ingratitude, falfchood, and cruelty; he was I determined to make no defence; and thus, lowering with refolution, he was dragged, bound with cords, before the tribunal of Septimius. As the proofs were pofitive against him, and he offered nothing in his own vindication, the judge was proceeding to doom him to a moft cruel and ignominious death, when the attention of the multitude was foon divided by another object. The robber who had been really guilty, was apprehended felling his plunder, and, ftruck with a panic, had confeffed his crime. He was brought bound to the fame tribunal, and acquitted every ether perfon of any partnership in his guilt. Alcander's innocence, therefore, appeared; but the fullen rafhnefs of his conduct remained a wonder to the furrounding multitude; but their aftonishment was ftill farther encreased, when they faw their judge ftart from his tribunal, to embrace the fuppofed criminal: Septimius recollected his friend and former benefactor, and hung upon his neck with tears of pity and of joy. Need the fequel be related? Alcander was acquitted; thared the friendship and honours of the principal citizers of Rome; lived afterwards in happincts and cafe; and left it to be engraved on his tomb, That no circumstances are fo def-nor otherwife, but as character and expreffion perate, which Providence may not relieve.

figure this moment before my eyes, and think there was that in it which deferved better.

The Monk, as I judge from the break in his tonfure, a few scattered white hairs upon his temples being all that remained of it, might be about feventy--but from his eyes, and that fort of fire which was in them, which feemed more tempered by courtesy than years, could be no more than fixty-truth might lie between-He was certainly fixty-five; and the general air of his countenance, notwithstanding something feemed to have been planting wrinkles in it before their time, agreed to the account.

§ 4. The Monk.

A poor Monk of the order of St. Francis came into the room, to beg fomething for his convent. The moment I caft my eyes upon him, I was pre-determined not to give him a fingle fous, and accordingly I put my purfe into my pocket-buttoned it up-fet myfelf a little more upon my centre, and advanced Up gravely to him: there was fomething, I fear, forbidding in my look: I have his

It was one of thofe heads which Guido has often painted-mild-pale-penetrating, free from all common-place ideas of fat contented ignorance looking downwards upon the earth

it look'd forwards; but look'd as if it look'd at fomething beyond this world. How one of his order came by it, Heaven above, who let it fall upon a monk's fhoulders, beft knows; but it would have fuited ■ Bramin; and had I met it upon the plains of Indoftan, I had reverenced it.

The reft of his outline may be given in a few ftrokes; one might put it into the hands of any one to defign, for 'twas neither elegant

made it fo: it was a thin, spare form, something above the common fize, if it loft not the diftinction by a bend forwards in the figure--but it was the attitude of entreaty; and as it now ftands prefent to my imagination, it gain'd more than it loft by it.

When he had entered the room three paces, he food ftill; and laying his left hand upon his breaft (a flender white staff with which he journeyed being in his right)-when I had got clofe up to him, he introduced himself with the intle ftory of the wants of his con

vent, and the poverty of his order-and did it with fo fintple a grace-and fuch an air of deprecation was there in the whole caft of his look and figure-I was bewitched not to have been ftruck with it.

-A better reafon was, I had pre-determined not to give him a single fous.

'Tis very true, faid I, replying to a caft upwards with his eyes, with which he had concluded his addrefs-'tis very true-and Heaven be their refource who have no other but the charity of the world, the ftock of which, I fear, is no way fufficient for the many great claims which are hourly made upon it.

As I pronounced the words "great claims," he gave a flight glance with his eye downwards upon the fleeve of his tunic-I felt the full force of the appeal-I acknowledge it, faid I --a coarse habit, and that but once in three years, with meagre diet, are no great matters: and the true point of pity is, as they can be carn'd in the world with fo little induftry, that your order fhould with to procure them by preffing upon a fund which is the property of the lame, the blind, the aged, and the infim: the captive, who lies down, counting over and over again the days of his affliction, languishes alfo for his fhare of it; and had you been of the order of Mercy, instead of the order of St. Francis, poor as I am, continued I, pointing at my portmanteau, full chearfully thould it have been opened to you for the ransom of the unfortunate. The Monk made me a bow-but of all others, refumed I, the unfortunate of our own country, furely, have the first rights; and I have left thoufands in diftrefs upon our own fhore-The Monk gave a cordial wave with his head-as much as to fay, No doubt, there is mifery enough in every corner of the world, as well as within

| our convent-But we diftinguish, faid I, laying my hand upon the fleeve of his tunic, in return for the appeal-we diftinguifh, my good father! betwixt thofe who with only to eat the bread of their own labour-and thofe who eat the bread of other people's, and have no other plan in life, but to get through it in floth and ignorance, for the love of God.

The poor Francifcan made no reply: hectic of a moment pafs'd across his cheek, but could not tarry--Nature feemed to have had done with her refentments in him; he thewed none--but letting his staff fall within his arin, he preffed both his hands with refignation upon his breaft, and retired.

