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London, where I set up for myself with good success." My shop was near one of the Temples. There I continued till, by the death of some friends and misfortunes of others," I lost all my customers. I then went over to Ireland, and did business in two little shops which I had at Laracor and Rathbeggin. I had before had a stall at Kilroot, in the diocese of Connor; and betwixt these three places made out what might be called a pretty living. Yet still I was dissatisfied: I hated to remain in a country where there were at least twice as many feet as shoes: so my wandering disposition led me back to England, where I had hope I should get another shop, and be allowed to put up the sign of the

Mitre.

In this disposition of mind, I was one day walking by Whitehall, aud thinking of Cardinal Wolsey, when my eyes were attracted to some books that were ranged on a stali under the wall of Privy Garden. Reading was always a favourite amusement with me; so I cheapened some old authors; but not wishing to give more than they were worth, I was haggling for the price, when a carriage almost as fine, and quite as light, as my Lord Chancellor's, stopped. The bookseller ran to the door, thinking that the gentleman within wanted some of his ware; but he beckoned to me, and invited me to dinner. I made him one of my shop door bows; but as I had dined, thought no more of his invitation, till, a few days after, I was attacked in the same manner, as I was gazing at some pictures of wild beasts that were hung out at Charing-cross, which was then a daily fair. Here being fairly caught, I followed my gentleman, though he wished in the first instance to take me in.

In this honourable person's house I soon found myself at home; and as he had a considerable knowledge both of cloth and crape, was an adept at measures, had a secret to destroy moths, knew something about packing, and. was withal extremely zealous to promote our trade, I was by him easily persuaded to open a shop in St. Francisstreet, near the church of St. Patrick,

Dublin.

During the time that I was so intimate with this gentleman, I also became acquainted with many others whom I exceedingly valued. There

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was a saint, though not a divine; a physician, who had in himself more humour than all his patients put together; a poet and plenipo, who could turn any thing, from a commissary's list" to a scriptural chapter, into verse, but whose attempts to make peace produced a great noise; a secre tary, who was only like Erasmus in his name; a duke *** but it is not necessary to allude to them all; it may be sufficient to observe, that from sixteen of the choicest we formed a club, which, long after we had separated, the wags in Ireland used to term the Drapiers' Company. It was some of these who were, by the death of a lady to whom they had declared themselves humble servants, thrown out of employment, that put me upon writing, as used to be the practice in ancient Greece and Rome, on Wood, who was supposed to be a clumsy chip of those blocks that had been used to fill up their places.

Be this as it may, you know how I chopped him into halfpenny picces *, and wanted the people to burn them; you are also acquainted with all the material transactions recorded in my former letters: I thereforc, having led you a round through ways as intricate as proceedings in chancery, return with great satisfaction to precisely the spot whence we set out.

As you, Sir, from this, must have perceived that I began this series of letters, as one begins an epic poem, in the middle, I ardently hope, having once more got into the straight road, that I shall in future proceed in my course, let it be long or short, without any very material deviation.

On the morning after my arrival at Manchester, as I have already stated, a spirit of inquiry, which is inherent in my disposition, induced me to visit several different manufactories in this (even then) flourishing and opulent town. These researches begun on the 11th of May, 1754; I continued them for a considerable time. I had a better excuse for

*Halfpenny clumps of wood were commonly sold by the chandlers in Dublin till near the middle of the last century, perhaps of Greece, the tables were inade of wood. later. (WM. WOTTON.)-In the heroic ages Myrleanus, in Atheneus, 1. xi, cap. 12. Their forms were round, if we may believe BENTL.-Perhaps this heroic Grecian form was the nucleus from which sprung the Knights of the Round Table. LAMBIN.

