propofals, the contents of which I knew too well; and having defired me to perufe them, left us alone, yet not without mentioning that he should call again in the evening to receive our answers to the offers we fhould find fet before us. "I was unable to read the detefted paper; but after fome little time Felix rehearfed it aloud, and I liftened with fome degree of attention. It declared that we should fhare equally in the profits-arifing 'from adventures, though every one must take his share in the danger, and pay implicit obedience to the captain or leader of the company. "Never," Lexclaimed, will I fubmit to the infamous measures of this fhameful crew: inftantaneous death is far preferable to the languishing life of mifery I muft here endure, fruftrated in all thofe fchemes of happiness I had planned to enjoy within a few weeks." "Alas, fir, (answered Felix) I have always been taught, that difappointments are for our good: and if ve really confider them as the acts of a fupreme being, how can they be bad?-Why fhould we then throw away our lives, and yield them up to men whom we defpife, when we may, perhaps, by retaining them, recover our liberties, with thofe bleffings we before had in contemplation ?" "I must confefs, the argument of the poor humble Felix brought a blush into the face of his mafter. That man (thought I), without the advantages of a refined or liberal education, can give inftruction to me, who have had every advantage in point of learning,-as well as an example, to teach me fortitude, philofophy, and refignation to the divine will.-His words made fuch an impreffion on my difordered imagination, that I refolved at once to fubmit to the terms of the banditti, in fuch a manner as fhould give them no room to doubt of my attachment to their caufe; as in this cafe more opportunities might offer to releafe us from fo horrid a confinement.-The captain at night again vifited us, and both Felix and myself teftified the greatest happiness to accept of the offer; and the better to give reafons for our readiness to comply, we gave him to understand we were men of defperate character, who knew no way of living, but by the aid of the riches of others: and for thofe purposes (faid I) we take it by turns to act as fervant, and through this means have accomplished many schemes productive of profit, which at fome other time I will relate to you.Garbardo (for that was the leader's name) feemed highly pleafed with our willingness, and the account we gave him of our characters; in short he determined that we should be entered into the order that very evening. Accordingly the whole party were called to affemble; and after undergoing the ufual forms, we received the dress and arms of the two deceafed robbers; we were then congratulated under the feigned names we had given them, as brothers of the fociety. "We foon found the good effects of conforming to their will with a feeming degree of pleafure; for they fo far relaxed from their ufual me thods, as to permit us to fleep toge ther. One rule, however, they ftrictly adhered to; for we were not fuffered to go out of the cave together upon any occafion, and were given to understand that he who remained behind was a kind of hostage for the other. "It was a general custom for three to go together to purchase provifion, which was procured from a man who kept a kind of fhop on the fkirts of the wood. He was well acquainted with the gang, and proved grateful for their custom, by providing them with the best food, and keeping their fituation an E e 2 entire " hard entire fecret. The place was ly ever intruded upon by any but the banditti: fo retired was the fpot where it stood. "It came to Felix's turn to go first to the victualling booth; nothing however offered to improve the liberty of leaving the cave; and he was accompanied by two flaunch friends to the fociety.-Nor did my journey prove more fuccessful; and 1 returned in fome meature in despair of ever finding means to escape. "Felix was again my comforter, and infpired me with hopes that at an other time we might meet with more fortunate circumstances which might enable us to obtain a releafe from these heavy chains of flavery. "The next day when Felix walked to the wood, he returned with a pleafure in his countenance, which, I could plainly perceive, fhowed he had met with fome pleasant adventure; nor was my conjecture wrong: for when I eagerly inquired of him, the first opportunity, if he had any good news, he informed me, to my great fatisfaction, it was no other than that he had feen Leonard at the place where he had been. Nor did either, of us," continued Felix, "foolishly discover our joy at meeting one another, as you might have fuppofed; but he, feeing in what company I was, acted with the greatest caution. I, however, found means to whifper to him, un feen, that on fuch a day he would fee you at the fame place."