haftened to caparifon his mule. Ah, thou imp of the old one," quoth he as she entered the ftabie, " art not “afhamed to look me in the face? But come, huffey, thou oweft me a good turn methinks, ftand by me this once, and be friends for ever! thou art in "good cafe, and if thou wilt put thy heft foot foremost, like a faithful beaft, 4 thou shalt not want for barley by the way." The bargain was foon truck between Nicolasand his mule, he mounted her in the happy moment and pointing his courfe towards the bridge of Toledo, which proudlyftrides with half a dozen lofty arches over a ftream fearce three feet wide, he found himself as completely in a defert in half a mile's thing, as if he had been dropt in the center of Arabia perræ. As Nicolas's journey was not a tour of curiosity, he did not amufe himself with a peep at Toledo, or Talavera, or even Merida by the way; for the fame reason he took a circwabendibus round the frontier town of Budah was a Spanish frigate, and feemingly joz, and croffing a little brook refethet from a long von age. Little Pedroia, as his mule with the last draughs of Spanish alert as the rett, fript hinnerf for his water, and inftantly congratulated him- work, and repaired to his poft in the felf upon entering the territory of Portu- cock-pit, whilt the thunder of the guns gal. Brava 1 quoth he, patting the rolled inceffantly overhead; three chears neck of his mule, thou shalt have a fron the whole crew at length annoɑne-"fupper this night of the beft fieve-ed the moment of victory, and a few f meat Eftremadura sa farnifh: We are more minutes afcertained the good news now in a country where the fcattered that the prize was a trigate richly laden flock of Ifrael fold thick and fare from the South Seas with the Governor "well." He now begin to chaunt the of Quito and his suite on board. fong of Soloman, and gently ambled on in the joy of bis heart. ments he had experienced for a long time past, and being a lively good-humoured little fellow, and one that touched the guitar, and fung fequidillas with a toler rable grace, he foon recommended him. felf to his shipmates, and grew in favour with every body on board, from the captain to the cook's mate. When they were out upon their cruize, hovering on the Spanish coaft, it occurred to Nicolas that the Inquifidor Ge seral at Madrid had told him ni the expec ted arrival of the Prident of Quo; and having imparted his to one of the lieutenants, he repo ted it to the caprain, and, as the intelligence feemed of impor tance, he availed himlelf of it, by howling into the trk of the homeward bound galleons, and great was the joy, when at the bread of the morning, the man at the mal-head announce la f june rigged veffel in view The ardour of a chace now y fet all hands to work, and a few hours brought them near enough to difcern that When Nicolas at length reached the city of Lisbon, he hugged himself in his good fortune; ftill he recollected that the inquifition has long arms, and he was yet in a place of no perfect fecurity. Our adventurer had in early life acted as affitant furgeon in a Spanish frigate bound to Buenos Ayres, and being captured by a British man of war and car ried into Jamaica, had very quie ly paed fome years in that place as journeyman apothecary, in which time he had acquir eda tolerable acquaintance with the Englifh language: no fooner then did he difcover the British enfign firing on the poop of an Eaglith frigate then lying in the Tagus than he eagerly caught the opportunity of paying a vifit to the furgeon, aud finding he was in want of a mate, offered himself, and was entere in that capacity for a cruize against the French and Spaniards, with whom Great Britain was then at war. In this fecure afgium Nicolas enjoyed the firft happy no Pedrofa was now called upon deek, and fent on board the prize as interpre-" ter to the firit utenant, who was to take poffeflion of her. He found every thing in confufion, a deck covered with the flain, and the whole crew in con térnation at an event they were in no degree prepared for, not having received any intimation of a war. He found the officers in general, and the paffengers without exception, under the mot hor rid imprefions of the Englifn, and expec ting to be plundered, and perhaps butchered, without mercy. Don Manuel de Cafafonda, the Governor, whofe counte nance bespoke a conftitution far gone in a decline, had thrown himself on a fipha in the laft ftate of despair, and given way to an effufion of tears; when the lieutenant entered the cabbin, he rose tremb ling from his couch, and with the moft fuppleating action prefented to him his fword, and with it a cafket, which he carried in his orner hand. As he tendered thefe fpoils to this conqueror, whether through weakness, or of his own will, he made made a motion of bending his knee: the generous Briton, fhocked at the unmanly overture, caught him fuddenly with both hands, and turning to Pedrofa, faid aloud, "Convince this gentleman he has fallen into the hands of an honourable enemy "Is it poffib e!" cried Don Manuel, and lifting up his ftreaming eyes to the countenance of the British officer, faw humanity, valour, and generous pity, fo ftrongly charactered