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fure could not be accounted for from any combinations of matter and motion.

I am pofitive I have a foul; nor can all the books with which materialifts have pefter'd the world ever convince me of the contrary.

MARI A.

WHEN Maria had come a little to herself,

I afk'd her if she remember'd a pale thin perfon of a man who had fat down betwixt her and her goat about two years before? She faid, fhe was unfettled much at that time, but remember'd it upon two accounts that ill as fhe was the faw the perfon pitied her; and next, that her goat had ftolen his handkerchief, and the had beat him for the theft-fhe had wash'd it, fhe faid, in the brook, and kept it ever fince in her pocket to restore it to him in case she should ever fee him again, which, fhe added, he had half promised her. As fhe told me this, fhe took the handkerchief out of her pocket to let me fee it; fhe had folded it up neatly in a

couple

couple of vine leaves, tied round with a tendril -on opening it, I faw an S mark'd in one of the corners.

She had fince that, fhe told me, ftray'd as far as Rome, and walk'd round St. Peter's once and return'd back- that she found her way alone across the appenines- had travell'd over all Lombardy without money- and thro' the flinty roads of Savoy without fhoeshow fhe had borne it, and how fhe had got fupported, fhe could not tell- but God tempers the wind, faid Maria, to the shorn lamb.

Shorn indeed! and to the quick, faid I; and waft thou in my own land, where I have a cottage, I would take thee to it and fhelter thee: thou shouldft eat of my own bread, and drink of my own cup-I would be kind to thy Sylvio-in all thy weaknesses and wanderings I would feek after thee and bring thee back -when the fun went down I would fay my prayers; and when I had done thou shouldit play thy evening fong upon thy pipe, nor would the incense of my facrifice be worse accepted

accepted for entering heaven along with that of a broken heart. ovodi n

Nature melted within me, as I utter'd this; and Maria obferving, as I took out my handkerchief, that it was fteep'd too much already to be of ufe, would needs go wash it in the ftream. And where will you dry it, Maria? faid I-I'll dry it in my bofom, faid fhe'twill do me good.

And is your heart ftill fo warm, Maria? faid I.

I touch'd upon the ftring on which hung all her forrows-fhe look'd with wiftful diforder for fome time in my face; and then, without faying any thing, took her pipe, and play'd her fervice to the Virgin-The firing I had touch'd ceased to vibrate in a moment or two Maria returned to herself-let her pipe falland rofe

up.

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And where are you going, Maria? faid I.— She said to Moulines.- Let us go, said I, together.-Maria put her arm within mine, and

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lengthening the firing, to let the dog followin that order we entered Moulines.

MARI A.

MOULINES.

THO I hate falutations and greetings in the

market-place, yet when we got into the middle of this, I ftopp'd to take my last look and laft farewel of Maria.

Maria, tho' not tall, was nevertheless of the firft order of fine forms-affliction had touch'd her looks with fomething that was scarce earthly-ftill fhe was feminine-and so much was there about her of all that the heart wishes, or the eye looks for in woman, that could the traces be ever worn out of her brain, and those of Eliza's out of mine, fhe fhould not only eat but Maof my bread and drink of my own cup, ria fhould lay in any bofom, and be unto me as a daughter.

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Adieu, poor lucklefs maiden!-imbibe the oil and wine which the compaffion of a franger, as he journieth on his way, now pours into thy wounds-the Being who has twice bruised thee can only bind them up for

ever.

THE BOURBON NOIS.

THERE

HERE was nothing from which I had pointed out for myself fo joyous a riot of the affections, as in this journey in the vintage, through this part of France; but preffing through this gate of forrow to it, my fuffering has totally unfitted me: in every fcene of feftivity I faw Maria in the back-ground of the piece, fitting penfive under her poplar; and I had got almoft to Lyons before I was able to caft a fhade across her

Dear fenfibility! fource inexhaufted of all that's precious in our joys, or coftly in our forrows! thou chaineft thy martyr down upon his bed of ftraw-and 'tis thou who lifts him

up

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