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the fecond ethics; the third phyfics, or the knowledge of nature. With respect to the early progrefs in cultivating each of thefe fciences in India, we are in poffeffion of facts which

merit attention.

But, prior to the confideration of them, it is proper to examine the ideas of the Brahmins with refpect to mind itself, for if these were not just, all their theories concerning its operations must have been erroneous and fanciful. The diftinction between matter and fpirit appears to have been early known by the philofophers of India, and to the latter they afcribed many powers, of which they deemed the former to be incapable; and when we recollect how inadequate our conceptions are of every object that does not fall under the cognizance of the fenfes, we may affirm (if allowance be made for a peculiar notion of the

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der, others hear of it with astonish'ment, but no one knoweth it. The 'weapon divideth it not; the fire ⚫ burneth it not; the water corrupteth < it not; the wind drieth it not away; for it is indivifible, inconfumable, incorruptible; it is eternal, univerfal, permanent, immovable; it is invifible, inconceivable, and unalterable*. After this view of the fentiments of the Brahmins concerning mind itself, we may proceed to confider their ideas with refpect to each of the fciences, in that tripartite arrangement which I mentioned. (To be continued.)

* Baghvat Geeta, p. 37.

THE EPHEMERON.
Letter from Dr. Franklin to a Lady in France.
OU may remember, my dear

tional vivacity, fpoke three or four

Yfriend, wey ately together, I could make but little of

fpent that happy day, in the delightful garden and fweet fociety of the Moulin Joly, I ftopt a little in one of our walks, and ftaid fome time behind the company. We had been fhown numberless fkeletons of a kind of little fly, called an Ephemera, whofe fucceffive generations, we were told, were bred and expired within the day. I happened to fee a living company of them on a leaf, who appeared to be engaged in converfation. You know I understand all the inferior animal tongues: my too great application to the ftudy of them is the best excufe I can give for the little progrefs I have made in your charming language. I liftened through curiofity to the difcourfe of thefe little creatures; but as they, in their na

their converfation. I found, however, by fome broken expreffions that I heard now and then, they were dif puting warmly on the merit of two foreign musicians, one a coufin the other a mufcheto;* in which dispute they spent their time feemingly as regardless of the fhortnefs of life, as if they had been fure of living a month. Happy people! thought I, you live certainly under a wife, juft, and mild government, fince you have no public grievances to complain of, nor any fubject of contention, but the perfections or imperfections of foreign mufic. I turned my head from them to an old grey-headed one, who was fingle on another leaf, and talking to himfelf. Being amufed with his foliloquy, I have put it down in

*Tavo kinds of flies fo called.

writing,

writing, in hopes it will likewife amufe her to whom I am fo much indebted for the most pleasing of all amufements, her delicious company and heavenly harmony. "It was," fays he," the opinion of learned philofophers of our race, who lived and flourished long before my time, that this vaft world, the Moulin Joly, could not itself fubfilt more than eighteen hours: and I think there was fome foundation for that opinion, fince, by the apparent motion of the great luminary, that gives life to all nature, and which in my time has evidently declined confiderably towards the ocean at the end of our earth, it must then finish its courfe, be extinguished in the waters that furround us and leave the world in cold and darkness, neceffarily producing univerfal death and deftruction. I have lived feven of thefe hours, a great age, being no less than 420 minutes of time. How very few of us continue fo long! I have feen generations born, flourish and expire. My prefent friends are the children and grand children of the friends of my youth, who are now, alas! no more, and I muft foon follow them; for by the course of nature, though fill in health, I cannot expect to live above feven or eight minutes

longer. What now avails all my toil and labour in amaffing honey-dew on this leaf, which I cannot live to enjoy! What, the political ftruggles I have been engaged in, for the good of my compatriot inhabitants of this bush, or my philofophical ftudies for the benefit of our race in general! for in politics (what can laws do without morals?) our prefent race of Ephemera will, in a courfe of minutes, become corrupt, like thofe of other and older bufhes, and confequently as wretched and in philofophy, how fmall our progrefs! alas! art is long, and life is fhort. My friends would comfort me with the idea of a name, they fay I fhall leave behind me ; and they tell me I have lived long enough to nature and to glory. But what will fame be to an Ephemera who no longer exifts! and what will become of all history in the eighteenth hour, when the world itfelf, even the whole Moulin Joly, fhall come to its end and be buried in univerfal ruin? To me, after all my eager purfuits, no folid pleafures now remain, but the reflection of a long life fpent in meaning well, the fenfible converfation of a few good lady Ephemeræ, and now and then a kind fimile and a tune from the ever amiable brilliant."

ANECDOTE OF NINON DE L'ENCLOS.

A Story tranflated from the French, which was fericufly believed by many hundreds of people at Paris.

