her devout relations, who foon perceived the change, endea-" If I die," faid his amiable daughvoured, in vain, to bring her back to her first refolution. All the anfwer they received from her was, that her circumstances being equal to thofe of her fitter, fhe had no inclination to facrifice herself to her ambition, or to the partiality of her father; that her design was to marry, and that the intreated them to prevail upon her father to give her to a young cavalier of a very good family, by whom the knew fhe was beloved. It is eafy to imagine the aftonifh-have perpetual caufe to regret the cruel ment of Carentani, when he was acquainted with a refolution which quite fruftrated the fcheme he had formed for raifing the fortune of his Victoria, his dear Victoria. He earnestly intreated the nuns and his kinswomen to Carantani, who, probably, did not redouble their endeavours to make O-know to what lengths defpair might lympia alter her determination. But thofe endeavours only inflamed her paffion, and increased her difguft for a monaftic life; nor did the conceal her fentiments even from her father, who came frequently to fee her, in order to discover the effect of the remonftrances of his friends; to these he added his own; but perceiving that this expedient did not fucceed, he had recourfe to menaces, and affured her that if the did not refolve upon a religious life, he would take her home again, where fhe might expect to be the most wretched of women. Olympia, who knew her father's unkindness by a long and cruel experience, did not doubt but he would keep his word. Yet fhe endeavoured to mollify him by the most tender and pathetic expoftulations; but neither arguments, intreaties, nor tears made the leaft impreffion on his heart. As Victoria's match was, by this change in Olympia's refolution, in danger of being broken off, her lover growing cold and indifferent, in proportion as her fortune became preca carry a young maid, when love has once feized on her heart, pleased himfelf with the thoughts of having made her change her refolution. He went, therefore, with an air of triumph, to carry the news to his dear Victoria and her lover, who were then together. They exulted exceedingly at the news, and deemed themselves arrived at the fummit of felicity. As the time appointed for Olympia to take the veil was now near, Signor Carantani made all the ufual preparations, and, as if he thought the unhappy victim knew not to whom she was to be facrificed, he took measures for folemnizing the marriage of his eldest daughter at the fame time. On the day preceding that which was fixed for this double ceremony, Olympia thought it her duty to make a laft effort to foften her father, and if poffible, divert him from fo barbarous a facrifice. For this purpose she again reafoned, fhe expoftulated, fhe intreated; but Carantani was equally deaf to the voice of reason, nature, and religion; he continued inflexible in his purpofe, and confirmed his fit, and after having deplored her misthreatenings by the moft horrible fortunes, and prayed to God for par oaths. "Ah! my dear father," faid don, the faftened to one of the beams the amiable Olympia, with a look of a cord which she had taken from one unutterable tenderness and grief, "con- of the nuns, who used it as a girdle, fider well what you are about; confi- put it about her neck, threw herself | der that to me your answer is either from a little bench on which she stood, life or death; and be affured, that if and in a few minutes expired. you facrifice me to my fifter's fortune, you will repent when it is too late the phantoms that now mislead you will vanish at once; you will perceive, with horror, the effects of your delufion, and feel the pangs of remorfe when they are aggravated by defpair; | but farther converfation will only ratify my deftruction, by increafing your refentment; permit me, therefore, to withdraw, and do not give your final anfwer till to-morrow. But remember that if / perish, you will be wretch-parts of the convent were searched, ed; and that in refufing mercy to your daughter, you give fentence againft yourself."- -With these words fhe quitted the parlour. In the mean time the company, whe had been almost an hour affembled in the church, waited with impatience for the beginning of the ceremony.The abbefs was acquainted with it, who was equally surprised at the de lay, and asking the nuns the reason of it, was informed of Olympia's request: they waited almost an hour longer, but ftill Olympia did not appear. They then went to seek her in her cell; bat there fhe was not to be found: other but without fuccefs. At length, after much time spent in a fruitless enquiry, one of the nuns thought of going up into the garret.What a mournful! what a horrid fpectacle was there! — The unfortunate Olympia hanging in the fatal cord with which fhe had put an end to her life! Carantani, whofe eyes the laft fentence might have opened, difregarded it as one of those wild menaces which are usually the laft resource of a paffion increased by oppofition, and exasper- Seized with horror at the ghaftly ated by defpair. The preparations fight, fhe ran precipitately down stairs, for Victoria's marriage engroffed his and rushing into the choir where the attention, and he thought of nothing nuns were affembled, the filled them but how to render it fplendid and with terror and aftonishment by her magnificent. The relations who were outcries and lamentations. The alarm invited to this double ceremony were foon fpread itself from the choir to already affembled in the church of the the church, where all the relations, convent, and Olympia was dreffed in with the utmost afiction and furher richest apparel, and moft fplendid prife, received the news of the fudden ornaments, which at these times are death of the unhappy Olympia, the put on only to be renounced for ever moft fhocking circumstances of which with the greater folemnity. The dread- the abbefs prudently concealed. ful moment arrived in which this first they would not believe it; they blooming victim was to be conducted demanded a fight of her, and going to the altar; then, knowing that the out of the church in a body, the la had nothing farther to hope, yet con- dies, and Carantani himfelf, (this pri cealing her despair, fhe afked leave of vilege being granted to fathers) entered the nuns who were about her to go up the convent, notwithstanding the reinto her cell, under pretence of recol- fiftance of the abbefs and nuns. What lecting herself for a few minutes, and a spectacle was this for a father, for a meditating in private upon the impor-fifter, for a whole family! One of the tant affair which the was about to tranfact. This was readily granted, and Olympia went up, not into her cell, but into a garret which was over molt amiable young women, the victim of a violent defpair, all the horror of which was yet vifible in her countenance ! Great |