been long embarraffed by a tedious law-fuit, and the court determining the cause unexpectedly in favour of his opponent, it funk his fortune to the lowest pitch of penury from the highest affluence. From the nearnefs of relationship, Sabinus expected from Ariana thofe affiftances his prefent fituation required; but fhe was infenfible to all his entreaties, and the juftice of every remonftrance, unless he firft feparated from Olinda, whom the regarded with deteftation. Upon a compliance with her defires in this refpect, the promifed her fortune, her intereft, and her all, fhould be at his command. Sabinus was fhocked at the propofal; he loved his wife with inexpreffible tenderness, and refused thofe offers with indignation which were to be purchased at so high a price: Ariana was no less displeased to find her offers rejected, and gave a loose to all that warmth which she had long endeavoured to fupprefs. Reproach generally produces recrimination; the quarrel rose to such a height, that Sabinus was marked for deftruction;, and the very next day, upon the strength of an old family debt, he was fent to gaol, with none but Olinda to comfort him in his miferies. In this manfion of diftrefs they lived together with refignation and even with comfort. She provided the frugal meal, and he read for her while employed in the little offices of domeftic concern. Their fellow prifoners prifoners admired their contentment, and whenever they had a defire of relaxing into mirth, and enjoying those little comforts that a prison affords, Sabinus and Olinda were fure to be of the party. Instead of reproaching each other for their mutual wretchedness, they both lightened it, by bearing each a share of the load imposed by providence. Whenever Sabinus fhewed the leaft concern on his dear partner's account, the conjured him by the love he bore her, by thofe tender ties which now united them for ever, not to difcompofe himself. That, fo long as his affection lafted, fhe defied all the ills of fortune, and every lofs of fame or friendship. That nothing could make her miferable, but his feeming to want happiness; nothing pleased, but his fympathifing with her pleasure. A continuance in prison soon robbed them of the little they had left, and famine began to make its horrid appearance; yet ftill was neither found to murmur; they both looked upon their little boy, who, infenfible of their or his own diftrefs, was playing about the room, with inexpreffible yet filent anguish, when a meffenger came to inform them that Ariana was dead, and that her will, in favour of a very diftant relation, and who was now in another country, might be eafily procured, and burnt, in which cafe, all her large fortune would revert to him, as being the next heir at law. A A propofal of fo base a nature filled our unhappy couple with horror; they ordered the meffenger immediately out of the room, and falling upon each other's neck, indulged an agony of forrow for now even all hopes of relief were banished. The meffenger who made the propofal, however, was only a spy fent by Ariana to found the difpofitions of a man fhe loved at once and perfecuted. This lady, though warped by wrong paffions, was naturally kind, judicious and friendly. She found that all her attempts to shake the conftancy or the integrity of Sabinus. were ineffectual; fhe had, therefore, begun to reflect, and to wonder, how fhe could, fo long, and fo unprovoked, injure fuch uncommon fortitude and affection. She had, from the next room, herself heard the reception given to the meffenger, and could not avoid feeling all the force of fuperior virtue; fhe, therefore, reaffumed her former goodness of heart; he came into the room with tears in her eyes, and acknowledged the feverity of her former treatment. She bestowed her firft care in providing them all the neceffary supplies, and acknowledged them as the most deferving heirs of her fortune. From this moment Sabinus enjoyed an uninterrupted happiness with Olinda, and both were happy in the friendship and affiftance of Ariana, who dying foon after, left them in poffeffion of a large eftate, and, in her last moments, confeffed confeffed that virtue was the only path to true glory; and that, however innocence may for a time be depreffed, a steady perferverance will, in time, lead it to a certain victory. EDWIN AND ANGELINA. A BALLAD. BY THE SAME. "TURN, gentle hermit of the dale, And guide my lonely way, "To where yon taper cheers the vale, "With hofpitable ray. "For here, forlorn and loft I tread, "Forbear, my fon," the hermit cries, "Here to the houseless child of want, "My door is open still; "And tho' my portion is but scant, "I give it with good will. "Then "Then turn to-night, and freely share "Whate'er my cell beftows; 66 My rufhy couch, and frugal fare, 66 My bleffing and repose. "No flocks that range the valley free, "But from the mountain's graffy fide, "A guiltless feast I bring; "A fcrip with herbs and fruits supply'd, "And water from the fpring. "Then, pilgrim, turn, thy cares forego; "All earth-born cares are wrong: "Man wants but little here below, "Nor wants that little long." Soft as the dew from heav'n defcends, And follows to the cell. Far in a wilderness obfcure The lonely manfion lay, |