the mountains of Tlaflacan; their necks unadorned with the chains of gold; their helms void of the variegated feathers due to them from the brother of the Sun."

Tremble,' faid the venerable fage, to breathe the leaft morinur against the mighty Lord of Zocathlan, thẻ ruler of ten thousand provinces, the powerful brother of the Sun! whom every element is proud to obey; and to whom, if the rulers of the air (who are privy to every voice of mortals) hould bear thy complainings-inevitable mifery!-thou wouldst fall an unpitied victim in the temple of the dread Vitzliputzli. But hearken, O my fon. Thy mind is deluded by the forceress Error: Difappointment hath fpread her fable veil before thy fight; and thou canst not either difcern the fplendor of the great Itztapalapa's wifdom, or the plain and unperplexed path which leadeth to the temple of felicity. Dazzled with the luftre of greatnefs, thou haft treasured " up in thy mind falfe notions of it's blifs; and, difappointed in the purfuits of it, fondly deemeft thyself disappointed of real happinefs. The evil Genii, who delight to diftrefs the fons and worshippers of the beneficent Tlalock, triumphing over thy heart-cor roding anxiety, have commiffioned their bufieft intruments to promote thy mifery, and to render thee in truth what thou art in imagination only. The ideal bleffings denied thee, are, by their agency, turned into real evils; and the lofs of fancied tifications prevents thee from enjoying thofe of which thou art poffcffed. But hearken to the voice of wifdom; obey, and thou fhalt be bleffed. Tell me, Magifcatzin, point out the man who buildeth his neft on the towering cedar " of felicity."

gra

Curdistan,' replied he in a moment, ⚫ Curdiftan dwells fecure on it's topmoit bough. He fits in his prince's favour, like the proud city of Mexico, empreis of the world, in the midst of the lakes. Curdiflan is happy.--Nor lefs fo is Tabuca; honour and wealth wave, like yellow fields of ripe maize, around him, and the fairest beauty of Zocathlan encircles him with the flow of her arms. ---And not lefs bleffed, for not lefs ⚫ honourable, is Xicoltencal; for he gives the golden cup, enamelled with the

topaz and the fapphire, into the hands of Itztapalapa, and reclineth on the fame carpet to play at the royal game of Tololoque with the brother of the Sun. Yucatán alfo

• Nomore,' faid the priest, interrupting him; it is enough, my fon; mark this emerald. Take it, and preferve it with the utmost attention. It was the gift of Tlalock himself, who defcended in thunder, while the earth trembled at his approach the gift of the fovereign Tlalock to my immortal father; who now drinks out of the ruby bowls which Halicafti hands round to the Lords of Paradife. Bind it next to thy heart, and it will render thee invifible to every mortal eye; and hafte thee away, enter every dwelling where thy defires long chiefly to dwell; and in the name of the mighty Deity, whofe facrifices I perform, and whofe incenfe I burn, I fwear to thee, that thou shalt be the man, whom thou thyfelf fhalt confefs the happy one. Finish thy enquiries with all speed; and when the fun fhall twice have travelled over yon mountains, meet ❝ me in this place of meditation.'

The heart of Magifcatzin throbbed with ardour and impatience; he seized the emerald, and entered with the ftep of impetuofity the city of Zocathlan.

Rejoice, fon of Alibudah,' faid Magifcatzin; the eye of Omnifcience hath beheld thee with favour, though the dread Lord of Zocathlan did not • vouchsafe thee a fmile; glory ftandéth ready to bind around thy neck her golden chain; and rofy-wreathed hap pinets prepareth her fofteft fofas for thy repofe. Immortal, eternal, lifegiving Sun! Eye of the world, difpenfer of health, of riches, of benefi. <cence! Hear me, fovereign, with the

golden locks. My vows, my prayers, < are thine! A thoufand victims, in token of thankfulness, fhall bleed on 6 thy altars; and the fmoke of incenfe 'fhall waft, in odorous clouds, my praifes to thee, feated on thy flaming throne of ruby.'

