enemy in the late affault. This fhe employed to dig her way, firft advancing with one foot and then another; till at length, with much pain and labour, fhe reached the fummit. they accepted; not undertaking to go to the town on purpofe to acquaint Aucaffin with what the defired; but they promised to do it, if they fhould fall in with him: to which the affented, and retired. Charmed with the hopes the had received, he thought of nothing from that moment but the reception the should give her lover. For that purpose, the conftructed, near the road, a finall arbour made of green At twice the distance of a bowfhot from the ditch, was the border of the foreft, about one and twenty leagues in extent each way, and full of all forts of venemous and ravenous animals. Nicolette durft not enter it, through fear of being devoured.branches; with which, at the fame On the other hand, as he was in imminent danger of being apprehended and carried back to prifon, fhe ventured to conceal herfelf in a fmall thicket, which made the felvage of the wood. There, fatigued and exhaufted, the lay down and flept till the morning, when fome fhepherds were driving their flocks to the adjacent verdure. time, fhe was defirous of trying him. "If his love is as violent as he declares, when he fees this, it will arrest his attention." When the arbour was completed, and garnifhed with flowers and odoriferous herbs, the fair one ftepped afide a few paces, and fat down under a thicket, to fee what Aucaflin would do on his arrival. He had been liberated from his imprisonment. The viscount was no fooner informed of the efcape of his ward, than he went, in order to allay any fufpicions of the count his fovereign, to inform him, that the had died in the night; and Garins, freed, in confequence of her fuppofed death, from his apprehenfions, reftored Aucaffin to his liberty. He even took it into his head, for the confolation of his fon, to give an entertainment to all his barons and vaflals. The court affembled was numerous, and there abounded a Whilft the animals fed on the borders of the foreft, the fhepherds went and fat down by a ftream that winded round it. There, fpreading on the earth a cloak, they put their provifions down, and began their breakfast. Nicolette, whom the noite awakened, approached them; and, faluting them courteoufly, inquired, if they knew Aucaffin, fon of Garins, the count of Beaucaire. They answered in the affirmative; but the inftant they caft their eyes upon her, they were dazzled at her charms, and took her for fome fairy that frequented the wood. She fur-variety of amufements; but Aucasfther faid, “My friends, I defire that fin could tafte no pleasure in the abyou will go and tell him, that there is fence of his love. Plunged in the here a white-coloured doe, for which deepeft melancholy, he kept himself he would readily give five hundred apart from the company, leaning marks in gold, or indeed all the gold forrowfully against a pillar. in the world, if it was in his difpoial; A knight coming up to him faid, that he is defired to come and catch" Sire, I have been fick like you, her, and that he is endowed with and of the fame malady; I am the virtue to cure him of all evils: therefore qualified to offer you my but that unless he comes within three advice upon the fubject. Get on days, he will never find her, and horfeback, and ride along the edge may renounce for ever all hopes of of the foreft; the finging of the cure." She then opened her purfe, birds, the freshness of the verdure, and gave them fonie money, which the beauty of the flowers, or fome 7 thing thing elfe, perhaps, may afford you | relief." Aucaffin thanked him; and immediately withdrawing himfelf from the hall, and ordering his horfe to be faddled, he rode out and proceeded towards the forest. The fhepherds were fitting in the fame place as in the morning, clofe by the margin of the ftream. They had purchased two large cakes, which they had come to eat, fpreading their cloaks, as before, upon the grafs. led him to the arbour which the fair damfel had constructed. At fight of the flowers with which the arbour was decorated, he faid to himself, "Surely my Nicolette has been here; and it must be fhe that with her beauteous hands raised that green hut. For her fake I will pafs the night in it." Inftantly he difmounted from his horfe; but fuch was his eagerness and precipitation, that he fell down and dislocated his fhoulder. Notwithstanding this accident, he contrived, with the other arm, to fasten his horfe to a tree. He then enter "Comrades, (faid one, whofe name was Lucas) God preferve our gentle count Aucaffin, and the dam-ed the arbour, and, without thinking of his fufferings, he exclaimed in amorous transport, amorous tranfport, "Happy flowers and branches, that have been culled by my charming Nicolette! How I envy your lot!” fel of the flaxen locks, to whofe bounty we are indebted for thefe cakes." Aucaffin, overhearing this, fufpected that his lovely Nicolette had been with them. He accosted them, and gave them money to induce them to a further explanation When he asked them the meaning of what had just been fpoken, the moft intelligent of the band recounted the adventure of the morning, with the meffage they were charged to deliver to him, and the ftory of the white doe, which he was invited to pursue. "God grant me to find it," said he, and entered the wood. His clothes, torn at every ftep by thorns and briars, were quickly reduced almoft to tatters. His hands, his arms, his body, were fo lacerated in a fhort time, that he might have been traced by his blood. But his mind was fo occupied with the thoughts of Nicolette, that he was not fenfible of any pain or inconve nience. Thus did he pafs the remainder of the day in a fruitless fearch. When the darkness of the night came on, he was obliged to defift for a while: but foon after the moon breaking out with fplendor, he continued his progrefs. At length his good fortune The damfel was not far off, and overheard him. She ran to him with open arms, and embraced him tenderly" My Aucaffin, have I again found you?" He, on his part, locked her in his arms, and almoft fmothered her with his embraces.