attracting deshabille fhe fallied forth from her folitary manfion, followed by her monkey, parrot, squirrel, and a whole groupe of cats, the only objects that ever experienced one fingle mark of her benevolence; and, with the hafty ftrides of a Virago, made the beft of her way to the Chateau de Marli. God of my fathers!' exclaimed the Marechal, who firft obferved her at a diftance, what infernal fpectre prefents itfelf to my view?'Ah!' cried Maria, it is my aunt! fhield me from a refent dently in every feature, and preffed and kiffed it with an ardour that fhewed at once the fulness and candour of his heart. And are you really, Maria, the virtuous orphan of my friend?' Was my father your friend, Sir?' returned Maria with furprife. Yes,' cried the Marechal, he was, indeed, my friend; nay, more, my benefactor! Nor is there a name under Heaven more dear to me than that of Clancy! Your father, it is true, was unfortunate; but where is the virtuous man who has not been fo? Oh, Maria! Maria!' (continued the Mare-ment of which I have fo epeatedly chal de Sabran) now, no longer an orphan, now, no longer the wretched child of forrow, let me wipe away that tear which duteous recollection has drawn from its cryftal fource? And he in vain ftrove to hide those which ftole down the furrows time had made in his own ancient cheeks. Here, my fon,' faid he to the Comte, take this fair ♦ hand, which monarchs may envy thee; and could I fuppofe the want of fortune would render it lefs precious in thy eyes, dear as thou art, and muft be, to my paternal fondnefs, by Heaven I would difcard thee for ever!' And, by "Heaven!' added the enraptured Comte, I should, in that cafe, well deferve your feverest resentment, with every other curfe that could be heaped upon my devoted head! Nothing now remained but to fix the day of their happy union. You are both yet very young,' faid the Marechal to his fon, when pressed on the subject, merely to tantalize him, and 'marriage, after all, is a serious affair.' ♦ Ah, Sir!' exclaimed young Sabran, 'it is fo! and let us therefore get over it as foon as we can." The Marechal gave a fimile of approbation, and immediately named the day which was to render his fon the happieft of mortals. been the trembling victim!' Fear nothing, my angel!' faid young Sabran, clafping her to his bofom; thou art now mine! and from this hour my arm is to be thy protection.' Aunt Dorothee entered; and, had an artift been prefent, the portrait he might have taken of a fury would have immortalized his pencil, Finding it in vain to reafon with fo defperate a being, who began to ex, ercife her vengeance in effectual depredations on the Marechal's fuperb furni ture, he ordered his fervants to escort her to the door; from which the retired, railing at beauty, marriage, and mankind. The eve of the bridal day now arrived, and every thing was in readiness for the celebration of the nuptials on the enfuing morn, when the Comte received an order to join his regiment, which was ordered abroad, without a moment's delay. War had been suddenly declared, and every thing prepared for the most vigorous exertions. No plea for neglect of duty could appear admiffible to the old Marechal, who had always been a ftrenuous prometer of rigid difcipline; and however painful the task neceffarily proved to his fon, he knew he must not hesitate to obey. The tender Maria, heedlefs of her fex and weakness, was now refolved to accompany her lover in difguife to the field, and fhare all his dangers. My prefence,' faid fhe to the Marechal, who very properly oppofed her defign, will animate him to heroic deeds! No, my child,' replied the Marechal, (though evidently pleased with her fpirit); No, I am perfuaded he will require no other incitement to duty, One puff of fame conveyed this news to aunt Dorothee; whofe ears were ever open to intelligence, as her tongue was on the rack till employed in liquidating the debt to others. What pen can defcribe her agitated mind at that moment! It was, indeed, painted on her face in colours equal in number, though not in luftre, to thofe of the rainbow, and would have baffled the art of every painter in Eu-than that of honour: when this is fa rope. The tea-equipage was overfet in her firft paroxism of rage; her cap was rent away like a fail in a ftorm, and the motely locks that mantled like ivy rounding her temples, at once to hide and mark out the ravages of time, were ftrewed like autumnal leaves on the carpet. In this tisfied, he will return ftill more worthy of the rewards which love has, in your perfon, deftined for him. Your charm fociety, Maria,' added he, embracing her, will be necessary to confole me in his abfence.' The two armies met early in the cam paign; a most obstinate engagement enfued; and never did Victory more deeply tinge her laurels in human gore, than on this awful occafion. The Comte de Sabran, who performed all that fame or his fire could wifh, received feveral dangerous wounds in the conflict; and Rumour, who, like a river, increases as The goes, proclaimed them to be mortal. The Marechal's grief was every way fuited to the calamity. In feeling himfelf a parent, he did not, however, forget that he was a hero. He is gone!' faid he; but not without his fhare of glory! He is no more! but he died, as I ever wished him, in the service of his country!' The difconfolate Maria heard thefe fentiments; but, alas! they conveyed no balm to her wounded heart. She had loft all that was dear to her, in a world which had ever afforded her but too little enjoyment; and, to indulge her forrows in folitude, was now the only object that claimed her attention. In a few words, The difappeared; and a