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continued in a state of virginity till thirty-fix, and then admitted a lover when the defpaired of an hufband. No woman was louder at a revel than fhe, perfectly free-hearted, and almoft in every respect a man; the understood ridicule to perfection, and was once known even to faily out in order to beat the watch. Here, you my dear with the outlandish face,' said she, addressing me, let me take a fingle peep. Not that I care three damns what figure I may cut in the glass of fuch an old-fashioned creature; if I am allowed the beauties of the face by people of fashion, I ⚫ know the world will be complaifant enough to tofs me the beauties of the mind into the bargain. I held my glafs before her as fhe defired, and mult confefs, was fhocked with the reflection. The lady, however, gazed for fome time with the utmost complacency; and at last turning to me, with the mott fatifEed fmile, faid, the never could think The had been half fo handfome.

Upon her difiniffion, a lady of diftinction was reluctantly hauled along to the glafs by her husband. In bringing her forward, as he came firft to the glafs himself, his mind appeared tinctured with immoderate jealoufy, and I was going to reproach him for ufing her with fuch feverity; but when the lady came to prefent herfelf, I immediately retra&ed; for, alas! it was feen that he had but too much reason for his fufpi

cions.

The next was a lady who ufually teazed all her acquaintance in defiring to be told of her faults, and then never mended any. Upon approaching the glass, I could readily perceive vanity, affectation, and fome other ill-looking blots, on her mind; wherefore by my advice the immediately fet about mending. But I could eafily find the was not earnest in the work; for as the repaired them on one fide, they generally broke out on another. Thus, after three or four attempts, he began to make the ordinary ufe of the glafs in fettling her hair.

The company now made room for a woman of learning, who approached with a flow pace and a folemn countenance, which, for her own fake, I could wifh had been cleaner. Sir,' cried the lady, flourishing her hand, which held a pinch of inuff, I fhall be enrap• tured by having prefented to my view

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a mind with which I have so long sty died to be acquainted: but, in order to give the fex a proper example, I mult infift, that all the company may be permitted to look over my fhoulder. I bowed affent, and prefenting the glafs, fhewed the lady a mind by no means fo fair as the had expected to fee. Il-nature, ill-placed pride, and spleen, were too legible to be mistaken. Nothing could be more amuling than the mirth of her female companions who had looked over. They had hated her from the beginning, and now the apart ment echoed with an univerfal laugh. Nothing but a fortitude like her's could have withstood their raillery: fhe ftood it, however; and when the burst was exhaufted, with great tranquillity the affured the company, that the whole was a deceptio vifus, and that she was too well acquainted with her own mind to believe any falfe reprefentations from another. Thus faying, the retired with a fullen fatisfaction, refolved not to mend her faults, but to write a criticism on the mental reflector.

I must own, by this time I began myfelf to fufpect the fidelity of my mirrour; for as the ladies appeared at leaft to have the merit of rifing early, fince they were up at five, I was amazed to find nothing of this good quality pictured upon their minds in the reflection;

was resolved, therefore, to communicate my fufpicions to a lady, whofe intellectual countenance appeared more fair than any of the reft, not having above feventy-nine fpots in all, befides flips and foibles. I own, young wo

man,' faid I, that there are fome virtues upon that mind of yours; but there is ftill one which I do not fee reprefented; I mean that of rifing betimes in the morning; I fancy the glafs falfe in that particular. The young lady fmiled at my fimplicity; and, with a blufh, confeffed, that the and the whole company had been up all night gaming.

By this time all the ladies, except one, had feen themfelves fucceffively, and difliked the fhow, or fcolded the showman; I was refolved, however, that the who feemed to neglect herself, and was neglected by the reft, fhould take a view; and going up to a corner of the room, where the till continued fitting, I prefented my glafs full in her face. Here it was that I exulted in my fuccefs;

no blot, no' ftain, appeared on any part of the faithful mirrour. As when the large unwritten page prefents it's fnowy fpotle's bofom to the writer's hand, fo appeared the glafs to my view. Here, O ye daughters of English ancestors,' cried 1; turn hither, and behold an object worthy imitation: look upon the mirrour now, and acknowledge it's juftice, and this woman's preeminence!' The ladies obeying the fummons, came up in a groupe, and looking on, acknowledged there was fome truth in the picture, as the perfor now reprefented had been deaf, dumb, and a fool from her cradle.

