the gratitude of the other-But, in procefs of time, a change of circumftances interrupted this amicable intercourse, separated these two at a great distance from each others perfon-but did not efface the impreffions in their minds-did not alienate their mutual affections--nor obliterate thofe tender fympathetic fentiments, which were wrote indelible on each other's breast. That regiment in which the officer ferved was called abroad to act on the continent, and the lawyer was deprived not only of perfonal converfation, but even epiftolary correfpondence with his affectionate friend, being entirely ignorant whither Providence deftined the heroic Phile

mon.

Some years paft in this state of filence and anxious fufpence ;-but, at length, the face of affairs altered; -the civil wars flamed out in this ifland-inteftine commotions agitated every part of it, and, as things were carried to too great a height to recede, a total change of government enfued.

This alteration proved aufpicious for Pericles, who adopted republican principles, and was promoted to the bench of judges under the protector.

Philemon adhered to the royal party, which engaging in a battle with the parliamentary forces-was totally defeated-this gallant officer, with feveral others, taken into cuftody, and imprifoned at Exeter in order to undergo a trial.

Providence, however, (which works all things together for good) interpofed in behalf of the unhappy fufferer, and put it in the power of the magnanimous Pericles to repay paft obligations, and approve himself

5

worthy of the implicit confidence formerly repofed in him by the unreferved Philemon.

Pericles fet out for his Western circuit. The delinquents (amongst whom was Philemon) were brought to the bar to receive their judicial fentence.

The judge, hearing the name of his old friend, was ftruck with fome furprize: he looked attentively at him, after fo long abfence; the ideas which he conceived of his perfon, were very remote, yet, notwithstanding the alterations effected by age and infirmities, he recognized fome of the features of his old friend when he viewed the countenance of Philemon. Ideas, almost loft, now gradually unfolded.-Every time the judge caft his eyes on him, he difcovered fresh marks-the lineaments of his former intimate acquaintance - the judge afked him fome queftions relative to his past life—he recollected feveral incidents-the unfortunate Philemon began to recognize his old acquaintance, and entertained hopes that his fentence would not be fevere,-his expectations were well grounded, a fenfe of gratitude prompted the judge to exert himself in the cause of his friend, and to use all the intereft he poffeft with the protector to refcue him from the fate, of the other cavaliers--he obtained his requeft-the life of Philemon was preferved, and the internal fatisfaction arifing from a consciousnefs of being inftrumental to the prefervation of a fincere friend, fufficiently compensated the trouble of Pericles, whofe affection for the unhappy prifoner could only be exceeded by the gratitude of Philemon, when restored to liberty, and feet fet in a large room."

his

W

VERE hypocrites to pretend to no uncommon fanctity, their want of merit would be lefs difcoverable. But pretenfions of this nature bring their characters upon the carpet. Those who endeavour to pafs for the lights of the world, muft expect to attract the eyes of it. A fmall blemish is more eafily difcoverable in them, and more justly ridiculous than a much greater in their neighbours. A fmall blemish also A fmall blemish alfo presents a clue, which very often condus us through the most intricate mazes and dark receffes of their character.

Notwithstanding the evidence of this, how often do we fee pretence cultivated in proportion as virtue is neglected! As religion finks in one fcale, pretence is exalted in the other.

Perhaps there is not a more effectual key to the discovery of hypocrify than a cenforious temper. The man poffeffed of real virtue, knows the difficulty of attaining it; and is, of courfe, more inclined to pity others, who happen to fail in the purfuit. The hypocrite, on the other hand, having never trod the thorny path, is lefs induced to pity thofe who defert it for the flowery one. He expofes the unhappy victim without compunction, and even with a kind of triumph; not confidering that vice is the proper object of compaffion; or that propenfity to cenfure is almoft a worse quality than any it can expose.