-This relation, though for the moment it infpired me with a kind of joy, yet was but a poor preface to any ideas of liberty. I determined, however, to make the moft of it; and accordingly, during the interval of time, I wrote, in a letter, a detail of the circumstances that had involved me in a fituation, of which I gave the defcription. This I fealed up, and put in my pocket, ready to flip into Leonard's haud, when I faw him. "I vifited, as ufual, the place, at tended by two men, and, in one corner of the fhop, faw Leonard, as I expected. I found means to convey the paper unperceived into his hand, and thus returned with fome degree of comfort to the cave. "I muft, now," continued his lordship, "give up my narrative, and refign, as I before informed you, the, talk to Mr. Maferini." "And I must own to your lordfhip," answered Alfred, "I feel fome degree of pleafure at receiving the employment, and shall now have an opportunity of explaining to Matilda my reafons for that mysterious behaviour which carried in it a ftrong resemblance to unkindness, though I had her intereft and happinets in my view. "I fhall therefore begin from the first appearance of that gloom and uneafinefs which feemed almost to crufh every pleafing quality, and give a kind of morofe turn to my temper and manners, doubtless, difgufting. "It was, I believe, the second day after, our arrival at the abbey, that Leonard was difpatched to procure provifion from the public market, and fet off accordingly. At his return, you, no doubt, recollect, he defired to fpeak with me alone.The fubject he had to communicate, was his having feen Felix at the place where he had ftopped, which was (as he defcribed it) extremely retired, and confequently fuited well his purpofe on, that account.-He gave a defcription of the perfons who were with him, and of the dreffes they wore, which confirmed them in my opinion to be banditti. "What to make of this adventure, I knew not, and was ftill more aftonished when Leonard informed me Felix had whispered in his car, that, if he attended at the place the next day but one, he would fee his mafter there.-This intelligence, as you may fuppofe, caufed in me the greatest and forwards, which at lafted feemed to vanish with it? "Leonard, according to the appointment he had received from Felix, fet off again for the market, as we informed you, to procure wine, the bottles we had before, being broken while he was gone. You questioned me on the ftrange alteration in my fpirits and behaviour, and wifhed much to be acquainted with the caufe of the change; which information I refufed, though. I told you I had reafons for the greatest uneafinefs. "Leonard returned, and (as you no doubt well recollect) with the news of count d'Ollifont's death, and the fearch that was making after me, both in France and Italy.-Leo greatest alarm for the fate of Mr Millverne. By the accounts I had heard before of banditti in these parts, I conjectured he was confined by them, as he really was. To the uncomfortable fenfation which this information gave me before, the next moment was added another caufe for horror, amazement, and, I may fay, distress —The cafement in my chamber above stands oppofite my bed; as I lay upon it I could plainly perceive part of the weft tower; nor had I retired above an hour, before I obferved a strong light in one of the windows;-and awaking Leonard, he plainly faw it as well as myfelf. I determined, however, to mention nothing of this circumn ftance, or that relative to Mr. Millverne; and he had my orders accord-nard then afked to fpeak with me ingly. alone he informed me he had really Can you, Matilda, blame me for feen Mr. Millverne and two other this fecrecy?—I well knew the fitua- perfons, all dreffed the fame as the tion of your heart, and was certain former ones, and that Mr. Mill'the information of either of thefe verne had flipped a letter into his circumstances must have confider-hand unperceived. This he gave bly heightened that anxiety and mifery which you then laboured under. This may account for my melancholy the next day. The uneafinefs you, no doubt, obferved, when you propofed being of theed. In fhort, this intelligence, addparty to fearch the rooms in the weft tower, and alfo on our conference together afterwards, when we confulted how we fhould act concerning Mr. Millverne. We alfo, after having retired to our chamber, spent the best part of the night in converfation on that, and the light we had feen." to me, and I eagerly opened and read it. All my fears for Mr. Millverne were realifed; and I found his fituation, by his own de fcription, to be just what I expect ed to what I had feen the night before, the idea of the count's death, and my own fituation,-drove me almoft to diftraction, as my behaviour plainly fhowed. I drank freely at fupper; and you must remember my frantic expreffions, occafioned by the fumes of wine, and a diftreffed imagination.. Matilda well recollected that "We heard a groan from those night, which was the fame when folding doors: I immediately ran the liftened at her brother's chamber to them: Leonard was unable to door, and was fo alarmed at the in-hold me back, but followed me. coherent fentences fhe heard.-SheI pushed them open, and faw, by the forbore however to interrupt her brother. "We alfo watched again for the light, and faw it; when, who can exprefs our aftonishment at plainly perceiving a figure pafs backwards means of a flash of lightning, a figure, of a deadly pale, ftand in the centre of the apartment. The fight of it was but momentary; for all again being dark, except from the 1ghts in this room, it seemed to vanish vanish at the further end.