of these observations.It is a pity that this fine fpeech should be difgraced by the quibble in the last expreffion. A Moonlight Scene. Lorenzo. How fweet the moonlight fleeps upon this bank! Here will we fit, and let the founds of mufic Creep in our ears foft ftillness and the night Become the touches of sweet harmony. These truly poetical lines will, no doubt, remind the reader of Addison's fine hymn on the nocturnal heavens: The fpacious firmament on high, With all the blue ethereal sky, And Spangled heaven, a fhining frame. The Power of Mufic. Jelica. I am never merry, when I hear fweet music, Lorenzo. The reafon is, your fpirits are attentive: For do but note a wild and wanton herd, Which is the hot condition of their blood; There favage eyes turn'd to a modeft gaze the poet Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, stones, and floods; Since nought fo ftockish, hard, and full of rage, The man that hath no music in himself, founds, Is fit for treafons, ftratagems, and spoils; And his affections dark as Erebus: The enchanting powers and effects of mufic are here moft poetically defcribed. There never can be faid too much on this charming theme. The human mind may fometimes be too ftern or obftinate to yield to argument; but in melody there is a fort of fentiment, that finks into the heart, and by awaking the fofter paffions of the foul, often perfuades, where reafon elfe would fail. A beautiful Allufion. Portia. How far that little candle throws So fhines a good deed in a naughty world. A fubftitute fhines brightly as a king, Until a king be by; and then his state Empties itself, as doth an inland brook Into the mafs of waters. Mufic! Hah! Neria. It is your mufic, madam, of the houfe. Portia. Nothing is good, I fee, without respect +: Methinks, it founds much fweeter than by day. Neriffa. Silence bestows that virtue on it, madam. Portia. The crow doth fing as fweetly as the lark, When neither is attended; and, I think, No better a musician than the wren. In the beginning of this dialogue, the beautiful allafion to the light of a candle is evidently borrowed from our Saviour's fermon on the mount: Let your light fo fhine before men, that they may fee your good works,' &c. Mat. v. 16. And, in the continua-, tion of the dialogue, the effect of time, circumftance, comparifon, and occafion, are justly and beautifully point ed out. *A patine, from the Latin word patina, is the fmall flat dish or plate ufed with the chalice in the administration of the eucharift. In the times of popery, and proba bly in the following age, it was commonly made of gold. Not abfolutely good, but relatively good, as it is modified by circumstances. ELEGANT ALLEGORIES. [From the German of Mr. Herder. ] SLEEP. MONG the choir of countless Genii, whom Jupiter created for men, in order to fuperintend and to bless the short period of a painful exiftence, was the dim fleep. What have I to do, (faid he, furveying he dusky form) in the midst of my dazzling brethren? how fadly I look in the band of the Sports, of the Joys, and of the Loves! It may be that I am welcome to the unhappy, whom I lull to oblivion of their cares: it may be that I am welcome to the weary, whom I do but ftrengthen to new toil: but to thofe who are neither weary nor woe-begone, whom I only interrupt in the circle of their joys. Thou erreft, (faid the father of Genii and of men) thou in thy dufky form fhalt be a genius dear to all the world. Dolt thou not think that fports and joys fatigue? In truth they tire sooner than care and want, and bequeath to their pampered hoft the moft irk fome floth. And even thou, (continued Jupiter) fhalt not be without thy pleafures, but fhalt often furpass therein the whole company of thy brothers.' With these words he reached out the grey horn full of pleafing dreams: Hence, (added he) fcatter thy poppy-feeds, and the happy no less than the miferable of mankind will wish for thee, and love thee above all thy brethren. The hopes, the fports, and the joys, herein contained, were caught by the charmed fingers of thy fifters the Graces, on the most redolent meads of paradife. The etherial dews that glitter on them will image to every one whom thou would bless his own wish; and, as the goddess of Love has fprinkled them with celeftial nectar, their forms will be radiant with a glowing grace, which the cold realities of earth cannot attain. From amid the rofy band of the Pleasures, gladly will men haften to thy arms. Poets will fing of thee, and ftrive to rival thy enchantments in their fongs. Even the innocent maid fhall with for thee, and thou wilt hang on her eye-lids a fweet a wel come god.' The complaint of fleep was changed into thankfulness and triumph, and he was united to the lovelieft of the graces,-to Pafithea. The CHOICE of FLORA. While Jupiter was fummoning the creation which he meditated in ideal forms before him, he beckoned, and Flora appeared among the reft. Who can defcribe her charms, who can image forth her beauty? Whatever the earth fhowers from her virgin lap was mingled in her shape, her colour, her drapery. All the gods gazed on her delighted, all the goddeffes envied her beauty. • Choose for thyfelf a paramour, faid Jupiter, out of this numerous band of Divinities and Genii: but beware not to choose idly.' Flora looked about with levity. Oh that he had chofen the beautiful Phoebus, who was enraptured with the love of her!