My heart fmote me the moment he fhut the door-Pha! faid I, with an air of careleinefs, three feveral times--but it would not do; every ungracious fyllable I had uttered crowded back into my imagination; I reflected I had no right over the poor Francifcan, but to deny him; and that the punishment of that was enough to the difappointed, without the addition of unkind languageconfidered his grey hairs-his courteous figure feemed to re-enter, and gently ask me, what injury he had done me and why I could use him thus-I would have given twenty livres for an advocate-I have behaved very ill, faid I within myfelf; but I have only just fet out upon my travels; and fhall learn better manners as I get along. -Sterne.

5. Sir Bertrand. A Fragment.

-Sir Bertrand turned his fteed towards the woulds, hoping to crofs thofe dreary moors before the curfew. But ere he had proceeded half his journey, he was be wildere by the different tracks; and not being able, as far as the eye could reach, to efpy any object.

but

but the brown heath surrounding him, he was | Bertrand faftened his fteed under a shed, and at length quite uncertain which way he should approaching the house, traverfed its whole direct his courfe. Night overtook him in this front with light and flow footsteps-All was fituation. It was one of thofe nights when ftill as death-He looked in at the lower the moon gives a faint glimmering of fight windows, but could not distinguish a single through the thick black clouds of a lowering object through the impenetrable gloom. After ky. Now and then the fuddenly emerged in a short parley with himself, he entered the full fplendour from her yeil, and then instantly porch, and feizing a maffy iron knocker at the retired behind it; having juft ferved to give gate, lifted it up, and, hefitating, at length the forlorn Sir Bertrand a wide extended prof- ftruck a loud ftroke-the noife refounded pect over the defolate wafte. Hope and native through the whole manfion with hollow echoes. courage awhile urged him to push forwards, All was ftill again-he repeated the ftrokes but at length the encrcafing darknefs and fa- more boidly and louder--another interval of tigue of body and mind overcame him; he filence enfucd-A third time he knocked, and dreaded moving from the ground he ftcod on, a third time all was ftill. He then fell back for fear of unknown pits and bogs, and alight- to fome distance, that he might difcern wheing from his horfe in defpair, he threw himfelf ther any light could be feen in the whole on the ground. He had not long continued front-It again appeared in the fame place, in that pofture, when the fullen toll of a dif- and quickly glided away, as before-at the tant bell struck his ears-he ftarted up, and farne inftant à deep fullen toll founded from turning towards the found, difcerned a dim the turret. Sir Bertrand's heart made a feartwinkling light. Inftantly he feized his ful ftop-he was a while motionless; then horfe's bridle, and with cautious fteps ad-terror impelled him to make fome hasty steps vanced towards it. After a painful march, he was stopped by a moated ditch, furrounding the place from whence the light proceeded; and by a momentary glimpfe of moonlight he had a full view of a large antique manfion, with turrets at the corners, and an ample porch in the centre. The injuries of time were ftrong-up the latch of the gate. The heavy door, ly marked on every thing about it. The roof creaking upon its hinges, reluctantly yielded in various places was fallen in, the battlements to his hand-he applied his fhoulder to it, and were half demolished, and the windows broken forced it open-he quitted it, and frept forward and difmantled. A draw-bridge, with a -the door inftantly fhot with a thundering ruinous gate-way at each end, led to the court clap. Sir Bertrand's blood was chilled-he before the building-He entered; and in- turned back to find the door, and it was long ftantly the light, which proceeded from a ere his trembling hands could feize it-but window in one of the turrets, glided along, his utmoft ftrength could not open it again. and vanished; at the fame moment the moon After feveral ineffectual attempts, he looked funk beneath a black cloud, and the night behind him, and beheld, ac of a hall, upon a was darker than ever. All was filent-Sir | large ftair-cafe, a pale bhith flame, which

towards his fteed-but thame flopt his flight; and, urged by honour, and a refitiefs defire of finishing the adventure, he returned to the porch;. and working up his foul to a full iteadiness of refolution, he drew forth his fword with one hand, and with the other lifted

