proach of every veffel that he faw, with the fame impatience of expectation, as if he had been affured that it contained Almena."

Solyman, infenfible of danger, paffed the day by the castle of Sevafir; where, through the iron palifadoes with which the garden within the fort was encompassed, he saw many women, but he faw not Almena. In the evening, therefore, regretting the difappointment even of thofe expectations, which he dreaded to have confirmed, he refolved to quit his station, till the return of morning; when, by the glimmering of the moon, he perceived another lady enter the garden.

"As fhe came nearer, her image glanced through his heart more swiftly than the lightening fmites the traveller on the mountains of Hima. The lady was Almena. In a burst of transport he cried, Almena! Solyman!' ftruck at once with the voice, the name, and the figure of Solyman, furprize overcame her, and fhe fell fenfelefs upon the terras.

"Solyman, unable to enter the garden, in an agony of terror cried out, Save, fave my Almena!' at the fame time running round the walls in the utmost distraction. His exclamations alarmed the guard, who immediately fecured him; though, from his cries and confufion, they concluded him to be mad, and made their report of him as fuch to the governor of the castle, who ordered him to be immediately brought before him.

"Solyman, the moment he beheld the governor, fiercely cried out, I conjure thee, if thou art a human being, let me inftantly fly to the relief of a lady in thy gardens.' The governor was alarmed by an appearance of reafon in this request, and ordered him to be fecured, while he went himfelf into the gardens to know if there was any foundation for it. There he found Almena fupporting herself against the wall, not having perfectly recovered either her ftrength or her reason. Art thou my Solyman, (faid fhe) if thou art

my Solyman, fupport me in thy arms.' In his arms he took her, and bore her to a pavilion, where he held her till her reafon returned. She turned her eyes full upon him, and, with a look of fear and horror, fhrunk from his embrace.

Tell me, madam, I beseech you, tell me, (faid the governor) what is the caufe of this diftraction? Why are thofe dear eyes fo full of wildnefs and horror, and why do

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you look upon your protector with fuch averfion? Is there then fome other perfon more happy in your favour and affection, and must I for ever languish at your feet in vain?"

If thou haft any other affection for me, (faid Almena) than that which is infpired by brutal inftinet; if thou haft more feeling than the walls that furround thee, thou wilt furely pity me. The dear unhappy man, whom I fear ere now thy guards have feized, is the friend, for whofe lofs ⚫ thou hast known me mourn ever fince I came within thy power. Yes, thou wilt pity me; for thou haft wept: < when I related to thee my miferies, the tears of compaffion • flowed from thine eyes. Let us throw ourselves at thy feet let us owe our happiness to thee, and thou fhalt have all the affection which is not due to Solyman.'

"The weeping beauty, as she uttered these words, threw herself before him in fuch an agony of forrow, and such a pofture of fupplication, as would have moved any heart in which vice had not extinguished every fpark of humanity. Far from being affected by it, the governor of Sevafir made her the following anfwer: Abfurd and vain! to fuppofe * that I should tamely yield that happiness to another, which "I could never obtain myself. Know, madam, that both you and your lover are now in my power; and that he has no indulgence to hope for, but what your kindnefs to me may procure him.' With thefe words he withdrew; rather lefs offended at the thought of having a rival in Almena's affections, than pleased with the hope that he might terrify her into compliance, by his menaces against her lover.

"Almena remained in the most pitiable diftrefs, fharpened by the most painful apprehenfions for her own honour, and the life of Solyman; and wandering alone into the garden, the added one night of forrow more to the many he had fuffered.

"When the morning appeared, Nagrakut, that was the wretch's name, went at his ufual hour into the garden. Almena, who was ftill there, overcome by the weight of continued forrow, had funk into a tranfient flumber on a bench in the pavillion. Nagrakut approached and stood by her as fhe flumbered. There was a fight that might have excited tenderness in the breaft of a favage; but it moved not the heart of Nagrakut, nor awakened any other paffion in him but that of a libidinous defire. In a dream, fhe waved her hand, and cried, with a voice of mournful tenderness, Do

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not murder him, Nagrakut! Let my Solyman live! Then letting fall the hand fhe had raised, fhe funk again into filent flumber.

Nagrakut yet felt no pity; but placing himself near her on the bench, inclosed her in his arms. She awoke; and, finding herself in the embraces of the tyrant, fhrieked out with the most diftrefsful horror. Her cries pierced the cell where Solyman was confined. With the united strength of rage and terror, he burft the door of his prifon; and running through the apartments of the castle with a dagger in his hand, which he had fortunately fnatched up in his way, he flew to the garden.

"Almena was ftill fhrieking and ftruggling in the arms of Nagrakut, who endeavouring to footh her to his embraces, had not obferved the approach of Solyman. Villain, (faid Solyman) remove thy execrable hands from the person of that lady, and employ them in the defence of thy own?' Nagrakut, who was the moft abject coward, called aloud to his guards. Coward! flave! (faid Solyman) draw this inftant, or my dagger fhall pierce thy heart.' Nagrakut then fell at his feet; and begging for mercy, promised him Almena and liberty. This moment, then, (faid Solyman)

difmifs us from thy curfed prifon.' No fooner had he uttered these words, than the guards appeared. Nagrakut immediately beckoned to them to feize him; but Solyman, obferving his motion, haftily ran to him, and plunged his dagger into his heart.

