My author fays, that never voyage was more unprofperous; that they had great storms, which obliged them more than once to put into port to refit, and fometimes were fo becalmed that the ship could not make any way, but seemed almost motionless: but their worst misfortune was, they were attacked by two Turkish gallies, which, but for the extraordinary valour and conduct of Jeffery Rudel, had made them all prifoners. He received, however, feveral wounds, the anguifh of which, joined to his other fatigues, and the more fevere anxiety of his mind, threw him into a languishing diftemper, which every moment threatened diffolution.

THEY met by accident with a fhip bound for the southern part of France, which being so near his own country, he was very much perfuaded by the commander to go on board him, and turn back he alledged to him, that in the condition he then was nothing could be more improper than to profecute his intentions; that probably his native air might be of fervice to him, and that when he was recovered, he might again fet out for Tripoly, with more probability of fuccefs.

Bur all this, though highly reasonable, had no effect. The weak and decayed fituation of his body had no influence over his mind, which, being wholly taken up with the perfections of the beautiful countefs, made him refolute to proceed, whatever should be the confequence.

In fine, he continued his voyage, and no ill accidents afterwards intervening, arrived fafe at his fo-much-wifhed-for port. When he was told, P 2

as he lay in his cabbin, that they had dropped anchor, and were in view of the towers of Tripoly, he lifted up his eyes and hands to heaven, giving thanks, that after all his fufferings, he had the happiness, at laft, of breathing the fame air with that admirable lady he had come fo far in fearch of.

ONE, who was less a lover than he was, would have thought this a poor compenfation, when, with all the efforts he made, he found himself unable to rise out of his bed; but he received much more than he expected, or indeed had reafon to do. The countefs being informed who was in the vessel, and the motive which had brought him there, as well as the condition to which he was reduced, had gratitude and compaffion enough to come and visit him, ardently wifhing, that this condefcenfion might restore him to that health he had loft for her fake: but, alas! he was too far gone; inexorable death triumphed over the pureft love that ever was. His eyes were clofed, as those about him thought, for ever, but fuddenly opened, on his hearing fhe was there : fhe took him by the hand, and, in the fweetest accents, told him he was pierced to the heart to think fo worthy a man fhould have expofed himself to fuch innumerable dangers. "All, all," cried he, eagerly gazing on her, as though he would carry her image with him to the other world," all my fufferings in beholding you are

over-paid." He concluded this expreffion with a fervent kifs on her hand, and in that action expired.

So rare an example of an unfeigned affection muft have neceffarily affected any woman of a

generous

generous foul; but it made fo deep an impreffion on that of this amiable countess, that fhe lamented his lofs as of a lover who had long been dearto her the devoted all that tenderness to his memory, which, had he lived, had rendered him the happiest of mankind. She had his body conveyed on fhore, and buried in the moft fumptuous manner, and erected for him a tomb of porphiry and jafper, intermixed with an epitaph in Arabic verfe;-had all his fonnets and odes curiously copied over in letters of gold;-and, after he had done all fhe could think on to perpetuate his name, fhe took a vow of chaftity, founded a monaftery, of which the herfelf was abbefs, and endowed it with her whole fortune.

I COULD with this ftory had a more fortunate conclufion, and that for the encouragement of fuch lovers as the Provençal nobleman, it had related the triumphs of this marriage, rather than the magnificence of his obfequies; but as the motive of my inferting it, was to fhew the ladies. what influence they might have over the men, by behaving fo as to acquire a character like that of the countess of Tripoly, thofe who wish to be loved as she was, may poffibly become her imi-

tators.

IT is my defign, in fome future effay, to lay down a few maxims and rules of conduct collected from several of the most learned and polite authors of all ages, which, if followed, will well fupply every deficiency in nature, give charms to the plainest face, and render beauty infinitely more confpicuous.

A SECOND letter from Britannicus is come to hand, but the fame reafon which deprived the public of the fatisfaction it might have received by the former, holds good alfo against this; Though fo great a regard have we both for the fubject, and his moft juft and agreeable manner of handling it, that we fhall run the hazard of offending thofe few who may think themfelves too feverely dealt with, in order to oblige the more valuable, and, we hope, more numerous part of our readers, and readily infert it in our next publication; provided he confents to our omitting the prophecy, and the three laft Jines of his fifth paragraph, as well as changing the initial letters of proper names for fictitious

ones,

It will be eafy for him to conceive the neceflity there is of doing this, if it appears in print; and will therefore pardon the propofal, and favour us with his refolution upon it.

A LETTER figned Dorinda, another H. L. and a third Claribella, are all of them received the two firft will not fail to have a place in our next lucubrations; but the other, by reason of its length, must be deferred till the month following, when the lady may depend on feeing the ftory it contains made as public as our channel will permit, and alfo thofe obfervations which fhall occur to us on a mature confideration of the

matter.

IF our opinion fhould happen (as I fear it will) in fome measure to vary from that the fair author is of at prefent, we flatter ourselves fhe will excufe it, on account of that fincerity and impar

tiality

tiality we are determined to preserve through the whole course of these effays.

THE verfes of Simonides do not at all accord with the rules we have prefcribed ourselves ;they may poffibly be more agreeable to the publifhers of fome of our weekly papers. Therefore, if the author has no other copy than that which he fent to us, to prevent him from the mortification of having his wit thrown away, it fhall be left at our publisher's, where, if he pleafes to call, it will be returned, without one word borrowed, or embezzled.

END of the SECOND VOLUME.