his injuries, his ailments, his afflictions, and had him inftantly remov ed in a litter, with the tendereft care, from the hovel to the castle.

while the greatest happiness of her Life the derived from the kindnefs of Orlando and Victoria, in allowing her to make a buflle in the nursery,, and to fancy herfelf of infinite fervice to the lovely young brood there.

One of the incidents highly affect ing to the fufceptible feelings of Lorenzo, upon his return to the caftle of his ancestors, we will now relate. We trust our reader has not forgot ten Fidato-the old and faithful maggiordomo, whom the indignity offered to his lamented lord, by the marLiage of Elvira, had driven to his bed in a nervous fever. Grief,, horror, old age, and cruel treatment from the ufurper, brought upon this hitherto healthy man a complication of maladies and, about fix years prior to Lorenzo's return to Manfredonia, the wretched Fidato, in a miferable ftate of mental and bodily debility, was defpoiled of all the honeft earn ings of his life by the rapacious Polydore, and driven by that ruthlefs barbarian from the cattle to a miferable hut upon the fea-fhore, where for the last two years he had been to tally confined to his bed-where, but for the humanity of the oppreffed and impoverished peafant where he lodged (and who still remembered Fidato's kindness to him in happier times,) be muft have perifhed for want of

In the hall Fidato was received and welcomed by his kind and long-loft mafter. Again Fidato hid his hoary head in the bofom of Lorenzo, and wept for joy. He faw his young lord once more, and preffed his hands to his throbbing heart; he beheld the. lady Matilda, and the deftined wife of the long-lamented marchese di Palermo-fhe who had been permitted by Heaven to restore his ancient mafter to him. He gazed upon her, with rapturous gratitude and delight; he fobbed; he preffed her hand with refpectful affection to his lips, and bleffed her with effecting folemnity.. He was then gently conveyed to the. chamber which for thirty years he hadinhabited; where, looking around with a cheerful and delighted counte-, nance, he pioufly thanked Heaven. for extending his life to behold once more his beloved injured lord and his lovely children; to hear the vilely traduced fame of his ineftimable lady restored to its, rank amongst the im-. maculate; and to permit him to breath his laft figh in the fervice and calle of his lord; and, then bleffings. Lorenzo and his children with fervour, he, with a fweet fimile of tranquility, laid his head upon his pillow, and without a figh or fruggle funk into eternal fleep,

P

CHAP. LXXIX.

care.

A fhort time prior to Lorenzo's return, by the pitying decrees of Almighty Providence, the mental powers of this poor perfecuted fuffering old man revifited him. At length. the duca di Manfredonia was restored to redress the grievances of his ruined and perfecuted tenantry. Fidato, with every pulfe throbbing with ecfratic joy and gratitude to heaven, beard the wondrous tale: it renovated his expiring lamp of life; it gave to his unfeebled reafon a gleam of pired. energy long unknown to it. Loren- left a noble legacy for his ever-la-, zo vifited the bedtide of this cfteemed mented favourite, bearing intereft, and faithful old domeftic, wept ever and to remain appropriated for his

By the time Diego was restored to honourable fociety both his parents. were no more; but ever cherishing the hope of his being yet in existence, they had left ail their property in the hands of truflees, to accumulate for his ufe, thould he appear in the space: of twenty-one years after their de That term was not half ex-, cease, The late conte Ariofto too

