FEMALE CREDULITY AND FORTITUDE.

In Brittany, a province of France, lived two young ladies, sisters, coheiresses of a competent fortune, equally esteemed for their perfections of body and mind, and their uncommon love for each other. An officer of a regiment quartered in the town, not more nobly born than they, but possessed of a fortune quite above their pretensions courted the elder, to the equal satisfaction of the younger, who hoped to see her sister thus splendidly provided for.

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All his visits and addresses were upon honourable terms. In short, they appeared in all public places together, and were generally looked upon as husband and wife. The regiment by an order from court decamped to new quarters in the extremities of Languedoc. The officer soon after ordered his equipage to be got ready, in a private manner, and departed. This news being brought to the younger sister, she was doubly startled at his not having taken leave of them, and at his clandestine elopement. She flew to her sister's apartment, whom she found feeding her sickly thoughts with the dear image of her absent lover, and thus, as recovering from a sweet reverie, she spoke. "Sister is it not strange he has not been with me these two days to consult about our marriage, before he departed for his regiment ?"-Her generous heart knew no deceit.-"Ah, sister!" replied the younger, bursting into tears, 'you are deceived;"-" Why these tears," cried the other in amaze, "speak whatever thou knowest." "Then know," replied the younger," that last night, your lover left the town without taking leave.' The thunder-struck lady made no answer, but fainted away, and was scarce out of one fit, but into another. At length, recovered by her distracted sister's care, she cried, “ I am ruined, I am undone. In consequence of the most solemn and sacred oaths, I yielded up my honour, and now carry the growing proof of my shame. His still putting off our marriage whenever I pressed him to it, joined to his midnight escape, shew my ruin but too plainly." Here grief broke in, and interrupted her discourse. Her sympathising sister equally felt the contagious sorrow. Sighs echoed sighs, and tears obscured the charms of each beauteous face. The younger sister comforted the forlorn, as well as circumstances would permit, and prevailed on her to consent to retire to their country seat for a few days, that nothing might transpire: observing that she had a scheme in her head to make the gentleman fulfil his engagements. It was agreed upon and executed. The afflicted lady went into the country; the other sent a trusty servant to the post-house, to hire a chaise, and the best horses: at the same time bidding her waiting-maid bring her travelling-dress, and immediately prepare to go with her. Her orders were punctually obeyed, and in the middle of the third day's most vigorous pursuit, she overtook him in a town where the regiment halted. Being informed where he was at dinner, and perhaps boasting of his late dishonourable exploit, she ordered the postillion to drive thither, and sent in for him. Being an officer, and a Frenchman, he was too polite to let a lady wait, but came running out from table to the post-chaise. He no sooner perceived the sister of her he had abandoned, but instead of being struck with any concern, a thorough good opinion of himself whispered him, that love had made her undertake that tedious pursuit, and therefore accosted her with an air of secure triumph, and several compliments of gallantry, desiring her company to dinner.-She alighted out of the chaise; but as she got under the gateway of the inn, stopped him short by the sleeve, and said, "Sir, I am come all this way, and in this haste, to know if you'll do justice to my sister, which is to return with me immediately and marry

her." To which he cavilierly replied, "If I had any distant thoughts of marriage, it should be for yourself and not for your sister;" at the same time offering his hand to lead her into the house. Enraged at the insulting answer, she assured him she would not go a step forward, nor let go her hold, until she had his last, his positive answer, on that head. Why then," cried he, "madam, that you may certainly found your hopes of having me to yourself, and be no longer jealous of an insipid sister: she is the last woman in the world I would think of marrying."

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At this final declaration, she with a pistol shot him through the head, as he was proceeding with his protestation. Down he dropped at her feet, a victim sacrificed to the manes of her sister's honour. The people of the inn, and neighbourhood, flocked around her. She cheerfully surrendered herself to justice. An exact detail of the affair was sent to court, and by the returning post she received a pardon.

At her return she informed her disconsolate sister of what had passed, but received no answer from the statue of grief, save sighs, tears, and looks towards heaven; she refused all kind of nourishment, and died in a few days, through the double anguish of her lost reputation, and the hasty death of her still dear destroyer. The generous sister, widowed by the afflicting loss, and rendered averse to the opposite sex, by the execrable specimen she had punished, retired to a convent from the slanderous noise, and calumniating bustle of the world.

