Oct. 30. a moment's reflection, this kind of solitude has much altered my principles and my ideas. I have long ago re signed myself to my fate; why fhould I then quit this peaceful abode, to expose myself again to the vicifsitudes of the world?-My lot is cast I fhall die here."

Are you dreaming, replied I come, we have not a moment to lose; the night is advancing.'

"Your zeal moves me but I have only a few days to live and liberty gives me but little temptation. Why fhould I go to enjoy it only for a few days, and dishonour my son all the rest of his life, which may otherwise be long and prosperous?" He has difhonoured himself."

it

Ah! what has his young daughter done? that young innocent is now in the arms of her spouse. I fhould cover both with disgrace, and render the remainder of their lives miserable; Ah, if fate but permitted me to see her, to fold her in my arms, and to bathe her with my tears!— But I am talking to no purpose. I never fhall see her! Adieu--the day begins to break, we shall be heard, therefore I will return to my prison." 'No, said I, taking hold of his arm, I will never suffer you to depart ; long confinement has weakened your spirits is my duty to give you courage, and lend you afsistance. We will endeavour to conceal who you are in the interim my house, name, and fortune are at your service but first let us secure liberty. The world will be igno rant who you are; and the crime of Vildac may be concealed; therefore what have you to fear?" Nothing, I am affected with gratitude :--I admire your benevolent disposition; yet all your entreaties are in vain,--I cannot follow your advice." 'Well, if you rather choose that I fhould leave you here, and go to the governor of the province, I will lay before him your

66

whole story, come with an armed force and retrieve you from the hands of your barbarous and unnatural son.'

(( "Take care that you do not reveal my secret, allow a wretch to die here who is unworthy of seeing the day. light;-I once committed a crime which just heaven has ordained that I fhould expiate; the most horrid, most inhuman deed. Turn your eyes towards that door, and behold upon the wainscoat and upon the wall, faint traces of blood. That blood was once my father's; you see before you his afsafsin. Like Vildac my ungovernable ambition overcame me.

Ah, my ima

there he

gination still paints him before my eyes
stretched out his bloody arms towards me; he wished
to stop my polluted hands; he falls, oh frightful image,
oh despair."

At the same time the old man fell down upon the
ground, tore his hair, and was in dreadful convulsions; I
saw he dared not to look me in the face; I remained'
motionless for a while. After some moments of silence
we thought we heard a noise. The day began to break;
he arose. "You are penetrated with horror, said he, adieu.
I fhall go up to the tower, from whence I fhall never
more return." I remained for a while mute and motion-
lefs every thing I had seen and heard in this castle im-
prefsed my mind with horror
therefore the

sooner I left it the better. I am preparing to go and stay in another of my estates, for I can neither see Vildac nor live near him. O, my friend, how is it possible that the human race can produce such unnatural mons

ters.

This adventure happened in Provence ginning of this century; before it was found necefsary to disguise the names.

As many young gentlemen are just now about to sail for India, the following directions are inserted at this time.

A MEMORANDUM given by Dr. Walker, professor of natural history, Edinburgh, to a young gentleman going to India, with some additions.

1: To be provided with a good Farenheit's thermometer, inclosed in a glass tube, that can be laid in water, for taking the heat of the sea in different latitudes, and especially for taking the heat of springs in India wherever you can meet with them.

2. To be careful to pick up at sea, all sea-weeds and marine animals that come within reach of the ship, and to dry and preserve them in paper or otherwise.

3. To be attentive to all birds that are to be seen from the ship; to mark the English or other names by which they are known among the sailors, and the latitudes where they first appear and disappear.

4. To keep a regular journal from day to day, including the above, and all other observations in natural history that may occur,-particularly any remarkable appearances in the weather, respecting the winds, rains, thunder and lightning, calms, tornadoes, whirlwinds, or waterspouts.

5. To notice the alterations in the colour of the sea, and if pofsible the causes from whence they proceed; especially the colour proceeding from minute animals, with a description of these animals.

6. On approaching the Cape of Good Hope, the Cape pigeons, or pintado birds, are numerous it would be worth while, if opportunity offers, to preserve one or two of them by stuffing their fkins, and to mark at what di

stance from the Cape they are first seen, and when they

first disappear.

7 The head, jaws, or teeth, of the different species of fharks that may be caught upon the voyage to be

ved:

8. Also the different flying fishes.

perser

9. It is much to be wished, that one of the small fishes which always accompany the blue shark, called the pilotfish, might be caught and preserved.

10. Wherever the cable or sounding line is used, it fhould be carefully examined when hove into the ship, as there are frequently found curious animals adhering to both.

II. Between the Cape and Madagascar, and in other parts of the India voyage, various sea-animals can be easily taken on board, such as what the sailors call Portuguese men of war, and others, to be preserved, if possible, in paper or in spirits.

12. If the ship touches either at Madagascar or the island of Johanna, there are many curious fofsils, plants, and animals which may be preserved.

13. At Bombay many interesting articles may be obtained, which are thère articles of commerce from Surat and the Gulph of Persia :-Drugs, the different gums and resins, the largest pearl oysters, or mother of pearl, and tortoise fhells: the sandalum album, or white sandal wood, and ebony the fine red Persian ochre, called at Bombay Indian rea: the skins of the zebra, Persian lamb-fkins, jackall, leopard, panthers, and other Asiatic quadrupeds; also the horns, and if possible the heads, of the different antelopes and gazelles.

14. At Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta, to collect specimens of every fofsil even of the most common, that come within reach. To visit often the shops of the lapi

daries, where all the finest lethidia, chalcedony, cornelian, onyx, sardonyx, agate, mocho, &c. are cut in great quantities, and sold very cheap..

15. To inquire at Madras concerning the new cochineal discovered by Dr Anderson, and to preserve and send home, the species of grafs on which it feeds.

16. At Calcutta to preserve good specimens with the flower, of all the important plants of the country, and as much of their history as pofsible.

17. To be attentive especially to all the productions of China which may be brought there, whether fofsil, vegetable, or animal.

18. To collect at Calcutta, fhells, corals, corallines, sponges, and other fine marine productions which are brought there from all parts of India.

19. To collect all the fine insects, wherever they occur. Fine collections are to be purchased at an easy rate. I fhould particularly recommend preserving them in paper books, in preference to preserving them loose, or upon pins. The fresh insect may be placed in folds of paper, and prefsed for a day or two with a sufficient weight, when they will be dry and sufficiently prepared; even those which have been preserved on pins, when put for two minutes in spirits, may then be prefsed and dryed in the same manner.

20. To inquire particularly at Calcutta concerning the great quadruped, called by the English, a bufalo, but by the natives the arnee*. It does not come lower upon the Ganges, than about the plain of Plafsey. It is said to be about fourteen feet high, and is a superb animal, whose

* See an account of this animal Bee vol. xii. p. 193.