As a fpecimen of this work, we fhall lay before our readers this martial-tutor's inftructions concerning love: a paffion univerfally allowed the molt delicate in itself, and at the fame time the most difficult to be conducted with prudence.

• All gentle virtues are acquired,' fays the old foldier to the young one, and grow up to perfection, by frequenting the fair fex, who poffefs them: cherish therefore the converfation of the ladies, which will give you that ingenuous and graceful politeness, from whence affability fprings, without 'which even a man of quality is an intolerable ruftic. Another motive, equally cogent, must attach you to the ladies: a man obtains at court the preference over his equals, by captivating the good will of those who are in credit, and the ladies have a great deal there.-Court the favour of the fair when you begin to appear in the world: extract from them that fweetness of temper, that complaifance, that generous good nature, without which the greatest captain is nothing but a fierce barbarian: take from them the first lessons of the ftrict obedience to which your ftation fubjects you. In humouring them in their innocent caprices, and little oddities, learn agreeably the great art of yielding to circumftan'ces, and over-ruling your own inclination and judgment, in ⚫ order to accommodate yourself to the times.-But furrender your heart to her only whom you fhall perceive to be fenfible to pleasure and commendable glory. The fentiments with which fhe will infpire you will not depend upon time: they will conftantly afford you true pleafures, and help you to attain your end. The lover of fo accomplished a miftrefs will foon become a hero. "A woman, whofe heart is both tender and noble, efteems no lover worthy of her, but he that excels: her choice fhe would have envied and applauded, and would be juftified in the prefent she has • made of her heart by the general voice.'

Thefe doctrines are illuftrated by the following ftory, under the title of a Perfian Anecdote. Among the dancers of the palace, in the reign of Abbas the great, king of Perfia, there was a young maid, named Idris, whom the mafter of the revels, on the report of her charms, had fent for from Caf bin to Ipahan. Her mother being of the fame profeffion, she had followed the fame way of life: but as the honourably diftinguished herself from her female companions, fhe demonstrated that virtue is practicable in every fituation of life, however flippery or dangerous it may be.

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• Scarcely

Scarcely had Idris appeared on the theatre of the capital, but fhe found herself befet by the grandees, who ftrove to please her by the fame means that had won many others in that tation. One exhaufted all his rhetoric in commending her shape and manner, another extolled the form of her face, her ⚫ complexion and the regularity of her features. A third, to give weight to the encomiums he had beftowed on her voice, repeated an air he had heard her fing, and declared his dif• traction to arrive at that grace with which she gave life to the words. A fourth, boafting his fkill and precifion in dancing, exhibited inftantly fome of the attitudes he had ⚫ learnt of her. A first-rate Sir Fopling gave her a list of the pretty women he had deferted from the moment he first saw her. A young Iman, by birth entitled to become a mollah, filently displayed his figure and his drefs. An old fingerer of the public money dazzled her eyes with a diamond of the firft water, and offered it befides, the perquifites of contracts, which it was his cuftom to bestow upon his mistress. An ⚫ officer of the crown made a pompous description of the prefents with which he had recompenfed the friendship of the little Zaki. In fine, every one exerted his faculties and addrefs, in order to gain a preference over his rivals.

But Idris was not to be caught by fuch baits. At the palace, at affemblies, in the public walks, and in all places • the difcourfe turned upon the new dancer: every one talked of her beauty, her wit, and her engaging behaviour; and, which was more than they had ever faid of any other of her profeffion, they agreed in acknowledging her to be very • virtuous. It is the property of none but the most exalted • virtue, to gain respect and admiration among young courtiers. Mahmut conceived an high opinion of Idris's virtue, ⚫ from the extraordinary effect it produced.

Mahmut bore, among the young lords of the court, the • fame character which Idris maintained among the dancers • of her fex; proof against the defects of his equals, and the •vices of his ftation. As foon as he began to appear in the • world, he became fenfible of the ridiculoufnefs of that noify, • obftreperous giddiness, which moft young people of quality • affect; and being happily prejudiced against that idle life he faw them lead, he took care not to follow their example, yet without seeming to condemn them. While their days C were divided between the toilet, the table, vifits, ladies bedchambers, and gaming, he spent the morning in his clofet ." among his books, or with thofe whofe converfation could • inftruct him better. In the afternoon he frequented the ma

nufactories,

nufactories, and working places about the palace; talked ⚫ with the ableft hands in the feveral arts; and obferved with the utmost attention how they proceeded in their works. • In the evening he was at the play, or other public entertainments, which he enjoyed with that moderation that is ever ⚫ infeparable from tafte and difcernment: after which he re• paired to fome of the moft brilliant affemblies of Ispahan, C as well to avoid a fingularity that would have rendered him

odious, as to acquire a greater fhare of the complaifance and ⚫ politeness which reigned in them. Mahmut's wit, and the ufe he made of it, rendered him fuperior to those who were his equals in birth; and befides the advantage of a good figure, and a graceful air, he diftinguished himself no lefs among them by his natural and acquired talents. Idris ⚫ could not behold this amiable Perfian without emotion: she immediately fhunned all her importunate fuitors; and complacently fancying him free from all their faults, the fecretly wished that the beauty which they had fo highly extolled might make an impreffion on him. Her wifhes were met · more than half-way: Mahmut foon let her know that he loved her paffionately, and her answer to his declaration, on ❝ account of its fingularity, deferves to be given entire.

