This was certainly a fevere ftroke, but I was now familiarifed to fuch unexpected events, and my fon, poffeffing much of his father's fortitude, bore it like a

man.

For our immediate fupport, we contrived to obtain payment of the L. 200 draft on the India Company, and fortunately, by the firft fhip from Madras, my fon received a full remittance for the reverfion of his father's property in India, which amounted to L.7000. This cheered our drooping spirits, and we immediately came down to this country, where my fon took this farm, and gave his hand to fabella Sempille. They have now been married five years, and are bleffed with three engaging children, two daughters and a fon as for me, I never have a wish ungratified; we live much by ourselves, but when a friend favours us with a vifit, my Francis and his Ifabella take a delight in thowing them hofpitality. The only thing which occafions us all fome little degree of inquietude, is the melancholy ftate of my poor fifter Ifabella (mentioned in the beginning of my little narrative,) the caufe of which I fhall tell you in a very few words:

cern, that he delayed writing to his Ifabella for nearly three weeks, expecting every day to acquaint her that he had be gun bufinefs; and the thinking herself neglected, and fuppofing him the author of a ftory which happened at that time to appear in a Magazine, containing fome rather unpleasant allufions to our family, gave fcope to the natural impetuofity of her difpofition, and abruptly withdrew her promife and correfpondence. The young man was fo hurt by the defertion of his Isabella, that he banished her from his heart, and gave his hand to another, with whom I understand he has long lived happily; my poor fifter, upon more mature confideration, was fo ftruck with remorse, that he has, for a number of years paft, been quite filly in her judgment. She is harmlefs and inoffenfive, and, for the most part, wanders about the farm in folitude; frequently in tears, and upbraiding herself with unprovoked cruelty to one who loved her with the moft fincere affection.

Juft as Mrs Dholfon had done fpeaking, her fifter entered the room, and by fome incoherent fentences, foon fhowed us the unhappy fituation of her mind ; fhe had all the appearance of having been once lovely, but the preffure of melancholy had reduced her to a fhadow: fhe approached me with a fmiling countenance, and taking hold of my hand, afked me if I would forgive her: "You are," faid the," my dear Mr was cruel-it was inhuman to use you fo-forgive your Ifabella and she'll pray for you in heaven here the wept, and with a convulfive laugh, the never-failing mark of a fordered brain, went haftily out of the room, greatly to the relief of us all present. J. F.

When about the age of twenty-feven, a young man paid his addreffes to her, and the attachment, I believe, became mutual. He folicited her promife to be his companion for life fo foon as Providence fhould put him in a way to make her comfortable, and fhe frankly gave it him. Their vows of love and conftancy were facredly plighted, and, in fhort, they were married in the eye of heaven, He loved my fifter moft immoderately, and, impatient to poffefs his deareft Ifabella, (for so he always called her,) he embarked in trade with the very laudable view of, by care and induftry, foon accomplishing his meritorious intention.To begin the world, I have always confidered one of the most important tranfactions in a perfon's life, and with the rational part of mankind, it must ever be a matter of the most ferious confideration. My fifter's lover was fo much taken up in setting on foot his little con3 B

Ed. Mag. May 1797.

it

[The writer of the above Narrative has in his poffeffion feveral of the origin. al letters which paffed betwixt the fifler of Mrs Dhollon and her lover. They are written with that fincerity of affection, and purity of fentiment, which cannot fail of making a deep impreffion upon the heart of every reader *.]

POETRY.

We fhall be glad to fee copies of thefe letters; and if they are calculated for publication, we shall infert them in fome future number of our Magazine.

POETRY.

Ah! foon I fhall reft in the tomb,
When life's countless tempefts blow o'er!
No troubles infeft it's ftill gloom;
Difappointment will haunt me no more.
Sweet fpring will return with fresh show'rs,
And May wili diftill her mild dews;
The earth will caft forth her young flow'rs,
When kind Zephyr his influence renews.
I was wont with the gay feather'd race,
To falute the glad teason with songs.
Now I haften to that lonely place,
To whofe dwellers no gladnefs belongs.
******** may vifit my grave;
When low in the cold earth I lie ;

She will water its rank weeds, that wave
In the wind, with a tear from her eye.
"Oh cease, lovely virgin, to mourn !”
(My fhade then delighted will fay)
From the regions of darkness I'm borne,
"To the land of celeftial day.

"I long for that period of joy,

When thou shalt arrive on our fhore. "Here no dire misfortunes annoy; "But the fweets of love bloom evermore."

THE RETREAT.

From Prison Amusements.

I

A FAIRY SONG.

By Wm. Afbburnham, jun. Efq.
CAN figh and I can pray,
Watch and
the hours away,
weep
Tune fad Philomella's throat,
Or in thin air lightly float;
Glimmer in the moon's wan beam,
Or through twilight faintly gleam;
I can mark the landfcape fade,
'Mid the poplar's quivering fhade,
While at night in dewy ring
Many a tender plaint I fing.
Airy forms incumber'd wake
On the ftream or on the brake;
See the floating legions fly
Tear for tear, and figh for figh;
See the ftreams that mingling flow,
Balfam to the breaft of woe;
Hark! O hark! that dulcet train,
How it foothes the fenfe of pain!

ELCOME, dear maid! to these foft Sounds fo fweet, like fhadows gay,

W fcences!

Welcome to these Elyfian plains!
With me, in this ferene retreat,

Corne love, and Laura, fix your seat.

No drums, nor trumpet's martial found
Shall ever rend this peaceful ground;
No fabres clash, nor cannons roar,
To drench thefe blooming plains in gore.