letter informed the Marechal, that her refolution was to end her wretched remnant of life in the gloom of a cloyfter. As fhe had not menBoned the place of her destination, the Marechal was unable to prevent this fatal ftep; and, after many fruitful refearches and inquiries, he gave up all hopes of ever feeing or hearing from her more. But what was his joy and furprife, when, after a fhort interval of melanchoby, a letter from his fon convinced him that the youth was ftill in being, and in a fair way of recovery! The report of his death had been premature; though accounts were received from the army in which he was numbered with the flain. The Marechal's anfwer announced the fudden retreat of Maria, in confequence of her error; and a truce of fix months being agreed on by the contending powers, the Comte de Sabran obtained leave of a fence, and determined never to return till he had found out the spot which contained the treasure of his foul. With this view, he vifited every convent where he fuppofed the might be concealed; and, after incredible fatigues, and anxiety, (during which he feldom tafted food, or fuffered fleep to approach his eye-lids) he at length traced her to Vienna, whither the had been invited by a boarding fchool friend, whom alone fhe had made the confidante of her intentions. Under the feigned title of her brother, he was firft allowed an audience at the grate; and he even obtained permiffion, under that fanction, to vifit her within the inclofure. There he found the had already taken the veil, and even her last vows; but love prevailed over all the dictates of religion; and a plan was concerted for her releafe, which he immediately put into execution. Night was the time fixed on for this defperate attempt, and every precaution was taken to prevent a discovery. The guard was fecured by an ample bribe; the Comte fealed the walls as the clock ftruck twelve, and found Maria prepared to fecond his exertions. Many obftacles, however, retarded his defigns; nor were they accomplished before the centinel was relieved, on whofe aid and fecrecy he had relied. The foldier, now on duty, obferving him and Maria defcend from the wall by a rope-ladder the Comte had taken care to provide, immediately fired; when poor Maria fell at his feet. Not doubting that he was mortally wounded, he facrificed the guard, by whom he fuppofed he had been bafely betrayed, to the first impulfe of his refentment; and, in the diftraction of his foul, was meditating the like vengeance on himself, when Maria (who by this time had recovered from her fwoon) arrived foon enough to prevent the fatal ftroke. Once more he clasped her in his arms; but the report of the centinel's mufquet having given a general alarm to the guards, he was conveyed, with Maria, to a place of fecurity. Murder and facrilege were the two crimes of which he stood clearly convicted; crimes which excluded the moft diftant hope of mercy. He was accordingly ordered to prepare for inevitable death; and the lovely Maria was condemned to fhare his fate. The day was come, the awful prepar ations were made, and the vile arm of an executioner was already raised to cut off two perfons in the bloom of health and youth, culpable in the eyes of erring man, but more than innocent in thofe of Heaven, when the old Marechal de Sabran, doubtlefs conducted by Providence, arrived at the melancholy spot, juft in time to prevent the dreadful cataftrophe. His name and virtues were refpected even by thofe enemies who had fo often fhrunk before his valour; and no fooner had he claimed the two culprits, and declared his intention of appealing to the feelings of the Emperor, than than orders were given to defer the execution till the event of his fuit should be known. Being admitted to the imperial prefence, What was his conduct? Did he rend his grey locks in token of affliction, or defcend to more abject acts of humiliation in order to excite pity? No; he appeared, he looked, he spoke with the confidence of a man who felt his claims to attention. The words he made ufe of were few: 'Sire,' said he, ‘I am a ⚫ father, alas! I muft foon ceafe to be fo, for my fon and daughter have offended 'you! I come not hither in the forelorn hope of defrauding the claims of juftice, which I have ever refpected; but of pleading for honour, which has been eqally dear to me. If my children are guilty, let them perish, but not by a vulgar hand: mine, Sire, fhall do the office of an executioner; and the fame fword, that pierces their hearts, fhall foon find accefs to mine. I am a Marechal of France; my name is Sabran: and this request, I truft, will not be refufed to the fame of my ancestors, and ' to my own!' The Emperor heard him with astonishment; nor was it till after a pause of fome minutes, that he could make him this gracious reply. Go, it is impoffible that your children can have been guilty; or, if they have been fo unfortunate, whatever be their crimes, I forgive them for your fake.' This fentence was highly extolled by all but the bigotted clergy, ever enraged to fee victims fnatched from their vengeance; these complained that the interefts of Heaven were facrificed to thofe of humanity: but in fpite of their influence, Sabran and his beloved Maria were reftored to the arms of their now-enraptured parent, and foon after united in the fofteft bands that Hymen ever entwined. The fovereign, to whofe benevolence they owed thefe bleffings, was not long without his reward: in the very next campaign the young heir to his throne was refcued from his fate by the Comte de Sabran; who never failed to tread in the footsteps of his father, and feemed ftill more to inherit his god-like virtues, than