in his youthful features, that the conviction was irrefiftible. Will he not accept my fword?" cried the Spaniard." He defires you to wear it, till he has the honour of present ing you to his captain." Ah! then he has a captain," exclaimed Manuel; his fuperior will be of another way of thinking; tell him, this casket contains my jewels; they are valuable; let him present them as a lawful prize, which will enrich the captor; his fuperior will not hesitate to take them from me.". If they are your Excellency's private property," replied Pedrofa, I am or dered to affire you, that it your fhip was Joaded with jewels, no British officer in the fervice of his king will take them at your hands the hip and effects of his Catholic Majefty are the only prize of the captors; the perfonals of the paffengers are inviolate.". Generous nation!" exclaimed Don Manuel, how greatly have wronged thee!"The boats of the British frigate now came along-fide, and part of the crew were fhifted out of the prize, taking their trunks and cloaths along with them, in which they were very cordially affifted by their corquer ors. The barge foon after came a-board, with an officer in the ftern-sheets, and the crew in their white shirts and velvet caps, to effort the governor and the ship's captain on board the frigate, which lay with her fails to the maft awaiting their arrival: the accommodation-ladder was flung over the fide, and manned for the priforers, who were received on the gang way by the fecond lieutenant, whilft perfect filence, and the stricteft difcipline reigned in the hip, where all were under the decks, and no inquifitive curious ›eyes were foffered to wound the feelings of the conquered, even with a glance. In the door of his cabbin food the captain, who received them with that modeft complaif nee, which does not revolt the unfortunate by an overftrained politenefs; he was a man of high birth and elegant manners, with a heart as benevolent as it was brave: Such an address, set off with a perfon finely formed, and per fectly engaging, could not fail to imprefa the prifoners with the most favourable ideas, and as Don Manuel spoke French fluently, he could converfe with the British captain without the help of an interpreter. As he expreffed an impatient defire of being admitted to his parole, that he might revifit friends and connec tions, from which he had been long sepa rated, he was overjoyed to hear that the English fhip would carry her prize inte Lifbon; and that he would there be fet on fhore, and permitted to make the best of his way from thence to Madrid. He talked of his wife with all the ardour of the moft impaffioned lover, and apolo gized for his tears by imputing them to the agony of his mind and the infirmity of his health, under the dread of being longer feparated from an object so dear to his heart, and on whom he doated with the fondeft affection. The gener ous captor indulged him in thefe converfations, and, being a husband himfell, knew how to allow for all the tendernels of his fenfations." Ah, Sir," cried Don Manuel, would to heaven it were in my power to have the honour of presenting my beloved Leonora to you on our landing at Lifbon-Perhaps," added he, turning to Pedrofa, who at that moment entered the cabm, this gentleman, whom I take to be a Spaniard, may have heard the name of Donna Leonora de Cafafonda: if he has been at Madrid, it is poffible he may have seen her; fhould that be the cafe, he can testify to her ex ternalcharms; I alone can witness to the exquifite perfection of her mind." Senor Don Manuel." replied Pedrofa, "I have seen 'Donna Leonora, and your 'Excellency is warranted in all you can fay in her praife; the is of incomparable beauty." These words threw the uXSrious Spaniard into raptures; his eyes fparkled with delight; the blood rushed into his emaciated checks, and every feature glowed with unutterable joys ke preffed Pedrofa with a variety of rapid enquiries, all which he evaded by pleading ignorance, faying, that he had only had a cafual glance of her as the paffed along the Prado. The embarrassment, howe ver, which accompanied thefe answers did not escape the English Captain, who fhortly after, drawing Pedrofa afide into the fungeon's cabin, was by him made acquainted with the melancholy fituation of that unfortunate lady, and every pærticular of the story as before related; nay, 1 Qe "where he may prefent himfelk”—“ I As foon as the frigate and her prize. caft anchor in the Tagus, Don Manuel de Cafafonda impatiently reminded our captain of his proinifed parole. The pain ful moment was now come, when an explanation of fome fort became unavoidable. The generous Englishman, with a countenance expreffive of the tendereft pity, took the Spaniard's hand in his, and feating him on a couch befile him, ordered the centinel to keep the cabin private, and delivered himself as fol lows. "Can there be fuch vallainy in man?", eried the British captain, when Pedrofa had concluded his detail; " Alas! my heart bleeds for this unhappy husband: "affured y that moniter has destroyed "Leonora ; as for thee, Pedrofa, whilft "the British flag flies over thy head, "neither Spain, nor Portugal, nor In "quifitors, nor devils, fhall annoy thee "under its protection: but if thou ever "ventureft over the fide of this frip, and "rafhly fetteit one foot upon Catholic "foil, when we arrive at Lisbon, thou “arta lost man.”