Thus much of my dream I diftin&ly remember; the reft was filled with chimæras, enchanted cattles, and flying dragons, as ufual. As you, my dear Fum Hoam, are particularly verfed in the interpretation of thofe midnight warnings, what pleafure should I find in your explanation : but that our diftance prevents; I make no doubt, however, but that from my defcription you will very much venerate the good qualities of the English ladies in general, fince dreams, you know, go always by

contraries.

LETTER XLVII.

FROM LIEN CHI ALTANGI, TO HINGPO, A SLAVE IN PERSIA

Yo

YOUR laft letters betray a mind feemingly fond of wisdom, yet tempefted up by a thoufand various paffions. You would fondly perfuade me that my former leffons ftill influence your conduct, and yet your mind feems not lefs enflaved than your body. Knowledge, wifdom, erudition, arts, and elegance, what are they, but the mere trappings of the mind, if they do not ferve to encrease the happiness of the poffeffor? A mind rightly inftituted in the school of philofophy, acquires at once the ftability of the oak, and the flexibility of the offer. The truest manner of leffening our agonies, is to fhrink from their preffure; is to confefs that we feel them.

The fortitude of European fages is but a dream; for where lies the merit in being infenfible to the ftrokes of Fortune, or in diffembling our fenfibility? If we are infenfible, that arifes only from an happy conftitution; that is a bleffing previously granted by Heaven, and which no art can procure, no inftitutions im prove.

If we diffemble our feelings, we only artificially endeavour to perfuade others that we enjoy privileges which we actually do not poffefs. Thus while we endeavour to appear happy, we feel at once all the pangs of internal mifery, and all the felf-reproaching confcioufnefs of endeavouring to deceive.

Adicu.

I know but of two fects of philofophers in the world that have endeavoured to inculcate that fortitude is but an imaginary virtue; I mean the followers of Confucius, and those who profess the doctrines of Chrift. All other fects teach pride under misfortunes; they alone teach humility.Night,' fays our Chinefe philofopher,

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furely follows day, than groans and tears grow out of pain.' When misfortunes therefore opprefs, when tyrants threaten, it is our intereft, it is our duty, to fly even to diffipation for fupport, to feek redress from friendship, or seek redrefs from that beft of friends who loved us into being.

Philofophers, my fon, have long declaimed against the paffions, as being the fource of all our miferies; they are the fource of all our misfortunes I own; but they are the fource of our pleasures too: and every endeavour of our lives, and all the intitutions of philofophy, fhould tend to this, not to diffemble an abfence of paffion, but to repel those which lead to vice, by thofe which direct to virtue.

The foul may be compared to a field of battle, where two armies are ready every moment to encounter; not a single vice but has a more powerful opponent; and not one virtue but may be overborne by a combination of vices. Reafon guides the bands of either host, nor

This letter appears to be little more than a rhapfody of fentiments from Confucius. Vid. the Latin tranflation.

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can it fubdue one paffion, but by the affiftance of another. Thus, as a bark on every fide befet with ftorms, enjoys a ftate of reft, fo does the mind, when influenced by a jutt equipofe of the paffions, enjoy tranquillity.

I have used fuch means as my little fortune would admit to procure your freedom. I have lately written to the

governor of Argun to pay your ranfor though at the expence of all the wealth I brought with me from China. If we become poor, we fhall at leaft have the pleafure of bearing poverty together; for what is fatigue or famine, when weighed against friendship and freedom? Adieu.

LETTER XLVIII.

FROM LIEN CHI ALTANGI, TO

, MERCHANT IN AMSTERDAM.

HAPPENING fome days ago to laughter, but not easily abashed at the

call at a painter's to amufe my felf in examining fome pictures, (I had no defign to buy) it furprized me to fee a young prince in the working room, dreffed in a painter's apron, and affiduoufly learning the trade. We instantly remembered to have feen each other; and, after the ufual compliments, I ftood by while he continued to paint on. As every thing done by the rich is praifed, as princes here, as well as in China, are never without followers, three or four perfons, who had the appearance of gentlemen, were placed behind to comfort and applaud him at every stroke.