"Doubtless you give the name of love," (faid fhe with a charming smile) "to that which is only an effect of your "tafte for novelty. I will not, my lord, go farther at pre"fent on this head: 'tis your bufinefs to fix my judgment. "I will ingenuously confefs, tho' it will give you an unfa"vourable opinion of me, if you are not the man I take you "to be, that I am not difpleafed at your liking me. But if ever I fee occasion to alter the idea I have conceived of you, "hope not that I shall in the leaft indulge my inclination. I "fhall not take it ill, if you give your heart to a woman more "virtuous than I; therefore do not complain of your lot, if "I difpofe of mine in favour of any man whom I may find "fuperior to you in virtue."

• Mahmut, ftruck with admiration, and overflowing with joy, laboured to rife to fuch a pitch as might oblige Idris to be conftant to him. He applied himself with fresh vigour to acquire the arts and fciences neceffary for a man in his station. He made it his bufinefs to relieve indigent merit, and ⚫ unfortunate virtue. His humanity, generofity, capacity and • modefty, were equally confpicuous, and Idris abundantly ⚫ rewarded him for all the pains he took to please her. Praije 6 grounded on truth, and coming from the mouth of fo charming a perfon, filled the tender Mahmut's heart with joy and

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fatisfaction. He read in the eyes of his charming miftrefs, "how dear he was to her; he talked of his paffion, and defcribed its violence: Idris liftened to him with pleasure, vowed fhe would make him a juft return, and thus animated him to give her no occafion to repent her engagement. In thefe overflowings of their hearts, which none but true lovers can know, and feel all the fweetnefs of, they laid open to each other the moft fecret receffes of their fouls. Mahmut was 6 grieved whenever he took leave of Idris; nor could fhe bear his abfence without à vifible concern: they always parted under the greatest impatience to meet again.

Between two neighbours fo powerful as the grand feignor and the king of Perfia, there can be no long peace: a war 'foon broke out, and Mahmut was obliged to fet out for the army. He waited upon Idris, to deplore with her the dire neceflity that forced them afunder: but while he lay at her feet, he durft not difclofe to her all his grief; the fortitude of the fair-one daunted him; he was afraid of leffening himfelf in her esteem, by difcovering any weaknefs. Idris perceived the fore conflict in his breaft, and loved him for it the more intensely.

Mahmut had not been gone a month when he gave way to his defire of an interview with Idris. He flipped away privately from the army, and with the help of relays, which he had got ready on the road, he was at the gates of Ifpahan before they miffed him in the camp. Alighting at the house of one of his old fervants, he difguifed himfelf in the apparel of a peafant, that he might not be known in the city; and impatient of an interview with Idris, he flew to her •houfe.

• The charming maid was fitting at her balcony as Mahmut was advancing, and knew him, notwithstanding his difguife. Grieved to fee him thus neglect his glory and his duty, fhe ran directly to her clofet, charging her flave to admit no vifitor whatever. She melted into tears at the • weakness of her lover; but foon recovered herself, and wrote • him the following billet.

Idris to the Peafant.

"Friend, I know that thou art to be forthwith at the army. "Call upon Mahmut, and tell him from me, that I defire him "to remember the conditions on which the heart of Idris is to be fecured."

• Mahmut was too much confounded with these few words to afk any queftions of the flave that delivered him the billet.

He

He went back to his domeftic's houfe, to put off his difguife, and fluctuating between admiration, grief, and fear, he repaired again to the army, with as much hafte as he had travelled up to Ipahan. His chief ftudy being to make • amends for the fault he had committed, he behaved with fo 'much ardor, bravery, and conduct, that he was deservedly, promoted to a higher poft, which the king conferred on him, with the most honourable eulogies at the head of the army. • Idris wrote him a congratulatory letter on his promotion, in which, without mentioning his weakness, fhe gave him to understand, that she had forgiven him.

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Mahmut, transported with joy, haftened back to Ifpahan, as foon as the army was ordered into winter-quarters; and liftened to no other confideration, but his esteem for this virtuous girl: he entreated her to complete his happiness, by becoming his wife. Your wife, my lord! anfwered Idris, with a kind of furprize, mixed with indignation: what! would Mahmut forget himself fo far! In difpofing of your heart, you may indeed confult nothing but your inclination; but when the queftion is to choose a partner in your dignity and fortune, you are accountable to those of whom you' hold both. I that am ready to facrifice my life, were it neceffary, to preferve your glory, fhall not be inftrumental • myself in fullying it.

Sentiments like these made the paffionate Mahmut only more preffing. What are those things, faid he, which create fo great a difparity between us? An inftant may deprive me of them; but the dowry which you will bring me, charming Idris, is a bleffing that depends not on men nor fortune. In uttering thefe words, his countenance began 'to be clouded with grief: fresh denials drove him to despair, he drew his poignard, and was going to plunge it into his breaft. The tender Idris could hold out no longer: Ah! ‹ Mahmut, cried she, stop your hand, and live: to-morrow 'I fhall be yours; grant me this fhort refpite. She could not utter more; tears put an end to her furprize, and stopped her breath. Afhamed of her weakness, the broke loose from ' her lover's arms, and withdrew to her clofet, where the foon repented the promise fhe had made.

In the mean while Mahmut was defperate enough to refolye on death, if the denied his requeft: and the maid, wavering between tender paffion, and her concern for the glory ❝ of her lover, foon hit upon a device that would falve both. While fhe was free, notwithstanding the meanness of her condition, she could not give herself to him upon any other

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