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dim he ftretched out his arms towards Amana, and his countenance was diflorted by an ineffectual effort to fpeak: impenetrable darkness came upon him, he groaned and fell backwards. In his fall the tallisman again fmote his breaft; his form was again changed, and the horrors of death were impreffed upon the features of Ofmin. Amana, who ran to fupport him, when she perceived the laft transformation, rushed out of the apartment with the wild impetuofity of diftraction and despair. The feraglio was alarmed in a moment: the body, which was miftaken for that of Ofmin, was examined by the phyficians; the effects of poifon were evident; Amana was immediately fufpected and by the command of Shomar, who fucceeded his father, fhe was put to death.

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"Such," said the companion of Rhedi, was the "end of Nouraddin and Amana, of Ofmin and Caled, "from whofe destiny I have withdrawn the veil: let "the world confider it, and be wife. Be thou fill the "meffenger of inftruction, and let increafe of knowledge clothe thee with humility.”

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While mine eye was fixed upon the hoary sage, who had thus vouchfafed me counsel and knowledge, his countenance became bright as the morning, and his robe fleecy like a cloud; he rose like a vapour from the ground, and the next moment I faw him no

more.

I then turned towards Rhedi the hermit, chilled with reverence, and dumb with aftonishment: but in the countenance of Rhedi was the calm cheerfulness of fuperior virtue; and I perceived that the fanctity of his life had acquainted him with divine intelligence. "Hamet," faid he, "the voice which thou haft heard, is

86

"the

"the voice of Zachis the genius; by whofe power the "wonders which he has related were produced. It is "the province of Zachis to punish impatience and pre"fumption, by fulfilling the defires of those who wish "to interrupt the order of nature, and prefume to direct the hand of Providence. Relate what thou haft "heard, to preserve others from his power."

Now, therefore, let Virtue fuffer adverfity with patience, and vice dread to incur the mifery fhe would inflict, for by him who repines at the fcale of Heaven, kis own portion of good is diminished; and he who prefumptuously affumes the fword, will turn the point upon his own bofom.

Nc.

No. LXXIV. Saturday, July 21, 1753.

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Ir has been long charged by one part of mankind upon the other, that they will not take advice; that counfel and instruction are generally thrown away, and that, in defiance both of admonition and example, all claim the right to chuse their own measures, and to regulate their own lives.

That there is something in advice very useful and falutary, feems to be equally confeffed on all hands: fince even those that reject it, allow for the most part that rejection to be wrong, but charge the fault upon the unskilful manner in which it is given; they admit the efficacy of the medicine, but abhor the nauseoufnefs of the vehicle.

Thus mankind have gone on from century to century: fome have been advising others how to act, and fome have been teaching the advisers how to advise;

yet

yet very little alteration has been made in the world. As we must all by the law of nature enter life in ignorance, we must all make our way through it by the light of our own experience, and, for any security that advice has been yet able to afford, must endeavour after fuccefs at the hazard of mifcarriage, and learn to do right by venturing to do wrong.

By advice I would not be understood to mean, the everlafting and invariable principles of moral and religious truth, from which no change of external circumstances can justify any deviation; but fuch directions as respect merely the prudential part of conduct, and which may be followed or neglected without any violation of effential duties.

It is, indeed, not fo frequently to make us good as to make us wife, that our friends employ the officioufnefs of counfel; and among the rejectors of advice, who are mentioned by the grave and fententious with fo much acrimony, you will not fo often find the vicious abandoned, as the pert and the petulant, the vivacious and the giddy.

As the great end of female education is to get a hufband, this likewife is the general subject of female advice; and the dreadful denunciation against those volatile girls, who will not liften patiently to the lectures of wrinkled wifdom, is, that they will die unmarried, or throw themselves away upon fome worthlefs fellow, who will never be able to keep them a coach.

I being naturally of a ductile and easy temper, without ftrong defires or quick refentments, was always a favourite among the elderly ladies, because I never rebelled against feniority, nor could be charged with thinking myself wife before my time; but heard every

opinion

opinion with fubmiffive filence, profeffed myself ready to learn from all who feemed inclined to teach me, paid the fame grateful acknowledgments for precepts contradictory to each other, and if any controverfy arofe, was careful to fide with her who prefided in the company.

Of this compliance I very early found the advantage; for my aunt Matilda left me a very large addition to my fortune, for this reafon chiefly, as the herfelf declared, becaufe I was not above hearing good counsel, but would fit from morning till night to be inftructed, while my fifter Sukey, who was a year younger than myself, and was, therefore, in greater want of information, was fo much conceited of her own knowledge, that whenever the good lady in the ardour of benevolence reproved or inftructed her, she would pout or titter, interrupt her with questions, or embarrass her with objections.

I had no defign to fupplant my fifter by this complaifant attention: nor, when the confequence of my obfequiousness came to be known, did Sukey fo much envy as defpife me: I was, however, very well pleafed with my fuccefs; and having received, from the concurrent opinion of all mankind, a notion, that to be rich was to be great and happy, I thought I had obtained my advantages at an eafy rate, and refolved to contiuue the fame paffive attention, fince I found myfelf fo powerfully recommended by it to kindness and efteem.

The defire of advifing has a very extenfive prevalence; and fince advice cannot be given but to those that will hear it, a patient liftener is neceffary to the accommodation of all those who defire to be confirmed in the opinion of their own wisdom: a patient liftener, VOL. III. however,

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