When morning gilds the opening east,
Or evening veils the clofing weft,
Cheerful we'll rife and hail the light,
Or fteal to rest and biefs the night.

When spring defcends in balmy fhow'rs,
Revives the trees, and wakes the flow'rs;
When fummer's brighter glories shine,
Or autumn melts the lufcious vine:

Then, arm in arm, we'll gaily rove
The flushing mead, the warbling grove;
On beds of velvet mofs repofe,
And breathe the incenfe of the rofe.

For thee in this delightful bow'r,
I'll garlands weave of every flower,
Which this delicious valley yields,
Or blooms in thefe luxuriant fields.

Even winter, defolation's fire,
Shall fmile befide our focial fire;
While tempefts fhake the mountain's brow,
Secure from forms we'll fing below.

Quickly rife and quick decay.
On a lily's fnow-white breaft,
Oft I hufh my foul to reft;
Sadly fing and fadly play
Many a foft and melting lay,
Wake in every eye I fee
'Tears of fenfibility;
With my small but piercing dart,
Ope the fluices of the heart.
Mark the gems in pity's eye
Walt the precious pearls on high;
See, they grace the chryftal cave
Wash'd by mild compaffion's wave.
There enwrapt in amber cell,
Liftening to the curfew bell,
Oft I país the live long hour
Thron'd in fair ambrofial bower.
Dear thefe fcenes fhall ever be !
Dear to forrow and to me!

3 B 2

And to all that once pleasure could yield, THE

Adieu, my fond lamb, e'en to thee!

Once this heart thy sweet innocence mov'd;
When thy gentle fimplicity taught
Thofe virtues I tenderly lov'd,

And with meckest humility fought.

Mild emblem of Patience, adieu!
No more thy careffes I prize;
No more the dear path I pursue.
Where Pleasure and Happiness lies.

383

PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIRST SESSION OF THE EIGHTEENTH PARLIAMENT OF
GREAT BRITAIN.

HOUSE OF LORDS,-March 3.

THE Bill for empowering the Bank of England to iffue notes under 51. was read a third time, and paffed. The Lord Chancellor left the Woolfack, and ftated, that in confequence of the Marquis of Lansdowne having inadvertently spoken and voted in the House on Tuesday, without having taken the oaths required by law, he had incurred certain penalties and difqualifications, which an Act of Parliament only could remove. He held a Bill in his hand for that purpose, to which his Majefty had graciously affented, and he moved to bring it in; which being granted, the Bill was read a first and second time, and ordered to be engroffed.-Adjourned to Monday.

Thanks to Sir John Jervis. March 6. Earl Spencer, in a speech of the higheft panegyric on the late important victory over the Spaniards, moved, "That the thanks of the House should be conveyed by the Lord Chancellor to Sir John Jervis, for his brilliant and decided victory over the Spanish fleet, on the 14th of February 1797.

The Duke of Bedford hoped Minifters had it in contemplation to move for fome more fignal mark of gratitude to him; he alfo thought the prefent motion not worded fufficiently ftrong to convey to pofterity that this was more than an ordinary victory. He fuggefted, therefore, that the words "fo greatly fuperior in number" fhould be inferted after the words "Spanish fleet."

ever remain fo, for he hoped no British fleet would ever again be left to engage fo great a fuperiority.

Lord Spencer, with much warmth, contended againft fuch a responsibility being thrown upon his fituation as that a British squadron fhould never have to contend with a fuperior force:―he had in this inftance, as he should in every other, fupplied the Admiral with every fupport it was in the power of the country to enable him to do.

Lord Hood paid many compliments to the abilities and valour of Sir John; he faid, it appeared as if the gallant Admiral was aware that fome great atchievement was neceffary to difpel our present gloom, and therefore, confident in the valour, fpirit, and difcipline of the Officers and men whom he had in command, he boldly hazarded a risk which could only be equalled by his fuccefs'; no compliment, in his opinion, the House could pay, would more than counterbalance the fervice the country had received.

After a variety of obfervations on the fubject, it was at length agreed, that the motion, with the amendment of great fuperiority of the Spanish fleet fhould be adopted; and the thanks of the House to Sir John Jervis, and to the Flag Officers, mentioning them by name, and the Captains, Officers, and Seamen of the victorious fleet, were voted.

Caufe of the Late Order of Council. The Duke of Bedford, after a long Lord Spencer had no objection to the fpeech, moved, That a Select Comintroduction of any words which the mittee, of fifteen Peers, be appointed to House were inclined to think would enquire into the caufes for iffuing the more frongly express their fenfe of his Order in Council of the 26th of Februafervice. ry laft.

The Duke of Clarence bore teftimony to the merits of Sir John Jervis; gave feveral inftances, from his own knowledge, of the excellent ftaté and difcipline in which the men and fhips were invariably kept which were under his command; and, without meaning the flighteft of fence to any other, hefitated not to declare him the very best Officer in his Majefty's fervice.

Lord Guildford approved of the introduction of the words, as highly neceffary to diftinguifh a fervice that was, perhaps, the very falvation of the country; it was the moft fignal victory we had ever atchieved; and he hoped it would

Lord Grenville did not object to the appointment of a Committee, convinced, the more the matter was inveftigated, the more it would be to the credit of the Bank; but he could not agree to its being an open Committee; therefore he moved to leave out the word Special, and infert the word Secret in its fiead.

The Duke of Bedford ftrongly contended against this, upon the ground that, fo far from its being likely to be fatisfactory to the public, it would be confidered as a mockery, and add to the alarm.

Lord Grenville's amendment was then put and agreed to; after which he moved that the Committee be appoint

ed

C