Thus fpoke the delufive voice of flattery in the heart of Magifcatzin, as he trod with impatience from the mountains; he held the wonderous emerald clofe to his breast; and formed to himfelf a thoufand fchemes of happiness! Ambition mantled in his cheek; and Plealure, in her faffron veftment, danced

..before

before his eye. Difappointment was a ftranger to his ideas; vain and erring, he confidered not the univerfal condition of mortality!

Soon as he entered the city of Zocathlan, he turned not to the right-hand or to the left; but bent his fteady course to the dwelling of Curdiftan.' There,' faid he, will I first prove the power of the great Tlalock's jewel; nor fhall I have caufe to prove it in any other dwelling than his! Curdistan's felicity fhall be mine. Happy fon of Alibudah, thou shalt be the magnificent Curdistan! Unfeen and unnoted, he entered the gates, and afcended the numerous fteps which lead to the palace of Curdistan. He beheld with rapture and admiration the fplendour of all things around him; the veffels fhining with burnished gold; the paintings, glowing with fictitious life; the attendants, richly adorned, and zealous in their fervices. But when he faw the nobles and grandees of Zocathlan, waiting in a fpacious apartment, to catch the fmile, and touch the border of Curdistan's robe, he repreffed with difficulty the tranfport of his expectations; and food awhile deliberating with himfelf, whether he should not inftantly return to the mountains of Tlaflaclan; claim the pro mife of the prieft; and affume the envied character of the bleft Curdistan. Rather firft, Magifcatzin, faid he within himself, refresh thy foul with a view of the mighty master of these profufe glories; and contemplate, delighted, in him, the radiant beams of gladnefs, which foon are to play • around thee!' Inftantly he fought the apartment of Curdistan. He found it; entered trembling with anxious delight; -but in a moment was ftruck with confufion and amazement! Curfe upon · my fortune!' were the firft words he heard from the lips of him whom he envied; curfe upon my fortune, and upon the hour which made me a flave to greatnefs and Itztapalapa! Had I been born an humble peafant, repofe and peace would have smoothed my pillow; and all the torment of power had been unknown to my heart! Now the fears of folicitude drive fleep from my couch all the night, and the day is enslaved to diffimulation, falsehood, and tumult! Seated high, how difficult is it to preferve that feat; and • if I fall, I fall with tenfold deftruction! Not refpecting my perfon, but

my power, a train of courtiers wait my approach; but, alas! I find no friend in the circle; he only is my 'friend on whom my hand showers gifts! Curfe on them all, on myself,

on my fortune; I am weary of exiftence! He had fcarcely uttered thefe words, to which every difcompofure of countenance gave energy, before a meffenger entered with the mandate of Itztapalapa, to deprive him of his honours and officers. Magifcatzin. terrified at the tempeft of paflions which tore him upon the receival of this fatal mandate, (a mandate which he had but too much reafon to fufpect) fhrunk difappointed from the palace, which he entered with the full gale of triumph; and, as he departed, obferved every courtier stealing privately away; heard every lip freely owning the juftice of the fentence, and curfing the pride and the folly of Curdiftan.

Aftonishment poffeffed the mind, and led the feet of Magifcatzin long devious and unperceiving whither he tended. But, at length, recollection fummoned the powers of his foul: he refolved to purfue his enquiries; and lefs captivated with the glare of ambition, withed for the fofter felicities of life. He hastened therefore to the houfe of Tabuca, attracted by the beauty of the daughter of Saram; whofe graces the tongue of fame refounded loudly through the ftreets of Zocathlan; and who flourished in charms like the firft vernal bloom on the trees of Paradife. Happy Tabuca,' faid he within himself, the pure joys of immortal love are thine; the rich feaft of unparalleled beauty is prefented to thee! Love, without the interruption of anxiety; peace, without the moleftations of ambition; honour, without the clamours of importunity, weave the crown of full and flourishing felicity for thy brow! Oh, Tabuca, who is bleffed, who is to be envied, like thee!' He faid, and entered the dwelling. But behold a fiend, which the malevolent Zarefh fent forth from the regions of darkness and woe, to confound the choiceft tranquillity of human beings, ftood with ever-watchful eye at the door of Tabuca, and stopt up every avenue that might admit the approach of the difpenfers of confolation. Magifcatzin grew pale at the fight. He knew the fpirit of jealousy. And can it be poffible,' faid he, that this accurfed demon fhould make his abode here? 3 B 2 Alas,