seeing the works than most persons, as I truly said that I wanted to furnish myself with pieces and patterns, in the way of my trade; and a slight conversation with the principals, or overlookers, convinced them that I knew something about the matter. You know, Sir, or perhaps you do not know, that I had, in my former zeal to introduce a desire to wear their own manufactures among my dear country folks, endeavoured to make myself acquainted with the fabrication of all the articles in which I dealt. But this was not all: I had also, as I hinted in my letter to a noble Lord *, dated December 14, 1724, invented several kinds of stuff, which, although only wove in black and white, sufficiently displayed the ingenuity of the fabricator. I had attended particularly to the articles of crape and cloth, and had tried, though without success, to persuade my fair countrywomen, (and, by-the-bye, no country-women are fairer,) that, beautiful as they were, it did not signify sixpence whether they concealed their charms with dresses of tenpenny Irish stuff, or Spital-fields brocade of ten pounds a-yard; that these were matters which their lovers would never discover, though they might wish to uncover them as soon as possible. I used many more arguments of the like nature, with which they seemed as much affected as a congregation with a sermon of Dr. X, or a jury with an harangue of Sergeant B. How ever, these exhortations and conferences, carried on in my shop, and elsewhere, gave me a tolerable insight of the disposition of the ladies. I saw what they would be at; and concluded that they had a passion for a finer sort of goods than our homespuns. Those I was happy to find that the manufactories at Manchester were about to supply. These establishments, which, if I might be allowed to launch a bull, I should term mines of national wealth, as they are assemblages of individual industry, were then, comparatively speaking, in their infancy. The general introduction of machinery had not yet abridged labour, and in some respects superseded, in others facilitated, manual operations; for although very early in the eighteenth century Mr. Paul had invented a machine for the spin

* Lord Viscount Molesworth.

ning of cotton, and had obtained for it a patent, it was, I believe, productive of as little, perhaps less profit to him, than that to my friend Wood. In fact, all that he got by it was a very considerable loss *. Other inventions of the same nature had been introduced at Manchester, and many different places; but as they had proved equally inefficient, I think I may fairly state, that, in the course of my progress, I remarked, that all the operations were conducted by hand. But how were they conducted? Why I do assure you, Sir, in a mode which, by dividing them into branches, rendered their productions much superior to those that I had observed in Ireland, where, as the species of goods manufactured were more contracted, so were their fabrics much coarser than those of this town.

My attention was at first rivetted by the mode here adopted of weaving fustian; an article which, although I had little call for, I have had many poetical, and some prosaic friends, that were masters of the art of fabricating. Of linsey woolseys, which are, you know, composed of lines of flax and worsted, the former the bottom, or warp, the latter the pile, or woof, I saw but few pieces, but was informed that a considerable number were in the press. Corderoys were to be found in many warehouses: they were then intended for breeches; and although this kind of drapery is now in disgrace, and in its stead we wear small clothes of linen, which reach almost from our chins to our heels, yet I am happy to see male patriotism counteract the malice of the ladies, which seems to be levelled at our piece manufactories.

It

While I was in this town, a bale of nankeen arrived from Bengal; its fabric was, by the ready ingenuity of our artisans, successfully copied. soon became the fashion; at which I do not wonder, because, at a short distance, it looked exactly like buff.

I have always considered this stuff in a spiritual point of view, as it must certainly have reminded the wearers of both sexes of some of the first chapters of an old book put into their hands at school; and so far, I hope,

Another bull! If the D- stumbles so upon plain ground, how should we expect him to be more steady when he attempts to climb over classic rocks.-BENT.

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The girls received many chee's, fine and coarse, but did not seem much to mind them!

On the whole generation of cotton articles, such as muslins, calicoes, dimnities, &c., I shall, perhaps, in another letter, observe more at large. We have, in these kinds of goods, imitated the ingenuity of the Indians, until our own productions, if we consider their cheap ness and beauty, have become inimi

table.

One more observation I must make, which is upon the different dispositions of his Majesty's female subjects on this and the other side of St. George's Channel. There, their own country manufactures were universally rejected; and I remember, that I had once much ado to make my servant-girl trundle her mop in a stout Irish stuf petticoat, although I gave her the piece: while here, the softer sex, when they did really cover, used to wrap their beauties up in cotton that had passed through the operations of this indus. trious town and neighbourhood. Upon this interesting subject much more might be said; but, as I have written to the end of my paper, I must do as they do when summer puts an end to a session, adjourn business, however pressing or material, over to the

next.

I am, Sir,

Your very obedient humble servant,
M. B. DRAPIER.
M.

MYRON.

An ARABIAN TALE.

BY JOSEPH MOSER, ESQ.

Chapter I.

HE force of contrast is in no comtry more evideatly exhibited, or more frequently experienced, than in ARABIA; a portion of the globe where in large tracts of stony sterility, and an immense expanse of sandy deseris, are strongly opposed to those bland and beautiful features of fertility which distinguish that district called rur HAPPY.

