"prefent at your birth, and brought you over, still lives "with me, and upon this occafion may do you signal "fervice."

Meliffa departed, melted with gratitude and elated with hope. The gentleman, to whom the captain's letter was a recommendation, profecuted her claim with fo much skill and affiduity, that within a few months she was put into the poffeffion of her eftate.-Her first care was to wait upon the captain, to whom she now owed not only life, but a fortune: he received her acknowledgements with a pleasure which only those who merit it can enjoy; and infifted that she should draw upon him for fuch fums as she should want before her rents became due. She then took very handsome readyfurnished lodgings, and determined immediately to juftify her conduct to the 'fquire, whofe kindness she still remembered, and whofe refentment fhe had forgiven. With this view fhe fet out in a chariot and fix, attended by two fervants in livery on horseback, and proceeded to his country-feat, from whence the family was not returned: fhe had lain at an inn within fix miles of the place, and when the chariot drove up to the door, as it was early in the morning, fhe could perceive the fervants run to and fro in a hurry, and the young lady and her brother gazing through the window to fee if they knew the livery: fhe remarked every circumstance which denoted her own importance with exultation; and enjoyed the folicitude which her prefence produced among thofe, from whofe society she had fo lately been driven with difdain and indignation.

She now increased their wonder, by fending in a fervant to acquaint the old gentleman, that a lady defired to speak with him about urgent bufinefs, which would not, however, long detain him: he courteously invited the lady to honour him with her commands, hafted into his best parlour, adjusted his wig, and put himself in the best order to receive her: the alighted, and displayed a very rich undress, which corresponded with the elegance of her chariot, and the modish appearance

pearance of her fervants. She contrived to hide her face as fhe went up the walk, that she might not be known too foon; and was immediately introduced to her old friend, to whom the foon difcovered herself to his great astonishment, and before he had recovered his prefence of mind, fhe addreffed him to this effect,"You fee, Sir, an orphan who is under the greatest "obligations to your bounty, but who has been equal"ly injured by your fufpicions. When I was a de"pendent upon your liberality, I would not affert my " innocence, because I could not bear to be suspected "of falfehood; but I affert it now I am the poffeffor of "a paternal estate, because I cannot bear to be fufpect"ed of ingratitude; that your fon preffed me to marry " him, is true; but it is also true that I refufed him, "because I would not disappoint your hopes and im"poverish your pofterity." The old gentleman's confufion was increased by the wonders that crowded upon him he first made fome attempts to apologize for his fufpicions with aukwardness and hesitation; then, doubting the truth of appearance, he broke off abruptly and remained filent; then, reproaching himself, he began to congratulate her upon her good fortune, and again defifted before he had finished the compliment. Meliffa perceived his perplexity, and gueffed the caufe; fhe was, therefore, about to account more particularly for the fudden change of her circumftances, but Mifs, whose maid had brought her intelligence from the fervants, that the lady's name who was with her papa was Meliffa, and that the was lately come to a great estate by the death of her uncle, could no longer reftrain the impatience of her affection and joy: fhe rushed into the room, and fell upon her neck, with a tranfport that can only be felt by friendship, and expreffed by tears.When this tender filence was paft, the fcruples of doubt were foon obviated; the reconciliation was reciprocal and fincere; the father led out his guest, and prefented her to his fon, with an apology for his conduct to them both.

Meliffa had bespoke a dinner and beds at the inn, but fhe was not fuffered to return. Within a few weeks fhe became the daughter of her friend, who gave her hand to his fon, with whom the fhared many years that happiness which is the reward of virtue. They had feveral children, but none furvived them; and Meliffa, upon the death of her husband, which happened about seven years ago, retired wholly from town to her eftate in the country, where the lived beloved, and died in peace.

THE

On Hope.

Exiles, the proverb says, subsist on hope:"
Delusive hope still points to distant good,
To good that mocks approach.

HERE is no temper fo generally indulged as hope; other paffions operate by ftarts, on particular occafions, or in certain parts of life; but hope begins with the first power of comparing our actual with our poffible state, and attends us through every stage and period, always urging us forward to new acquifitions, and holding out fome diftant bleffing to our view, promifing us either relief from pain, or increase of happiness.

Hope is neceffary in every condition. The miferies of poverty, of sickness, of captivity, would, without this comfort, be infupportable; nor does it appear that the happiest lot of terrestrial existence can fet us above the want of this general bleffing; or that life, when the gifts of nature and of fortune are accumulated upon it, would not ftill be wretched, were it not elevated and delighted by the expectation of fome new poffeffion, of fome enjoyment yet behind, by which the wifh fhall be at laft fatisfied, and the heart filled up to its utmost

extent.

Hope is, indeed, very fallacious, and promises what it feldom gives; but its promises are more valuable than the gifts of fortune, and it feldom frustrates us without affuring us of recompenfing the delay by a greater bounty.

I was musing on this ftrange inclination which every man feels to deceive himself, and confidering the advantages and dangers proceeding from this gay profpect of futurity, when, falling asleep, on a sudden I found myfelf placed in a garden, of which my fight could defcry no limits. Every fcene about me was gay and gladfome, light with funfhine, and fragrant with perfumes;

S 3

fumes; the ground was painted with all the variety of fpring, and all the choir of nature was finging in the groves.

At length I faw an innumerable multitude of every age and fex, who seemed all to partake of fome general felicity; for every cheek was flushed with confidence, and every eye fparkled with eagerness; yet each appeared to have fome particular and fecret pleasure, and very few were willing to communicate their intentions, or extend their concern beyond themselves.

On enquiring, I was informed that I was then in the garden of HOPE, the daughter of DESIRE, and that all those whom I saw thus tumultuously bustling round me, were inticed by the promises of HOPE, and haftening to feize the gifts which the held in her hand.

I turned my fight upward, and faw a goddess in the bloom of youth, fitting on a throne; around her lay all the gifts of fortune, and all the bleffings of life were fpread abroad to view; fhe had a perpetual gaiety of afpect, and every one imagined that her fmile, which was impartial and general, was directed to himself, and triumphed in his own fuperiority to others, who had conceived the fame confidence from the same mistake.

I then mounted an eminence, from which I had a more extensive view of the whole place, and could with lefs perplexity confider the different conduct of the crowds that filled it. From this station I obferved, that the entrance into the garden of HOPE was by two gates, one of which was kept by REASON, and the other by FANCY. REASON was furly and fcrupulous, and feldom turned the key without many interrogatories, and long hefitation; but FANCY was a kind and gentle portrefs; fhe held her gate wide open, and welcomed all equally to the district under her fuperintendency; so that the paffage was crowded by all those who either feared the examination of REASON, or had been rejected by her.

From the gate of REASON there was a way to the throne of HOPE, by a craggy, flippery, and winding path, called the Strait of Difficulty, which those who

entered