MIRZA TO SELIM.

He takes notice of the death of an eminent rabbi, mentioning fome odd circumftances attending his preceding illness-expatiates in praife of Solomon's wifdom-inquires where the foul of the departed rabbi is lodged-and concludes with an exhortation to friendship in the region of the invifibles.

HE rabbi whofe indifpofition I made men

THE

tion of in my laft, is no longer a tenant of mortality. He commenced an immortal on the tenth of the prefent moon, about the fifth watch in the morning. But the arreft by the hand of the grim monarch was not sudden. For on the fecond day of the preceding week the angel of the grave intimated his intended approach, by commiffioning the gout to attack him in the difguife of an apoplexy; which conveyed him into VOL. II.

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the

the cold embrace of the king of terrors, who peaceably ushered him into the region of the invifibles.

Though his departure was expected, and his tranfition eafy, there were nevertheless some circumstances which rendered his removal furprising to his furviving friends.

He had been confined to his chamber with a flight pain and fwelling of his ancles near three weeks, which symptoms were fo much abated on the 28th of the last moon, that he came down into his parlour on that day, and cheerfully acknowledged a fuperiority of health to what he had enjoyed for fome years. His evening repast was accompanied with two or three of his acquaintances, who obferved him to be remarkably facetious, and congratulated him on the improvement of his fpirits. But fcarcely were they arrived at their respective homes, ere a meffenger followed with the lamentable news of the doctor's illness. There is alfo an occurrence, which I muft not omit to mention, because it hath furnished fpeculation to many of this place, and perhaps may do the fame to thee, if thou be fond of strange narratives, and thy mind have a tendency to credulity.

It is given out, that this ecclefiaftic was a prophet, as well as a priest. These two characters,

thou knoweft, were often blended together in the priesthood of the circumcifed fons of Jacob. But late times furnish few inftances of the province of priest and feer centering in one and the fame perfon. Our friend, amidst the reveries of a diftempered imagination, frequently interrogated those that stood about his couch, "who was to fucceed him in his fortune?" they replied, that he was the propereft perfon to appoint his fucceffor; but that they imagined the relation and fondness, which he bore to his brother, would probably induce him to transfer his property to so near a relation. To all which the dying man answered, that fuch were his intentions, but his poor brother would not long enjoy the inheritance; confirming his fentiments and concern with a pathetic fhake of his head.

The diffolution of our friends, and the mortality which awaits ourselves, are apt to fill our minds with grief and anxiety. To reconcile us to the lofs of our acquaintances, and to our own decease, what volumes have been compofed! It is the fond theme of the fchool-boy, and the fermon of the aged prelate! But of all the treatises which I have seen upon this fubject, none gives me more fatisfaction than the oriental fragments of a prince, who once fat upon the throne of Ifrael. The Hebrews boaft aloud of this learned monarch;

and truly feveral remnants of this Jewish king's writings, that are handed down to us, afford a just occafion to believe what we are told of Solomon's wifdom; for fo they named their favourite prince.

Nor perhaps is there any circumstance, that tends to raise in our minds a greater idea of his understanding, than the firft ftep, which he took to fecure himself upon his father's throne. His parent and predeceffor was called to the government from pursuing the meaneft occupation; (for the hiftory fays, that he followed his father's flocks upon the mountains) and at a green age, before his beard had ratified his manhood. Under thefe difadvantages of obfcure birth, and unexperienced life, he was fet over a numerous people eminently factious, and given to change. His reign, as might well be expected, was a perpetuated ftruggle with difficulties and diftrefs. After many years he died, having nominated, a little before his death, this fon, of a late marriage, to fucceed to the fceptre of Jerufalem; although he had at the fame time other fons, who were the offspring of his former wives. Solomon, however, feemingly by the artifice of his mother, but more properly by the immediate will of Heaven, ascended the throne in fpite of the attempts of his brothers to foreftall him.

Being thus invested with royal power, the prudent youth bethought himself, that the circumftances of his birth, and the turbulent difpofition of his fubjects would not fail to inspire the people with a contempt of their young monarch, and with measures to dethrone this junior iffue of their late king. Under these difficulties the royal boy prostrated himself before the Almighty; and, forbearing to ask for power, grandeur, and riches (which a man would have imagined to be the prevailing paffion of a young mind) he only folicited wifdom. The ftory adds, that his petition was fo exceeding pleafing to God, that it was immediately complied with; and all other defirable appertenances were annexed.

Thou wilt excuse this digreffion, because it was neceffary, in order to give thee a juft idea of the prudence of the stripling, and to incline thee to think the more favourably of the traditionary maxims and aphorifms of his advanced years. This wife prince hath every where in his writings inculcated upon the minds of men a sense of the tranfient nature of all fublunary enjoyments, and of our mortality. So that according to his reafoning, it is the part of wisdom for every man to confider himself as a passenger, and his house as a caravanfara; to look upon gilded palaces and beautiful fields with all the indifference of a tra