Mynov, the Grecian, was a man who, after he had satiated bis mind with the frequent contemplation of those angust vestiges of antiquity with which his na tive country abounded, was impelled, by a curiosity still more extensive, to visit INDIA; the land once so hostile, and afterward so submissive, to Greece. lle had accordingly traced the Ganges, to the mountains of Tibet, and the Indus, from Cashmere to the Indian Sea. He had pursued his antiquarian researches through many other parts of Asia; and while he traversed the immense peninsula, lamented the fall of the Alexandriue empire, From Persia he had, by the Gulf and the Arabian Sea, arrived at Suez, with several merchants who had been the companions of his voyage. Here they joined a caravan, composed of a great number of persons of different nations. They began their march, and had proceeded a considerable way across the great Desert, when Myron, who knew that the lading of the camels of his associates was of immense value, observed to them one day, as they travelled on, that having escaped from the dangers of the ocean, and from the pirates of the Straits, they had now nothing to fear. To this Omri and Hafiz, two young Arabian merchants, who had, during their journies together in India, paid to the sage Myron particular attention, assented. The Caravan Bassa, who had listened to the observation of the former and the acquiescence of the latter, raised his eyes, and pointing toward the north, heaved a sigh. He then held down his head; and folding his arms, ap: peared for a few minutes to be wrapped in profound meditation.

The emotion of the Bassa attracted the attention of the Sage, and he ventured to question him respecting those marks of terror and apprehension which were so visibly depicted on his countenance, and so strongly displayed in his action. The Bassa, raising himself on his camel, again pointed toward the north; the eyes of Myron followed the direction of his finger; while the Hybeers, or guards gathered around him, and seemed to watch his motions with the most tremulous anxiety. The Sage at this instant observed that clouds of the deepest sable, intermingled with others of the brightest vermilion edged with gold, sailed slowly athwart the zenith; while in their descent they were intersected by rays of the greatest brilliancy, which

seemed to issue from behind immense in the sand which had swallowed his rolumes of sand, sometimes apparently companions. moving on the horizon with the greatest celerity, sometimes broken and slowly approfching toward them, and sometimes dashing a quinst each other, they vis.bly fail to reason in the resemblance of pillars formed of fire,

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These visions, for they are in some degree visionary," said the bassa, “ are the certain harbingers of a hurricane. The storm now padaat in the atmosphere will soon nyproach this spot. Let us fly before its baseau! influence." The signal of celerity was imanediately gives, and as instantaneously obeyed. Terror, the pervading principle, seemed to lead wings to the whole Caravan. The utmost exertions were used by the drivers to stimulate their animals to a rapid fight.

But too soon, alas! were these exertions rendered ingfectual. Lord claps of thander rolled above: vivid corruscations Bashed around; the most violest wind seemed to burst from the caverns of the worth; under is terrific operation, the sunds undulated like the naves of the ocean, while, whirled aloft, they battled in the air, and descended in immense and extus va showers.

In this elementary concussion the whole carayan was instantly overwhelmed, and of all its numerous company none apparently remained, suve and except Myron and his two slaves, Abi and Collor. These being all most fortunately mounted on the feetest Arabian horses, the animal, ether alarmed frem instinct, or scare! by the surrounding horrors, had ted Ele gosumer before the gale, and borne their riders beyond the Finils of the sterm.

When, by this miraculous interposition of Providence, Myreu found himself in temporary safety, piety and joy pervaded his mind; but the latter in an instant receded, as his excursive ideas brought to his recollection the terrors of the preceding scene, the gererai dovastation that Lad ensued, and the particular fate of his associates. On tacir destruction he revolved with the keenest sensations of sorrow; till, connected with this idea, his thoughts recurred to his own situation : distracted with the sense of his forlora condition, he threw himself from his horse, tore his beard and hair, and. Lueeling, implored the Omnipotent feat his dissobition might be instant, and that he might be buried

The slaves of Myron forgot their peril in lamenting the misfortunes of their master: they flew to rescue him from his own violence, and to administer to him every consolation in their power: they placed him on a hillock of sand. Colter had in his wallet dried fruit, some of which he presented to him; and Abi, who carried a leathern vessel, gave him water. Myron at the instance of his slaves ate and drank; for a short period he seemed composed, but soon he relapsed into lamentation mingled with impatience; during the influence of which Le exclaimed, "Oh, Iny faithful followers! we are now reduced to the lowest ebb of fortune. I believe it is impossible for mortals, however wretched, to be in a worse situation than we are!" Scarce had he uttered these words before they observed that a cloud of sand began again to rise at a short distance. Apprehensive of another storm, Abi and Colter drew their coursers together, and surrounded their master, to whom they seemed to cling as if for protection: the dust increased; instinct almost impelled them to mount, and fly before the storm; but while they were assisting Myron, they heard the neighing and trampling of horses, and found themselves instantly surrounded by a band of armed Arabians.

