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The aftrologer having again confulted his art, pronounced, that Gilbert would die of the ftaggers, and his carcafe be given to the hounds; a sentence, which made a much deeper impreffion upon Crab fhaw's mind, than did the prediction of his own untimely and difgraceful fate. He fhed a plenteous shower of tears, and his grief broke forth in fome paffionate expreffions of tenderness ---at length he told the aftrologer he would go and fend up the captain, who wanted to confult him about Margery Cook, becaufe as how he had informed him that Dr. Grubble had defcribed juft fuch another man as the captain for her true love; and he had no great stomach to the match, if so be as the stars were not bent upon their coming together. Accordingly the fquire being difiniffed by the conjurer, defcended to the parlour with a rueful length of face; which being perceived by the captain, he demanded "What cheer, ho" with fome figns of apprehenfion. Crabshaw making no return to this falute, he asked if the conjurer had taken an obfervation, and told him any thing? Then the other replied, he had told him more than he defired to know.

Why, an that be the cafe (faid the feaman) I have no occafion to go aloft this trip, brother." This evafion would not ferve his turn: old Tifiphone was at hand, and led him up growling into the hall of audience, which he did not examine without trepidation. Having been directed to the coffin, where he prefented half a crown, in hope of rendering the fates propitious, the afual ceremony was performed; and

the doctor addreffed him in these words: "Approach, Raven." The captain advancing, " "You an't much mistaken, brother, (faid he) heave your eye into the binnacle, and box your compass; you'll find I'm a Crowe, not a Raven, tho'f indeed they be both fowls of a feather, as the faying is."-" I know it; (cried the conjurer) thou art a northern crow,---a sea crow; not `a crow of prey, but a crow to be preyed upon :---a crow to be plucked,---to be flayed,---to be bafted,--to be broiled by Margery upon the gridiron of matrimony." The novice changing colour at this denunciation, "I do understand your fignals, brother, (faid he,) and if it be fet down in the log-book of fate, that we must grapple, why then, 'ware timbers. But as I know how the land lies, d'ye fee, and the current of my inclination fets me off, I fhall haul up close to the wind, and mayhap we fhall clear Cape Margery. But, howfomever, we shall leave that reef in the foretopfail :--I was bound upon another voyage, d'ye fee --- to look and to fee, and to know, if fo be as how I could pick up any intelligence along shore, concerning my friend Sir Launcelot, who fiipped his cable last night, and has loft company, d'ye fee." "What! (exclaimed the cunning man) art thou a crow, and can't not smell carrion? If thou would'st grieve for Greaves, behold his naked carcafe lies unburied to feed the kites, the crows, the gulls, the rooks, and ravens.". "What, broach'd to ?” "Dead! as a boiled lobster.” “Odd's heart! friend, thefe are the heavieft tidings I have heard these feven long years---there must have

been

been deadly odds when he lowered ject, and found reafon to believe

his topfails---Smite my eyes! I had rather the Mufti had foundered at fea, with myself and all my generation on board---well fare thy foul, flower of the world! had honeft Sam Crowe been within hail-but what fignifies palavering." Here the tears of unaffected forrow flowed plentifully down the furrows of the feaman's cheeks then his grief giving way to his indignation, "Hark ye, brother conjurer, (faid he) you that can spy foul weather before it comes, damn your eyes! why didn't you give us warning of this here fquall? Blaft my limbs! I'll make you give an account of this here damned, horrid, confounded murder, d'ye fee--mayhap you yourfelf was concerned, d'ye fee.---For my own part, brother, I put my truft in God, and steer by the compafs; and I value not your pawwawing, and your conjuration, of a rope's end, d'ye fee."---The conjurer was by no means pleased, either with the matter, or the manner of this addrefs. He therefore began to foothe the captain's choler, by representing that he did not pretend to omniscience, which was the attribute of God alone; that human art was fallible and imperfect; and all that it could perform, was to discover certain partial circumftances of any particular object to which its inquiries were directed: that being questioned by the other man, concerning the caufe of his mafter's disappearing, he had exercised his skill upon the fub

that Sir Launcelot was affaffinated; that he should think himself happy in being the inftrument of bringing the murderers to juftice, though he forefaw they would, of themselves, save him that trouble; for they would quarrel about dividing the fpoil, and one would give information against the other.

The prospect of this fatisfaction appeafed the refentment, and, in fome measure, mitigated the grief of captain Crowe, who took his leave without much ceremony ; and being joined by Crabshaw, proceeded with a heavy heart to the houfe of Sir Launcelot, where they found the domeftics at breakfast, without exhibiting the leaft fymptom of concern for their abfent mafter. Crowe had been wife enough to conceal from Crabfhaw what he had learned of the knight's fate.

This fatal intelligence he referved for the ear of his nephew, Mr. Clarke, who did not fail to attend him in the forenoon.

As for the squire, he did nothing but ruminate in rueful filence upon the dappled gelding, the nofegay, and the predicted fate of Gilbert. Him he forthwith visited in the ftable, and faluted with the kifs of peace. Then he bemoaned his fortune with tears, and by the found of his own lamentation, was lulled afleep among the litter.