"The tyrant fell. No way of escape, however, was left for Solyman: he was inftantly feized by the foldiers, loaded with heavy chains, and fhut up, with Almena, in a strong apartment of the caftle. With Almena he was fhut up, for jealoufy now no longer parted them; and fhe was confidered as an accomplice in the murder of the governor."

Not long after this, a body of Kanarians entered the country of Sundah, and laid fiege to the caftle of Sevafir. As the death of the governor had thrown all into confufion, the fort was eafily carried; and the Kanarians took prifoners all that were in the caftle. The women were immediately conveyed to the court of Kanara, and prefented to the King for his choice, who felected Almena.

Solyman having convinced the Kanarians, that he had no connections with the King of Sundah, and that he was willing to enter into the fervice of their prince, was restored to

liberty;

liberty; and proftrating himself before the King, he related the adventure which urged him to the deftruction of Nagrakut. The King applauded his juftice. O Prince! continued> Solyman, I am ftill miferable. I have reafon to believe that fome of your officers will detain that lady as a prize taken in the caftle of Sevafir. "No officer of mine (replied the King) fhall be fuffered to detain her; let me know her name, and the fhall be immediately restored to you."" Her name (faid Solyman) is Almena." The King appeared difturbed, and walked backward and forward for fome moments in the utmost confufion: he knew that Almena was the lady whom he had selected from the captives, and he had the most ardent affection for her. In a few moments he withdrew, and commanded Solyman to attend him the following day.

The heart of the King was, in the mean time, diftracted by different paffions; urged by the most powerful love to detain Almena, and diffuaded from that by truth, humanity, and fhame. This conflict affords one of the nobleft leffons of virtue, and is described in such a ftrong and affecting manner, as does great honour to the Writer's fentiments and abilities. Am I-(faid he) poffeffed of a throne, and shall I have no more power to indulge my wishes, than the peasant: • of the field? What is the worth or the end of abfolute 'power, if Kings muft tamely facrifice their inclinations, to the creatures they were born to command? Shall I give up fuch beauty as that of Almena! a beauty that has fmitten my heart, and infpired me with fuch tendernefs of affection as I never yet felt for woman? But Almena was Solyman's !-it might be fo; but fhe is now mine. Poffeffion goes from one to another, according to the laws of nations; and, by thofe laws, Almena is mine.

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Why then do I feel thefe uneafy fenfations, as much at the thoughts of keeping, as of parting with her?————The laws of nature, the unvariable laws of nature and truth 'create them. The laws of nations ought always to be founded on thefe; and thefe fuggeft to me, that to keep • Almena, would be most injurious and inhuman. Shall I, who have condemned that in another, as a crime which <deferved the punishment of death; commit the very fame myfelf? What a deteftable hypocrite fhould I appear! Shall I, who promised the lover, that none of my officers fhould deprive him of Almena; fhall I degrade the King, by doing what I would have punished in a fubject? I love Almena, and fhould be exquifitely happy in the enjoyment

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of her; but fhall I, therefore, make her miferable? How fhould I ever partake of happiness, if the object of my affections lived with me in fullen difcontent, or inconfolable forrow? Bafe and unworthy of the heart of man, muft be that love, which would purchase its gratification by the mifery of its object! The heart of Almena is Solyman's, and fo fhall be her perfon: painful is the alternative; but truth, and honour, and virtue, must prevail.'

"Thus the generous King of Kanara overcame the efforts of importunate defire, by the force of virtue and reafon; and nobly fcorned to avail himself of his power against an unhappy man, who had been long perfecuted by misfortune, and diftreffed in his love.

"The hour came at which he had ordered Solyman to attend him. The King received him with a condescending fmile; and without the leaft appearance of uneafinefs or diffatisfaction in his countenance, defired him not to be apprehenfive about Almena, for that he fhould fhortly be put in poffeffion of her.

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"Having thus fpoken, he went immediately to her apartment, and gently taking her hand, Moft beautiful of the daughters of India, (faid he) cease your forrows! I am not now come to offer you my love, but to recommend to you ⚫ another lover, who poffibly may be happier in your favour than I could ever hope to be. He is now in the palace; and, if you will give me leave, I will introduce him to you.'. My heart (faid Almena) has been fo much accustomed to new diftreffes, that it is not now fhocked by their frequency; but if you have any pity for me, fuffer me to bewail my miferies in folitude. Not to be interrupted in my forrows, is all I afk; and that is not, furely, too much for you to grant.' The King anfwered with a fmile, If I an not to be happy in your love, I am determined that none but the perfon whom I am about to introduce to you, fhall be fo. And haftily quitting the apartment, he returned with Solyman.

"The lovers flew to each other's arms: My Solyman !' My Almena!' In a few moments being recollected, they threw themselves at the feet of the King; and Solyman, as well as the tranfports of his heart would give him leave, expreffed his gratitude. • Generous Prince, (faid he) the thanks of Solyman are not worth your acceptance; but you t will not be without a reward. Yours fhall be the fupreme