ufs

ufe for fourteen years, when, fhould ings; their good fenfe and pity ftrow Diego not have been heard of, the mo- to reafon and perfuade him back to ney was to become the property of happiness, while their piety dropped Alphonfo. More than that term had all the balm into his wounds that clapfed fince the death of Altidore; Omnipotent mercy promises to the but the amiable Aiphonfo, in refpect lowly contrite penitent. At length, to his father's attachment, and in gra- the reftlefs Diego conceived it highly *titude for Diego's kindness and fer- reprehenfible for fuch a finner as he vices to Victoria, prefented him had been to remain in the work exhis legacy, with all its accumulation, pofed to temptations he had fo fully even unto the very day he was put evinced himself unable to refifi; and into poffeffion of it. But although that the only prospect he had of faithe property of Diego thus lay in vation was by renouncing the world, Tufcany, although his attachment to and in the gloomy recefles of a cloif. the caftle of Palino was unfubdued, ter ftrive, by uncealing prayer and peand his refpect for the prefent conte nance, to expiate his crimes. Ariofto extreme, he ftill preferred a refidence at Manfredonia. To be near Orlando and Victoria was the firft with of his heart; to fee them daily, to fometimes converfe with them, was a pleafure he would not forego for any other temporal confideration; and as his active mind was ever reverting to dreadful fubjects when devoid of employment, the good duca, in recompenfe for his fervices, and to draw him from the torturing retrofpection brought on by inaction, appointed him maggiordomo as foon as the men of butinefs em ployed for the occafion had arranged all the embarraffinents of the cltates and tenantry.

Diego, affluent and independent, fettled in a family where all his attachments centered, with an honourable employment that occupied most of his time, and gave ample opportunities to his active benevolence to exercise itself, was yet unhappy. His feeling mind ftill fhuddered at the crimes he had been led into the commiffion of, and each moment of inaction his penfive agonifed thoughts fled back to scenes of paft horror, embittering his elfe now cloudless days, and ftrewing his pillow with the rank ling thorns of defpondence and contrition. Orlando and Victoria were often the confidants of his miferable feel

This measure Orlando and Victoria ftrongly opposed, being both firmly of opinion that the active benevolent Diego would only find mifery in a convent, while in the world, as a husband, a father, philanthropist, by avoiding fin in the midft of temptation, leading others to virtue by his example, and by his benevolence and kindness making numbers happy, he could more fully perform his duty to Heaven, and more amply make atonement for the offences of his past life. But, not chooling that their judgment alone thould decide in fuch an important affair, they perfuaded Diego to lay all his thoughts and perplexities before the holy fathers Rinaldo, Alberti, and Pierre, and to abide by their decifion. The two latter were therefore immediately convened, and with Rinaldo, the duca di Manfredonia, Orlando and Diego, folemnly and deeply difcuffed the mo mentous queflion, when the opinions of all were strongly against Diego's project, and the holy men and Lo renzo perfectly agreed with Orlando. in his ideas upon the fubject; and fo mild, fo merciful was the theology of thefe good priefts, fo comforting their doctrines, that Diego's heart dilated with the cheering hope of Heaven's forgiveness, and his own firmnefs againit temptation.

Orlando, well knowing the fenfi

719

our revenge.'

tive fenfibility of Diego's compofiti- at him, and, by winning him, fecure on, would not leave time to the indulgence of his oppreffed feelings, after the folemn fcene was ended; but good-naturedly catching this in eftimable though humble friend by the arm, led him to the marchefa, who was fitting in her dreffing-room, Ariving to employ herfelf in reading, while all her thoughts were fixed upon the interesting conference in the library. Urfuline and Rofelia were both with her but as the ingenuous Diego had never affected fecrefy before them, neither of them now attempted to retire, as they were full of anxiety to learn what had been the decifion of the monks. The ardent Victoria inftantly caught intelligence from the eyes of her husband, and ftarting from her feat took the hand of Diego, and fweetly faid with all the fpirited glow of animation which unfeigned pleasure gives-

'Orlando's countenance tells me that our united with is realized, and that fociety is not to lofe a valuable member.'

Diego burst into tears, and covering his face with both hands, would have retreated, only for the active attention of Orlando, who grafping him by the arm, fpoke with an air of gaiety calculated to infpire cheer

fulness:

I have brought Diego hither, Victoria, to be tried and condemned, without benefit of clergy, for high treafon against your fex. As we came from the folemn congrefs hither, I advifed him, if he wifhed for complete happinefs, to get a wife; and, would you believe it, I am convinced not even your perfuafions could win him to compliances; be feems to fhrink from matrimony as from fome inoft horrible inftitution.'