A CHILD NURTURED BY A WOLF.

Some gentlemen hunting in the forest of Arden, in Picardy, slew a shewolf, that was followed by a child of about seven years of age, stark naked, of a strange complexion, and with fair curled hair. The child seeing the wolf dead, ran fiercely at them, was beset and taken. The nails of his hands and feet bowed inward: he spake nothing, but uttered only an inarticulate sound. Having brought him to a neighbouring house, they manacled his hands and feet; and, by long fasting, brought him to tameness, so that in seven months he was taught to speak.

By circumstances of time, and six fingers he had on one hand, he was found to be the child of a woman, who stealing wood, was pursued by officers, and in her fright left her child, then about nine months old, which, as is supposed, was carried away by the she-wolf, and by her nurtured to the time of his being taken.

He afterwards became a herdsman, for seven years, during which time, wolves never made an attempt upon his flock, though they were very numerous. This being observed by the neighbouring villages, many people committed their cattle to his care; by which means he acquired great store of money; and lived and died in comfort and affluence.

BIGAMY REWARDED.

An inhabitant of Mequinez had been married fourteen years, and went to a distant part of the country, promising his wife to return as soon as circumstances should permit. After a long interval, she took the title of a widow and got another husband. The absentee, hearing of this, returned to Mequinez, and demanded his wife. The man in possession refused to part

with her, and the first husband appealed to the emperor. Upon this, both husbands, the wife, and her two brothers, were ordered into the royal presence; where the plaintiff stated his case. The emperor then ordered the men to stand on one side, and the woman on the other. "Now," said he, "I will administer the same justice as my great father hath shewn on a like. occasion;" and bid the woman choose the man she liked best. She preferred the new husband; and the other three men were shot by order of the emperor, who told the couple to go home and live happily, as he had cut off all occasion of jealousy.

DURING Muley Abdallah's residence at Mequinez, the captain of a rowboat came from Salee to wait upon him. The sea-officer had returned from a cruise, in which he had taken two prizes; and was come to court to deliver to his majesty the share of the captures which is customarily rendered to government, and likewise to offer a considerable present as a token of his loyal affection.

The emperor received the present and share of the prizes with all seeming complacency and satisfaction; and the captain imagined that his services were highly approved. But the emperor had received an account, that the captain had, on his cruise, met with a French merchantman, but had declined an engagement, fearing the christians might prove too strong for him. On this information, the emperor had in his mind passed sentence on him as a coward, and only waited his arrival for execution.

The captain, highly pleased with the acceptance of his present, staid only for his formal dismission. The emperor observing he now expected his discharge, told him, he could not dismiss him yet, as he had some business of importance to settle, which had not yet been duly adjusted. At this the

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captain was somewhat chagrined, and began to suspect the emperor's displeasure, but knew not what to attribute it to. The emperor, however, soon put an end to his uncertainty, by telling him, with an angry countenance, that he was determined to make him account for the loss of the French merchantman, which like a coward and a traitor, he had ran away from; and that nothing but his life should answer for the fault.

During this interview, the emperor was on horseback, and the captain on foot. The emperor moved his horse about thirty paces from the victim of his resentment, and turning short round, with his lance in his hand, rode full speed towards him, and endeavoured to pierce him through the body. The captain, however, hoping to save his life, artfully evaded the thrust, and, according to the custom of the country, caught hold of the tail of the horse (which is usually a sanctuary from further punishment), imploring mercy and forgiveness in a most pathetic manner. The emperor, however, was sufficiently conscious that there was no real sanctity in himself, and that of course his horse, or its tail, could derive no holiness from the rider; he, therefore, made no scruple to sacrifice the prejudices and good opinion of his subjects in that point to the gratification of his revenge. Doubly exasperated by the evasion which the captain had made, he darted his lance into his body, and laid him lifeless in a minute, with no less than thirteen wounds, the least of which would have produced death.

Having thus performed the office of an executioner with his own hand, he commanded the dead body to be dragged to the market-place, and there exposed for three days, as a public monument of his vengeance on cowardice; and after the expiration of that term, to be dragged in the same infamous manner without the walls of the city, there to remain till the birds and beasts of prey or the operations of nature should have destroyed it.