his titles, his rank, and most ample fortune. POETRY. Written in Moray, and Characteristic of the Rural Sociality peculiar to that Shire. RESH Spring, bonny Summer, an' An' cauld blaws the northerly blaft; The faft dew o' gloomin', the nutritive fhow'r, Wi' Zephyr's mild reign, are now past. Trees, bar'd o' their cov'ring, While ftrata o' leaves lye below; The fylvan fweet lilters forego. The Swain, he now ceafes, to pipe in the dale, An' bofoms his fingers inftead; Blythe Nancy forgets how to chaunt o'er the pail, As milking her kye in the mead. The Lark, ilka morn, But rifes to mourn; Nor chears the grey dawn wi' her fang; The hennies an' cockies, the duckies an' geefe, A' cleck out the barn-door about; The fheep tak' to fcoug, wi' a weet lagart fleece, An' pigs tine the ufe o' their snout. Hands foufianlefs, cauld watrey beik While badrins is becking her dowp at the fire, We'll currach the ingle fide roun', Frae the gardy-chair, fyne, wi' a hach an' a ftyre, Auld fairners will foon be begun. We'll hear, then, how witches Faufe Faufe lovers frae courting gawn hame; Gaed for, cneif an' coudie, While stories like thae wi' the younkers The wife brings a cap o' gude beer; Drinks luck to the company, fyne ca's it roun', Their weazands to fweel, an' to clear. An' mak' the house ring, Drying her eyes with her foft veil, Th' auld wives an' young laffes will join; In rapt'rous wonder oft I faid, At "Willie is rare," Or" Jock to the fair," They'll try ane anither t' outfhine. His fav'rite now tentily eyes ilka chiel, In fupper comes neift, and that o'er, foon the reel CANZONE from PETRARCH.. Ye gentle boughs, whofe friendly shade If then my destiny requires, The cruel Fair for whom I burn, Sure the in Paradife was made; Thence fprang that bright angelic state, gait, That beauteous fmile, that voice divine, And fighing cry'd, How came I here? THE Monthly Regifer. For DECEMBER, 1789. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. Paris, Nov. 10. THE following articles were voted refpecting the divifions and reprefentation of the kingdom: "Each diftrict fhall be divided into cantons of about four fquare leagues each. In each canton fhall be at least one primary affembly. "If the number of active citizens in a canton do not amount to 900, there fhall be only one assembly in that canton, If they amount to 900, they fhall form two affemblies of 450 each. "Each affembly fhall confift, as nearly as poffible, of 600, which fhall be the mean number; the least number 440.' 17. It was this day decreed, that the number of deputies, fent to the National Affembly by each diftrict, shall be in proportion to the population, territory, and taxes jointly confidered. 20. The King, never having feen the public buildings in Paris, and having been long in confinement, was afked by the Marquis de la Fayette to go and view them. His Majefty replied, that he would rather decline it for the prefent, as he fhould feel himself uncomfortable in appearing in public withont his body guards, who had always been accustomed to attend on him. The Marquis mentioned this to the municipality at the Hotel de Ville, who immediately paffed a refolution to request his Majefty to recal his guards. This created very great jealousies and murmurings, which became fo alarming, that a riot was apprehended, and the diftricts were on Friday laft fummoned to affemble by beat of drums, and the ringing of bells; and on Friday morning the magiftracy of Paris paffed the following refolution: Hotel de Ville. "It is refolved, that, in cafe of any alarm or furprife, three pieces of cannon fhould be fired from the fquare of Henry IV. that on this fignal being given, every battalion fhould inftantly affemble, armed, at their appointed place of rendezvous, and there wait the orders of the Commandant General." VOL. X. No. 60. Ꮮ It is now rather doubtful whether the King's body guards will be recalled. His Majesty, fearing that the return of his body guards would be productive of very fatal confequences, in the prefent temper of the times, has thought proper to wave the offer of M. de la Fayette, and content himself without them for the prefent. The Queen has written a very flattering letter to the Marquis for his kind intentions in this business. Their Majefties will therefore remain immured in the Thuilleries, till fome happier moment present itself. The King of France has given his filver buckles to the fervice of the State, and wears brafs buckles; fuch a farce never was acted on any theatre before. Paris is at prefent perfectly freed from any apprehenfion of famine. The corn mills in the neighbourhood are all at work, and the fore-houtes filled with grain. Very confiderable quantities arrive daily. Dec. 2. The following articles of the conftitution have paffed the National Affembly within the last three days. "The fame crimes fhall be punished by the fame fpecies of execution, let the rank or condition of the offender be what it may." "In every cafe where the law pronounces the fentence of death, the execution fhall be the fame; whatever may be the nature of the offence, the criminal shall be beheaded." The crime being perfonal, the punifhment fhall reflect no difhonour on the relatives of the criminal, who shall be equally admiffible to all forts of profeffions and employments." "No man fhall reproach another with the punishment of any of his relations;whoever fhall dare to do fo, fhall be publicly reprimanded." "The confifcation of the fortunes of the condemned fhall in no cafe be permitted." "The body of the criminal, after execution, fhall be delivered over to his family, if they require it, and, in every cafe, the deceased shall be allowed fer |