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

• All gentle virtues are acquired, says the old foldier to the young one, and grow up to perfection, by frequenting the fair sex, who possess them: cherish therefore the converfa' tion 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. Ano'ther 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 sweetness of temper, that complaisance, that generous ' good nature, without which the greatest captain is nothing but a fierce barbarian: take from them the first lessons of • the strict obedience to which your station subjects you. In 'humouring them in their innocent caprices, and little oddi'ties, learn agreeably the great art of yielding to circumftan

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ces, and over-ruling your own inclination and judgment, in ' order to accommodate yourself to the times. But furren• der your heart to her only whom you shall perceive to be < sensible to pleasure and commendable glory. The senti⚫ments with which she will inspire you will not depend upon ' time: they will conftantly afford you true pleasures, and help you to attain your end. The lover of so accomplished 'a mistress will foon become a hero. A woman, whose heart ' is both tender and noble, esteems no lover worthy of her, 'but he that excels: her choice she would have envied and applauded, and would be justified in the present she has ' made of her heart by the general voice.'

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These doctrines are illustrated by the following story, 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 master of the ' revels, on the report of her charms, had fent for from Caf'bin to Upahan. 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, she • demonstrated that virtue is practicable in every situation of life, • however flippery or dangerous it may be.

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Scarcely had Idris appeared on the theatre of the capital, but she found herself beset by the grandees, who strove to

please her by the fame means that had won many others in that • station. One exhausted all his rhetoric in commending her • shap 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 bestowed 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, boasting his skill and precision in • dancing, exhibited instantly fome of the attitudes he had • learnt of her. A first-rate Sir Fopling gave her a lift 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 dress. An old fingerer • of the public money dazzled her eyes with a diamond of the • first water, and offered it besides, the perquisites of contracts, • which it was his custom to bestow upon his mistress. An • officer of the crown made a pompous description of the pre• sents with which he had recompensed the friendship of the • little Zaki. In fine, every one exerted his faculties and address, in order to gain a preference over his rivals.

But Idris was not to be caught by such baits. At the • palace, at assemblies, in the public walks, and in all places • the discourse 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 profession, 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 • same character which Idris maintained among the dancers ⚫ of her sex; proof against the defects of his equals, and the • vices of his station. As soon as he began to appear in the ⚫ world, he became sensible of the ridiculousness of that noify, • obstreperous giddiness, which most young people of quality • affect; and being happily prejudiced against that idle life he • saw them lead, he took care not to follow their example, ⚫ yet without seeming to condemn them. While their days • were divided between the toilet, the table, vifits, ladies bed⚫ chambers, and gaming, he spent the morning in his closet ⚫ among his books, or with those whose conversation could • instruct him better. In the afternoon he frequented the manufactories, nufactories, and working places about the palace; talked • with the ableft hands in the several arts; and observed 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 • inseparable from taste and difcernment: after which he re• paired to some of the most brilliant assemblies of Ispahan, ⚫ as well to avoid a fingularity that would have rendered him

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odious, as to acquire a greater share of the complaifance and • politeness which reigned in them. Mahmut's wit, and the • use he made of it, rendered him superior to those who were ⚫ his equals in birth; and besides the advantage of a good figure, and a graceful air, he diftinguished himself no less among them by his natural and acquired talents. Idris • could not behold this amiable Persian without emotion: she • immediately shunned all her importunate suitors; and com⚫ placently fancying him free from all their faults, she secretly • wished that the beauty which they had so highly extolled ⚫ might make an impreffion on him. Her wishes 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, deserves to be given entire.

"Doubtless you give the name of love," (faid she with a • charming smile) " to that which is only an effect of your " taste for novelty. I will not, my lord, go farther at pre"sent on this head: 'tis your business 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 displeased 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 least indulge my inclination. I " shall 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 dispose of mine in favour of any man whom I may find " superior to you in virtue."

Mahmut, ftruck with admiration, and overflowing with joy, laboured to rise to fuch a pitch as might oblige Idris to • be conftant to him. He applied himself with fresh vigour to acquire the arts and sciences necessary for a man in his station. He made it his business to relieve indigent merit, and unfortunate virtue. His humanity, generofity, capacity and • modesty, were equally confpicuous, and Idris abundantly ' rewarded him for all the pains he took to please her. Praise grounded on truth, and coming from the mouth of fo charm• ing a person, 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 described its violence: Idris listened to him with pleasure, vowed she would make him a just return, and thus animated him to give her no occafion to repent her engagement. In these overflowings of their hearts, which none but true lovers can know, and feel all the sweetness of, they laid open to each other the most secret receffes of their fouls. Mahmut was ' grieved whenever he took leave of Idris; nor could she bear ⚫ his absence without a visible concern: they always parted ' under the greatest impatience to meet again.

' Between two neighbours so powerful as the grand feignor and the king of Persia, 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 ⚫ neceffity that forced them afunder: but while he lay at her • feet, he durst not disclose to her all his grief; the fortitude ⚫ of the fair-one daunted him; he was afraid of lessening him• felf in her esteem, by discovering any weakness. Idris perceived the fore conflict in his breast, and loved him for it the more intenfely.

• 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 Ispahan ⚫ before they mified him in the camp. Alighting at the house • of one of his old servants, he disguised himself in the ap• parel of a peasant, that he might not be known in the city; ⚫ and impatient of an interview with Idris, he flew to her

• house.

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

• Idris to the Peasant.

"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 iş "to be secured."

• Mahmut was too much confounded with these few words to ask any questions of the slave that delivered him the billet.

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' He went back to his domestic's house, to put off his dif

guise, and fluctuating between admiration, grief, and fear, ⚫ he repaired again to the army, with as much haste as he had ' travelled up to Ispahan. His chief study 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, she gave him to ' understand, that she had forgiven him.

• Mahmut, transported with joy, hastened back to Ispahan, 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! answered Idris, • with a kind of furprize, mixed with indignation: what! * would Mahmut forget himself so far! In disposing of your ' heart, you may indeed confult nothing but your inclination; ' but when the question 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 sacrifice my life, were it necessary, to preserve your glory, shall not be instrumental ' myself in fullying it.

• Sentiments like these made the paffionate Mahmut only more pressing. What are those things, faid he, which create ' so great a disparity between us? An instant may deprive ' me of them; but the dowry which you will bring me, ' charming Idris, is a blessing that depends not on men nor ' fortune. In uttering these 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 breast. The tender Idris could hold out no longer: Ah! Mahmut, cried she, stop your hand, and live: to-morrow ' I shall be yours; grant me this short respite. She could not ' utter more; tears put an end to her furprize, and stopped ' her breath. Ashamed of her weakness, she broke loose from ' her lover's arms, and withdrew to her closet, where the foon ' repented the promise she had made.

• In the mean while Mahmut was desperate enough to re' folye on death, if the denied his request: and the maid, wa'vering between tender passion, and her concern for the glory ' of her lover, soon hit upon a device that would falve both. • While she was free, notwithstanding the meanness of her • condition, she could not give herself to him upon any other

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