not help feeling the irony of Angelica. From that day, fhe began very feriously to reflect on the dan ger of her indifcretion, and trembling at the recollection of those mischiefs she had caufed, determined to prevent their progrefs.

She found it difficult to throw off the cuftom she had long indulged of viewing things on the worst fide of the question. At last, however, she became so perfectly reformed, that she studied only the pleafing parts of characters, and was never heard to speak ill of any one.

Maria became more and more convinced of the pernicious confequences that arife from expofing the faults of others, and began to feel the pleafing fatisfaction of univerfal charity. My dear children fhun the voice of scandal, and still more, being the authors of it, as you would plague, peftilence, and famine.

What is that vice which ftill prevails,
When almost ev'ry paffion fails;
Which with our very dawn begun,
Nor ends but with our fetting fun;
Which, like a noxious weed can spoil
The fairest flow'rs, and choke the foil?
'Tis Calumny-With shame I own,
The vice of human kind alone.
Y

Th' infidious fland'ring thief is worfe

Than the poor rogue who fteals your purfe. Say, he purloins your glitt'ring store;

Who takes your gold, takes trash-no more; Perhaps he pilfers-to be fed

Ah, guiltlefs wretch who fteals for bread!

But the dark villain who fhall aim

To blaft, thy fair, thy fpotlefs name,
He'd fteal a precious gem away,

Steals what both Indies can't repay

7!

Be good yourself, nor think another's fhame Can raife your merit or adorn your fame; Virtue is amiable, mild, ferene,

Without all beauty, and all peace within,

THE amiable Dorinda foon after the misfor

tune of loofing her husband, was fo unhappy as to have a law-fuit determined to her difadvantage, and thereby loft great part of her poffeffions, which were taken from her with the most unrelenting: hand. This reduced her to the neceffity of felling all her furniture, and the greater part of her jew els. The produce of these were placed in the hands of a banker, and the retired to a village, where she

could live much cheaper than in the metropolis, and with tolerable decency.

Judge what must Sickness and grief

She had not paffed more than two months in this manner, when information was brought her, that her banker had failed in trade, and confequently all her money was loft. be the horrors of her fituation? had fo debilitated her conftitution, that he was unable to do any kind of work, whereby to procure a fubfiftence and, after having paffed her youth in cafe and pleasure, fhe had no refources left in the evening of her life, but that of a workhouse or common beggary.

Not one of her acquaintance would fee her, nor condefcend to take the leaft intereft in her fufferings. Being brought by her husband from a foreign country, fhe had no friends to fly to for affistance, except a diftant relation, whom he had brought with her to England, and who, by her hufband's credit gained great riches; but this man's avarice was greater than his wealth, and there was little charity to be expected from a man, who denied himfelf the common neceffaries of life.

Afflicted virtue, however, always finds refource in the bounteous hands of Providence, and the found the means of fubfiftence where the little ex

pected it. In the former days of her profperity, she had adopted a female orphan, whofe name was Clariffa, who now became her guardian and protector. Clariffa had a grateful heart; he wept for the misfortunes of her friend, but fhe rejoiced at the thoughts of having an opportunity to fhew her gratitude.

When Dorinda mentioned her defign of feeking refuge in a parish workhoufe," No faid Clar iffa, you fhall never leave me. From your tendernefs I formerly received the indulgences of a beloved child; and, if in your profperity I thought myself happy in the idea of being fo nearly related to you, by adoption, I ftill think it more fo now I fee you in adverfity. Thank Heaven and your adoption for my comfortable fituation! your maternal conduct was amply difplayed in teaching me all the neceffary female arts; and I am happy. in the reflection, that I can make use of my knowledge for With health and courage, fake. your I fear not being able to procure for us both a comfortable living.".

This generous offer exceedingly affected the unhappy widow, who embraced Clariffa, and with joy accepted of her propofal. This amiable girl, in her turn, became the mother, by adoption, of her former benefactrefs. Not contented with feeding her with the produce of an unremitted la