H́nh ảnh trang
PDF
ePub

of my felicity, and fource of my mifery; now, as I was long fince but too well informed, hid in the fhades of death for ever from my view."

C

I fee, faid MR. TOUNSHEND, you expect the highest pleasure from the enjoyment of your friend.'" I do indeed-Oh! how fweet at this moment is the recollection of our past endearments-How pleafing the hope of their revival" How vain is fuch a hope :-Him you call your friend is the blackest villain." What do you fay, faid EDMUND? with a look of astonishment and indignation; you certainly do not know him." I should indeed be afhamed of fuch an acquaintance; you may however be affured of what I tell you, that he is the baseft of villains, and the worst enemy you ever had.'" My enemy, exclaimed EDWIN; what do mean? Sure I can read fincerity and benevolence in you your countenance; you would not impofe upon me, nor willingly make me wretched-Oh! for heaven's fake explain yourself." Know then, WILLIAMS betrayed you in the affair of MARIA. Excited by a guilty paffion, and finding her proof against évéry delufive art, he found means to carry her off by force. The letter he brought you was a base forgery. In cafe you fhould be inclined to examine more fully into the matter, as he apprehended you would, he hired thofe ruffians who carried you away in the manner you have yourself related. I need fay no more: this is the truth of the matter; for the confirmation of which, I can produce the most undeniable proof, if you demand it.'-EDMUND trembled and turned pale; a thoufand minute circumftances now rushed on his memory, which tended to shake in fome degree, the confidence he had placed in his friend. MR. TOUNSHEND perceived his diftrefs, and attempted to foothe the agitation of his mind. "May I be allowed, fard EDMUND, to afk you by what means you became acquainted with those circumftances." You behold in me the father of the unfortunate MARIA.' The father of MARIA, cried EDMUND in the utmost astonishment; and can you behold with fuch a placid countenance, the wretch, who has, though unintentionally, been the occafion of her misfortunes?" You was deceived; you was cruelly difabled from difcovering the deception. The lady with whom MARIA refided, continued MR. TOUN

O

[ocr errors]

SHEND, is my fifter; fhe wrote me concerning your visits, and her apprehenfions of the confequences.-The day after receiving her letter, I fet out to fee my daughter; I had not got half way, when I was alarmed with her cries from a carriage which drove past. Fortunately I had brought a fervant along with me, by whofe affiftance I rescued my child. We returned home; I queftioned MARIA concerning your correspondence with her; she gave me a circumstantial detail of the matter, concluding with an account of her being feized and carried off by two men whom she had never feen before, not a quarter of a mile from her aunt's houfe. I was inclined to think this to be a contrivance of yours; and not hearing any more of you, confirmed me in that opinion. It was but very lately I was undeceived; a fevere illness produced a confeffion of the whole affair, from the wretch whom you fondly call your friend.'

"

"Oh! how am I difappointed, exclaimed EDMUND; betrayed by one whom I efteemed my bofom friend—MARIA loft for ever!-Distracting thought-What now remains for me?-Oh heavenly FRIENDSHIP, foul of happiness, where fhall I now find thee? who fhall now lead me to thy abode?" Young man, faid MR. TOUNSHEND, you need not go far to find her-She dwells beneath this humble roof-You have yet a friend.'-EDMUND ftretched out his hand to the old gentleman; his feelings were,too big for utterance; the tear tarted in his eye.-' Look on me as your father, continued MR. TOUNSHEND-I have yet a daughter-Perhaps in her you may find fome traces of your MARIA. EDMUND remained filent, except the figh which burfted from his agitated bofom. MR. TOUNSHEND retired; but foon returned, leading in a woman. "HEAVENS! What do I fee, exclaimEDMUND, the moment he fet his eyes on her-MY MARIASure I cannot be mistaken." You are not, faid MR. TOUNSHEND; it is the herself, though brought indeed by forrow to the brink of the grave, heaven was pleased to restore her to her aged parent, to preferve her as a bleffing to her EDMUND, as the reward of his virtues, as the compenfation of his fufferings.' Sweet was the embrace of love, beyond the power of word to exprefs; the charming MARIA hidher modest face in her EDMUND'S bofom, while the tears of fenfibility flowed plentifully from her eyes. He appeared not now the

fprightly youth fhe had once beheld him-The bloom of health glowed not on his cheeks-Care had filvered over his flaxen locks, and grief had marked his manly counte.nance. A meffenger was difpatched to MR. ROBERTS, who arrived next day. In the midft. of a scene, which difplayed in the strongest, the tenderest manner, the power of parental and filial affection, EDMUND was struck with the appearance of a gentleman who had accompanied MR. ROBERTS; he fuddenly quitted the embraces of his father, and rushed with ardour into the arms of the ftranger-It was MR. DOUGLASS; he had been taken prifoner at MALPLAQUET, but on his parole had returned home, and called at MR. ROBERTS on his way to SCOTLAND. EDMUND was united to his MARIA. Her father removed along with them to MR. ROBERTS, where they were long bleffed with every domeftic felicity and focial endearment. Heavenly peace dwelt in the bofom of EDMUND; joy ever sparkled in his MARIA's eyes. Happiness increased with their increafing years, and diffused his richeft fweets through their rural habitation.