-"Ah, Nicolette, but juft now my fufferings were painful; but now that I hold you, I no longer feel them!” Nicolette, alarmed at what he said, afked him the caufe of his pain: fhe felt his fhoulder, which feemed to her out of order,—and, with the help of heaven, the contrived to fet it in its right place. She then applied to it the juice of certain falutary plants and herbs, of which fhe was acquainted with the virtues, and bound it with a fragment of her robe. His hurt being thus healed, the afked him what were his intentions. "Your father, (faid fhe) when informed of your flight, will, you may be affured, by break of day, send in purfuit of you perfons who will beat the foreft. If you are found, I know not what will be the confequence; but, but, for my own part, I am aware with twelve fons, all kings as well as himself. Ravifhed with her beauty, the young princes treated her with refpect, and often asked the name of her parents and her country. that I fhall be put to a cruel death." "I fhall take measures to prevent it," answered the youth; and, mounting his horfe, he took up his miftrefs in his arms, and carried her "I am ignorant of it (answered off, kiffing fucceffively her forehead, fhe). All I know is, that I was her eyes, and her mouth. She afk-taken away from my parents, at a ed whither he was going? "very early age, and fold by Saraknow not (answered he); nor do I cens." think it of much import where I go, But, on her entrance into Carfince I have you along with me." thage, what was her furprife to reAfter having traverfed mountains cognife the walls and streets of the and vallies, after paffing through place in which the was brought up! feveral towns and villages, they ar-That of the king was not inferior, rived at the fea-fhore. Aucaffin when, by fome circumstances which perceived fome merchants in their veffels under fail. He made a fignal; on which they hoifted out their boat, and he obtained a paffage for himself and his mistress. the related, he found the was his own daughter. He threw his arms around her, and was diffolved in tears of joy. The princes embraced her, and overwhelmed her with careffes: A dreadful ftorm arifing obliged A few days after they proposed to them foon to take fhelter in the port her the fon of a Saracen king for her of Torlore. In this city Aucaffin hufband; but he would not espouse refided three years, completely hap-a Saracen, and thought only of the py in the poffeflion of his Nicolette. means of recovering her lover, But a Saracen fleet came to difturb whofe idea occupied her mind perthis repofe. They attacked the petually. caftle, took it, pillaged the town, With this intention, the thought and carried off the inhabitants, taking of learning to play on the violin. with them the two lovers into capti-As foon as the had acquired it fuffivity. The damfel was conveyed into one veffel, and the youth, bound hands and feet, into another. ciently, the made her escape at night from the palace, and went to the feafhore, where the took up her abode On a fudden, a frefli gale arofe, with a poor woman. There, in or and feparated the fleet. The veffel der to difguife herfelf, the ftained that bore Aucaffin, toffed about from her hands and face with the juice of coaft to coaft, at last was driven into an herb: fhe then put on a youth's Beaucaire. The inhabitants, run- apparel, and obtained leave of a maning to the fhore were happily fur-riner, who was bound for Provence, prifed in the arrival of their young count. His father and mother had both died during his abfence. They therefore acknowledged him as their liege lord, and conducted him in pomp to the caftle, where he took poffeffion of his fovereignty, and where he had nothing to regret but the lofs of Nicolette. The veffel in which he was taken belonged to the king of Carthage, who had come on that expedition to go on board his veffel. The voyage was profperous. Nicolette difembarked with her violin, and, in the difguife of a minstrel, went playing through the country till fhe arrived at Beaucaire. Aucaffin, at the moment of her arrival, was fitting, with his barons, on the fteps before his palace. He looked towards the wood, where fome years before he had fallen in with his beloved Nicolette; and the recol recollection drew forth a figh. She approached, and, without appearing to know him, "My lords, (faid fhe) would you wish to hear the amours of the accomplished Aucaffin and Nicolette, his mistress ?" All having testified the most anxious defire, fhe took out of a cafe her violin, and, accompanying it with her voice, recounted how Nicolette loved Aucaffin; how the efcaped from prifon; how they met in the foreft, with all the particulars of their joint adventures to the time of their feparation, and of her own, to her arrival at Carthage. During the whole of her fong, Aucaffin was almoft tranfported. His heart was fo oppreffed, that it was with difficulty he could draw breath. When she had finished, he took afide the pretended minstrel, and asked if he knew this Nicolette, of whom he had been finging?. Our minstrel answered, he had feen her at Carthage, and that he was the most faithful lover, the most conftant and loyal that ever exifted. She then related the manner in which Nicolette was difcovered by the king, her father; and all the trouble he had fuffered on account of the propofed marriage. damfel