a

injured friend, whofe conftant regard—' So well merits,' interrupted Adeline, a reward fuperior to what any of us can beftow.My fa⚫ther, what can I fay? My fifter's conduct I have ever blamed: fhall I then • make it an example? No; the injuries of the one the other fhall redrefs. Let • Victorina be happy with Lord Ebberftone; I fhail not envy her lot. Title to me is nothing, and fortune is a poor object of regard. The noble mind of Cranstoun is fuperior to them both; and Adeline, if the cannot equal, at leait fhall imitate his virtues. The anfwer made to the generous girl was worthy of him who made it. When he had done fpeaking- Now,'exclaimed I, I may leave Scotland whenever I chufe, and return to convince the mistaken • baronet of his error.. I was right. Living witneffes can be produced to prove that I was.' My words occafioned fome furprize. I was afked the meaning of them; and explained it by relating the difpute I had had with Sir

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EAR

ARL Dorfet was a nobleman of diftinguished abilities; he had ferved in the reign of Edward the Third, King of England, and in particular, had acquired uncommon reputation at the famous battle of Creffy. He married an amiable lady, by whom he had an only daughter, named Helen, whofe beauty and accomplishments gained her a crowd of admirers.

Among the feveral diftinguished characters that reforted to the house of Earl Dorfet was the Duke of Suffolk, who had for fome time conceived a partiality in favour of the fair Helen. He at length opened the matter to her father, who readily agreed to the match, and flew with impatience to communicate the agreeable intelligence to his beloved daughter; but, what was his furprife, when he had fcarce ended his fpeech, to find her bathed in tears, and declaring fhe never could confent to fuch an union, as fhe had already entertained a fincere regard for another! Lord Dorfet determined, if poffible, to find out the object of her choice; and intreated of her, in the gentleft manner, to inform him

who was the perfon fhe had fo unluckily placed her affections upon.

After fome hesitation, the acquainted him, that it was no other than a gentleman diftantly related to her family, named Dudley, whom he had been acquainted with from her infancy. Dorfet was almoft diftracted at this intelligence. The firft ftep he took was to order young Dudley to quit his houfe immediately; and he determined to marryhis daughter, at all events, to the Duke.

Helen flew to her mother, who loved her tenderly, and implored her, in the most pathetic terms, to diffuade her father from his intended purpose, and to give his confent to her union with Dudley. Lady Dorfet could afford her but little comfort; the endeavoured to diffuade him from fo rafh a proceeding, but without effect; and, after Dudley had feen his beloved Helen once more, and they had vowed mutual conftancy, he depart ed, as it was fuppofed, for the country; but his intentions were different, and he determined not to live, without forming fome project to see his beloved mistress. For this purpofe, he procured a proper

disguise;

dus.

difguife; and going to a convent adjoining to Lord Suffolk's houfe, which he well knew Helen conftantly frequented, engaged himself as one of the religiThis fcheme fucceeded, and he frequently had opportunities of feeing and converfing with his miftrefs. Lord Suffolk came often to vifit Helen; and at length told her father he fancied he was not agreeable to the lady, ashe always remarked fhe had a fettled melancholy in her countenance, which the ftrove in vain to hide. Her father endeavoured to perfuade him to the contrary, and afterwards feverely reprimanded his daughter for her indifference to the Duke. The next morning the repaired, as ufual, to the convent, and there found Dudley waiting. She communicated to him her father's intention of facrificing her to the Duke in a few days, which threw him into a fit of defpair; and, fnatching up a fword, he would have put an end to his life, had not Helen prevented him, by promifing never to confent to be united to another. This promife, in fome degree, made him happy, and they foon after parted.

She repaired to her apartment in the utmoft agitation of mind, which had fuch an effect on her, that it confined her to her room for fome days. When fhe had fomewhat recovered, the haftened as ufual to the chapel, and was greatly difappointed at not feeing her lover. She waited fome time without effect, and returned home in a perplexity of mind not to be defcribed. She again applied to her mother, intreating her to tell her the fate of Dudley. What was her aftonifhment, when Lady Dorfet informed her he had been difcovered, and conveyed to prifon, by the order of the king, where he was to remain till the agreed to give her hand to Lord Suffolk.