Need I tell, that it ftruck me with very difagreeable fenfations to fee a youth, who by his ftation in life had it in his power to be ufeful to thousands, thus letting his mind run to waste upon canvas, at the fame time fancying him⚫ felf improving in tafte, and filling his rank with proper decorum.'

raillery of boys, I perfifted, obferving that it would fet the abfurdity of placing our affections upon trifles in the strongeft point of view; and adding, that it was hoped the moral would compenfate for it's itupidity. For Heaven's fake,' cried the great man, washing his brush in water, let us have no morality at prefent; if we must have a story, let it be without any moral.' I pretended not to hear; and while he handled the brush, proceeded as follows

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IN the kingdom of Bonbobbin, which,

by the Chinese annal, appears to have flourished twenty thousand years ago, there reigned a prince endowed with every accomplishment which generally diftinguishes the fons of kings. His beauty was brighter than the fun. The fun, to which he was nearly related, would fometimes ftop his courfe in order to look down and admire him.

As feeing an error, and attempting His mind was not lefs perfect than his to redress it, are only one and the fame body; he knew all things without havwith me, I took occafion, upon his lord- ing ever read; philofophers,`poets, and hip's defiring my opinion of a Chinese hiftorians, fubmitted their works to his fcroll, intended for the frame of a pic-decifion; and fo penetrating was he, that ture; to affure him, that a mandarine he could tell the merit of a book by of China thought a minute acquaintance looking on the cover. He made epic with fuch mechanical trifles below his poems, tragedies, and paftorals, with dignity. furprising facility; fong, epigram, or rebus, was all one to him; though it is ob ferved he could never finifh an acroftic. In fhort, the fairy, who prefided at his birth, had endowed him with ahroft every perfection; or what was just the fame, his fubjects were ready to acknowledge he possessed them all; and, for his own part, he knew nothing to the con trary. A prince fo accomplished, received a name fuitable to his merit; and

This reply raised the indignation of fome, and the contempt of others: I could hear the names of Vandal, Goth, talte, polite arts, delicacy, and fire, repeated in tones of ridicule or relent

ment.

But confidering that it was in vain to argue againit people who had fo much to fay, without contradi&ting them, I begged leave to repeat a fairy This request redoubled their

tale.

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he was called Bonbenfin Bonbobbin Bonbobbinet, which fignifies Enlightener of the Sun.

As he was very powerful, and yet unmarried, all the neighbouring kings earneftly fought his alliance. Each fent his daughter, dreffed out in the moft magnificent manner, and with the most fumptuous retinue imaginable, in order to ailure the prince: fo that at one time there were seen at his court not lefs than feven hundred foreign princeites, of exquifite fentiment and beauty, each alone fufficient to make feven hundred ordinary men happy.

Diftracted in fuch a variety, the generous Bonbennin, had he not been obliged by the laws of the empire to make choice of one, would very willingly have married them all, for none under ftood gallantry better. He spent numberless hours of folicitude in endeavouring to determine whom he fhould chute; one lady was poffeffed of every perfection, but he difliked her eyebrows; another was brighter than the morning tar, but he difapproved her fong whang; a third did not lay white enough on her cheek; and a fourth did not fufficiently blacken her nails. At last, after numberlets disappointments on the one side and the other, he made choice of the incomparable Nanhoa, queen of the fcarlet dragons.

The preparations for the royal nup. tials, or the envy of the difappointed ladies, need no defcription; both the one and the other were as great as they could be; the beautiful princefs was conducted, amidst admiring multitudes, to the royal couch, where, after being divetted of every encumbering ornament, the was placed, in expectance of the youth ful bridegroom, who did not keep her long in expectation. He came more chearful than the morning, and printing on her lips a burning kifs, the attendants took this as a proper signal to withdraw.

Perhaps I ought to have mentioned in the beginning that, among feveral other qualifications, the prince was fond of collecting and breeding mice, which being an harmless pattime, none of his counsellors thought proper to diffuade him from: he therefore kept a variety of these pretty little animals in the moft beautiful cages, enriched with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, pearls, and other precious ftones: thus he inno. eatly spent

four hours each day, in contemplating their innocent little paftimes.

But to proceed. The prince and princefs were now in bed; one with all the love and expectation, the other with all the modefty and fear, which is natural to fuppofe; both willing, yet afraid to begin; when the prince happening to look towards the outfide of the bed, perceived one of the most beautiful animals in the world, a white mouse with green eyes, playing about the floor, and performing an hundred pretty tricks. He was already matter of blue mice, red mice, and even white mice with yellow eyes; but a white moufe with green eyes, was what he long endeavoured to poffefs: wherefore leaping from bed with the utmoft impatience and agility, the youthful prince attempted to feize the little charmer, but it was fled in a moment; for, alas! the moufe was fent by a difcontented princess, and was itself a fairy.

