poffible, that a fpirit fo regulated as his, could give offence to any. I knew not that contention could be rendered fo fweet and pleasurable a thing to the nerves as I then felt it. We remained filent, without any fenfation of that foolish pain which takes place, when in such a circle you look for ten mi nutes in one another's faces without saying a word. Whilft this lafted, the monk rubb'd his horn box upon the fleeve of his tunick; and as foon as it had acquired a little air of brightness by the friction he made a low bow, and faid, 'twas too late to fay whether it was the weakness or goodness of our tempers which had involved us in this conteft-but be it as it would -he begg'd we might exchange boxes -In faying this, he prefented this to me with one hand, as he took mine from me in the other ; and having kiss'd it-with a stream of good nature in his eyes, he put it into his bofomand took his leave. I guard this box, as I would the inftrumental parts of my religion, to help my mind on to fomething better: in truth, I feldom go abroad without it; and oft and many a time have I called up by it the courteous fpirit of its owner to regulate my own, in the juftlings of the world; they had found full employment for his, as I learn from his ftory, till about the forty-fifth year of his age, when upon fome military fervices ill requited, and meeting at the fame time with a disappointment in the tendereft of paffions, he abandon'd the fword and the sex together, and took fanctuary, not fo much in his convent as in himself. I feel I feel a damp upon my fpirits, as I am going to add, that in my last return through Calais, upon inquiring after father Lorenzo, I heard he had been dead near three months, and was buried not in his convent, but, according to hisdefire, in a little cemetery belonging to it, about two leagues off: I had a ftrong defire to fee where they had laid him-when upon pulling -out of his little horn box, as I fat by his grave, and plucking up a nettle or two at the head of it which had no bufinefs to grow there, they all ftruck together fo forcibly upon my affectionsthat I burst into a flood of tears but I am as weak as a woman: and I beg the world not to fmile but pity me. THE I THE REMISE DOOR. CALAIS. HAD never quitted the lady's hand all this time; and had held it fo long, that it would have been indecent to have let it go, without first preffing it to my lips: the blood and spirits, which had fuffered a revulfion from her, crowded back to her, as I did it. Now the two travellers who had spoke to me in the coach-yard, happening at that crifis to be paffing by, and obferving our communications, naturally took it into their heads that we must be man and wife at least, so stopping as foon as they came up to the door of the Remife, the one of them, who was the inquifitive traveller, afk'd us, if we fet out for Paris the next morning?I could only answer for myself, I said; and the lady added, she was for Amiens. We dined there yesterday, faid the fimple traveller -You go directly through the town, added the other, in your road to Paris. I was going to return a thousand thanks for the intelligence, that Amiens was in the road to Paris; but, upon pulling out my poor monk's little horn box to take a pinch of fnuff- I made them a quiet bow, and wishing them a good paffage to Dover they left us alone Now where would be the harm, faid I to myfelf, if I was to beg of this diftreffed lady to accept of half of my chaife? and what mighty mifchief could enfue? Every dirty paffion, and bad propensity in my nature, took the alarm, as I started the propofition It will oblige you to have a third horfe, faid AVARICE, which will put twenty livres out of your pocket. You know not who he is, faid CAUTION- or what fcrapes the affair may draw you into, whisper'd Cow ARDICE Depend upon it, Yorick! faid DISCRETION, 'twill be faid you went off with a mistress, and came by affignation to Calais for that purpofe You can never after, cried HYPOCRISY aloud, fhew your face in the world-or rife, quoth MEANNESS, in the church or be any thing in it, faid PRIDE, but a loufy prebendary. -But 'tis a civil thing, faid I and as I generally act from the first impulse, and therefore feldom liften to these cabals, which ferve no purpose, that I know of, but to encompass the heart with adamant - I turn'd inftantly about to the lady -But he had glided off unperceived, as the cause was pleading, and had made ten or a dozen paces down the street, by the time I had made my determination; fo I fet after her with a long stride, to make her the propofal with the best address I was mafter of; but obferving the walk'd with her cheek half refting upon the palm of her hand with the flow, fhort meafur'd step of thoughtfulness, and with her eyes, as fhe went step by step, fix'd upon the ground, it ftruck me fhe was trying the fame cause herfelf. God help her! faid I, fhe has fome mother-in-law, or tartufifh aunt, or nonfenfi -- cal |