C.

Intelligence refpecting Arts, c.

A new Hydraulic Invention.

THE Committee of agriculture and commerce in Paris, gave a report to the National Affembly on the 3d of February laft, concerning an hydraulic discovery, faid to be made by a M. de Trouville, which is announced in the most pompous terms, by the reporter M. Herault Lumerville, deputy from the department of Cher, as one of the most extraordinary difcoveries that has been made in the present age. "The author, fays he, has devised the means of elevating water to an indefinite height, by a fimple effect of afpiration, of balancing alternately of air and water. His machine is not embarraffed with the apparatus of piftons, wheels and levers. Reflection and practice have lifted up to him the veil, which still covers in many parts, the great law of nature, and has given to him, thus to fpeak, the useful mecha

nifm (la mechanique utile). By the aid of his invention, he can raise enormous maffes of water to heights unknown

99

even to us.

Mr. Lumerville proceeds in the fame ftile of overftrained hyperbole, which is now fuppofed to constitute the quintef fence of eloquence in popular affemblies, to enumerate many other particulars, which a fober philofopher endeavours in vain to comprehend. The fecret confifts, fays he, in understanding better than any other perfon the doctrine of the fyphon. "The author has reverfed, combined, returned upon itself, divided, and fubdivided this fimple instrument; he has become master of it under all its forms, and has drawn from it the fecret of his forces. The inftruments employed are hollow columns, bafons for refervoirs, valves, fometimes compreffive, fometimes fucking (afpirantes).

The air is the inivfible balancer of the whole."

If our readers can form any diftinct ideas from the dif covery thus announced, it is well; for our own part, unless it be on the principle of the fpiral wheel, employed for rearing water in fome parts of Switzerland, by means of alternate portions of air and water in the fame pipe (which is oneof the most curious hydraulic contrivances yet difcovered though no new invention), we can form no idea of it. The National Affembly, however, in confequence of this report, have appointed a committee of their own members, to examine this invention more fully, and to make an estimate of the expence that will be required for conftructing a machine of this kind at large, fo as to afcertain the precife value of the discovery. When this machine is executed, we shall be able, not only to judge of its real ef ficacy, but also to develope the principles of its construction to our readers, which we shall not fail to do as foon as poffible.

18

In the mean while, it is rather an unfavourable prognoftic, that the royal academy of fciences, have declined to give any report in its favour.

[ocr errors]

On the Revolution in Poland,

In future ages, the eighteenth century will make a moft brilliant appearance, when compared at least with those that went before; "Then, it will be faid, was laid the foundation of thofe numerous improve ments, which fo much distinguish the modern times from those dark ages of barbarifm, in which Europe had been fo long involved. True, indeed, the politicians of that æra knew but little ;-The erroneous notions that had fo long prevailed, had warped their judgment to such a degree, that they were unable to reafon with that difcriminating accu racy which has fince prevailed. But they then began to think for themfelves, and to reafon in their own fashion. It was only by following the route on which they then entered, that we have been able to attain to that perfection which conftitutes our highest glory. Let us therefore revere the liberal exertions of our rude progenitors. Though ig norant and unpolished, they are still entitled to our highest efteem."

Such, I doubt not, will be the language of those who fhall live fome centuries hence. Reafon begins to dawn among mankind; and when the reign of systematic error fhall be totally abolished, who can form an idea of the extent of thefe improvements we fhall be able to at tain?

The feeds of this happy revolution, if not first sown in Britain, were first cherished there, fo as to be productive of any beneficial effect. It was in regard to religious fubjects that the human mind firft began to exercife its powers, and to fhake off fome of those fetters that had formerly enthralled it. But flow was its progrefs, and feeble was its force. Truth had fcarcely begun to appear, when it formed a league with error; a baneful coalition was formed, which has retarded our progress, and still will continue to retard it here; while others, infpired by the prospect of what we have done, fhall have exerted their native powers with ftill greater vigour, and left us perhaps far behind. The revolutions that have taken place with regard to government in America and France, may perhaps be fluctuating and unftable; because their political inftitutions may be defective and erroneous. But the grand revolution is that which refpects the mind; and this, if we may judge from paft events, will be permanent and fure. We know of no inftance fince the art of printing was invented, of any nation, in which the individuals had once acquired the habit of reasoning with perfect freedom on every subject, who ever could be again subjected to the dominion of abject ignorance. It is this empire of reafon which I trust will be permanent, because every exertion in the present moment, will tend to facilitate the acquifition of knowledge, which is the only fure foundation on which reafon can eftablish her throne.

Among all the triumphs of reafon over prejudice, that have occurred in the prefent age, that which hath recently taken place in Poland

[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]
« TrướcTiếp tục »