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Mary, the prefent Queen of France, and the Hundredth of the fame Name in that Kingdom, is the Daughter of Stanislaus, formerly King of Poland, and now Duke of Lorrain. At the Departure of that Princess from ber Father's Dominions for the Court of France, in the Month of August, 1725, King Stanislaus gave her the following Advice.

HEARKEN, my dear child, and lend an ear to what I fhall fay; You must now forget your people, and the boufe of your Father. I borrow the words of the Holy Spirit to bid you farewel; fince the event of this day I only confider the providence of God, whofe powerful hand has conducted us beyond all human prudence, fpeculation, policy, and even expectation itfelf; it only belongs to that Divine Wildom to raise itfelt above our imaginations, to confound our views by the decrees of its Providence, and to raise its own glory by miracles.

You are now become queen of France, and your condition is the highest in this world it is the fame of your virtues that has raised you to this choice. Confider the moft precious jewels of your crown are going to shine, and to be represented in fo clear a light, that the least flaw will easily be perceived.

I shall lay before your eyes three rocks, against which the virtues of the greatest heroes have often split.

The first is a fupreme degree of grandeur, which raises us up to idols, and makes us forget our humanity, and which renders us odious to man, and disagreeable to God; by which we are fo intoxicated, that we cannot fee the dangers which may fuddenly throw us down. Carry yourself according to the rank which is due to you, ftill confidering that all your grandeur confifts in the glory of God. Humble yourself by continually remembering how little you are before his eyes, and think that true greatnefs confifts in the eminence of your fentiments, in noblenefs of heart, in the combat of your paffions, and in the conquering of yourself.

The fecond thing is, that profperity may be the more dangerous to you, because it is a thing altogether unknown to you; and having been acquainted with nothing but misfortunes from your birth, let them ferve now as a ufeful leffon to inftruct you not to abuse your prefent good fortune,

nor be fo infatuated with it, as to forget that profperity is sometimes deceitful; and when we give ourselves up intirely to the thoughts of it, we do not keep ourselves in that equal temper of mind, which is so becoming in persons of high degree.

The third is flattery; the attempts of which you will find unavoidable, the oppofing them difficult, but the conquest of them fafe and glorious.

Represent yourself, my dear child, as furrounded with a number of people, preffing to make their court to you; there will not be one of these who will not be ready to obey you, to facrifice his life and fortune for your service; and yet, perhaps, you will not meet with any who will tell you truth, left, in doing fo, they should displease you, and risque their preferment s thus, though in the midst of persons the moft attached and devoted to your intereft, you are left to yourself, and have nothing to depend upon but your own good fenfe and reafon. We may easily avoid the infection which comes from the poison of flattery, if we are not prevented by selflove, which is the only thing can give us a relish of it. You must confider it as an incenfe, which is good for nothing but to make us giddy with its deceitful odour.

You will poffefs the greatest science in the world, if you can judge the true characters of persons, and can distinguish real merit. This is the point of the greatest importance. You will no doubt meet with perfons, both in the court and in the kingdom, worthy of your esteem. It is to fuch you should pay your confideration; it is a recompence to fupport merit, and chaftife vice. You will alfo meet with perfons who will be for recommending themfelves by a certain forwardness, supported by nothing except a paffionate defire of being great; give fuch to under and, that you know them, and that they are only worthy of your contempt, for they will be incorrigible, should you give them the least indulgence,

There

There are perfons whom we hate, and others whom we love, we know not why: the first of these is an injuftice, and the laft a weakness.

In fine, all this will lead you to one great maxim, which I recommend to you above all the reft; this is to confider your confidence as a treasure above all price, and which you may eafily lefe if you use it indifcretely it is a thing you owe to none but the king and the duke †, who is the depofitory of all his commands. Should you partake it with a third, it will lofe merit with the two first, and you will have no right to expect the truft of the king or of the duke, upon whom your happiness and tranquillity must hereafter depend.

Let there be no perfon about you, be they ever so dear to you, who shall have reason to think that you are without referve in respect to them; for if you impart a fecret, which is not of abfolute neceffity, to any perfon, you characterize that perfon with the name of your favourite, or a confident; the confequence of which is, that from being their mistress you become their flave; they will direct and command you, fometimes according to their intereft, fometimes according to their humours, but never with justice: however, this should not hinder you from hearing good advice, without prejudice to perfons, judging only of their fentiments.

As to the reft; you must confider that the voice of the people is the voice of God therefore you must conduct yourfelf in fuch a manner, as if you were to give an account of your actions to the meanest of your fubjects, and as if the public were to be your judge, fince they will be continually on the watch to obferve you. This has been the opinion of all wife men; it is the public that must render you immortal in your profperity; its cenfure is dangerous, and its approbation to be courted and esteemed.

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ceive you, and confiders you as its moft powerful protectress: your subjects look upon you as their mother, fince the perfon of the monarch (in whom they live) is committed to your care.