6

Alas, where he dwells, no blifs fhall ever fpring up and flourish. Plants only of baleful poifon mark his footfteps. He preffed forward, however, to the apartment of Tabuca. He found him, pale and penfive, lying on the ground. His heart heaved with anxiety. He doubted the fidelity of the Fairest beauty of Zocathlan. He doubted the fidelity of the wife of his foul. Refolved to try the efficacy of his emerald to the utmost; Magifcatzin (though no longer wishing to affume the charaƐ..r of Tabuca; for how can the foul, harraffed with jealoufy, join in the chorus of free-hearted joys?) tole to the private chamber of the daughter of Saram, and there he beheld, while the thought no eye conscious of her proceedings(for unwife, the thought not of the eye of Tlalock, which no mortal can elude) he beheld, that beauty full often proves a fnare to itself; and that eminence in charms fubjects only to eminence of temptation and peril.

pa

Difgufted and diffatisfied as before, Magifcatzin haftened from the house of Tabuca; Ambition is madness,' faid he; the fofter pleasures are unmanly; • wealth alone is worth a wife man's concern: it's bleffings are noble, are permanent; it procures all we want, 6 it obtains all we wifh. Greatness and honcur are in it's train; and the daughters of beauty fall down and adore it. I will hafte then to the lowly, but wealthy retreat of Devoftan. The felicity which flieth from the lace of the great, and the couch of the lovely, is affuredly to be found there.' It happened that, as he went along, a multitude, innumerable as the ftars in the firmament, crouded the grand street of Zocathlan, and denied him paffage: in the midst of them, attended by the minifters of juftice, he beheld two wretches, whofe brows indicated the deepeft horror. He took the emerald from his heart, and appearing, in confequence, to the general view, folicited information concerning the caufe of the prefent throng. Thou feeft,' faid the man of whom he enquired, in thofe miferable wretches, the only fon, and the most favourite fervant of Devoftan. The former, wearied by the penurious feverity of his father, and allured by the dire thirft of his countless poffelfions, engaged the other in a foul confpiracy. And they have washed their

He fighed; and, turning from the crowd, refolved to retire to his own houfe, and dedicate a few hours to reflection, before he renewed his search.

He folded his arms; fixed his eyes upon the earth; and with flow and penfive ftep moved towards his own dwelling. Oh, Magifcatzin,' faid he; in the filence of reflection, thou art difappointed, but not fatisfied. And dwelleth the not beneath the golden roof of ambition and honour? Doth fhe not live in the blooming bower of young and fragrant beauty? Is happinefs a ftranger to that temple of wealth, which every foot delights to enter, where every hand is ready to kifs the mouth, in token of adoration! Lead me to the Goddess, ye awful powers, endowed with celeftial pene'tration; difpel the darkness of doubt and hefitancy. Oh, for a beam of un• failing light! shine forth; and shew me the way; make me great, and make me bleffed!'

A deep and hollow groan at that moment founded from a lowly cottage by which he paffed: it pierced his heart; he drew near, and the cries of diftrefs awakened his compaffion. He entered the lowly door; and behold, stretched on the bed of ficknefs, lay the mother of fix clamorous infants, demanding, with the voice of importunity, food to fatiate their hunger. She replied only with tears. Magifcatzin fought the caufe of her diftrefs: grief is communicative; fhe informed him that the iron hand of Death had but lately cut down her husband, the trunk upon which the and her babes leaned for fupport.