Suffice it to fay, the remained for fome months in a state of infenfibility, continually calling on the name of her lover. When her reafon was somewhat reftored, the refolved to offer up her prayers to the Supreme Being for the fafety of the unhappy youth. For this purpofe fhe haftened to the chapel; but, as fhe was defcending the steps, the perceived her beloved Dudley. She was unable to utter a word, but fell lifelefs in his arms. When recovered, he acquainted her he had juft efcaped from prifon, and intreated her to confent to marry him, and fly

to France, or that moment fhould be his laft.,

The charming Helen was fo perplexed between love and duty, that fhe did not know on what to refolve. He refumed his intreaties, and fhe at length confenting, one of the brethren of the holy order joined their hands. The next night they proceeded to a village in the Weft of England, and embarked for France. Helen little regarded the dan-. gers of the fea; all her grief was for her father, whom he heard from a perfon on board was already in fearch of her.

They had fcarce loft fight of the port, when a terrible storm arofe, and they expected every minute to be fwallowed up by the waves. Helen's grief redoubled; the fell continually into fainting fits, calling in vain on the name of her parents. The ftorm continued fome days, when they were driven upon the unknown coaft of a Defart Ifland. Dudley entreated the captain to fet them afhore, as he found the life of his beloved Helen to be in the molt imminent danger. The captain complied with their requeft; and they wandered about a confiderable way from the fea-fide, when they beheld a delightful place, which feemed to yield every thing Nature could afford in her higheft luxury.

They remained for fome time gazing on this enchanting spot; but could perceive no form like their own, or hear any thing but the bubbling of fountains, and the warbling of the birds. Dudley at length refolved to build a little hut, and there to live with his enchanting mistress upon the fpontaneous productions which the place produced.

After they had remained in this island for near five years, and were blessed with feveral pledges of their mutual love, it happened one winter's evening, when they had just retired to reft, a dreadful hurricane arofe, which defolated the fields, and tore up the trees by the roots. They heard the billows roar, and the lamentations of fome unfortunate people, who had, no doubt, fuffered by a wreck. Dudley and Helen haltened immediately to the fhore, where they beheld several perfons lying lifelefs on the fands.

The next object that presented itself was a venerable old man, ftretched at the bottom of a tree, and fhewing fome figns of life. Helen immediately ran up to him; and, looking wildly on him, cried

out

out My father! and fainted by his fide. Dudley perceiving the diftrefs of Helen, flew to her affiftance, and foon difcovered the ftranger to be Lord Dorfet; who, with his confort, had embarked in fearch of his daughter. They immedi⚫ ately conducted him to their cabbin; and, after he was fomewhat recovered, he embraced his children, but told them there was one thing yet which would for ever deftroy his happiness. His beloved wife, he feared, had shared the fame fate as the reft by the ftorm.

Helen was almoft diftracted. She intreated her husband to fly to the fhore, and fearch after the object of their wishes. Dudley complied; and, after he had wandered about for fome time, he faw at fome distance a lady, to all appearance breathlet's, in the arms of a flave. He prefently recollected in her face the features of Lady Dorfet. He bore her to his cabbin, where the foon after recovered; and opening her eyes, and looking ftedfaftly on Helen and Earl Dorset, exclaimed Gracions Heaven! my huf• band alive! and in the arms of his

daughter!' She could fcarce utter these words, but fainted in Dudley's arms. When the revived, their joy is not to be defcribed. She perceived Dudley on his knees; and tenderly embraced him and her daughter. They all four mingled their tears of joy together. A few days after, feveral officers, and others of the crew, who had been preferved from the wreck, difcovered the delightful abode of their noble chief. They were re ceived with the greateft cordiality by Dudley and his engaging partner. The beauties of this charming ifland, which feemed to it's new inhabitants another Eden, made such an impreffion on the followers of Lord Dorfet, that they determined to make it the place of their future abode: and it is afferted by M. D'Arnaud, a celebrated French writer, from whom the above little history is chiefly taken, that feveral of their defcendants were found there fome years afterwards, when this, valuable ifland was difcovered by the Portuguefe, which from it's being covered with wood they call Madeira.