-but his beauty was too fublime for her. Her bufy look wandered around, and the chofe (who could have thought it?) one of the loweft of the gods, the fickle Zephyr. Inconfiderate! (faid the father) that thy fex, even in intellectual forms, fhould prefer fhowy glittering charms to the calm energy of the highest love! Hadit thou chofen him, (pointing to Phoebus) thou and thy progeny would have participated his immortality.' Zephyr embraced her, and fhe difappeared. She flew in the form of flower-duft into the region of the god of air. When Jupiter realized the ideal forms of his univerfe, and the lap of earth was prepared to receive the feeds of vegetation, he called to Zephyr, Kk z who was flumbering over the ashes of his beloved. Awake, youth, and bring with thee thy beloved, and behold her earthly appearance.' Zephyr came with the flower-duft, and fcattered it over the furface of earth. Phoebus recollected his love, and conferred on it animation. The goddeffes of springs and ftreams watered it with fifterly affection. Zephyr clafped it, and Flora appeared in a thousand mot. ley fpringing flowers. How glad was each to find again its celeftial lover, to lean toward his playful kiffes, and to cradle on his wavering arm. Short-lived blifs! As foon as the fair had opened her bofom, and had dret her nuptial bed in all the pomps of hue and fragrance, the fatiate Zephyr abandoned her;-and Phoebus, pitying her disappointed love, put an early end to her grief with his confuming beam! Every spring, ye maids, begins anew the fame history. Ye bloom, like Flora: choose not fuch a lover as Zephyr. AURORA. Aurora was complaining to the gods that, although he was much praised by men, fhe was little beloved or vifited by them, and least by thofe W who loudeft fang her praifes. 'Do not grieve about thy lot, (faid the goddefs of wisdom) is it not the fame as mine?-and then, (continued fhe) look at those who flight thee, and at the rival whom they prefer. Behold them, as thou paffeft, floundering in the embrace of lazinefs, and decaying both in body and in mind ;—and hast thou not friends, not adorers enow? The whole creation worships thee; all the flowers awake and clothe themfelves by thy rofeate beam in new and bridal beauty. The choir of birds welcomes thee, and feems intent wholly on varied arts to charm thy tranfient prefence. The laborious boor, and the induftrious fage, never disappoint thee; they quaff, from the cup which thou offereft, health and ftrength, repofe and life: doubly pleafed that they enjoy thee undisturbed and uninterrupted by the prating crowd of fleepy fools. Doft thou confider it as no bleffing that the unworthy are never seen among thy admirers? To be worshipped without profanation is the highest prize of love among gods and men.' Aurora blushed at her thoughtless murmurs. Let every beauty afpire to her fortune, who equals her in purity and innocence. PARABLES. [From the SAME.] The OFFSPRING of MERCY. HEN the Almighty was about to create man, he fummoned before him the angels of his attributes, the watcher of his dominions. They food in council around his hidden throne. truth; he will defile thy fanctuary with falfhood, although thou shouldit ftamp on his countenance thine image, the feal of confidence.' So fpake the angels of the attributes of Jehovah; when Mercy, the youngeft and dearest child of the eternal, arofe, and, clasping his knees: Create him, father,' faid fhe, in thy likenefs, the darling of thy loving kindnefs. When all thy meffengers forfake him, I will feek and fupport him, and turn his faults to good. Because he is weak, I will incline his bowels to compaffion and his foul to atonement. When he departs from peace, from truth, from juftice, the confequences of his wanderings fhall deter him from repeating them, and fhall gently lead him to amendment.' The father of all gave ear, and created man, a weak faultering being, but in his faults the pupil of mercy, the son of ever-active and ameliorating love. Remember thine origin, oh man! when thou art hard and unkind toward thy brother. Mercy alone willed thee to be: Love and pity fuckled thee at their bofoms. The VINE. and named the vine his friend, his grateful favourite! Then the proud trees envied the vine, for behold they flood barren and neglected: but he rejoiced in his humble growth and his perfevering patience; and ftill his juice enlivens the heart of the fad, lifts the finking courage, and infpires to perfeverance and exertion. Defpair not, ye forfaken; bear, wait, and ftrive. From the infignificant reed flows the sweeteft of juices : from the bending vine fprings the most delightful drink of the earth. The DEATH of ADAM. Nine hundred and thirty years old was Adam, when he felt in his bones the fentence of the judge thou shalt furely die.' On the day of their creation, the trees boafted one to another of their excellence. Me the lord planted,' faid the lofty cedar, ftrength, frag rance, and longevity, he beftowed on me.' The goodness of Jehovah fashioned me to be a bleffing,' faid the To Eve, who forrowed greatly, he fhadowy palm; utility and beauty he faid: Let all my fons come around united in my form.' The apple-tree me, that I may behold and bless them,' faid: Like a bridegroom among and they came, as their father had youths I glow in my beauty, amid bidden, and stood around him, many the trees of the grove.' The myrtle hundreds in number, and wept, and faid: Like the rofe among briars, fo prayed for his life. am I amid other fhrubs. Thus