the spot where Hulkem was wout to pray every morning. He forced his way through the bushes, when he at length descried the aged Hulkem. The old man's face was beut to the ground; his white locks touched the tops of the grass; his hands were folded; he prayed.

Hassan surveyed him trembling; he drew "No!" exclaimhis dagger, and turned pale.

ed he aloud, flinging the dagger to the ground; || "no, he shall live; I will for once at least excel thee in generosity! Zulima shall be thy wife!" He turned round, and Zulima, sobbing with joy, rushed into his arms. "My Hassan! my beloved Hassan! I am thine for

ever."

Hassan was confounded, and turning towards Hulkem, Zulima's father flew into bis arms. "My daughter is your's; your heart is more generous than you imagined; you have stood the test; be happy my children."

66 Oh, God!" exclaimed Hassan, seized with shame, confusion, and rapture, clasping Zuli"Forma, and then the old man in his arms. give me," said he in broken accents; "I imagined myself capable of performing an act totally repugnant to my feelings. me! Hulkem too will forgive me." "Hulkem forgives you, dear Hassan, by bestowing upon you the band of his daughter, || whom he loves better than himself. Hulkem!" added he, smiling.

Forgive

I am

"Hulkem!" repeated Hassan, and dropped speechless at Hulkem's feet, encircling his knees. "No, no ;" exclaimed he on a sudden, "he cannot forgive me!"

"But why should Hulkem alone not be generous to you?" said Zulima, throwing herself down by Hassan's side, clasping him to her heart, when Hulkem laid his left hand upon Hassan's and his right upon Zulima's head, and said:—“God bless these two beings, whom, next to thee, I love better than any thing else."

He now raised Hassan from the ground, and embracing him, added:-" Hassan, make my daughter happy; she is yours."

Hassan bent his head upon Zulima's shoulder and sobbed; but soon collecting himself again from his overpowering emotion, kissed Hulkem's hand with filial tenderness, and said:" Best of men, I now can comprehend why not one action afforded me real satisfaction. You loved men, was beneficent to them, and was happy; whereas I loved no one but my ownself. Hulkem, be my guide on the road to happiness."

"Your own heart," replied Hulkem, kindly smiling, "will be your safest guide; the heart of Zulima will make you happy; and if you are happy yourself you will be capable of rendering others happy likewise. Follow me, my children, and be as happy to day as I am myself!"

THE BOND-STREET LOUNGER.

"LEAD them to Piccadilly gate!" said a young nobleman (who had lately inherited a title and estate) to his servant, as he came out of a house in Grosvenor-street. The servant was holding two horses, and the master was equipped for Hyde-park. "Go to Piccadilly gate, I shall be there in less than an hour." The groom mounted his horse; and, taking the bridle of the other in his hand, walked him off down Bond-street.

The nobleman walked through Bond-street too. He stopped at a jeweller's shop, admired some filagrame plate; said he would consider about the earrings for Charlotte; and gave twelve guineas for a trinket.

In St. James's-street he went into a fruit shop, eat half a dozen peaches, yawned, complained that the town was empty, and the street full of dust; satsilent, pinched a kitten, said it squalled like Catalani; wondered why the Prince went so often to the painter in

Stratford-place; eat another peach; said How d'ye? seventeen times to as many different persons; thought Lady G looked better in white than in lilac; set his watch by St. James's dial; and then, after some reflection, determined to see who was at Brookes's.

In the club room he found only one member; they agreed on back-gammon. The nobleman was unlucky; played an hour, and lost fifty guineas; then tossed up for double or quits; lost another fifty, gave a check on Hammersley for a hundred, and walked out composedly.

At the door he seized the arm of a gentleman who was passing. "Will you ride this morning?"-"No, I have an engagement," "An assignation," retorted said Sir Robert. my Lord. "Yes," replied the other," and with a sweet creature-will you go?"—"Go! what, to your sweet creature?"-" Yes, to my sweet creature; do not deliberate but come along."