-Leo- nerous interference of Orafmin. nard, who was close to me, likewife faw the fame; and it was this which occafioned thofe exclamations of horror, which, we thought, your infenfibility had prevented you from hearing." (To be continued.) ACCOUNT of the NEW TRAGEDY entitled ALMEYDA, QUEEN of GRANADA, performed for the firft time at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, on Wednesday, April 20. TH Almeyda, having gained over the confident of Abdallah, arrives immediately after at the dungeon, and miffing her lover, fuppofes him murdered, and becomes frantic. Abdallah purposes in confequence to feize upon the crown; but Almeyda, recovering from her frenzy, impeaches Abdallah. The latter finding Alonzo faved by his fon, and his views thus every way croffed, infinuates that Almeyda has been poifoned. Orafmin interferes, and folicits from his father an antidote, under which name Abdallah pledges to Almeyda in a draught of poifon. They both perish, and the piece concludes with a leffon on the "mo HIS tragedy is from the pen of mifs Lee, the authorefs of the Chapter of Accidents, The Re-ral mifchiefs" of ambition. cefs, &c. If this play does not rife into the The following are the principal fublime, it is generally (to borrow characters of the drama : Abdallah, Mr. Palmer. a phrafe from Burke) at the top of mediocrity." In fome paffages a grace is fnatched beyond the reach Orafmin, Mr. Wroughton. of modern tragedy. Of this de Alonzo, Mr. Kemble. Almeyda, the Moorish princefs of Granada, has been made prifoner fcription are the lines, "Go! touch that buman rock into a beart. And again, fpeaking to the ambitious Abdallah, it is said, "A life of guilt by the Caftilians. Her mind has Is but a daily refpite from damna 1 been formed there, and her affections fixed on Alonzo, the fon of the Caftilian general, Ramirez. To the conduct of the fable we On her return to the court of Grá- have fome objection. Abdallah penada, fhe finds herfeff in the pow-rifbes defervedly; but Almeyda er of the Moorish regent, her uncle drinks of the fatal cup, for no other Abdallah, who deftines her for his purpose than "that the curtain fon Orafmin. Alonzo vifits her in may defcend to foft mufic." There difguife, is feized and thrown into is no moral end in view. Had Alon a dungeon by Abdallah, who zo achieved, by his own prowefs, threatens him with death unless he the rescue of his miftrefs, and the refigns his pretenfions. He refifts crimes of Abdallah been pardonthe propofal with firmnefs, though ed for the virtues of his fon, the ca fhown from his dungeon a fubter-taftrophe would have been more raneous river, where the preceding gratifying, without the ftratagem victims of the tyrants have met their of a double poifon, and without any fate. Alonzo is releafed by the ge- violation of poetical justice. The The piece had ftrong aid from the acting of Mrs, Siddons, Kemble, and Palmer.-Mr. King delivered an epilogue, in the character of a bellman proclaiming a long epilogue. It had fome good points, and thefe were certainly not marred in the delivery. agony which is fometimes felt :→ no opiate can lull to infenfibility the heart which has been defeated in its fondeft hope, or charm the anguifh of the parting moment into pleasure. We are not, however, hence to conclude that the mind is. not poffeffed of fome fecret fund, from which to draw that confolation of which it ftands in need. An energy has been imparted to our To the EDITOR of the LADY's faculties, which enables us to accom SIR, MAGAZINE, "Shall joy beam on my heart, then, Eliza? Ah! never. Thou'rt gone, and the joy of my IN heart, ah! for ever." modate ourselves to circumftances, and to extract, even from those which are most unfavourable, that which gently foothes the bofom, of the mind, and diffufes a foft rethat which calms the ftormy billows viving ferenity through the whole fyftem. In the quotation prefixed to thefe N the occurrences of this mottled obfervations, the feeling writer abanfcene of action, events will fome- dons himself to defpair: "the joy times take place, which fo power- of his heart is gone, ah! for ever!" fully imprefs the mind, that the an idea, this, which feems not to moft grateful emotions will be found tally with what we have just fald.in purfuits and modes of conduct, In what we have yet to advance, in which those who are differently it will probably be feen, that though affected can perceive only an ag-joy may beam no more upon the gravated wretchedness. Such is the heart of the hapless mourner, it kind provifion which providence does not from thence follow as an has made for the inevitable con- inevitable confequence, that every comitants of humanity, that there idea of pleasure is loft with thofe we are no events, however painful and love. We maintain on the contradiftreffing, in which the mind is ry that the indulgence of that penleft wholly deftitute of fupport and five fadnefs to which the tortured. confolation. Some cheering beam mind is fometimes reduced, is a ftill breaks through the cloud,-fource of pure, refined, and elegant, fome fweet hope is mingled with the though not enraptured pleasure. cup of woe:-and though, in the Few common place affertions are paroxyfm of anguifh, defpair alone more hackneyed than this, viz. prefents itself to our terrified imagi- that to dwell upon the melancholy nations, that paroxyfm no fooner fubject, which in times of diftrefs harabates than the darknefs affumes a rows up the mind, is fruitlefs folly, lefs palpable shade, the dawn ap- and even culpable; and the prepears, and the mind experiences a pofterous pofition is but too frenot unpleafing difappointment. Not quently credited, and purfued (as that events which pierce the ten-might have been forefeen) by confedereft fenfibilities of our nature, are quences fatal and difaftrous. But poffeffed of fome unknown qualities did we, inftead of yielding to the which render the wounds inflicted by injudicious maxims which ftoic" them benign and grateful. Alas, apathy (of which caft are by far the nothing can compenfate for the greater part of mankind) has ren dered |