tacter of Luborfki: and, when he enfured between him and fir Allat arrived at the refidence of Rudolf, and for fome time the victory feemed was informed of the ftrong fufpicions doubtful; but, at length, fir Allan there were that he had been guilty of dexterously parrying a blow which the fouleft and moft diabolical act, Luborfki had aimed with all his He immediately offered, if a few ftrength, the latter fell, and fir Allan brave men could be procured to ac- placing his fword to his throat, com company him, to país the black fo- manded him inftantly to furrender or reft, and furprize and fearch the caf- die. That moment all the courage Itle of Luborski; and if Agnes were of the ferocious Luborfki forfook confined in it, and ftill alive, to re- him, and he, in the most abject flore to the diftracted Rudolf his be- manner, fupplicated for his life. His loved daughter. vaffals, like daftardly banditti, as they were, feeing their leader fallen, immediately fled different ways, leaving fir Allan and his followers com. plete matters of the cafle,

Several of the fervants and tenants of Rudolf having been with difficulty prevailed on to accompany fir AlJan on his perilous adventure, he fet out in the dead of night; but, when he arrived at the entrance of the Black Foreft, they hung back, kept at a confiderable diftance, and fuffer

Sir Allan having fecured his prifoner from attempting to renew the batthe, had time to admire and hold converfation with the beauteous prize

icarcely paffed the limits of it, when he met with a furious panther, growling over the remains of her prey, a poor herdiman's boy, whom the had killed the evening preceding. Sir Allan, a ftranger to fear, in an infant drew forth his fword, and at cne blow cut off her head. His 'companions perceiving his courage and frength, and that the beaft was really mortal, now followed him with confiderable alacrity, as if they

ed him to enter it alone. He had he had rescued from his grafp, and found, with indefcribable pleafure, that Luborfki had not even attempted as yet any perfonal violence, overpowered, and, as it were, 'aweftruck, as he himself confeffed, by the blaze of beauty and celeftial expreffion of goodness and virtue which thone in hier angelic countenance. Sir Allan alfo viewed her with admiration, which foon was changed into the moft ardent affection. He haftened to restore her to her delighted had conceived that the charm was pareit, His manly perfon, graceful broken. They paffed the foreft, and behaviour, and the noble and couarrived at the caftle, which they rageous achievement by which he found unguarded, not the leaft fuf. had effected her deliverance, won the picion having been entertained of an heart of Agnes, and the foon conattack. Sir Allan forced his way to fented to reward his brave exertions one of the towers, and finding a in her favour with herfelf. He recentinel at the door of a dungeon, ceived from her father her hand, the feized him, and compelled him to invaluable recompenfe of his heroic 'open it by threats of infant death if act, with extatic joy. Luborfki, he refufed. Here, to his inexpreffi- overwhelmed with thame and reble joy, he difcovered and releafed morfe, and as if defirous to expiate the beautiful Agnes, and in an ad- his crimes and redeem his character, joining cell he found the fervant. entered into a crufade to the holy land, and fell in Paleftine, with at least more honour and bravery than

Luberki hearing the noife, haftened to the tower with as many of

his vaffals and attendants as he could he had lived, tighting against the

Collect.

A furious combat inftamily Saracens.

Romance

OUR heroine, now fheltered with-in the foftering arms of her adored chufband, furrounded by friends, protectors, affluence, and happinefs, in every direction, had nothing to call for the energies of her mind, and to catch from exertion the appearance of ftrength. It was therefore too foon vilible to all her anxiously attentive obfervers, that fevere and formidable was the fhock her conftitution had received from the dreadful conflicts it had been her fingular Mate to fuftain. The terrible effect of all the horrors toils, ficknefs, and griefs, which had fo unremittingly affailed her, feemed now to burft at once upon her in this moment of completed happinefs; and, independent of other alarming fymptoms of langour and ill health, her nervous fyftem appeared fo thaken, that the once intrepid Victoria trembled at every found; and at the approach of night expected, with horrid apprehenfion, the realising of every terrific vifion the diftempered fancy of difmay and fuperftition could

•

create.

Orlando, almoft diftra&ted with agonifing apprehenfions, fummoned father Pierre back from Provence, and fent off an exprefs to Murcia to fearch out Pedro de Valdiviefo; while all the faculty of eminence which Naples, Rome, and the furrounding provinces could boaft, were collected round her; who all declared tha. medicine, and the air of his own particular refidence, alone could fave her. Victoria laughed at thefe interested prefcriptions, but promifed her almost heart-broken Orlando, and his little lefs agonised father, to adhere most faithfully to the advice of Pierre and Pedro.

ed of the moft eggregious ignorance by the before affembled fons of Æfculapius; for he advised à tour to all the gayeft fcenes in Europe; confidering a conftant fucceffion of amufement likely to engage her fancy, with a quick change of feene, where her mind could have little opportunity of reverting to the paft, aided by perpetual variation of air, the exercife of travelling, and fome gentle alteratives, by far the most likely means of re-establishing that health which mental fuffering had affected.