—“I were worse than a madman," replied Nicolas, "thould I attempt it.". "Keep clofe "in this afylum, then," refuined the captain," and fear nothing; had it been "our fate to have been captured by the "Spaniard, what would have become of "thee?"- In the worit of extremi "ties," replied Nicolas, "I fhould have "applied to the Inquilidor's vial; but I "confefs I had no fears of that fort; a "fhip fo commanded, and fo manned, is in little danger of being carried into a "Spanish port.". I hope not," laid the captain; and I promife thee thou "fhalt take thy chance in her, fo long as "fhe is afloat under my command; and "if we live to conduct her to England," "thou shalt have thy proper fare of 66 prize-money, which, if the galleon "breaks up according to her entries, will be fomething towards enabling thee to shift; and if thou art as dili"gent in thy duty as I am perfuaded "thou wilt be, whilft I live thou shalt "never want a feaman's friend." "Senor Don Manuel, I must now im"part to you an anxiety which I la"bour under on your account-I have "trong realons to fufpect you have exe"mies in your own country, who are upon the watch to arrest you on your "landing; when I have told you this, "I expect you will repofe fuch truft in my honour and the fincerity of my re"gard for you, as not to demand a further explanation of the particulars on which my intelligence is founded?”. "Heaven and Earth!" cried the aftonifhed Spaniard, "who can be those e "nemies I have to fear, and what can "I have done to deferve them!"- So "far I will open myself to you," answers ed the captain, "as to point out the "principal to you, the inquifidor ge "neral.""The best friend I have in 1 thefe chearing words, little Nicolas threw "Spain," exclaimed the governor; "my himself at the feet of his generous pre-fworn protector, the patron of my fore ferver, and with freaming eyes poured out his thanks from a heart animated with joy and gratitude. The captain, railing him by the hand, forbade him, as he prized his friendship, ever to addrefs" him in that polture any more; "Thank "me, if you will," added he, “but "thank me as one man should another; 1 let no knees bend in this ship but to the name of God.-But now," continued he, let us turn our thoughts to "the fituation of our unnappy Cafafonda, "we are now drawing near to Lisbon, "where he will look to be liberated on "his parole."-" By no means let him "venture into Spain," faid Pedrofa; "I am well affured there are orders to arrell him in every portor frontier town, 66 tune: He my enemy! impoffible.""Well, Sir," replied the captain, "if my advice does not meet belief, I "muft fo far exert my authority for your fake, as to make this fhip your "prifon, till I have waited on our minifter at Lifbon, and made the inquirice neceffary for your fafety: fufpend your judgment upon the feeming harsh nels of this meafure till I return to you again" and at the fame time rifing from his feat, he gave orders for the barge, and leaving ftrict injuctions with the firtt lieutenant not to allow of the governor's quitting the frigate, he put of for the flore, and left the melancholy Spaniard buried in profound and filent meditation. The In due course of time this fatal letter from Leonora opened all the horrible tranfaction to the wretched nufband The emillaries of the inquifition ha" him our hands were joined; his lind ving at laft traced Pedrofa to Lisbon, "pronounced the nuptial_benediction, and there gained intelligence of his ha-" and through his favour I was promo ving entered on board the frigate, our ted to my government: Grant, Hea captzin had no fooner turned into the "ven, no misfortune hath belalien my Forch of the hotel at Buenos-Ayres, than Leonora! furely the cannot have of he was accofted by a meffenger of ftate "fended him and forfeited his favour." with a requifition from the prime mini- "As I know him not," replied the Capfter's office for the furrender of one Ni- taip, "I can form no judgment of his colas Pedrofa, a fubject of Spain, and a "motives: but this I know, that if 1 criminal, who had escaped out of the "man's heart is capable of cruelty, the prifon of the Inquifition in Madrid, "fitteft fchool to learn it in, must be the where he flood charged of high crimes "Inquifition." The propofal was now and mifdemeanors. As foon as this fugge of fending letters into Spain, requifition was explained to our wor- and the Governor retired to his defk for thy captain, without con defcending the purpose of writing them; in the afto a word in reply he called for pen ternoon of the fame day the Minifter paid and ink, and writing a fhort order to a vifit to the Captain, and receiving a the officer commanding on board, instant- packet from the hands of Don Manuel, by dispatched the mi fhipman, who at promised to get it forwarded by a fafe tended him, to the barge with directions conveyance according to direction. to make the best of his way back to the frigate and deliver it to the lieutenant: Then turning to the meffenger, he said to him