difference he was far from feeling, and made him advances, which embarrassed him, but which he attributed to her innocence, and to her frolicsome

manner.

One evening as he was crossing an obscure gallery, he heard a woman scolding a slave in a hoarse threatening voice; her pafsion seemed to increase with the coarse exprefsions fhe uttered, and which were followed by blows. Alladin stopped and said to himself, what a difference between the dulcet voice, and tender exprefsions of Zulma, with the vulgar and coarse language I now hear! He went forward,the woman turned about,-it was Zulma herself, who directly resumed her inchanting accents.

This facility of changing from the height of pafsion into a perfect calm, threw Alladin into amazement. Doubts arose in his mind, and he began to think the advances of Zulma were not without design. The governor spoke to him often about his mistrefs. Alladin, struck with what he had been witnefs to, listened with more rational coldness to all the fine things he said of her; this reserve did not escape his friend's observation, and Alladin's franknefs would not permit him to dissemble his opinion of the character of Zulma. She was not long without being informed of it, and Alladin soon perceived a difference in the manners of the inhabitants of the castle, and the power and hatred of Zulma. His frankness had thus in a few moments lost him the charms of an amiable society, and the heart of his friend, which was entirely subservient to the will of his mistrefs. Another would have laughed in his

sleeve, at the ease with which Znlma could change her character, and have profitted of her kindnels; the governor would have been betrayed by his mistress and his friend, and all would have been contented. Such would have been the proceedings of a man of the world, corrupted by experience, which soon informs us how much mankind love to be deceived, and the danger of serving their interests at the expence of their passions; but Alladin held deceit in abhorrence.

One day as he was making on this subject some melancholy reflections, he wandered beyond his knowledge in the governor's gardens. After a long walk he came to a kiosk (summer house) situated near a thick wood; he was just going to enter it, when he saw Zulma come out, leaning on the arm of a young slave, to whom he gave the tenderest cả. refses before the separated herself from him. She took the road to the castle, the slave ran into the thickest part of the wood, and 'Alladin quite confounded at what he had seen, returned with pensive steps to his own apartment.

The governor was absent, and was not to return till next day; on his arrival he ran to embrace his mistress, and made Alladin witnefs of the tender return with which Zulma repaid his carefses. His indignation was roused at such treachery, and he was just going to give vent to it, when the governor desired him to follow him to his own apartment: I forget said he, my dear Alladin, your prejudices against Zulma, which due reflection must have difsipated, and I wish to acquaint you myself with my happiness.

You know I doat on Zulma, and the kind return the makes me; I am unhappy in seing such an estimable person in the humiliating state of slavery; in three days fhe will be my wife, my companion ever dear to me; I re-establish her in the rank to which fhe is entitled by birth, and at the same time that I make amends for the injustice of destiny, I give her the strongest proof of my love. At these words he embraced Alladin, and the transport of his joy prevented him from taking notice of the coldnef of his friend. Being come to himself he was struck with the icy look, with which he had received so interesting a confidence: "You do not love me my dear Alladin, said he:-but no, I understand you, and can interpret your coldness; you love Zulma and are jealous. Ah! I can easily conceive it, but I am not angry, for your friendthip will soon triumph over a hopeless pafsion." Alladin, hurt at such suspicion, said, my contempt for Zulma is extreme, and your interest alone, vernor in a pafsion interrupted him ; friend said Alladin, why must I be forced to destroy so sweet an illusion? why must I be reduced to tear your heart by revealing to you the most frightful mystery, or to be a traitor to friendship?' He then elated to him all he had seen. Scarce could he finish the recital, for the interruptions of cries of indignation. He attempted to embrace his friend, who spurned him from him, saying, " I know you now for a deceiver, and jealousy alone has made invent such a collection of horrors, of which however I am not the dupe." He immediately quitted him and rushed into the apartments of

you

the go

' ah!

my

295 Zulma. Alladin overwhelmed with grief, went into the garden, and walked with hasty steps in one of the darkest alleys what! said he, must I kave my friend in an error, when his happiness, nay even his life perhaps depend on it? ah! I feel I should act so again in similar circunstances

He had wandered up and down many hours, occupied by such melancholy ideas, when two men rushed upon, and pierced him with repeated strokes of their poignards. He was just expiring, when a gardener passing accidentally by, ran and brought him afsistance. He was carried half dead to the castle, and when he came to himself, he saw the governor and Zulma, at his bed side. She fhewed him every mark of kindness and attention; you fhall be revenged said fhe, in a tone that strongly marked the interest fhe took, of those banditti who wanted to afsafsinate you they shall not escape our search, and the door through which they passe being left open, they are now closely pursuing them. The extreme weakness of Alladin, did not allow him to exprefs the horror of his feelings, as he had not a doubt of the quaiter from whence the blow came. He was soon quite recovered, and fhortly after by the repeated sollicitations of the Calender aided by presents, he obtained his pardon, and permifsion to return to Schiraz.

to be continued.

ON THE POOR LAWS OF SCOTLAND.

LETTER IV.

Chronological enumeration of the statutes on this subject, with excerpts.

THAT the poor laws were not enforced when they were recently enacted admits of the clearest proof by the laws themselves; for the preamble to each act, nearly in the same words, sets forth, that though many loveable acts, as they are called, had been enacted by his majesty and his predecessors for support and maintenance of the poor, yet that they had not been carried into effect, from such or such a cause, which is then specified; and some regulation being adopted to remedy this supposed evil, the hail laws aforesaid are confirmed, with the particular addition made to them, which is often an alteration directly opposite to the spirit and positive enactments of those very laws that are thereby confirmed. But as every subsequent act proves that the preceding act had been equal. ly neglected as the others, and as we know, from the decisions of the court of sefsion and other means, that another mode of providing for the poor was universally adopted before and after the last act on this subject was made, we are well authorised to say that this act as well as the former was never enforced; so that, whatever the legislature might think of the loveable nature these acts, it appears from this statement that they never were in fact deemed loveable by the people.

But indeed they could not be deemed so, because they all tended to introduce a system of despotism, which, however agreeable to the court, was always held in detestation by the people of Scotland. Every one who is in