"

"

Oh! the infulting favage exclaimed fignora Farinelli. Were Ia marrying woman, I declare I would my cup in a most refiftless manner

fet

And reward my humility, you mean, fignora,' faid Diego, who by this time had made a fuccefsful effort to fupprefs his feelings. My good lord has a little mifconceived me.Living in the caftle of Manfredonia, who could fhrink from wedded life? My lord advifed my uniting myself to fome amiable woman whom I loved, and

And ftrongly I advife it, Diego, from conviction. You talk of being eafily led to error. United to fuch a woman as my Victoria, think you that I can I ever fhrink from error, left I ever ftray? Must not should become unworthy of her affection?"

With virtue by the hand, he must indeed be a prompt finner who could tray. But, my lord, you know there is not a woman in existence equal to the marchefa di Palermo ; and the only man who deferved fuch a gift from Heaven has obtained her. As for me, fuch are my pretentions to wedded happiness, that I dare not claim alliance with any virtue. How dare I, tainted as I am with crimes, afk the love of any estimable woman? How could I hope to Be beloved, who-'

At this moment Roselia haftily quitted the room, with her fine countenance covered with the brightest tints of vermillion, and in a state of agitation that could no longer effect concealment.

A finile of intelligence beamed over the expreffive countenance of Victoria, and bore conviction to her Orlando, on whofe face was inftantly dif played its counterpart.

1

The humble Diego was not deficient in penetration :--he beheld the emotion and flight of Rofelia, and faw the expreffive fimile of his lord and lady. 1ope and joy explanted all to his withes; and, almost in as much perturbation as poor Rofelia

he

he waited not for further conviction, tion, which Diego fettled upon be hut, clofely pursuing her fteps, at and her children, as he did all the length overtook her ere the reached patrimony and legacy bequeathed to her intended retreat; when he haften him. A very pretty houfe in the ed, though we fear rather aukwardly, park, approximate to the cafe, to inform Rofelia that he tenderly neatly furnished, was prefented Loved her, fince his firft knowledge of Lorenzo to Diego for the refidere: ber virtues; fince he beheld her refift of himself and wife. The duca, 0lefs beauty through the touching charm lando, Matilda, Urfuline, and Al of tears, awakened by affection and berti, all evinced their friendship art diftrefs at the forlorn and perfecuted good-will to Rofelia by prefenting fituation of her beloved lady Victoria; her with gifts fuired to the fortune fince the evinced fuch humanity to- of the donors; and this union, form wards himfelf in the château of de ed under fuch propitious aufpice, Montfort. proved as happy as their moft zal ous friends could with. The life of Rofelia glided on in undisturbed conjugal and domeftic felicity; while her affectionate and indulgent Dieg as a husband and a father, as a faithfuliteward, a lenient mafter, the be nefactor of the poor, the champion, of the oppreffed, the alleviator of for row, the pious Chriftian, the upright honeft man, deferved the favour of Heaven, and obliterated from the minds even of the most faftidious, by his active virtues in his maturer years all recollection of the tranfgreffus of the former days.

Rofelia heard him without any fymptoms calculated to announce his cafe a hopeless one: and Victoria fhortly after drew from the ingenuous Kofelia a fecret that the long fufpected that the interefting Diego, notwithstanding his being fixteen years her fenior in age, had ftolen imperceptibly into her tendereft affections and as Victoria firmly believed that in defiance of his former errors Diego was an honeft man, who would make her beloved Rofelia happy, readily gave her content to

the union.