M

ANKIND, according to Plato, that fanciful philofopher, were not, in their original, divided into male and female, as at prefent; but each individual perfon was a compound of both fexes, and was in himfelf both husband and wife, melted down into one living creature. This union, no doubt, was very entire, and the parts very well adjufted together, fince there refulted a perfect harmony betwixt the male and female, although they were obliged to be infeparable companions. And fo great was the harmony and happiness flowing from it, that the Androgynes, (for fo Plato calls them) or Men-Women, became infolent upon their profperity, and rebelled against the Gods. To punith them for this temerity, Jupiter could contrive no better expedient, than to divorce the male part from the female, and make two imperfect beings of the compound, which was before to perfect. VOL. I.

Hence the origin of men and women, as diftinct creatures. But notwithstanding this divifion, fo lively is our remembrance of the happiness we enjoyed in our primæ val ftate, that we are never at reft in this fituation; but each of thefe halves is continually fearching through the whole fpecies to find the other half, which was broken from it: and when they meet, they join again with the greatest fondness and fynpathy. But it often happens, that they are mistaken in this particular; that they take for their half what no way correfponds to them; and that the parts do not meet nor join in with each other, as is ufual in fractures. In this cafe the union is foon diffolved, and each part is fet loofe again to hunt for it's lost half, joining itself to every one it meets by way of trial, and enjoying no reft, till it's perfect fympathy with it's partner fhews, that it has at laft been fuccefsful in it's endeavours. 3 H

Were

1

Were I difpofed to carry on this fic tion of Plato, which accounts for the mutual love betwixt the fexes in fo agree able a manner, I would do it by the fol, lowing allegory.

When Jupiter had feparated the male from the female, and had quelled their pride and ambition by fo fevere an ope ration, he could not but repent him of the cruelty of his vengeance, and take compaffion on poor mortals, who were now become incapable of any repofe or tranquillity. Such cravings, fuch anxieties, fuch neceffities, arofe, as made them curfe their creation, and think existence itself a punishment. In vain had they recourse to every other occupation and amufement. In vain did they feek after every pleasure of sense, and every refinement of reafon. Nothing could fill that void, which they felt in their hearts, or fupply the lofs of their partner, who was fo fatally separated from them. To remedy this diforder, and to beftow fome comfort, at least, on the human race, in their forlorn fituation, Jupiter fent down Love and Hymen to collect the broken halves of human kind, and piece them together in the beft manner poffible, These two deities found fuch a prompt difpoution in mankind to unite again in their primitive state, that they proceeded on their work with wonderful fuccefs for fome time; till at last, from many unlucky accidents, diffention arofe betwixt them. The chief counfellor and favourite of Hymen was Care, who was continually filling his patron's head with profpects of futurity; as fettlement, family, children, fervants; fo that little elfe was regarded in all the matches they made. On the other hand, Love had chofen Pleafure for his favourite, who was as pernicious a counsellor as the other, and would never allow Love

to look beyond the prefent momentary gratification, or the fatisfying of the prevailing inclination. These two fa vourites became, in a little time, irre concileable enemies, and made it their chief bufinefs to undermine each other in all their undertakings. No fooner had Love fixed upon two halves, which he was cementing together, and form. ing to a clofe union, but Care infinuates himself; and, bringing Hymen along with him, diffolves the union produced by Love, and joins each half to fome other half which he had provided for it. To be revenged of this, Pleasure creeps in upon a pair already joined by Hymen; and, calling Love to his affiftance, they under-hand contrive to join each half, by secret links, to halves which Hymen was wholly unacquainted with. It was not long before this quarrel was felt in it's pernicious confequences; and fuch complaints arofe before the throne of Jupiter, that he was obliged to fummon the offending parties to appear before him, in order to give an account of their proceedings. After hearing the pleadings on both fides, he ordered an immediate reconcilement betwixt Love and Hymen, as the only expedient for giving happiness to mankind: and that he might be fure this reconcilement should be durable, he laid his strict injunctions on them never to join any halves without confulting their favourites, Care and Pleafure, and obtaining the confent of both to the conjunction.

Where this order is strictly obferved, the Androgyne is perfectly restored, and the human race enjoy the fame happiness as in their primæval ftate. The feam is fearce perceived that joins the two beings together; but both of them combine to form one perfect and happy creature.