has delivered him into our hands. He thought to get at the few bottles of Sirmian, which I ordered to be left in the library, and which was blest, too, by Saint Nicholas; but Saint Jerome has delivered this young magician into our hands, and the devil, his master, shall not snatch him out of the net in which he was caught." On saying these words, he ordered me to be conveyed to the old cellar, which was upwards of thirty feet under-ground. About twelve o'clock the turnkey conducted me on a platform, which was erected for the purpose in the front of the monastery, where I was exhibited to an immense crowd, with a label on my breast, on which were written the following words: "This is a necromancer, that deals with the devil." There was a person appointed to read the lines to the people: some were for tearing me to pieces, and others for starving me to death. One of the monks, in whose face I could discern something of the human kind, appeased the fury of the enraged multitude. Having remained an hour in this situation, I was re-conducted to my prison: I was allowed a little bread and water, which I mingled with my tears. I stretched myself that and the succeeding nights on the cold flags. When the jailer brought the bread and

* A very rich and pleasant wine, which grows in the south of Hungary.

water,

water, he seemed to tremble at the sight of me, and begged that I would not touch him, nor even. speak to him, and that he hoped in a few days to see me burned alive. My confidence in Heaven never deserted me; as to death, there was no terror in his threats. On the fourth morning, curiosity led me to survey the extent of my prison, and as it was quite dark, I groped my way along the wall; to my astonishment, I found a door in one of the corners which opened with a little pressure: a ray of light-of heavenly light, firstborn of creation, shone in upon me; and what was almost as dear, a breath of fresh air, that lightly fanned my bloodless cheek. I paused, and examined this second apartment, and found another door, which opened to a subterraneous passage: I walked along it with trembling foot, and when I came to the end, I found some steps, which I ascended, and when I had gained the uppermost one, I pressed my hand against a flag, or board, I know not which; it gave way, and in an instant a flood of light broke in upon me. I thought I was in heaven, and so I was; for the presence of God is every where. I inhaled the fresh breeze; every pulse beat with new-born life; the sky, the fields but it was no time for contemplation: I fled on the wings of the morning, and gained the summit of a vast precipice, that projected

jected over the richest valley in the universe. I thought it best to pass a few days in this situation, till the pursuit cooled; on the fifth day, I began to think of the most secure mode of regaining my cave, which contained all that was dear to me on earth-my mathematical book: in less than two days, some kind angel conducted my weary steps to it. Solitude was now dearer to me than ever. One morning, as I was gathering some withered sticks to make a fire, as I raised my head, I was surprised by the appearance of a young man at a little distance, with a hunting-pole in his hand he called out, and entreated me not to be the least alarmed, as he never injured any one in his life. My mind told me that I had nothing to fear, so that I walked up to him, and saluted his cheek. I brought him to my cave, and made him drink a glass of wine of my own preparation. He took me by the hand, and pressed it: "I tell you again," said he, "that you need not be afraid of me; I have heard of all that happened to you in the monastery. I received my education in Vienna, and of course I laughed at the charges they brought against you: I am glad, however, that you gave Saint Jerome the slip; for if you had not, they would have burned you at the stake; but henceforward, I'll share your fate, and if you are doomed to drink hemlock, I'll pledge

VOL. I.

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pledge you. I shall endeavour to get you conveyed out of the country; for the revenge of a monk never dies; and at this minute they have bloodhounds, in human form, in pursuit of you; but, thank Heaven, the light of the Reformation begins at length to shine in this longbenighted country, and in that light these monasteries will melt away like snow in the beams of the sun." In short, I accompanied him to his father's house, where I remained concealed for two months. As successive troops of pilgrims from Bohemia were now on their march to the shrine of Saint Martin, it was agreed that I should join one of those superstitious idle gangs, which might be compared to locusts, that devoured every thing in their way, and even surpassed the gipsies in thievery. I was soon trimmed out in a pilgrim's suit, with a staff, and pair of beads-I was going to say, a league in length: I was also taught to mumble some prayers over them. In this dress, I joined a group composed of the merriest fellows in the universe. I was pleased with the conversation of two in particular; one might be about twenty-four years of age, and the other about forty; of a gay, lively disposition. I affected to be very grave, but they soon saw that it was not my natural disposition. For the sake of distinction, I shall call the young man a rake, and the other was a physician. On

the third evening of our march, the Doctor whispered me to follow them at a little distance, as soon as I should see them separate themselves from the rest I did so, and when I came up to them, they began to rally me on my affected gra vity, and to turn the shrine of Saint Martin, and all his devotees, into ridicule. Having walked about half a league, we came to a very fine house: I was surprised to see them enter it with as much familiarity as if it were their own. The lady of this stately mansion received us in the kindest manner, and ordered the maids to bring water and wash our feet. Every thing was new to me; the walls were hung with fine paintings, glasses, &c. They were all highly pleased with my simplicity, which they soon saw was not affected. The supper was sumptuousthe richest wines of Virovichitz: the lady was a Slavonian; she honoured us with her company. As soon as the cloth was removed, and the lady had withdrawn, my companions pushed about the glass, and their conversation added an additional flavour to it. I was left to drink as much or as little as I pleased. I told them my adventures, and they laughed heartily at them: they were highly pleased with my description of the fat infuriated abbot, and his charge to me about the young girl. "Well," said the Doctor," you must take care and bring no more eggs to a monastery;

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