The Italian phyficians, handfomely rewarded for their trouble by the liberal Orlando, ftalked off in great dudgeon, highly reprobating Victoria's infatuation and the abfurd monk's ignorance and as Pierre's prefcriptions were thought by Victoria to promife fome relief to the deep wounds of Lorenzo's mind, the more readily agreed to the projected tour; and with her husband, his father and fifter, the good monk Pierre, with Urfuline, Rofetia, Diego, and a fuitable retinue he fet out to vifit all the places whither fancy or curiofity chofe to lead her, both in the iflands and continent of Europe. For almoft two years they were wandering; and when again they returned to Manfredonia, the fweeteft fimiles of nature, fate, and fortune; bade them welcome. Sorrow no longer was there: the peafantry, bleft again under the aufpices of humanity, were jocund and healthy Victoria was perfectly recovered; her husband one of the happiest of mankind; Lorenzo cheered by the felicity of his children; and the fweet fmile of hope lit up its gentle radiance in the bofom of Matilda; for the war in which Spain had been recently engaged was ended, and Alphonfo was at the castle of Manfredonia to receive the wanderers.:

The holy father arrived as fpeedily

During this tour, in which Matilda was first introduced to the great

as poffible, and was quickly convict- and bufy world, the clearly faw the

1

December, 1808.

4. X

homage

(though mingled with the foftening father had derived fuch advantage, and pangs of fond regret) he could talk to to which he had done fuch honour, his children of their mother-to before them. Victoria of her counterpart.

Tranquil, though not happy, glided on the evening of Lorenzo's days; refpected by the world, esteemed by his friends, loved by his vaffals, and adored by his duteous children, from whofe undiminished felicity, and from watching over the dawning reafon of his lovely and promifing grandchildren, he derived all of happiness the world could now bestow upon him. But, if ever the fimplicity of heart and striking virtues of his beloved Victoria reminded him of the treasure he had fo fatally loft; if the tender, perfect, and ftill increafing attachment fubfifting between her and his Orlando taught fond regret to paint with agonifing touches the fhort moments of his own wedded happiness. Religion's potent power would restore to him the calm influence of refignation, and teach him to look, with pious faith and hope, for a re-union with his Viola in the realms of never-fading blifs.

The monks of St. Lewis were moft liberally recompenfed by the munificent Lorenzo for the part they had taken in the restoration of himself and children to the world and their ancient honours. But the general reward was not deemed by him or his children a fufficient teftimony of their gratitude for the fervices of the incorruptible and fkilful Pierre: they therefore fhortly procured him to be invefted with epifcopal dignities; nor ceased their exertions in his favour until they placed him in that fituation which Rinaldo and Alberti had rejected: and in his eminent ftation as cardinal, this once obfcure man did honour, by his humility and manifold virtues, to human nature and the friends who exalted him.

The good and faithful father Rinaldo, at the request of the noble Lorenzo, gave up his fituation in the monaftery of St. Lewis, and re-affumed his ftation of domeftic chaplain at Manfredonia; where he was loved by all, and his virtues jufly appreciated. The duca had fufficient interest to obtain for him the highest church preferment; but the unambitious, affectionate old man rejected all honours, and, prefering the circle of domeftic comfort, chofe to live with his patron and his friend, and to pafs the remainder of his days in the family of Manfredonia.

The pious and learned father Alberri became the domestic chaplain at the caftle of Palino; and refuting too all epifcopal honours, dedicated the relt of his life to witneffing the perfect happiness of his beloved Alphonfo, and to giving his children that inftruction from which their amiable

Nor were the fifters of St. Marguerite's forgotte by our heroine. Her grateful heart led her to reward all who had been kind to her in her miffortunes; and the liberal prefents the made to the abbefs and to the Benedictine fifters plainly evinced how highly the estimated her obligations to them.

Siguora Urfuline, as our reader can readily fuppofe, paffed the winter of her days in the family of her beloved Victoria, receiving from every individual that refpect and tender regard the fo well merited, and deriving happiness from witneffing the augmenting felicity of her darling pupil, whom with pleasure the affifted in the task of rearing her children, and in educating the young Viola and Clementina. Nor were the relations of Farinelli forgotten by Victoria, her adoring husband, or affec tionate father; and the obligations our heroine was under to that incomparable woman were repaid by amply providing for all thofe the heid moft dear.

To Octavia Bernini was left no

caufe