he gave ftrict orders, that the ftile of the building fhould be fuch as fuited his prefent fituation, rather than his former dignity. It confifted only of fix rooms: four of them in the form of Friars cells, with naked walls; the other two, each twenty feet fquare, were hung with brown cloth, and furnished in the moft fimple manner. They were all on a level with the ground; with a door, on one fide, into a garden, of which Charles himself had given the plan, and which he had filled with various plants, intending to cultivate them with his own hands. On the other fide, they communicated with the chapel of the monaftery, in which he was to perform his devotions. Into this humble retreat, hardly fufficient for the comfortable accommodation of a private gentleman, did Charles enter, with twelve domestics only. He buried, there, in folitude and filence, his grandeur, his ambition, together with all thofe vaft projects, which, during half a century, had alarmed and agitated Europe, filling every kingdom in it, by turns, with the terror of his arms, and the dread of being subjected to his power.

.............ར་ བར.་བབ་་་

M

XIII.

THE ABSENT MAN.

ENALCAS comes down in the morning: opens his door to go out; but fhuts it again, because he perceives he has his night-cap, on and: examining himself further, finds that he is but half fhaved; that he has ftuck his fword, on his right

fide; that his ftockings are about his heels; and that his fhirt is over his breeches.

WHEN he is dreft, he goes to court; comes into the drawing-room; and, walking upright, under a branch of candlesticks, his wig is caught up by one of them, and hangs dangling in the air. All the courtiers fall a-laughing; but Menalcas laughs louder than any of them, and looks about for the perfon that is the jeft of the company. Coming down to the court-gate, he finds a coach; which, taking for his own, he whips into it; and the coachman drives off, not doubting but he carries his master. As foon as he ftops, Menalcas throws himself out of the coach, croffes the court, afcends the ftair-cafe, and runs through all the chambers with the greateft familiarity; repofes himself on a couch; and fancies himself at home. The master of the house at laft comes in. Menalcas rifes to receive him, and defires him to fit down. He talks, mufes, and then talks again. The gentleman of the houfe is tired. and amazed. Menalcas is no lefs fo: but is every moment in hopes that his impertinent gueft will at laft end his tedious vifit. Night comes on; when Menalcas is hardly convinced.

WHEN he is playing at backgammon, he calls for a full glass of wine and water. 'Tis his turn to throw. He has the box in one hand, and his glass in the other; and, being extremely dry, and unwilling to lofe time, he fwallows down both the dice, and, at the fame time, throws his wine into the tables. He writes a letter; and flings the fand into the ink-bottle. He writes a fecond; and mistakes the fuperfcription. A nobleman receives one of them; and, upon opening it, reads as follows: "I would have you, honeft Jack, immediately upon

"the

"the receipt of this, take in hay enough to serve "the winter." His farmer receives the other, and is amazed to see in it, " My Lord, I received your "Grace's commands, with an entire fubmiffion

If he is at an entertainment, you may fee the pieces of bread continually multiplying round his plate: 'tis true, the company want it, as well as their knives and forks, which Menalcas does not let them keep long. Sometimes, in a morning, he puts his whole family in a hurry; and, at laft, goes out without being able to stay for his coach or breakfast; and, for that day, you may fee him in every part of the town, except the very place where he had appointed to be upon business of importance.

You would often take him for every thing that he is not-For a fellow quite ftupid: for he hears nothing For a fool; for he talks to himself, and has a hundred grimaces and motions with his head, which are altogether involuntary: for a proud man; for he looks full upon you, and takes no notice of your faluting him. The truth of it is, his eyes are open : but he makes no ufe of them; and neither fees you, nor any man, nor any thing else. He came once from his country-house, and his own footmen undertook to rob him, and fucceeded. They held him a flambeau to his throat, and bid him deliver his purfe. He did fo; and, coming home, told his friends he had been robbed. They defire to know the particulars" Afk my fervants," faid Menalcas; "for they were with me."

XIV.

ADHERBAL TO THE ROMAN SENATE.

FATHERS!

T is known to you, that King Micipfa, my father, on his death bead, left in charge, to Jugurtha, his adopted fon, conjunctly with my unfortunate brother Hiempfal, and myfelf, the children of his own body, the adminiftration of the kingdom of Numidia; directing us, to confider the fenate and people of Rome, as proprietors of it. He charged us, to use our beft endeavours, to be ferviceable to the Roman commonwealth, in peace and war: affuring us, that your protection would prove to us a defence against all enemies; and would be instead of armies, fortifications, and treasures.

WHILE my brother and I were thinking of nothing, but how we fhould regulate ourselves according to the direction of our deceafed father-Jugurtha-the most infamous of mankind!-breaking through all ties of gratitude and of common humanity, and trampling on the authority of the Roman commonwealth-procured the murder of my unfortunate brother-and has driven me from my throne, and native country; tho' he knows I inherit, from my grandfather Maffiniffa, and my father Micipfa, the friendship and alliance of the Romans.

FOR a prince to be reduced, by villany, to my diftressful circumstances, is calamity enough; but my misfortunes are heightened, by the confideration, that I find myself obliged to folicit your affiftance, Fathers, for the fervices done you by my ancestors, not for any I have been able to render you in my own perfon. Jugurtha has put it out of my power, to de

ferve any thing at your hands; and has forced me to be burdenfome, before I could be useful to you. And yet, if I had no plea, but my undeserved misery -a once powerful prince, the defcendent of a race of illuftrious monarchs, now, without any fault of my own, deftitute of every fupport, and reduced to the neceffity of begging foreign affiftance, against an enemy, who has feized m throne and my kingdom --if my unequalled diftreffes were all I had to plead ; it would become the greatness of the Roman commonwealth, the arbiter of the world, to protect the injured, and to check the triumph of daring wickednefs over helplefs innocence. But, to provoke your vengence to the utmoft, Jugurtha has driven me from the very dominions, which the senate and people of Rome gave to my ancestors; and, from which, my grandfather, and my father, under your umbrage, expelled Syphax and the Carthaginians. Thus, Fathers, your kindness to our family is defeated; and Jugurtha, in injuring me, throws contempt on you.

O wretched prince! O cruel reverse of fortune! O father Micipfa! is this the confequence of your generofity; that he whom your goodness raised to an equality with your own children, fhould be the murderer of your children? Muft, then, the royal house of Numidia, always, be a scene of havock and blood? While Carthage remained, we fuffered, as was to be expected, all forts of hardships from their hoftile attacks: our enemy near; our only powerful ally, the Roman commonwealth, at a diftance. While we were fo circumftanced, we were always in arms, and in action. When that fcourge of Africa was no more, we congratulated ourselves on the profpect of established peace. But, instead of peace, behold the kingdom of Numidia drench

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