Clelia was born in England, of Romish parents, about the time of the Revolution. She feemed naturally framed for love, if you were to judge by her external beauties; but

if you build your opinion on her outward conduct, you would have deemed her as naturally averse to it. Numerous were the garçons of the polite and gallant nation, who endeavoured to overcome her prejudices, and to reconcile her manners to her form. Perfons of rank, fortune, learning, wit, youth, and beauty fued to her; nor had the any reafon to quarrel with love for the fhapes in which he appeared before her. Yet in vain were all applications. Religion was her only object; and the feemed refolved to pafs her days in all the aufterities of the moft rigid convent. To this purpose the fought out an abbefs that prefided over a nunnery in Languedoc, a fmall community, particularly remarkable for extraordinary inftances of felf-denial. The abbefs herself exhibited a perfon in which chastity appeared indeed not very meritorious. Her character was perfectly well known before the went to prefide over this little fociety. Her virtues were indeed fuch as fhe thought moft convenient to her circumftances. Her fafts were the effect of avarice, and her devotions of the spleen. She confidered the cheapnefs of houfe-keeping, as the great reward of piety, and added profufenefs to the feven deadly fins. She knew fack-cloth to be cheaper than brocade, and afhes, than fweet powder.

Her heart fympathized with every cup that was broken, and the inftituted a faft for each domeftic miffortune. She had converted her larder into a fludy, and the greater part of her library confifted of manuals for fafting-days. By thefe

arts,

arts, and this way of life, fhe feemed to enjoy as great ä freedom from inordinate defires, as the perfons might be fuppofed to do who were favoured with her smiles, or her converfation. To this lady was Clelia admitted, and after the year of probation affumed the veil.

Among many others who had folicited her notice, before she became a member of this convent, was Leander, a young phyfician of great learning and ingenuity. His perfonal accomplishments were at least equal to those of any of his rivals, and his paffion was fuperior. He urged in his behalf all that wit, infpired by fondness, and recommended by perfon, drefs, and equipage, could infinuate; but in vain. She grew angry at follicitations with which the refolved never to comply, and which the found fo difficult to evade.

But Clelia now had affumed the veil, and Leander was the most miferable of mortals. He had not fo high an opinion of his fair one's fanctity and zeal, as fome other of her admirers but he had a convision of her beauty, and that altogether irrefiftible. His extravagant pailion had produced in him a jea. loufy that was not eafily eluded.

"At regina dolos Quid non fentit amor?" He had obferved his miftrefs go more frequently to her confeffor, a young and blooming ecclefiaftic, than was, perhaps, neceffary for fo much apparent purity, or, as he thought, confiftent with it. It was enough to put a lover on the rack, and it had this effect upon Leander. His fufpicions were by no means lined, when he found the convent to which Clelia had given the pre

ference before all others, was one where this young friar fupplied a confeffional chair.

It happened that Leander was brought to the abbefs in the capacity of a phyfician, and he had one more opportunity offered him of beholding Clelia through the grate.

She, quite shocked at his appearance, burst out into a fudden rage, inveighing bitterly against his prefumption, and calling loudly on the name of the bleffed virgin and the holy friar. The convent was, in thort, alarmed; nor was Clelia capable of being pacified till the good man was called, in order to allay, by fuitable applications, the emotions raised by this unexpected interview.

Leander grew daily more convinced, that it was not only verbal communications which paffed between Clelia and the friar. This, however, he did not think himself fully warranted to difclofe, till an accident, of a fingular nature, gave him an opportunity of receiving more ample teftimony.

The confeffor had a favourite fpaniel, which he had left for fome time, and was informed at length that he was killed, at a village in the neighbourhood, being evidently mad. The friar was at firft not much concerned; but in a little time recollected that the dog had fnapped his fingers the very day before his elopement. A phyfician's advice was thought expedient on the occafion, and Leander was the next physician. He told him with great franknefs, that no preferipton he could write, had the fan&tion of so much experience as immersion in fea-water. The fiiar, therefore, the next day fet forward upon his journey; while Leander, not without a milchievous kind of fatisfaction,

conveys