caft

caft a difmal gleam of light around, He terrible frown and menacing gefture, and branagain fummoned forth his courage, and ad- difhing a fword in his hand. Sir Bertrand vanced towards it-it retired. He came to undauntedly fprung forwards; and aiming a the foot of the stairs, and after a moment's fierce blow at the figure, it instantly vanished, deliberation afcended. He went flowly up, letting fall a maffy iron key. The flame now the flame retiring before him, till he came to refted upon a pair of ample folding doors at a wide gallery. The flame proceeded along | the end of the gallery. Sir Bertrand went up it, and he followed in filent horror, treading to it, and applied the key to a brazen lock→ lightly, for the echoes of his footsteps ftartled with difficulty he turned the bolt-inftantly him. It led him to the foot of another ftair- the doors flew open, and difcovered a large cafe, and then yanifhed-At the fame inftant apartment, at the end of which was a coffin another toll founded from the turret-Sir refted upon a bier, with a taper burning on Bertrand felt it strike upon his heart. He each fide of it. Along the room, on both fides, was now in total darkness, and, with his arms were gigantic ftatues of black marble, attired extended, began to afcend the fecond ftair- in the Moorish habit, and holding enormous cafe. A dead cold hand met his left hand, fabres in their right hands, Each of them and firmly grasped it, drawing him forcibly reared his arm, and advanced one leg for forwards he endeavoured to difengage him- wards, as the knight entered; at the fame felf, but could not he made a furious blow moment the lid of the coffin flew open, and with his fword, and inftantly a loud fhrick the bell tolled. The flame still glided forwards, pierced his ears, and the dead hand was left and Sir Bertrand refolutely followed, till he powerlefs with his-He dropt it, and ruthed arrived within fix paces of the coffin. Sudforwards with a defperate valour. The ftairs denly a lady in a fhroud and black veil rofe up were narrow and winding, and interrupted in it, and stretched out her arms towards him by frequent breaches, and loofe fragments of -at the fame time the statues clashed their ftonc. The ftair-cafe grew narrower and fabres and advanced. Sir Bertrand flew to narrower, and at length terminated in a low the lady, and clafped her in his arms-fhe iron grate. Sir Bertrand puthed it open-it threw up her veil, and kiffed his lips; and led to an intricate winding paffage, juft large inftantly the whole building thook as with an enough to admit a perfon upon his hands and earthquake, and fell afunder with a horrible knees. A faint glimmering of light ferved crath. Sir Bertrand was thrown into a fud to fhew the nature of the place-Sir Bertrand den trance, and on recovering, found himself extered-- A desp hollow grean refounded from feated on a velvet fofa, in the most magnificent a diftance through the vault-He went for- room he had ever feen, lighted with inwards; and proceeding beyond the firft turn-numerable tapers, in luftres of pure crystal, ing, he difcerned the fame blue flame which had before conducted him--He followed it. The vault, at length, fuddenly opened into a lofty gallery, in the midst of which a figure appeared, completely arined, thrufting for wards the bloody fiump of an arm, with a

A fumptuous banquet was fet in the middle. The doors opening to toft mufic, a lady of incomparable beauty, attired with amazing fplendour, entered, furrounded by a troop of gay nymphs more fair than the Graces--She advanced to the knight, and falling on her

knec

knees, thanked him as her deliverer. The nymphs placed a garland of laurel upon his head, and the lady lead him by the hand to the banquet, and fat befide him. The nymphs placed themselves at the table, and a numerous train of fervants entering, ferved up the feaft: delicious mufic playing all the time. Sir Bertrand could not speak for astonishment -he could only return their honours by courteous looks and geftures. After the banquet was finished, all retired but the lady, who leading back the knight to the fofa, addreffed him in these words:

Aikin's Mifcel.

in fuch acclamations, made worse by it: and hiftory has too frequently taught me, that the head which has grown this day giddy with the roar of the million, has the very next been fixed upon a pole.

As Alexander VI. was entering a little town in the neighbourhood of Rome, which had been just evacuated by the enemy, ke perceived the townfmen bufy in the marketplace in pulling down from a gibbet a figure which had been defigned to represent himself. There were fome alfo knocking down a neighbouring ftatue of one of the Orfini family, with whom he was at war, in order to put Alexander's effigy in its place. It is poffible a man who knew lefs of the world would have condemned the adulation of those barcfaced flatterers; but Alexander feemed pleafed at their zeal, and turning to Borgia,his fon, said with a fmile, Vides, mi fili, quam leve dif"crimen, patibulum inter et ftatuam." "You "fee, my fon, the fmall difference between a

§ 6. On Human Grandeur. An alehouse keeper near Iflington, who had long lived at the fign of the French King, upon the commencement of the last war pulled down his old fign, and put up that of the Queen of Hungary. Under the influence of" gibbet and a ftatue." If the great could her red face and golden fceptre, he continued to fell ale, till the was no longer the favourite of his customers; he changed her, therefore, fome time ago, for the King of Pruffia, who may probably be changed, in turn, for the next great man that shall be set up for vulgar admiration.

In this manner the great are dealt out, one after the other to the gazing crowd. When we have fufficiently wondered at one of them he is taken in, and another exhibited in his room, who feldom holds his station long: for the mob are ever pleased with variety.

be taught any leffon, this might ferve to teach them upon how weak a foundation their glory ftands: for, as popular applaufe is excited by what feems like merit, it as quickly condemns what has only the appearance of guilt.

Popular glory is a perfect coquet: her lovers muft toil, feel every inquietude, indulge every caprice; and, perhaps at laft, be jilted for their pains. True glory, on the other hand, refembles a woman of fenfe; her admirers muft play no tricks; they feel no great anxiety, for they are fure, in the end, of being rewarded in proportion to their merit. When Swift ufed to appear in public, he generally had the mob fhouting at his train, "Pox take these fools," he would fay, "how much joy might all this bawling give

I must own I have fuch an indifferent opinion of the vulgar, that I am even led to fufpe&t that merit which raifes their fhout: at leaft I am certain to find thofe great, and fometimes good men, who find fitisfaction" my lord-mayor;"

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