N the year 1633, as the famous

one day fat alone in her chamber, her fervant announced the arrival of a ftranger, who defired to speak with her, but refufed to tell his name. The young lady bade answer that she was engaged with company. "No, no," said the stranger to the lacquey; "I know well that Mifs is by herfelf, and for that very reafon call upon her at present.-Go, tell her, I have

fecrets of the laft moment to impart,

extraordinary meffage, by exciting female curiofity, procured the ftranger admittance. He was of low ftature, of an ungracious afpect, and his grey hairs bespoke age. He was dreffed in black, without a fword, wore a calotte [a fmall leathern cape which covers the tonfure], and a large patch on his forehead: in his left hand he held a very flender cane; his features

were

were expreffive, and his eyes fparkled vivacity. Madam," faid he, on entering the apartment, "pleafe make your waiting maid retire; my words are not for third perfons."-Mifs L'Enclos was a good deal startled at this preamble; but reflecting fhe had to do with a decrepit old man, muftered up fome refolution and difmiffed her maid. "Let not my vifit alarm you, madam; it is true I do not honour all indifcriminately with my presence, but be affured you have no. thing to fear. All I beg is, that you would hear me with confidence and attention. You fee before you a man whom the earth obeys, and whom nature has invested with the power of difpenfing her gifts. I prefided at your birth; the lot of mortals depends upon my nod; and I have condefcended to ask what lot you would wifh for yourself; the prefent is but the dawn of your brilliant days. Soon you fhall arrive at that period, when the gates of the world thall fly open to receive you; for it depends wholly upon yourself to be the moft illuf. trious and the most profperous lady of your age. I fubmit to your choice, fupreme honours, immenfe riches, and eternal beauty. Take which you chufe, and depend upon it, there exifts not a mortal who can make you the fame ample offers."- That I verily believe," replied the fair one, in a fit of laughter; "befides, your gifts are fo very fplendid!"" I hope, madam, you have too much good fenfe to make fport of a stranger: Once more I feriously make you the fame offer, but decide inftantly." "Then, truly fir, fince you are fo good as to give me my choice, I he fitate not to fix upon eternal beauty: but how, pray, am I to obtain fuch an inestimable prize?"-"Madam, all I ask is, that you would put down your name in my tablets, and fwear inviolable fecrecy." Mademoiselle de L'Enclos inftantly complied, and

wrote her name upon a black memorandum book with 1ed edging. The old man at the fame time ftruck her gently upon the left fhoulder with his wand." This now," refumed he, "is the whole ceremony; henceforth rely upon eternal beauty, and the fubjugation of every heart. I beftow on you unlimited powers of charming-the most precious privi lege a tenant of this nether ob can enjoy. During the 6000 years that I have perambulated this globe, I have found only four who were worthy of fuch rare felicity. They were Semiramis, Helen, Cleopatra, and Diana of Poitiers; you are the fifth, and I am determined shall be the laft. You fhall be ever fresh and ever blooming: charms and adorations fhall track your steps: whoever beholds you, fhall that inftant be captivated, and they whom you love fhall reciprocally love you; you fhall enjoy uninterrupted health and longevity without appearing old. Some females feem born to bewitch the eye, and fome the heart; but you alone are fated to unite thefe different qualities: you fhall tafte of pleasure at an age when others of your fex are befet with decrepitude; your name fhall live while the world endures.I am aware, madam, that all this will appear to you like enchantment, but afk me no questions, for I dare not anfwer a word. In the course of your life you fhall fee me once again, and that 'ere fourfcore years be run. Tremble then! for three fhort days fhall close your exiftence! Remember my name is Night Walker.”With thefe words he vanished, and left the Mifs of eternal beauty fhivering with fear.

This lady of amorous memory, adds the ftory, had a fecond vifit from the little gentleman in black in 1706, as the lingered on her deathbed. In fpite of the efforts of fervants, he had found his way into her apartment;

apartment; he stood by her bed, opened the curtains and gazed, the patient turned pale, and fhrieked aloud. The unwelcome gueft, after reminding her that the third day would be that of her diffolution, ex

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hibited her own fignature, and dif appeared, as he exclaimed with a hideous voice, "Tremble! for it is past, and you are to fall into the hands of Lucifer." The third day came, and L'Enclos was no more.

MAGALHANES's VOYAGE in the SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN.

TH

(From Dalrymple's Collection.)

HE voyages made in the early period of the Spanish difcoveries, are not handed down to us with much precision more diftin&t accounts may, perhaps, remain in the archives of Spain: but from the printed relations none, previous to the voyage of Alvaro Mendana de Neyra, in 1595, can be traced step by step. However, it will at least be curious, if not useful, briefly to recite the antecedent expeditions.

The firft explorer of this vaft ocean was the immortal Magalhanes: tho' this man was flighted by his own court, his memory fhall be revered in every age; whilft, after a few centuries, even the Emanuels fink into oblivion.