You must answer the king's hopes, by your tenderness of his perfon; by an entire complaifance to his will; by your na tural sweetness in complying with his de fires; and by a refignation to his fentiments. Let it be your will to please, and your pleasure to obey him. Avoid every thing that may give him the least disgust and let his honour and interest be the only objects of all your studies.

Regard your religion with all the zeal that is due to it; the goodness of God in a particular manner obliges you to it; and your own piety is a fecurity to me that you will do fo.

Be not too inquifitive in matters of religion; the doctrine of your catechism is the fafeft; follow that, and avoid searching into things that are not the province of your fex.

Take care you are not feduced by an outward appearance of fan&ity; the world is fo wicked, that religion is continually used as a cloak for ambition and interest. In these cafes you must moderate your zeal, left it should mislead you, and hinder you from feeing those snakes in the grass. Without entering into useless argument, teach religion by true piety, as our Saviour has commanded us, and correct the manners of your court by your own good example.

Anfwer the hopes of your fubjects by juftice and clemency, by fupporting merit, by extirpating vice, by comforting the afflicted, and by protecting the oppressed: let these duties be your daily employment, and drive from your thoughts all thofe things that may engage you to meddle in the affairs of the government. dom of the king and council will not stand in need of your affiftance; and never busy yourself, unless where the glory of God, the perfon of the king, and the fafety of your own people, are immediately concerned.

The wif

I give God thanks that I find nothing in you that wants correction; and as I think you are inclined to no vice, I apply my counfel to you, virtues. Bounty and

The duke of Orleans, prince of the blood, and regent of France, during the prefent French king's minority.

generofit

generofity are the two distinguishing beauties of a great foul; but when they exceed certain bounds, they lose their merit; and, as I know them both to be natural to your temper, you must take care to keep them within their due limits, left they should degenerate into faults.

The first, if it be too general, may give an authority to crimes, and hinder the courfe of justice. The fecond, if it be done with profufion, lofes its name, and becomes contemptible. Let the motive of the first be Chriftianity and good nature; of the fecond, charity and true merit.

It only remains for me to tell you, my dear child, that as my daughter, you are indebted in gratitude to the duke, and as queen of France, you owe him your confidence. The truft that the king repofes in him, his prudent government, his difinterestedness for the good of the kingdom, and his friendship for me, are, I hope, fufficient ties to make you remember the infinite obligations you are under to him, and to induce you to follow his wholefome advice.

Employ all your cares to keep up an union in the royal house of France; nothing can be more glorious or advantageous to the state.

In fine, remember your father and mother, as well as those who have been attached to us in all our adverfities; you know their number is fo fmall, that they cannot easily be forgot: and fince all our wishes, by the grace of God, are accomplifhed in your perfon, it only remains for us night and day to offer up our vows to heaven, to pour down its bleffings upon you.

To fum up all praise God; be charitable to your neighbour; love the king; abhor vice; know yourfelf, in your good fortune; be firm in all accidents; and fupport yourself in misfortunes, if any fhould fall upon you; refift the fnares of the world; correct errors by clemency, and crimes by juftice; encourage merit by just rewards; and, in order to live and reign happy, judge of all things without paffion or prejudice.

Some Confiderations on prophane Swearing and Curfing. To the Authors of the BRITISH MAGAZINE.

GENTLEMEN,

THE practife of prophane fwearing and curfing appears to be derived peculiarly from three caufes, and fometimes from a complication of them altogether. Firft, a certain intemperance of mind, which will not fuffer us to content ourfelves with the expreffing our ideas in the calmer and more moderate forms of fpeech. Secondly, an affectation of libertinifm; and, Thirdly, madness, frenzy, or defperation; which laft is at prefent foreign to our purpose. There are a number of moral inconveniencies arifing from this practice. We fhall now confine ourfelves to fome of the most obvious of thefe, yet venture to ftrike into a new path of reafoning on the fubject; and in doing this, fhall put out of the queftion the arbitrarily criminal natures of prophane imprecations, as being repugnant to the Divine command.

I shall first lay down' as a propofition, that, as fure as ever we accuftom ourfelves to mention the names of any per

fons or things, lightly, ludicrously, and improperly, we fhall in time contract a habit of entertaining light, ludicrous, or improper ideas, in connexion with the names of these persons or things. Thus, if we frequently make ufe of the most facred name of GoD, with little or no reverence nor idea at all, we fhall, by and by, be apt to think of that most facred name, in the fame idle and irreverent manner, as we have been wont to talk of it; and fo of all his attributes, and of whatever is great, fublime, and refpe&table: this is fo true, that one may venture to pronounce a man long habituated to prophane difcourfe, void of a just sense of the awful prefence of a Deity, as well as of any deep regard to the obligations of moral rectitude.

Secondly, The language of a common fwearer is abfolutely vacant and unintelligible; for if a man will always apply hell and damnation indifcriminately to whatever he diflikes, he conveys to you no idea,

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