the true point of pity is, as they can be earn'd in the world with so little in

dustry, that your order should wish to procure them by preffing upon a fund which is the property of the lame, the blind, the aged, and the infirm- the captive who lies down counting over and over again the days of his afflictions, languishes alfo for his share of it; and had you been of the order of mercy, inftead of the order of St. Francis, poor as I am, continued I, pointing at my portmanteau, full chearfully should it have been open'd to you, for the ransom of the unfortunate-The monk made me a bow-but of all others, refumed I, the unfortunate of our own country, furely, have the first rights; and I have left thousands in distress upon our own shore- The monk gave a cordial wave with his head-as much as to say: No doubt, there is misery enough in every corner of the world,

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as well as within our convent- But we diftinguish, faid I, laying my hand upon the fleeve of his tunick, in return for his appeal-we diftinguish, my good Father! betwixt those who wish only to eat the bread of their own labour-and those who eat the bread of other people's, and have no other plan in life, but to get through it in floth and ignorance, for the love of God.

The poor Franciscan made no reply: a hectic of a moment pass'd across his cheek, but could not tarry Nature seemed to have had done with her resentments in him; he shewed none-but letting his staff fall within his arm, he press'd both his hands with refignation upon his breast, and retired.

ز

My

THE MΟΝΚ.

CALAIS.

Y heart smote me the moment he shut the door- Psha! said I with an air of carelessiness, three several times-but it would not do: every ungracious syllable I had utter'd, crouded back into my imagination: I reflected, I had no right over the poor Franciscan, but to deny him; and that the punishment of that was enough to the disappointed without the addition of unkind language-I consider'd his grey hairs-his courteous figure seem'd to reenter and gently ask me what injury he had done me?-and why I could use him thus I would have given twenty livres for an advocate-I have behaved very ill, said I within myself; but I have only just set out upon my travels; and shall learn better manners as I get along.

THE DESOBLIGEANT.
CALAI S.

WHEN a man is discontented with himself, it has one advantage however, that it puts him into an excellent frame of mind for making a bargain. Now there being no travelling through France and Italy without a chaise-and nature generally prompting us to the thing we are fittest for, I walk'd out into the coachyard to buy or hire something of that kind to my purpose: an old Defobligeant in the furtheft corner of the court, hit my fancy at first fight, so I inftantly got into it, and finding it in tolerable harmony with my feelings, I ordered the waiter

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waiter to call Monfieur Dessein the master of the hôtel-but Monfieur Dessein being gone to vespers, and not caring to face the Franciscan whom I saw on the opposite side of the court, in conference with a lady just arrived at the inn-I drew the taffeta curtain betwixt us, and being determined to write my journey, I took out my pen and ink, and wrote the preface to it in the Defobligeant.

B