To have attempted resistance would. in this instance, have been madness. Exclamations, prayers, and supplications, availed as little. The leader of the band gave the word, which was instantly and accurately obeyed. His men, with the utmost composure, stripped them of their upper garments, their turbans, and their arms: they also took their provision and their horses, With these they, after treating te remonstrances of the sufferers with the utmost contempi, retreated with great celerity.

Remorse for the impatience he had expressed now smote the heart of lyron. He found that it was possible to be in a worse situation than that at which be had repined. Without food, water, clothes, or the means of proestring any: without horses to convoy them from this inhospitable spot; death seemed to be his only resource, Impressed with this idea, he threw hin self on his knees, and implored the

forgiveness of the Almighty; at the same time exclaiming, "The sinner Myron, O Father! is justly punished, for having dared to murmur at the dispensations of thy Providence."

Terrific as had been the day, Myron and his slaves beheld the approach of evening with the utmost trepidation. The night came on, and seemed to be attended with a train of ideal horrors, that almost subverted reason. They extended their bodies upon the sand; the slaves slept with apparent composure; but the mental agitations of their master banished repose; the morning dawned upon his unclosed eyelids. He, kneeling, implored the Omnipotent to pity and relieve them from their sad condition. When the slaves awoke, they poured forth their orisons to Alla. Casting their eyes around with the keenest circumspection, nothing appeared that even imagination could embody into hope. All seemed a continuation of the dreary and cheerless waste over which they had for many days travelled.

To remain where they were was impossible. Observing the sun, and guided by that luminary, they shaped their course over hills of burning sand which sunk at every step, until, overcome with heat and fatigue, the unfortunate Myron fell to the earth and fainted.

At this awful moment, the faithful Abi and Coltor, nearly as much exhausted, kneeling on each side, wept over him. When the first burst of passion had subsided, they raised their eyes from the carth, and imagined that they could observe the line of the hori7on broken by a few scattered trees in the distance.

While they were eagerly and intently gazing upon these objects, which seemed to afford to them a faint prospect of relief, the sound of human voices struck their ears: they turned to the left, and observed a troop, consisting of several persons, mounted upon dromedaries and camels, surrounding two females, who rode most beautiful horses, and who were preceded by a man of great personal dignity, on an Arabian courser, who seemed the leader of the band.

This sight, and the concomitant ideas of relief which flashed upon their winds, added celerity to the impulse of fear and hunger: they flew toward them with all the speed that renovated strength would permit; and when they

came near enough, prostrated themselves, and in few words represented the situation of their master.

Under the direction of their leader, the whole troop instantly moved toward the spot where Myron still lay entrauced. The Commander dismounted, as did the females. As the former advanced, and beheld the Sage, astonishment seemed to have pervaded his whole system; he exclaimed, with the greatest trepidation, "Though years have elapsed, I am too well acquainted with his features to be deceived! It is surely him!”

The virgins, struck with the singularity and solemnity of the scene, ordered their slaves to bring water and other refreshments; but he still remained insensible. The man, while regarding him with the most tremulous anxiety, chaffed the temples of the Sage, ejaculating, at the same time, "My uncle! my honoured uncle! thus found after so long an absence!" The virgins, affected with the words and actions of their father, (for by that epithet they addressed him,) most ardently seconded his endeavours to restore the unfortunate Myron. The slaves took care of Abi and Coltor, who were nearly in the same condition, At length, after finding that all their efforts to revive the Sage had proved ineffectual, the Commander ordered him to be placed upon a dromedary, and his body to be supported by his and their at tendants. The whole troop then remounted, and proceeded to the more habitable part of Arabia; which, fortunately, was but at the distance of nine hours travelling.

Chapter II.

The first sensation that darted into the mind of Myron when he awoke from his long trance, was that of pain, He found his mouth sore and distended; while a person that stood over him, in a long black robe with a flowing beard, and of a mest solemn appearance, was endeavouring to pour some liquid into it.

At the sight of this apparition he started; the phial fell to the ground; and inmediately after he heard Abi, his slave, exclaim, "Praised and thanked be the beneficent Alla! our master will recover."

"That he certainly will," said the operator, or I should have employed my skill to little purpose; though this

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