The jacket of the unhappy victim was purchased by a Spanish captive, who preserved it, intending (should Providence ever grant him a release) to exhibit the thirteen holes made in it by the emperor's spear as monuments, in the face of Christendom, of Barbarian tyranny.

FATE OF CÆSAR'S ASSASSINS.

None of the murderers of Julius Cæsar survived him three years, but all underwent violent deaths; some by shipwreck found the death they were flying from, others in battle, and some of them gave themselves their death with the same poignards with which they murdered Cæsar.

GOD'S REVENGE AGAINST MURDER.

URSINA AND HER SON BERNARDO.

In the noble city of Orleans, in France, there dwelt a rich canon of a cathedral named Cortesius Romeo, who had a young gentlewoman to his neice of excellent beauty and disposition, whose deceased mother left her very rich her uncle Romeo being nearest in blood, took her into his protection, giving her all manner of breeding and education requisite for a person of her rank and quality; and the better to accomplish her in all virtuous perfections, carefully sent her in his coach to Morlieu, to the Lady

Margaretta Ursina, a widow gentlewoman, eminent both in virtue and piety. Donna Carolla (for so she was called) with her waiting maid and one manservant, arrives there, where she is kindly received by Ursina, highly applauding Romeo's honourable care of his neice, who she hopes in a few years will become a most complete gentlewoman.

Romeo did well to place his young neice with the Lady Ursina, but ill forgot that she had a young man to her son named Monsieur Bernardo, a most debauched person, and one whose vicious life made him the scorn and pity of all Morlieu. This young spark seeing so sweet a beauty, and so great a heiress fallen into his mother's hands, secretly courts her, but she received him with contempt and indignation, upon which be grew more importunate and she no less averse; when Bernardo hoping no success from these violent courses, acquaints his mother with his passion for Carolla, who forbids him to proceed any further, unless he would swear to reform himself, which he vowed on his knees to do, and performed accordingly. Romeo came three several times over to Morlieu to see his neice, whom Ursina entertained with all imaginable respect, charging her son during his stay not to mention one word to Romeo of his affection for his neice. But Ursina now secretly understanding by letter from Orleans, that the following Autumn Romeo designed to send for his neice home, thought it convenient to mention it to him, which she did in a fair and honourable manner. But Romeo displeased with her ambition in desiring his neice for a wife for her son, well knowing the small estate of the mother, and corrupt conversation of the son; yet taking no notice thereof, he excused himself that he had already disposed of his neice, and could not with honour or justice recede from his promise.

Three weeks after this answer, not thinking his neice safe at Morlieu, he sent over his coach and servants to bring her home, writing a gratulatory letter to the lady Ursina, for her great care, honourable education, and entertainment.

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Having formerly contracted my neice Carolla to a husband, his request and my promise now oblige me to take her from you in Morlieu, and give her to him at Orleans. To this purpose I here send my coach and servants to you for her, and desire you to return her to me, with your best prayers that she who by your sober instructions and indulgent care has begun the morning of her life in piety and virtue, may continue in those happy paths, and die in peace, to live in everlasting glory.-Romeo."

This letter vexed both Ursina and her son, as seeing thereby no hopes of attaining their ends; wherefore Ursina, at her son's intreaty, uses all her interest to persuade Carolla, but she was deaf to her motion, and so far from hearkening thereto, that she now refused to see Bernardo, much less admit him to any grace or favour.

Breakfast being now ended, and the coach ready, Carolla departs to Orleans to her uncle Romeo; but Ursina would not thus be repulsed, but wrote a second letter to Romeo to the same purpose: who, very angry that she should disrespect him as not to credit what he had said, and believe him that his neice was precontracted, very sharply returned her the same answer as before, protesting withal for the future either not to receive her letters, or to answer them with silence. Bernardo was so incensed to see all his great expectations utterly defeated, that he returned to his former vices, and lived more dissolute than ever, upon which Ursina vowed she would never speak in his behalf any more. This resolution of the mother bred bad blood in the

son, so that he now determines with himself to work his revenge on his