1

rector of the parish is in town, and will protect us on our journey: he calls on me to-morrow in a post-chaise. But oh, Sir! whilst I have mind to form a prayer, and strength to articulate it, you will be its object. My gratitude,

my

Sir Robert carelessly slung his arm through that of my Lord, and they walked off. At Charing-cross the Baronet stepped into a hackney-coach, ordered whither to drive, and his Lordship seated himself by his side. "An odd street you told the fellow to drive to; but I suppose you are able to prevail on your fa- My dear madam, I must stop you; your vourites to live cheaply."-"Yes, faith! I can- feelings overvalue those acts of duty which I not complain; the girl we are now going to, have been happy enough to find an opportu has cost me but two guineas a week since I nity of performing. Believe me, I feel the have known her, all expences included."- obligation to be all on my side; and, amongst "You are a lucky fellow," said Lord G. "I my happiest hours, I shall always account that wonder where you find such moderate dam-which made me known to you. You have some sels.”—“ Oh, they are to be found in every || preparations to make for the morning, and I parish, if you won't shut your eyes."

will therefore shorten my visit; but I shall wait on you before the hour of your departure, and see you and your sweet daughter in the protection of the clergyman who is to escort you."

He bowed to the mother; and kissing Fanny, left the apartment, followed by the half-petri

The friends soon arrived at a low house, in a dirty street. They ascended two pair of stairs. Sir Robert gently tapped at a chamber || door, and a little girl of about five years old opened it; her long ringlets were flaxen, and her eyes were blue; a smile of delight, when she beheld the visitor, severed her sweet lips,fied Lord G. whose eyes were the only organs and revealed a set of pearls that were worthy of them. "Ah!" said she," how happy my mamma will be that you are come!" The gentleman took her hand in silence, and, followed by the other, entered the apartment. A beautiful spectre sat in a chair opposite to the door, and endeavoured to rise as they ap proached. The gentleman immediately prevented her by seating himself with a respectful air at her side; whilst his friend, looking all astonishment, was obliged to find his seat on the foot of the bed.

"And how are you, madam?"—"Oh, Sir, better, much better; something has happened since yesterday that will lengthen my life at least a week."-" Many weeks, I hope," replied her friend," and months, and years. But pray tell it."

"My husband's relations," replied the invalid, "at length relent; they think my sufferings have been sufficient; they invite me to the country to die with them, and have promised to provide for my child. Oh! my little Fanny," clasping her to her heart, "thou art preserved from ruin; when I have seen thee in the arms of thy natural protectors, I shall breathe my last sigh with joy; but ever remember, that it was this gentleman who preserved thee from the grave, when thy poor famished mother" Sir Robert stopped ber, and made his congratulations on the change of her prospects. He inquired when she began her journey, and how she wished to be accommodated. "Ah, Sir!" she said, 66 your generous cares are concluded. "See," presenting a bank note of ten pounds, "what they have sent me! and, besides this, the

of speech he had found since they entered it. They, indeed, had very volubly expressed curiosity, wonder, and a sort of half uneasiness, as though he felt himself taken in. The frolic was not of his sort.

After he had walked about ten yards, he exclaimed, "Why, what the devil is all this, Sir Robert ?"-" Why, as the devil would have it," replied the Baronet, “the amiable creature you have seen, made what is called a lovematch; that is, tempted by the brilliancy of the adventure, she left her guardian's protection one dark night, and went into a postchaise with a young fellow, who had sworn she was the prettiest girl he had seen since he had served in America, where he had been desperately in love with a young lady, her very counter-part. They returned full of spirits from Gretna Green, and in about seven months received her fortune, on the day the law pronounced her to be discreet and wise. It was no more than two thousand pounds, and our married couple were persons of taste. The youth's relations having provided him an old woman with twenty thousand, thought the election he had made a very silly one, and refused to have any communication with him. The young man began to take up the same opinion, and treated his wife with neglect and brutality. He had, at length, the kindness to relieve her from his persecutions, by quitting England; leaving her independent, with a fortune of nine pounds and a few shillings. The poor lady, then a mother, applied to her relations; they were at first kind, then civil, then cold, then rude, and finally hoped to be troubled with her no more; advised her to send

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My horses are waiting for me," said Lord G. "So are mine," replied Sir Robert, "I dine to-day twenty miles from town: my visit, therefore, will not be a long one" At this instant he knocked at the door of a house, in appearance much like that they had quitted.