all boafted; the olive and the fig tree, and even the fir. The vine alone drooped filent to the ground: To me, (thought he) every thing feems to have been refufed: I have neither stem, nor branches, nor flowers: but fuch as I am I will hope and wait.' He bent down his shoots and wept. Not long had he to wait: for behold the divinity of earth, man, drew nigh. He faw the feeble helpless plant trailing its honours along the foil. In pity, he lifted up the recumbent fhoots, and twined the feeble plant about his own bower;-and now the winds played with it leaves and tendrils, and the warmth of the fun began to empurple its hard green grapes, and to prepare within them a fweet and delicious juice, the repaft and the drink of gods and of men. Decked with its rich clusters, the vine now leaned toward its mafter, who tafted its refreshing fruit and juicy beverage, Who of you, (faid Adam) will go to the holy hill? Perhaps he may obtain mercy in my behalf, and bring me fruit from the tree of life.' All his fons offered to go: but Seth, the moft pious of them, was appointed by his father to accomplish this errand. His head ftrown with ashes, Seth haftened and stayed not until he stood at the gates of paradise. There he prayed, faying: Let Adam find fa vour in thy fight, O allmerciful! fend my father of the fruit of the tree of life.' Suddenly, a meffenger of God, a fhining cherub, ftood before him, holding in his hand, inftead of the fruit, a three-leaved twig ;-and he faid mildly: Take this unto thy father for his laft confolation: eternal life is not for him on this earth. Haften; for his hour is come.' Swift as an angel of confolation, Seth haftened, and proftrated himself, and faid: No fruit from the tree of life do I bring thee, O my father! but this branch which the angel gave to me for thy laft [confolation.' The dying man took the bough, and was glad. He fmelled thereon the odours of paradife, and his foul was lifted up: My children, (faid he) eternal life dwells not for us on this earth: I am dying, and ye must follow :-but on this thrub I fcent the odours of a higher world, the fragrance of a purer paradife.' Then his eyes were glazed, and his fpirit departed from him. The fons of Adam buried their father, and mourned for him thirty days-but Seth wept not. He planted the twig on his father's grave, near the place of his head, and called it the tree of refurrection from the dead. L The branch became a fpreading tree, and all the children of Adam were comforted under it; because therewith came the promise of revival from the fleep of death;-and it descended to their children's children, and was feen in David's garden; until his mifled fon began to doubt of his immortality-then the tree withered-but hocts thereof were multiplied in many nations. At length, on a item of this tree, the teacher of immortality refigned his hallowed life; and, behold, the fragrant hopes of refurrection are thence fpread abroad among all the nations of the earth. The PARADISE of SCHEDAD: An Arabian Tale. ONG before the prophet of the true believers had enlightened the world, and the facred Koran had defcended from the feventh heaven; Schedad reigned in Yemen, with abfolute power and the most tyrannic fway. He was voluptuous and cruel, an extravagant and impious defpot. A monster, rather than a man, he had the prefumption to be thought a god. Had he conceived the mad idea of acting as fuch in his own court only, the courtiers of that time would have adored him without fcruple; and even his ape and his parrot would have been equally the object of their devotions; but Schedad infifted, that all his fubjects fhould acknowledge his pretended divinity, and that it should be a ferious and unquestionable article of autumn. Here the brooks flowed filently over a fand of gold, or, rolling rapidly over a bed of pearls, blended their murmur with the warbling of the birds There, every object was refiected in a fmall lake, in which were fporting fishes of every kind and every colour. Now, we defcend into a delightful valley, where refreshing coolnefs is diffuted around by a fine fheet of water falling from a rock. Farther on, we enter ever-verdant thickets, where all the odoriferous fhrubs flourish at the feet of majestic palm-trees and cedars. Nature univerfally appears in all her charms, and the timid art which adorns her, is fcarcely to be feen. of their faith. The better to fucceed in this project, he conceived what he thought an infallible plan. He caufed to be built, in one of the most beautiful cantons of Yemen, a circular wall of prodigious height. This wall was lined within by a foreft of pines, which formed at once an inclofure and a crown to the most extensive and magnificent gardens that can be imagined. Here, the meadows were adorned with all the flowers of the fpring: there the orchards promised the lavish bounties In the centre of this enchanting folitude, a circular mountain rofe with a gentle flope; then becoming level on a fudden, it formed a vast efplanade on the fummit. There Schedad erected a ftupendous palace, which he furnifhed with equal magnificence and tafte. The conveniencies of every kind were numberless; and to all the pomp that luxury could display were united its moft exquifite refinements. All that excelled in the fine arts, or who might be called the fcientific profeffors of fenfuality in all its va rieties, were here to be found; cooks, muficians, dancers, buffoons, and e |