I see! I see!' said the enraptured sultan,' ' that neither riches, nor honour, nor might,'

nor beauty, nor dominion, can ennoble the' 'soul of man; which then only is most glo-' 'rious when it is most humble in itself, and 'most grateful to Alla!'

The dervise, whose joy and pious senti-' ments at the recovery of his daughter had for' a few moments taken his thoughts from the stranger, was startled at his noble exclamation, and excusing himself to him, he said

'Pardon me, noble stranger! in that I have 'neglected to thank you for the honour you do 'this poor cottage by your presence; but the 'calls of nature are strong, and she will strive 'to be obeyed: in our weakness is her strength, ' and happy are they who do not always blindly ' follow her undistinguishing impulse. Attempered by reason, and awed by religion, her lively sallies are the great springs of human 'actions; and had we no passion we should 'need no instruction.

6

'Alas!' continued the sage, I forget that your natures, my children-for so, Ostranger! I esteem all who enter under this roof-are harassed and exhausted by the fatigues of your journey; rest, I pray you, on these

mossy seats, and I will set a few roots, and a bowl of water drawn fresh from the stream, • before you: the poor dervise of the groves 'has nothing more to offer you; but even "these, perhaps,' said he, setting them before his guests, may become more grateful to you "when you reflect that they are all the boun'ties and blessings of Alla, and that there is "more wisdom discovered in the growth of a root than is displayed in the most sump⚫tuous entertainment of the sultan of Persia.'

Adhim was pleased at the easy conversation of the good dervise, who on every subject found an agreeable method of mixing his instructions with his hospitality and goodhumour.

After their frugal repast was finished, Mirglip told the dervise by what means he became possessed of his daughter, and that the sultan of Persia ordered the nuptials to be celebrated in his palace at Orez; and the good Persian was happy in the opportunity of displaying his generous sentiments before Adhim, who was unable to suppress the relation.

Fincal was so much enraptured with the description of Adhim, that he told the dis

guised monarch he was sure the sultan must be like him; which so confounded Adhim, that he had discovered himself to one whose eyes had not been dimmed by study and age.

The fair Nourenhi then began her tale, from her separation from the good dervise her father, to her meeting with Mirglip in the palace of Adhim.

You may remember, sir,' said she, we were walking at the extremity of the grove ' of palms and cedars, and sighing at the loss ' of my dear sister Kaphira, when the minions ' of the vizir Lemack arrived at the entrance ' of the wood, and, seeing a female, pursued 'me through the groves: it was in vain that you called upon me to stop; I feared that ' even the eloquence of my father would be disregarded by the merciless brutes who 'were sent by the proud vizir to ransack the

provinces of Persia, and therefore I fled'; and with reluctance returned when two of ⚫ them had overtaken me in the wood. After 'we reached your presence, the distress of 'my father hung more heavy on my ima

gination than the evils I was likely to suffer; ⚫ and even Mirglip was forgotten, when I saw 'the trickling tears steal softly down the

'cheeks and the silver beard of my honoured

parent.

The officers of the vizir shewing their or'ders to seize on every female they thought 'capable of pleasing their master, my father 'found it in vain to resist, and therefore only begged leave to speak a few words in pri'vate to me, which Nourenhi never can for'get.

My child," said he, "we are the creatures of Alla, and whatever the hand of power or oppression worketh is by his per'mission; therefore bear with calmness and 'moderation the afflictions of life, and in

whatever station it shall please the Just One 'to place thee, let this retirement of thy father be never revealed."

This was all I was suffered to hear: the officers surrounded me, and carried me shrieking and crying across the plain, toward 'the city of Raglai.

In a few days we reached the vizir's palace, and I found several hundred other virgins in the same situation with myself: but they rejoiced at their fortune; and what 'threw me into the greatest distress was to them the highest enjoyment.

The vizir Lemack selected but a few of ' our number, among whom I unhappily, as "I then thought, was placed in a foremost rank: but the gracious Alla, whose ways are ' unsearchable, made me happy, by denying me what I most wished for; and, by sending me into the palace of the sultan, gave the virtuous Mirglip to my constant arms.'

And I,' said the good Fincal-embracing his daughter and the virtuous Mirglip, who arose to kneel before him- I will constantly beseech the Father of all men to sanctify and bless you; nor shall ye, my good children, despise the blessing of your father, which Alla hath ever honoured with peculiar ef⚫ficacy.'

The good old man then entered warmly into the praises of the generous Adhim; and the disguised sultan was obliged to bear a disagreeable part in his own praises, till evening warned the happy family to retire to their respective couches.

Two slaves were all that Fincal employed in his houshold: one had formerly preserved his master's life beside a dangerous precipice, and he, the good dervise would say, claimed a constant return of tenderness while that