The Portuguese hiftorians have, with the utmost afperity of invective, attacked the character of Magalhanes; the bireling fycophants of a court, chameleon like, muft form their fentiments to the countenance of a fuperior: it is not, therefore, wonderful fuch men fhould endeavour to blaft that fame, which muft ever reproach them who overlooked, or contemned the tranfcendant merit from whence it fprings. The obfervation of Fray Gafpar, in his Conquista de las Philipinas, that it was not fit to leave fo great an enterprise unattempted for want of affiftance,' is a full reply to the Portuguese charge of difloyalty, and recoils the reproach where it ought to their king, and to his mini

fiers. Every public-fpirited Portuguefe muft lament, that oblivion has concealed the names of thofe minifters, who merit the eternal execration of their country, for being inftrumental in depriving it of the fervices of fo great a man as Magalhanes.The commentator of Camoens further obferves, that had Magalhanes died without communicating his noble plan, it would have been a high mifdemeanour against the good of mankind.'

Altho' the voyage of Magalhanes contains no important difcoveries in the South Pacific Ocean, the circum. navigation of the globe is so very remarkable an event in the history of mankind, that a particular difcuffion of the life and character of that great hero who accomplished it, cannot fail of being acceptable, particularly as Fray Gafpar's hiftory is little known, and has never appeared in English, altho' he is, on this fubject, much more diftinct and circumftantial than any other author I have seen.

I fhall therefore tranflate his Ex-· ordium to Magalhanes's voyage; at the fame time, I mean to introduce all the circumftances I can find recorded by Herrera and Barros: the public, uninfluenced by the malevolent infinuations in the laft author, will do juftice to the memory of Magalhanes.

On the 25th of September, 1513, Bafco Nunez de Balboa got fight of the

Conquista de las Islas Philipinas por Fr. Gafpar de San Auguflin, fol. Madrid, 1698.

the South Sea, from the top of the mountains of Pancas, in the province of Panama.

On the 29th he waded into it up to his middle, and took poffeffion.

The reports of this difcovery made a great noife in Europe, and raised a strong defire in many to navigate it; but the queftion was, whether it communicated with the North Sea or not? Altho' this engaged the attention of the curious in cofmography, hydrography, and navigation, none thought of offering themfelves for the difcovery, and much lefs of giving any reafons relative to a strait communicating, till Divine Providence difpofed Hernando Magalhanes a noble Portuguefe, to attempt the difcovery of the South Sea on many prefumptions; for he was a very intelligent man in the mathematics and the nautic art, and of great experience in the navigation of the Eaft-Indies, where he had ferved, and gained great honour under the ftandard of that famous Captain, Alfonfo de Alburquerque. He had particularly fignalized himself in the expedition against Malacca, which was fubdued in Auguft, 1511, as he had alfo done in the wars against the Alarbes of Africa.

Having acquired great knowledge in the affairs of this Archipelago, by means of thefe eaftern nations, and thro' the intimate friendship which he always had with Francisco Serrano, who was fent with Antonio de Abreu the fame year, 1511, to discover the iflands of Cloves, named Malucos; Francifco Serrano having difcovered the Malucos, fent a dispatch to the King of Portugal, by Pedro Fernandez, advising him of the riches and opulence of the Malucos, and adjoining iflands; informing alfo his friend Magalhanes of every thing that had happened to him: fome time after Francifco Serrano returned to

Malacca, and having embarked for Portugal, died in the paffage.

• When Fernandez arrived in Portugal with the news of the discovery of the Malucos, he found Magalhanes in Lisbon, who was then come from Malacca, to folicit fome reward for his fervices. He received there the letters of Francifco Serrano, in which he gave great intimation of his difcoveries. Whereupon, inflamed with the noble ardour to acquire fame, and be no lefs than his friend Serrano, profiting by the intelligence he had received, he determined to undertake his difcovery: for which he received great affiftance from the charts and inftructions of Martin de Bohemia, a famous aftrologer and Portuguese cofmographer, native of the inland Fayal, to whom is afcribed the ingenious invention of the aftrolabe, and from a connection with another Portuguefe aftrologer, named Ruy Fa. lero.

In concert with this Ruy Falero, Magalhanes fet on foot his new difcovery, and having firft propofed it to the King, Don Manuel of Portugal, he did not chufe to hear it, nor to give it any confidence, but difmiffed him with a frown, and fingular difgrace, very different from what was due to the propofal of Magalhanes, and to the reputation he had acquired for his valour. Magalhanes thus difmiffed, chagrined at finding his own prince fo ill requite his loyalty and good faith, determined to go to the Spanish court, which was then at Valladolid, to enter into the service of Charles V. and to execute for him the difcovery he had projected.

Magalhanes arrived at court in 1517; and as the emperor was not there, he communicated his intention to Don Juan Rodriguez de Fonseca, bishop of Burgos, who, at that time, had charge of the affairs of the Indies. He was heard with attention,

*Con muchas veras.

and

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