withdrew; but, in turning her head to take a parting look at her lover, the perceived his cheeks bedewed with tears. Her heart melted at the fight. She came back to defire that he would take courage, and affured him that in a very short time, fooner perhaps than he himfelf expected, he should fee once more his beloved mistress. On leaving the count's palace, Nicolette repaired to that of the viscount of Beaucaire. She found that he had died fome time before, and demanded an audience of the widow, to whom the made herself known. This lady, who had brought up under her own infpection the charming infant, and had confidered it as her own child, was overjoyed to fee her, and provided her with apartments in the house. Nicolette, by means of an herb, got rid of the artificial black which he had affumed to difguife her countenance. In less than eight days, reft and a few baths restored her to her pristine' beauty. The viscountefs then decorated her perfon with the most fplendid and becoming drefs; and, feating her upon a couch covered with a rich filk damafk, fhe went to feek Aucaffin. opprefled by forrow: I am come to diffipate your grief, and fhow you what will convert it into joy. Follow me." "I beg, my good friend, (faid Since meeting with the minstrel Aucaffin) that you will return to he had paffed his days and nights in her, and tell her, from me, that if I inceffant difquiet. The lady found had known what country had the him in tears when he entered.— happiness to contain her, I fhould" Aucaffin, (faid the) you seem to be quickly have flown to her relief. Tell her that I have been continually in the most anxious expectation of her, and that I have fworn never to efpoufe any other woman. Go; and, if you can prevail on her to come and give me her hand, you fhall receive, in recompenfe, as much gold and filver as you can demand, or I can give." On the pretended minstrel's promife to use his utmost efforts to execute his commiffion with effect, Aucaffin prefented him before-hand with twenty marks of filver. The He followed her, full of anxiety and hope. The chamber-door was opened, and prefented to his delighted eyes the view of his enchanting Nicolette! He was fo enraptured as to be incapable of motion. Nicolette, fpringing from the couch, ran to his embraces. A thousand tender endearments enfued; and Aucaffin conducted his mistress to the church, where he efpoufed her, and made made her countefs of Beaucaire.Thus, after so many croffes and miffortunes, they found reparation in a permanent union. They preferved inviolate their reciprocal attachment, and paffed a long and happy life together. THE EXPERIMENT. means the benefit of the discovery might be still given to the world." "Ah! my friend (interrupted I), I now fee that you have no regard for me, or you would have given me the enviable pleasure, the delight of being able to fay to myself, that I too, ignorant as I am,-I too have contributed my feeble aid to the advancement of fcience, and the benefit of fociety." "You are very good (returned [From Mifs Hamilton's Letters of a the doctor), and I have no doubt of Hindoo Rajab.] WHEN I laft faw you (faid what I cannot effect by the means which divine Providence has put into my power, I think is not intended by Providence that I should effect at all. your generofity. But, as the action of heat evaporates fluids, fo does the borrowing of money, in my opinion, deftroy the independence of the foul, afraid I must have appeared ftrange--that independence which gives life ly inattentive; but, in truth, my and energy to virtue, without which mind was at that time very much it becomes incapable of being exertembarrassed, and almost folely occu-ed to any truly useful purpose. No; pied on a fubject, which I did not then choose to speak of, but which I fhall now fully explain. You muft know, that I had lately entered on a courfe of experiments, more interetting than any in which I have ever yet engaged, and from which, I had no doubt, a most important discovery would refult. I found it, however, altogether impoffible to go on, without the affistance of an additional apparatus, the price of which was far more than I could afford. It was fifty pounds; - little lefs than a quarter of a year's rent of my whole eftate! What was I to do? befpeak it of the artifan, without having the money ready to pay for it? This would be nothing lefs than an act of wilful difhonefty,for, difhonefty, either to one's felf or others, running in debt always is. "Could I hope to fave it by re-ple, who, if they are any way dilitrenching any of my ordinary ex- gent, may have the whole apparatus penfes? I calculated every thing, completely finished in a week." even to living on bread and water, but found it impoffible. I had, then, nothing for it, but to relinquifh my plan entirely, and, fince I could not carry it on my felf, to communicate my ideas upon the fubject to fome more opulent philofopher, by whofe "I was, therefore, quietly employing my felf in unfixing that great retort, when, this morning, a letter was brought me from my agent in the country, informing me of his having obtained for me, from a neighbouring 'fquire, the fum of fifty pounds, for damages done me, by taking, through miftake, a piece of my ground into one of his inclosures. Which fum he inclosed to me in a letter. Thus, you fee, my dilemma is quite at an end. I fhall now go on with spirit; and, as I need lofe no more time, I am just going into the city, to give the neceffary directions to the work-peo As he spoke, I contemplated, with delight, the glow of pleafure which animated his finely-expreffive countenance; a pleasure so different from the fparkling ecftafy of paffion, that, merely to have beheld it, would have been fufficient to convince the moft devoted |