Nature is fhy, and hates to act before fpectators; but in fuch an unobferved corner you fometimes see a fingle fhort fcene of her's worth all the fentiments of a dozen French plays compounded together—and yet they are abfolutely fine;-and whenever I have a more brilliant affair upon my hands than common, as they fuit a preacher juft as well as a hero, I generally make my fermon out of'em-and for the text "Cappadofia, Pontus and Asia, Phry"gia and Phamphilia"- is as good as any one in the Bible.

There is a long dark paffage iffuing out from the opera comique into a narrow street; 'tis trod by a few who humbly wait for a fiacre, or wish to get off quietly o'foot when the opera is done. At the end of it, towards the theatre, 'tis lighted by a finall candle, the light of which is almoft loft before you get half-way down, but near the door-'tis more for ornament than ufe: you fee it as a fix'd ftar of the leaft magnitude; it burns-but does little good to the world, that we know of.

In returning along this paffage, I difcern'd, as I approach'd within five or fix paces of the door, two ladies standing arm in arm, with their backs against the wall, waiting, as I imagined, for a fiacre-as they were next the door, I thought they had a prior right; fo edged my, felf up within a yard or little more of them, and quietly took my stand-I was in black, and scarce feen.

The lady next me was a tall lean figure of a woman of about thirty-fix; the other of the fame fize and make, of about forty; there was no mark of wife or widow in any one part of either of them-they feem'd to be two upright veftal filters, unfapp'd by careffes, unbroke in upon by tender falutations: I could have wifh'd to have made them happy-their happiness was deftin'd, that night, to come from another quarter.

A low voice, with a good turn of expreffion, and fweet cadence at the end of it, begg'd for a twelve-fous piece betwixt them, for the love of heaven. I thought it fingular, that a beggar

fhould

fhould fix the quota of an alms-and that the fum fhould be twelve times as much as what is ufually given in the dark. They both feemed aftonifh'd at it as much as myself.— Twelve fous! faid one-A twelve-fous piece! faid the other- and made no reply.

The poor man faid, He knew not how to afk lefs of ladies of their rank; and bow'd down his head to the ground.

Poo! faid they we have no money.

The beggar remained filent for a moment or two, and renew'd his fupplication.

you,

Do not, my fair young ladies, faid he, stop your good ears against me-Upon my word, honeft man! faid the younger, we have no change- Then God bless faid the poor man, and multiply those joys which you can give to others without change! I observed the elder fifter put her hand into her pocketI'll fee, faid fhe, if I have a fous, - A fous! give twelve, faid the fupplicant; Nature has been bountiful to you, be bountiful to a poor man. I would,

the

I would, friend, with all my heart, faid if I had it. AGE younger,

My fair charitable! faid he, addreffing himfelf to the elder-What is it but your goodness and humanity which makes your bright eyes fo fweet, that they outfhine the morning even in this dark paffage? and what was it which made the Marquis de Santerre and his brother fay fo much of you both as they just pass'd by?

The two ladies feemed much affected; and impulfively at the fame time they both put their hands into their pocket, and each took out a twelve-fous piece.

The contest betwixt them and the poor fupplicant was no more-it was continued betwixt themselves, which of the two fhould give the twelve-fous piece in charity—and to end the difpute, they both gave it together, and the man went away,

THE

THE RIDDLE EXPLAINED.

I STEPPI

PARIS.

STEPPD haftily after him: it was the very man whofe fuccefs in afking charity of the women before the door of the hôtel had

fo puzzled me and I found at once his secret, or at leaft the bafis of it-'twas flattery.

Delicious effence! how refreshing art thou to nature! how ftrongly are all its powers and all its weaknefles on thy fide! how fweetly doft thou mix with the blood, and help it through the most difficult and tortuous paffages to the heart!

The poor man, as he was not ftraighten'd for time, had given it here in a larger dofe: 'tis certain he had a way of bringing it into lefs form, for the many fudden cafes he had to do with in the streets; but how he contrived to correct, fweeten, concentre, and qualify it— I vex not my fpirit with the inquiry-it is

enough,