He, by his daily and laborious toil, earned for them the fcanty pittance which fed the lamp of life. • But

But now, friendless and unpitied; un⚫ known, and unrelieved, famine preyeth upon my children,' faid fhe, while forrow eateth up my heart! How many of the great and the wealthy, ⚫ whole tables are loaded by the hands ⚫ of profufion and plenty, dream little of neceffity like ours; and care not to diffufe the offals of their feasts, which ⚫ would fuffice to preferve us from the refiftless severity of hunger! Not far • hence,' continued fhe, lives the great and fplendid Magifcatzin; wealth and felicity take up their abode in his happy dwelling, and his meanest domefticks are the envied children of peace. The very crumbs from his table would more than fatiate our wishes; would give gladnefs to the heart of the difconfolate widow, and wipe away the tears from the hollow and half-famished eyes of the orphan!

Magifcatzin heard, and was abashed. No more,' faid he to the woman; the • angel of confolation will visit thy cottage. Fear not the clouds are difperfing, and the chearful fun will Ipeedily brighten the heavens.' Thus fpeaking, with hafty step he left the houfe of mourning, fearing to be difcovered. Oh! mighty Tlalock,' faid he, I had no need of thy emerald to teach me this wifdom. Son of Alibudah, cease thy fearch; acknowledge thy error; and be glad to drink the waters of thy own clear fountain!' Immediately he iffued his command to relieve the wants of the widow, and to feed the hungry orphans. And in that command the glow of benevolence warmed his bofom; he felt, that to blefs was to be bleffed! Chearfulness refumed her feat on his forehead, and his eye fparkled again with vivacity and delight. I will get me to the moun

tains,' faid he,early on the morrow; I will reftore, without a defire to repoffefs, the wondrous jewel, which the venerable prieft hath committed to my trust. Let the falfe glare of honour allure; the deftructive purfuit ⚫ of riches bewilder; mine shall be a nobler aim. Sovereign Tlalock, I adore thee! The temple of human happiness is founded on the adamantine rock of benevolence and virtue.' Early he fought the mountains of Tlaflacan. The fage appeared. Take back thy jewel,' faid Magifcatzin: it

availed not: by it's aid, I difcovered

only the unfufpected haunts of mifery and woe; without it's aid, I have 'found the unerring path which leads to the immortal dome of happiness. -Charge not the jewel, but thy felf,' faid the prieft; thou mightest well have found that path long before; but without the jewel, know that thou wouldIt never have found it. The chief caufe ⚫ of human difcontent is the envious eye, 'which, looking to the loftier ftate, longs for the pleafures which, as it deems, dwell plenteous there; while it con' temns and neglects the fatisfactions in it's own power; and judges them worthlefs and inconfiderable, in comparison of the blazing glories above it. Erring mortals! how falfe, how vain is your eftimate of things! The jewel hath enabled thee to know, what otherwife, Magifcatzin, little elfe than experience could have taught; that the heart full often is a ftranger to joy, where the face wears the conftant fun-fhine of fmiles: that the ferenity of peace ⚫ dwells not always where the outward triumphs of fplendour exult; that the 'breast not rarely is torn with the tem'peft of cares, which feems hushed with the profoundest calm.

Yet mistake not; happiness, in a degree, though not in perfection, is a flower that will flourish in almost · every foil. It withered in the garden of Curdistan; but it withered because Curdistan gave it not a proper culture. It requireth not to be fostered with the dews of honour, it wisheth not to grow ⚫ beneath a shelter of gold; even the fair • tendance of the hand of beauty is not peculiarly needful, it often is found

in fresher verdure in the gardens of 'the homely. Yet neither will it fade, because beauty tends it; honour fosters it with her dew; or wealth fpreadeth over it the alcove of gold. If the former is virtuous, the latter benefi'cent, diffufive, humane; the heart-felt joy, which enlivens and immortalizes, • will lift up the foul, and make it di• vine.