in a refolute tone-" That Spaniard is now borne on my books, and before you fh: take him out of "the fervice of my King, you must fink "his thip"-Not waiting for a reply he immediately proceeded, without flop, to the houfe of the British Minifter at the further end of the city: Here he found" Pedrofa's intelligence, with regard to the Governor of Quito, expreís y ver fied, for the order bad come down evin to Lifben, upon the chance of the Spanish frigate's taking shelter in that port. To this Minifter he related the horrid tale, which Pedrofa had delivered to him, and with his concurrence it was determined to forward letters into Spain," which Don Manuel fhould be advised to write to his lady and friends at Madrid, and to wair their anfwer before any further discoveries were imparted to him tefpecting the blacker circumflances of the cate in the mean time, it was refolved to keep the prifoner fafe in his aly'um. "The guilty hand of an expiring walk "under the agonizing operation of a "mortal poifon, traees thefe few tren“bling lines to an injured wretched huf band. If thou haft any pity for my "parting fpirit, fly the ruin that awa thee and avoid this fcene of vilainy and horror. When I tell thee I have "borne a child to the monster, whe "poifon runs in my veins, thou wilt a'"hor thy faithlefs Leonora; had ! "trength to relate to thee the fabit "machinations, which betrayed me to difgrace, thou wouldit pity and pe "haps forgive me. Oh agony! can f write his name?-The Inquifidor s my murderer-My pen falis from my "hand-Farewell for ever. Had a shot poffed through the herr of Don Manuel, it could not mere effe tually have flopt its motions, then the p rufal of this fatal writing. He droppe lifelefs on the couch, and but for the cart and affiftance of the Captain and Pedro fa in that pofture he had probably expired Grief like his will not be defcribed by words, fer to words it gave no utterancti 'twas fuffocating, filent woe. Let us drop the curtain over this me lancholy paufe in our narration, and tend upon the mournful widower nov landing upon English ground, and corveved by his humane and generous pr ferver to the house of a noble Earl, th father of one amiable captain, and a ma by his virtues fill more confpicuous than by his rank. Hete amidft the gentle licitudes of a benevolent family, in ort of the most-enchanting fpets on earth, in a climate moft falubrious and reftorative to a conftitution exhaufled by heat and a heart bear broken with forrow, the re viving spirits of the unfortunate Don Manuel gave the firft fymptoms of a poffible recovery. At the period of a few tranquillizing weeks here pafled in the bofoin of humanity, letters came to band from the British Minifter at Lifbon, in answer to a memorial, that I should have stated to have been drawn up by the friendly captain before his departure from that port, with a detail of facts de pofed and fworn to by Nicolas Pediofa, which memorial, with the documents at tached to it, was forwarded to the Spanish Court by fpecial exprefs from the Portuguese premier. By thefe letters it appeared that the high dignity of the perfon impeached by this ftatement of facts had not been fufficient to fcreen him from a veryferious and complete investigation; in the courte of which facts had been fo clearly brought home to him by the confeffion of his feveral agents, and the teftimony of the deceased Leonora's attendants, together with her own written declarations, whilft the poifon was in operation, that though no public fentence had been executed upon the criminal, it was generally understood he was either no longer in exiftence, or in a fituation ne ver to be heard of any more, till roufed by the awakening trump he fhail be fummoned to his tremenduous fast account. As for the unhappy widower, it was fully fignified to him from authority, that his return to Spain, whether upon exchange or parole, would be no longer oppofed, nor had heany thing to apprehend. on the part of government, when he fhould there arrive. The fame was figni fied in fewer words to the exculpated Pedrofa. Whether Don Manuel de Cafafonda will in time to come avail himself of thefe overtures time alone can prove: As for little Nicolas, whofe prize money has let him up in a comfortable little shop in Duke's place, where he breathes the veins and cleanfes the bowels of his Ifraelitith brethren in a land of freedom and toleration, his merry heart is at reft, fave-only when with fire in his eyes and vengeanceon his tongue, he anathematizes the Inquifition, and ftruts into the fynagogue' every fabbath with as bold a fep and as erect a look, as if he was hinfelf High Priest of the Temple going to perform facrifice upon the re-affembling of the fcattered tribes, THE POETRY. And fince below the lash they filent honde What right have we to trample on the Or ftab a lamb because he cannot speak? The driver of a cart is proud to show, is horfe obeys the better for a blow. The generous faithful dog we dare defpife, For we alone were made to mount the fkies; And when his firloin to the board is borne, Forget the honest ox once plough'd to raise our corn. The Dutchman's model in an ant we fee, As beavers in the building of their cell? |