1

Obferving, however, that this narration produced a very striking and groomy change in the countenance of Mr Blandford, he withdrew with that gentleman into his study, and very candidly told him, that this recent and expensive tranfaction should make no material difference in the fortune of his daughter: He explained his intention of regaining the money by a partial fate of the colection, and added, that as this mode of replacing the fum expended might not be very expeditious, he should more than compenfate tor the deficiency by a bond for four thousand pounds, with full interest, and strict punctuality of payment.

Mr Blandford happened to be one of those adventurous gentlemen, who, as they tremble on the verge of bankruptcy, ingenioufly disguise the shudderings of real fear under artful palpitations of pretended love, and endeavour to fave themselves from falling down a tremendous precipice, by hastily catching at the hand of the first wealthy and benevolent virgin or widow, whom they suppose within their reach: He was a great projector in the management of ready money, and had raised many splendid vifions on the expected fortune of Miss Coral; but the little box of poifon, which the Doctor had brought home, converted his daughter in the eyes of Mr Blandford, into a fecond Pandora; and as that gentleman had all the cunning of Prometheus, he refolved, like the cautious son of Japerus, to have no connection with the lady offered to him as a bride, because he forefaw the evils included in her dower.

Mr Blandford, on this occafion, thought proper to imitate the policy of those who try to conceal a base purpose of their own, by aceufing another perfon of baseness: He upbraided Dr Coral for having shamefully disappointed his very just expectations, and, taking the subject in that key, he purfued it thro all the notes of high and artificial paffion; which produced a fuperior burst of louder aud more natural anger from the honest infulted virtuoso. Poor Theodora, in paffing the door of the study, heard the voice of her father so unufually violent, that, from a sudden impulse of affectionate apprehenfion, she entered the room, where the two gentlemen, were engaged in the most angry altercation. Mr Blandford seized the opportunity of bidding his mistress an eternal adieu. While she stood motionless with surprise, he made his final bow with a

farcaftic politeness, rushed eagerly out of the house, and decamped the very next day from the town, which contained the lovely object of his transient adoration.

The approach or miscarriage of an expected wedding is a favourite subject of general conversation in every country town, and the disunion of Mr Blandford and Miss Coral was very amply difcuffed. The feparated young pair were universaily pitied, and the whole weight of popular reproach fell immediately on the head of the unfortunate naturalift. As he was a man, who, from the pecu liarity of his purfuits, withdrew himself from cards and common company, the little parties of the town most eagerly seized an opportunity of attacking his character: As a humorist, he was ridiculed, perhaps, with fome justice; as a man of unrivalled benevolence and active charity, he was the object of much secret envy and malice, and of course was very unjustly vilified. The good people, who arraigned him on the present occafion, did not fcruple to reprefent him, even to his daughter, as an unnatural monster, who had facrificed for a cockle-shell the happiness of his child. Nor was the litthe box of gum from the upas-tree omitted in these charitable remarks. One lady of peculiar spirit afferted, that if her father had robbed her of fo handsome a husband, for the fake of purchasing such a rarity, the might have been tempted to anticipate the old gentleman in his experiments on the po fon, by fecretly preparing the first dose of it for himself. Happily for Theodora, she had fuch gentleness and purity of heart, that every attempt to inflame her against her father served only to increase her filial affection. She reproved, with a becoming spirit, all those who insulted her by malignant obfervations on his conduct; and perceiving that he was deeply vexed by the late occurrences, and the comments of the neighbourhood upon them, she exerted all her powers in the most endearing manner, to diffipate his vexation. "It is true," she said, as they were talking over the recent transaction; "it is true, that " I began to feel a partial regard for Mr "Blandford; but his illiberal behaviour * continue to me the power, which I " have hitherto possessed, of promoting "the happiness of my father."

As the uttered this judicious and tender sentiment, a few starting tears appeared in evidence of its truth; they melted the good Doctor, and converted all his chagrin into affectionate pride and delight. The justice of Theodora's observation was foon afterwards confirined in a very striking manner, by the fate of Mr Blandford, who plunging into all the hazardous iniquity of 'Change alley, became at last a bankrupt, and with such fraudulent appearances against him, that the compaffion, which his misfortune might have inspired, was loft in the abhorrence of his treachery. Dr Coral, who, by studying the inanimate wonders of the creation, had increased the natural piety of his mind, was now most devoutly thankful to heaven for the escape of his child. The tender Theodora was still more confirmed in her partial attachment to the house of her father; the took a kind and fympathetic pleasure in assisting his fanciful pursuits; the perfuaded him to retain every article in his new purchase, which she obferved him to contemplate with particular delight; she gave an air of uncommon elegance to the arrangement of all the curiofities

which he determined to keep; and, by. an incessant attention to the peace and pleafure of her father's life, most effectually established the felicity of her own. Their comfort and their amusements, being founded on the purest and most permanent of human affections, have continued, without diminution, through feveral fucceeding years. I frould fill many pages in recording the feveral ingenious works and devices, by which Theodora has contrived to amuse herfelf, and to delight her father; let it fuffice to fay, that, being always engaged in occupations of benevolent ingenuity, she is never uneasy; and she has grown imperceptibly into an Old Maid, without entertaining a wish for the more honourable title of a wife. Her mild and gentle parent has fecured himself from all the irksome infirmities of age, by long habits of temperance, exercise, and, what is perhaps still more falutary, univerfal benevolence : He is still in poffeffion of all his faculties, at the age of eighty-feven; and if he has not the fatisfaction of seeing a numerous group of defcendants, he beholds, however, with infinite delight, one virtuous and happy daughter, most tenderly attached to him, and wishing for no higher enjoyment than what arises from their reciprocal affection.