"This is very particular!" said my Lord, with an air half pettish; he thought it, how. ever, not expedient to take to his heels, and there seemed no other possible method of getting quit of his leader.

When an Italian Countess, in the court of Mary de Medicis, was tried for having bewitched her royal mistress, she told her judge and accusers, that she never had employed any supernatural means to govern the mind of the Queen; nor had ever possessed any other ascendant over it, than that which a strong mind must naturally have over a weak one.

her child to the parish, and to take in needle- | have begun my morning circle with me—.” work. In the last article she obeyed them; and, by unremitting industry, and the strictest frugality, supported herself and her infant for four years. But the constant wearing of grief at length subdued her constitution, and a rapid decline ensued. Her landlady, having discovered that the sewing business was at an eud, and not having received any money for several weeks, thought such idle hussies a disgrace to her house, and ought to be made an example of. She accordingly sent for a bailiff, who, as he found bis prisoner in bed, was so humane as to allow her to put her clothes on; then, taking her arm, he helped her down stairs, pale and speechless, followed by the shrieking Fauny. At this instant I happened to pass the door. It is not necessary to add what ensued. As I found her too ill to be removed, I was obliged to suffer her to return to the beldam's apartment. Having in repeated visits learned her story, and the names of her husband's friends, I wrote to my sister, whose country-house is fortunately in the neighbourhood. She represented the distress and the merits of the amiable sufferer, and had influence with them, being a lady, (for they are mean, though rich) to prevail that she might be received as the wife of their unworthy kinsman. An uncle said, if she was a sober body, she should not want encouragement; and a maiden aunt, that girls ought not to be countenanced to run away with young fellows, but that if she was really dying, she might come down, and if she behaved well, should have the honour of being buried in the family-vault. It is in consequence of my application, of which she was not apprized, that these good people have sent for her; and I am persuaded, when her mind is at ease, she will have a chance to send aunt Tabby to the family-vault before her. You now know all that I can tell you, in answer to your What the devil!

Lord G. remained silent. He began to feel that there were other methods to get rid of superfluous money in a morning, besides backgammon; and that rides in the Park might now and then he intersected by a walk to the distressed. But just afterwards he began to gape; thought all such melancholy subjects ought to be avoided; they were absolutely burtful to the spirits; how could a man enjoy life, who was perpetually searching into scenes of misery; and then, really, one's health. || At that thought, he turned suddenly round, with a "Good morning, Sir Robert," and was darting across the way. "Hold," said his friend, "here is a person, a few doors off, whom I cannot avoid calling on; and as you

This sort of sorcery Sir Robert practised to such a degree, that there were few of his intimate companions who were ever hardy enough to maintain an opinion opposite to his; and not only did they not support a contrary opinion, but insensibly changed their own, their sentiments, and their wishes; seeming cmulous to be as nearly as possible, what he was; whose understanding was of the first order, whose heart was pure, and who was, so far from being puritanical, that his taste lent grace to fashion, and was aided by an appetite for expence, which could only be corrected by his still stronger passion for independence.

Such was he who now entered the confined unwholesome chamber of an old man, approaching fast to dissolution. The curtains of the bed were open, and disclosed the venerable object, supported by his nurse. His sand was running low: the pallid hue of death had already taken possession of his cheek, and the living lustre of the eye began to be dimmed by the deep shade of its approaching night. His faculties, however, seemed yet awake, and the voice of his benefactor called a faint flush, which struggled a moment in his face, and then subsided for ever.

"Ah, Sir," said he, "you, whose soul is so full of benevolence! you, to whom the tear which steals from your eye in pity, is deares than that which gushes there from rapture; to you this moment will not be unwelcome! I speak not of myself; for the hour is arrived in which I shall cease to mourn; in which this wearied heart will render up its last sigh to him who gave the agonizing nerve. Another child of sorrow is at hand! This long, sad night, in which my soul has been struggling to meet its God, the melancholy inhabitant of