SELECTED.

For the Lady's Miscellany.

From a London Paper.

THE EARTHQUAKE. But oh what means that ruinous roar! why fail

These tottering feet? Earth to its centre feels

Almighty Father? Save. O save thy suppliant

From horrors such as these? At thy good time

Let death approach; I reek not-let him but come

In genuine form, not with thy vengeance armed,

Too much for man to bear. O rather
lend

Thy kindly aid to mitigate his stroke;
And at the hour, when all aghast I stand
A trembling candidate for thy compas.
sion,)

On this world's brink, and look into the

next;

When my soul, starting from the dark unknown,

The Godhead's power, and trembling at Casts back a wishful look, and fondly

his touch

Through all its pillars, and in every pore.
Hurls to the ground with one convulsive

heave,

Precipitating domes, & towns & towers, The work of ages. Crushed beneath the weight

Of general devastation, millions find One common grave; not e'en a widow left,

clings

To waile her sons: the house that should In all their hideous forms then starting

plain,

Plant themselves round my couch in

up,

grim array.

If there he flies for help, with sudden And stab my bleeding heart with two

edg'd torture,

yawn Start from beneath him. Shield me gra. Sense of past guilt, and dread of future

OR,

WEEKLY

THE

VISITOR.

FOR THE USE AND AMUSEMENT OF BOTH SEXES.

6

NO. 6.

raiment of a superior, stood uncovered in the gaping earth-horrid was the sight! the abbess shrieked and plunged into the grave-it closed and both were swallowed up!-But now is the moment for our escape, let us not lose it an opportunity that may never come again.'

The explosion of the vaults was felt even in the convent; and the superstitious sisterhood, fancying the world at an end, crouded round the altar of St. Clare. Poor Ma

shook the immense building to its senter. Gracious powers!' cried Agnes, what have we done.'-the abbess trembled; but feared to answer. What men are these!'riana, less credulous, but not less exclaimed Agnes retreating in dismay. 'Men!' thought Alfonso, 'then weremysuspicions trne.' For ward he flew, and clasping his affrighted mother in his arms, draged her from the vault and turned the key upon the traitor!'

the victim of appalling fear, was waiting in terrible suspense. On the countenances of Agnes and her son she read the effects of some awful catastrophe, but fearing to enquire the cause she readily consented to their united entreaties; and giving to Alfonso the few clothes provided for their flight, permitted herself to be carried from the accursed cloisters of St. Clare.

The black clouds that darkened the atmosphere were now removed, and they soon reached the spot where Morad stood provided with a carriage. Fearful of discovery they travelled all night, the whole

of the next day, and part of the succeeding evening: passing thro' the towns of Balbastro and Campo without resting, when they fortunately reached the french lines without interruption. All danger was now past, and they agreed to halt for a night's repose.

wide the book of fate and given him lawless choice such would have been the parent he would have acknowledged!

In vain he entreated his mother for the history she had promised: she was anxious to ascertain the curious import of the strangers letter; and Alfonso, presuming her inclinations were governed by the possibility of hearing some intelligence less prefudicial to his father's credit, reluctantly forebore

For the first time Alfonso recol. ́lected that he had left the casket of jewels at the castle of Aranza His mother was uneasy at this circumstance; she mentioned their value; and though the sum given to Alfonso by the mysterious stranger augured favorably as to the *prospect before them, still it was-esting to the family, and both were essential to guard against the worst importunate to arrive at the intelligence.

and for fear the domestics of the duke should purloin the prize, Morad was dispatched to secure it.

to press the subject for the present Who this unknown was, baffled all conjecture; but it was evident be he possessed some information inter

As he approached the appointed spot, the heart of Alfonso dilated with the idea that he should behold a father in the stranger. In a moment was forgotten the de

'Twas during this journey that Alfonso for the first rime became acquainted with the attachment of 'Bernard for Violante, and his hapsertion of his youth. All recollec

py prospect of successful love.— On this journey it was that he made his mother the confident of his own attachment, and to hear from the lips of Mariana herself the speedy consumâtion of his happi

*ness.

What more could he desire ?-fortune smiled upon his friend and upon himself-he had found an affectionate mother, and

was soon to be the husband of Mariana!--but still was this journey destined to open a wider field of felicity to the Foundling of Belgrade. It was to give him a father and a friend! ay, such a father too that had omnipotence itself thrown

tion of the wayward fortune that had pursued him from his cradleall the pangs of lingering suspense -all the inconsolable hours of an unfriended orphan, were lost in the name of FATHER. There is, indeed, something venerable in this word. It associates in the mind ideas which we dwell upon with peculiar delight; and the beautiful comparison of the roman emperor will endure through ages a record worthy of his name. A

* A reverence is due to a wise pa. rent,' said the amiable Antoninus, ‘similar, though inferior to that which is paid by the religious to the parent of the universe.'This is the passage to which, it is presumed, the author alludes.

week elapsed but no stranger could he find-no tidings of Morad was received.

At length twas Kyoprili he saw! The great and virtuous defender of stood before him! he who was the saviour of Alfonsowho had made him what he was -whose affectionate regard was never to be forgotten-whose death and calumniated memory Alfonso had never ceased to mourn!-How enviable their feelings! And have I again found my long lost ward!' cried Kyoprili;little did I imagine the gift of Hassan was so near a rela tive-little did I imagine you were the son of my beloved but unhappy Morgiana. In me, Ahmed, behold your paternal uncle --we part no more!'

It will be remembered that the letter and the minatures which accompanied the infant to the care of Morad were given up to Kyoprili--no wonder the bitter anguish

of his soul should enforce the tear

his eye.

:

dious policy of the seraglio was
enough to confirm his belief. In
Turkey, to use the language of the
historian, 'the grave is ever beside
the throne.' He remembered his
own elevated rank and attributed
the intended assassination of Al-
fonso to the women of the palace,
whose abandoned profligacy never
scrupled to wade through blood in
the removal of those who should

impede their aspiring views. In
that abject country, despotic as is
the sway
of the sultan, his life is
never safe. The janissaries, like
the prætorian band of ancient
Rome, are become the disposers
of the purple-less a body guard
than a formidable force to dispose
at will the ruling prince. Now
that he was removed from all ap-
prehensions of Alfonso's safety--
now that they had met once more,
he was determined they never
should separate. Absence had not
lessened his early attachment; and
the propinquity thus accidentally
discovered, was but a stronger
claim to his protection.

Shamefully calumniated by an ungrateful country, Kyoprili had chancelled the bond of his allegiance and submitted to voluntary banishment, rather than endure the galling servitude of splendid misery. He could have borne an inju

he shed! the one was the handwriting, the other the portrait of a beloved sister. In a moment the dark mystery which enveloped the birth of his adopted, vanished from That sister was the beloved Zaide of the mighty Selim to him she bore a son, and that son was of course, Alfonso. He knew he had escaped the general mas-ry, but his high spirit and dignifisacre at, and his apprehensions for his safety called forth the opostrophe uttered in the presence of Morad. As to the imperialness; mandate his knowledge of the o

ed rank looked upon insult as ignominous. The equanimity of his soul made him prone to forgive

and though he was ever ready to exclaim with the roman