. By the earneft defire of Rofelia, her old friend the good father Alberti performed. the. nuptial ceremony; and her beloved preceptiefs, the venerable and hoary-headed Urfuline, was her bridemaid. Conte di Ariosto gave her to the bridegroom; for both he and Matilda attended ar Manfredonia to evince their refpect to Rofelia and Diego. Victoria furwifhed the bride's wardrobe; and afifted, herfelf on the nuptial day to decorate the perfon of her beloved Rofelia, whom he feelingly reminded of having done. the fame for; her, but under every different anfpices; yet fervently the hoped Rofelia's road to happiness would prove

Thomas, if he had the inclination, had not the power of returning 0 his native country, Thomas had been an orphan, the offspring of an honeft failor who had been reared s the workhoufe at Biddeford in De vonshire. When arrived at a pro per age, he was bound apprentice to a fitherman, by whom he was real | ed with exceffive kindness. Whet he became his own matter, hegre fied the first with of his heart be enlifting in the royal navy; and dur ing feveral cruizes, and in fome cele brated engagements at fea, he fi nalited his courage and good conduct fu much, that, young as he was, he was promoted to the poft of bedfwain. After feven years spent t the navy, with credit to himfelf a advamage to the profeffion, he was once more in England; and att

to make the good old man's latter days happy by a cargo of prize-money, which he had hoarded for his kind master's use.

Thomas went fecretly to work.— With fome planks of oak he made

age of twenty-one obtained leave of abfence from his fhip to go and vifit bis old master at Biddeford, intending a kind of coffin; cut down the body of his friend, and interred him in a lonely part of a fequeftered churchyard in a neighbouring hamlet. The body was miffed. Inquiry led difcoveOn his arrival at Biddeford, he ry to poor Thomas, who was thrown was shocked to find his mafter's only into jail, and brought to trial; when fon (who had been his fellow ap- the irritibility of his feelings, and igprentice), a good-natured thoughtless norance of the law, led him into the youth, who had ever been wild and commiffion of contempt of court, afily led afray, had fallen under and this, added to his other crime, he penal law, and been executed for required all the intereft of poor piracy. The unhappy father, though Thomas's naval friends to have his overwhelmed by the dreadful odium fentence mitigated to fourteen years his fon's miscondu& had brought up- tranfportation. on his clofing life, was taught by Thomas, indignant at a punishaffection to mingle with his bitter ment his heart told him that he defervpangs a fond remembrance of all the ed not, quitted England; and as his good properties his ill-fated fon's heart native and much-loved Albian leffen poffeffed; and, never having follow- ed to his view, he rafhly made the ed his occupation upon a Sunday moft folemn and awful of vows never from the moment of his fon's execu- more to return. tion, inftead of attending at public worship (as he had on that day uniformly done), at dawn of morning he took his Raff, and with his days provifion at his back, and accompanied by his faithful dog, he traced his faltering fteps to the dreadful spot where the body of his child was expofed to public contumely; and at the foot of the gibbet, in fenfhine and rain, in keen froft and dritting fnow the agonifed father kept his heart rending fabbaths, until the cloting hour of day forced his return to his now miferable home.

Poor Thomas was led by affection to his old maffer to keep one of thefe direful vigils with him. The father's half-averted eye, in which the mingled tear of grief and humiliation trembled -the bluth of fhame that flushed This furrowed check the agonifing figh that convulfed his bofom-were all too much for the fufceptible feelings of Thomas, and he determincd the wretched parent fhould never pafs fuch another heart-rending

watch...

December, 1808.

On his voyage to

America the tranfport he was in was wrecked: many of the crew and convicts perifhed, while he with a few other individuals were faved from the fury of the ftorm by a Portuguese merchantman on its way from Mexico to Lifbon. As they approached the thore of Portugal, they fell in with and were taken by Achmet the corfair, from whofe power our reader already knows he was taken by don Manual, in whofe fervice he was fettered by links of compulfion which his natural honefly could not find out means to break. But even in the fervice of this predacious fociety he could never be prevailed upon to join in plundering a prize his valour had affifted to take and on every poffible occafion he failed not to evince the virtues of his heart; while he trove to reconcile himfelf to his fate by thinking, that as he could never more fight for his country, he would not fight againft it by enlifting in the navy of any other maritime power; and that, as he must fight upon the fea to be happy, he might as 4 Y

well