It is impoffible to defcribe the agony of the prince upon this occafion; he fought round and round every part of the room, even the bed where the princess lay was not exempt from the enquiry: he turned the princefs on one fide and t'other, stripped her quite naked, but no moufe was to be found; the princess herfelf was kind enough to affift, but still to no purpose.

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Alas, cried the young prince in an agony, how unhappy am I to be thus difappointed! never fure was fo beautiful an animal feen! I would give half my kingdom, and my princess, to him that would find it. The prin cefs, though not much pleased with the latter part of his offer, endeavoured to comfort him as well as fhe could; the let him know that he had an hundred mice already, which ought to be at leaft fufficient to fatisfy any philofopher like him. Though none of them had green eyes, yet he should learn to thank Hea ven that they had eyes. She told him, (for fhe was a profound moralift) that incurable evils must be borne, that ufelefs lamentations were vain, and that man was born to misfortunes; the even entreated him to return to bed, and she would endeavour to lull him on her bofom to repofe; but fill the prince continued inconfolable; and regarding her with aftern air, for which his family was remarkable, he vowed never to fleep in the royal palace, or indulge himself in L 2

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KINGS. (continued I) at that time he was shading himself from the heat of

the mid-day fun, under the arching bran ches of a banana tree, meditating on the object of his purfuit, he perceived an old woman, hideously deformed, approaching him, by her ftoop, and the wrinkles of her vifage, the feemed at least five hundred years old ; and the spotted toad was not more freckled than was her skin.

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were different from what they are now; they then never engaged their word for any thing which they did not rigo. roufly intend to perform. This was the cafe of Bonbennin, who continued all night to lament his misfortunes to the princefs, who echoed groan for groan. When morning came, he published an edict, offering half his kingdom, and his princefs, to the perfon who fhould catch and bring him the white moufe with green eyes. The edict was scarce publifhed, when all the traps in the kingdom were baited with cheefe; numberlefs mice were taken and destroyed; but still the much wifhed for moufe was not among the number. The privy-council was affembled more than once to give their advice; but all their deliberations came to nothing; even though there were two complete vermin-killers and three profeffed ratcatchers of the number. Frequent addreffes, as is ufual on extraordinary occafions, were fent from all parts of the empire; but though thefe promised well, though in them he received an affurance, that his faithful fubjects would affift in his fearch with their lives and fortunes,ry yet, with all their loyalty, they failed when the time came that the moufe was to be caught.

The prince therefore was refolved to go himself in fearch, determined never to fie two nights in one place till he had found what he fought for. Thus quitting his palace without attendants, he fet out upon his journey, and travelled through many a defart, and croffed many a river, high over hills, and down along vales, ftill reftlefs, ftill enquiring wherever he came; but no white moufe was to be found.

As one day, fatigued with his journey,

Ah! Prince Bonbennin Bonbobbin 'Bonbobbinet,' cried the fairy, 'what has led you fo many thousand miles from your own kingdom? what is it you look for, and what induces you to travel into the kingdom of Emmets? The prince, who was excef fively complaifant, told her the whole ftory three times over; for fhe was hard of hearing. Well, fays the old fairy, for fuch the was, I promife to put you in poffeffion of the white moufe with green eyes, and that immediately too, upon one condition. One condition!' cried the prince, in a rapture, namea thousand; I fhall undergo them • all with pleasure.'-'Nay,' interrupted the old fairy, I afk but one, and that not very mortifying neither; it is only that you inftantly confent to mar me.'

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It is impoffible to exprefs the prince's confufion at this demand; he loved the moufe, but he detested the bride; he hefitated; he defired time to think upon the propofal; he would have been glad to confult his friends on fuch an occafion. ‹ Nay, nay,' cried the odious fairy, if you demur, I retract my promife; I do not defire to force my favours on any man.-Here, you my attendants,' cried fhe, ftamping with her foot, let my machine be driven up; Barbacela, Queen of Emmets, is not ufed to contemptuous treatment." She had no fooner ipoken, than her fiery

chariot

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