On an INFLAMMATION in a LADY'S
EYE.

STELLA'S black eyes of brightest hue
Where'er they turn'd admirers drew,
Nor powerful less than Cupid's darts
Her every glance pierc'd lovers hearts;
The only fafety was to fly them,

For all were ruin'd, who came nigh them.
Those, whom her eyes had wretched made
At last applied to Jove for aid,
O Jove, in mercy to mankind,
Make Stella, fatal charmer, blind!
Jove granted half their fupplication,
And spoil'd her eyes by inflammation;
To make her blind, fays he, were hard,
But be her eyes of pow'r debarr'd,
And let them feel in turn the fire,
With which they ev'ry breast inspire.
But Cupid made no heart a prize,
Depriv'd of aid from Stella's eyes,
And pray'd to Jupiter once more
Their former brightness to restore.

JOHN ARMSTRONG

For this is the Grotto where Delia reclin'd As late I in secret her confidence sought; And this is the Tree kept her fafe from the wind,

As blushing, she heard the grave lesson I taught!

Then tell me, thou Grotto of moss-cover'd ftone,

And tell me, thou Willow, with leaves dropping dew,

Did Delia feem vext when Horatio was gone?

And did she confefs her resentment to you?

Methinks now each bough, as you're waving it, tries

To whisper a cause for the sorrow I feel;

To hint how she frown'd, when I dar'd to

Supposed to be Written by DEAN SWIFT.

"BR

ROTHER Martin (quoth Jackey,
beginning to cry).

When I am a hungry, I cannot fee why,
As well as yourself, that I by felf I
Should not have a finger in that mutton.
pye!"

She was not, she could not, be angry with me!

Quoth Martin to Jack-" Why you fniveling calf,

I always intended to give you one half.

But

dar

The classical Nymphs by the filver Meander,

Declar'd they believ'd him some paltry verse-grinder.

By lily-fringed Ladon, or filent Ilyffus, He ne'er had been seen with the shepherds to mix,

Who from my description, suppos'd him (Heav'n bless us!)

Some hag-feed heay'd up from the banks of the Styx.

I found, this great Poet was known at Parnaffus For prowling and privately stealing the flow'rs;

But the Muses, nice-nos'd, and most delicate laffes, Declar'd him too dirty to enter their bow'rs.

By Tiber, soft Arno, and fount of Vaucluse, No Dryad or Naid e'er heard of his name; No elegant haunt of the modern Muse

Had yet been arous'd by the blast of his

fame.

DANTE.

pray'r,

Submiffive bending at the Critic chair ;
And blushing begg'd one little laurelsprig,
To bring importance and adorn my wig:
I, who Sam Whitbread's brew-house prais'd
in fong,

So highly honour'd by the royal throng;
Be-rhym'd a goodly Monarch and his
Spoufe,

Miss Whitbread's curt'fies, Mister Whit bread's bows, Amounting, hist'ry says, to many a score, Such, too, as Chiswell street ne'er faw before:

I who to Pitt the chords in anger struck, Who whelm'd his Prince so gracefully with

muck;

Ah, who like Thee can bid it found again? Can from its chords the mellow'd cadence fling?

These, from the public eye awhile conceal'd, Shall round the facred hearth their sweets

difpenfe;

Or, haply, to fome favour'd few reveal'd, With native odours gratify their sense. Yet ah! transplant them to a rougher foil! Well may they brave the critic's frigid clime;

Their blazon'd charms will bless thy fostering toil,

Will load with honied wealth the wings

of Time.

Nor let the world receive thy last adieu,

Till Genius fires, and Fancy paints no more!

Shall Stella's powers the votive lay fulfil? Yes-the warm wish nơ'longer is deny'd. I see 'Thee lingering on the Muse's hill,

To cull fresh flowrets from its downy

attend.

Where EVAN mingles with the CLYDE.' the gloom my foul defires,

LOW spreads

Sh

i

The fun from India's shore retires;
To Evan's banks, with temp'rate ray,
Home of my youth-he leads the day.
Oh! banks to me for ever dear!
Oh! stream whose murmurs ftill I hear!
All, all my hopes of blifs refide

Where Evan mingles with the Clyde.

And she, in fimple beauty drest,
Whose image lives within my breast;
Who trembling heard my parting figh,
And long purfued me with her eye;
Does she, with heart unchang'd as mine,
Oft in the vocal bowers recline?

Or, where yon grot o'erhangs the tide,
Mufe while the Evan seeks the Clyde?

Ye lofty banks that Evan bound!
Ye lavish woods that wave around,
And o'er the stream your shadows throw,
Which fweetly winds fo far below;
What fecret charm to mem'ry brings,
All that on Evan's border springs!
Sweet banks! Ye bloom by Mary's side :
Blest stream! she views thee hafte to Clyde

Can all the wealth of India's coaft
Atone for years in absence loft?
Return, ye moments of delight,
With richer treasures bless my fight!
Swift from this defart let me part,
And fly to meet a kindred heart!
Nor more may aught my steps divide
From that dear stream which flows to Clyde.