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out a reinforcement. His lordship replied, that he could not spare any more troops, that the place could very easily be defended with what he already had, and if he did not choose to do it, he would appoint some other officer in his place. The officer still persisting in his objections, the general superseded him the post was attacked and the assailants were beaten off with considerable loss. Soon afterwards the officer, who had been superseded, attended the general's levee, he told lord Howe he had a particular favour to request-the general demanded him to name it-the officer stammered out something" I understand you," said the gallant general, "I wave all considerations of rank, if you think I have injured you-name your time and place I will be punctual." The officer bowed and retired. On the morning they met " You think yourself the injured person," said his lordship, "take the first fire."-The officer levelled his pistol; it missed its aim.-His lordship fired his pistol in the air." Are you satisfied?"-said he."No," said the officer, and again he aimed his weapon at the general's heart-again the general fired in the air." Are you now satisfied?" "No,"

and once more the revengeful miscreant levelled the deadly tube-the hand of omnipotence again turned it aside,-The general now walked coolly up to his antagonist-" I always had a bad opini on of you," said he, "and I see I was right.Good morning to you." Military Memoirs.

AT Bisaccio, Manso had an opportunity to examine the singular effects of Tasso's melancholy;

and often disputed with him concerning a familiar spirit which he pretended to converse with. Manso endeavoured in vain to persuade his friend that the whole was the illusion of a disturbed imagination: but the latter was strenuous in maintaining the reality of what he had asserted; and, to convince Manso, desired him to be present at one of those mysterious conversations. Manso had the complaisance to meet him the next day, and while they were engaged in discourse, on a sudden he observed that Tasso kept his eyes fixed upon a window, and remained in a manner immoveable: he called him by his name several times, but received no answer: at last, Tasso cried out, "There is the friendly spirit who is come to converse with me: look, and you will be convinced of the truth of all that I have said." Manso heard him with surprise: he looked, but saw nothing except the sun-beams darting through the window: he cast his eyes all over the room, but could perceive nothing, and was just going to ask where the pretended spirit was, when he heard Tasso speak with great earnestness, sometimes putting questions to the spirit, and sometimes giving answers, delivering the whole in such a pleasing manner, and with such elevated expressions, that he listened with admiration, and had not the least inclination to interrupt him. At last this uncommon conversation ended with the departure of the spirit, as appeared by Tasso's words: who turning towards Manso, asked him if his doubts were removed. Manso was more amazed than ever; he scarce knew what to think of his friend's situation, and waved any further conversation on the subject. Hoole's Life of Tasso, p. xxxix.

THE following is taken from the justly admired Essay on the Human Understanding, written by Mr Locke, who relates the fact in the words of sir William Temple.

"I had a mind," says sir William, "to know from prince Maurice's own mouth the account of a common, but much credited story of an old parrót he had seen in Brasil, during his government there, that spoke and asked, and answered common questions like a reasonable creature; so that those of his train there generally concluded it to be witchery or possession; and one of his chaplains, who lived long afterwards in Holland, would never, from that time, endure a parrot, but said they all had a devil in them. I had heard many particulars of this story, and assevered by people hard to be discredited; which made me ask prince Maurice, what there was in it? He said, with his usual plainness and dryness of talk, that there was something true, but a great deal false of what had been reported. I desired to know of him, what there was of the first? He told me short and coldly, that he had heard of such an old parrot, when he went to Brasil; and though he believed nothing of it, and it was a good way off, he had the curiosity to send for it: that it was a very great and very old one; and when it came first into the room where the prince was with a good many Dutchmen about him, it said presently, What a company of white men are here! They asked it, what it thought that man was, pointing at the prince-It answered, Some general or other. When they brought it close to him, he asked it, Whence come you? It

answered, From Mirannan. The prince, To whom do you belong? The parrot, To a Portuguese. The prince, What do you do there? The parrot, I look after the chickens. The prince laughed and said, You look after the chickens! The parrot answered, Yes, I; and I know how to do it well, and made the chuck, chuck, chuck, three or four times, that people use to make to chickens, when they call them.

"I set down the words of this worthy dialogue," continues sir William, "just as prince Maurice said them to me.* I asked him in what language the parrot conversed? And he said in Brasilian. I asked him, whether he understood Brasilian? He said no? but he had taken care to have two interpreters by him, the one a Dutchman who spoke Brasilian, the other a Brasilian who spoke Dutch;-that he asked them separately and privately; and both of them agreed in telling him just the same thing that the parrot said."

MRS CHY, having subscribed for forty copies of Dr Johnson's Shakspeare, told Mr Murphy that she wished to pay the money in the Doctor's own hands, for the pleasure of being introduced to him. A day was accordingly appointed; and they called upon Johnson, who at this time lived in Gray's-inn, about one o'clock. They rapped at the outer door of his chambers for some

Sir William gives the words in French, the language in which prince Maurice and he conversed. The above is a literal translation of them.

time: but no person appearing, they were on the point of going away, when they heard somebody bustling towards the door; which, when opened, exhibited the doctor just risen from his bed, in his shirt, without a night-cap, and in his hand a certain utensil, which (from some unaccountable absence of mind) he carried steadily before him. Startled at such a sight, the lady wished to retire; but the doctor, with great sang froid, desired them to step into the next room till he was dressed, and then very deliberately walked back to his bed-chamber. Foote's Memoirs, v. 3, p. 38.

TASSO's first poem, Rinaldo, published in his eighteenth year, extended his reputation through all Italy, but his father was so displeased with his deserting the law for the society of the muses that he went to Padua on purpose to reprimand him. Though he spoke with great vehemence, and made use of several harsh expressions, Torquato heard him without interrupting him, and his composure contributed not a little to increase his father's displeasure. "Tell me" (said Bernardo)" of what use is that vain philosophy, upon which you pride yourself so much?" "It has enabled me" (said Tasso, modestly)" to endure the harshness of your reproofs." Hoole's Life of Tasso, p. xxiv.

DON SANCHO, son of Alphonzo, king of Castile, having been proclaimed king of Egypt by the pope, who expected great things from his bravery, experience, and excellent education, asked the interpreter who accompanied him (for he understood Dd

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