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who was naturally jealous and impetuous, exclaimed, with a burst of indignation, "Yes, I fhall prefer him!?! Early the next morning he sent me my discharge; and while I was gazing in ftupid astonishment upon my general's letter, a youth, mafked, brought me a fmall cafket, with a letter from Zara; which, to the best of my remembrance, was as follows:

"To ABBAS.

"By fome unlucky circumftance, which I do not now understand, instead of promoting you, I have been the cause of your difmiffion. The bearer, who brings you a fmall cafket of jewels for your fupport, has my commands to conduct you the fhortest way over the mountains: Follow him immediately, left the rage of jealousy meditate new perfecutions. He wears a mask, that he may not be taken notice of as one of the general's domeftics: His attachment to me will make him faithful to you. Time may bring about happier events. Adieu, adieu! ZARA."

"In the anguish and confusion of my heart, I fol. lowed my guide, without knowing whither he was leading me, or what I was about to do. I vented my grief in broken ejaculations, frequently calling upon the name of Zara, but not once addreffing myself to my attendant. By the evening of the fecond day, we had advanced forty miles fouthward from the province of Lureftan; when-how fhall I relate the last horrid fcene of my miferies!- pardon me !-these aged eyes have yet a tear left, yet a tear for the memory of Zara!-we were at tacked by a band of robbers. My guide was Zara! in her fright the threw of her mask, and cried, "Zara!” Love, rage, fear, and vengeance, gave me fupernatural ftrength: Three of the villains fell by my fabre; a fourth difarmed me; and the rest of the gang carried

off Zara.

At

At this crifis of his ftory, the fpirits of the aged hermit were exhausted by their own violence; and it was fome time before he could proceed.

You have now,' continued he, heard the completion of my misfortunes. When I was recovered of the wounds I had received, I spent fome months in a fruitless search of Zara: At last, despairing to gain any intelligence of her, I transmitted an account of the affair to her father; not without hope, that his power, or his wealth, might be a means of finding her out, and redeeming her: But I was deceived; and had foon the mortification to hear, that the unnatural wretch exulted in our misfortunes, and uttered the moft dreadful imprecations on his only child.

• Deprived of hope, and dejected with melancholy, I could no longer bear the fociety of mankind: I thereføre betook myself to these folitary mountains, where this cell has been my habitation for years, that have paffed away in unvaried forrow; and where you are the first of human beings that have heard me tell my tale.'

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Solyman expatiated on the fufferings of Abbas with the most tender fenfibility, and inveighed against the baseness of mankind with all the rage of honeft resentment. · Surely,' faid he to the merchant, man is the vileft of all creatures! In proportion as he excels them in reason, he exceeds them in the ability to do mischief; and being equally cruel, the mifchief he does renders him more detestable. Sacred Mithra! why doft thou lend thy light to the villain and the tyrant? Were it not for the enjoyment of your company, my friend, I fhould have few inducements to go farther from the valley of Irwan; for poffibly to see more of human life, is only to know more of its crimes and miseries.'.

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From the complicated diftreffes of one perfon,' replied the merchant, you draw a partial image of the life of man. But the day declines: let us haften over these mountains, that we may repose at night in some village of the valley.' .

On

On the Importance of a good Character, considered only with Respect to Interest.

S the minds of men are infinitely various, and as they are therefore influenced in the choice of a conduct by different inducements, the moralift must omit no motive, however fubordinate in its nature, while it appears likely to lead fome among mankind to a laudable, or even a blameless behaviour. A regard to ease, to intereft, and to fuccefs, in the ufual pursuits of wealth and ambition, may induce many to purfue an honeft and honourable conduct, who would not have been influenced by purer motives; but who, after they have once perceived the intrinfic excellence and beauty of such a conduct, will probably perfevere in it for its own fake, and upon higher confiderations.

To those who are to make their own way either to wealth or honours, a good character is ufually no less necessary than addrefs and abilities. Though human nature is degenerate, and corrupts itself still more by its own inventions, yet it usually retains to the laft an efteem for excellence. But even if we are arrived at fuch an extreme degree of depravity as to have loft our native reverence for virtue; yet à regard to our own interest and safety, which we seldom lofe, will lead us to apply for aid, in all important tranfactions, to men whofe integrity is unimpeached. When we chuse an affiftant, a partner, or a fervant, our first enquiry is concerning his character. When we have occafion for a counsellor or attorney, a physician or apothecary, whatever we may be ourselves, we always chufe to truft our property and perfons to men of the beft character. When we fix on the tradefmen who are to fupply us with neceffaries, we are not determined by the fign of the lamb, or the wolf, or the fun; nor by a fhop fitted up in the most elegant taste, but by the fairest reputation. Look into a daily newspaper, and you will fee,

from

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from the highest to the lowest rank, how important the characters of the employed appear to the employers. After the advertisement has enumerated the qualities required in the person wanted, there constantly follows, that none need apply who cannot bring an undeniable character. Offer yourfelf as a candidate for a feat in parliament, be promoted to honour and emolument, or in any refpect attract the attention of mankind upon yourself, and, if you are vulnerable in your character, you will be deeply wounded. This is a general testimony in favour of honesty, which no writings and no practices can poffibly refute.

Young men, therefore, whofe characters are yet unfixed, and who consequently may render them just such as they wish, ought to pay great attention to the first fteps which they take on their entrance into life. They are usually careless and inattentive to this object. They pursue their own plans with ardour, and neglect the opinions which others entertain of them. By fome thoughtless action or expreffion, they fuffer a mark to be impreffed upon them, which scarcely any fubfequent merit can entirely erafe. Every man will find fome perfons, who, though they are not profeffed enemies, yet view him with an envious or jealous eye; and who will gladly revive any tale to which truth has given the flighteft foundation.

Indeed, all men are so much inclined to flatter their own pride by detracting from the reputation of others, that even if we are able to maintain an immaculate conduct, it would ftill be difficult to preferve an immaculate character. But yet it is wisdom not to furnish this detracting fpirit with real fubjects for the exercise of his activity. While calumny is fupported only by imagination or by malice, we may fometimes remove it by contradicting it; but wherever folly or vice have fupplied facts, we can feldom do more than aggravate the evil, by giving it an apparent attention. The malignity of fome among the various difpofitions of which

mankind

mankind are compofed, is often highly gratified at the view of injured fenfibility.

In this turbulent and confufed fcene, where our words and actions are often mifunderftood and oftener mifreprefented, it is indeed difficult even for innocence and integrity to avoid reproach, abufe, contempt, and hatred. Thefe not only hurt our intereft and impede our advancement in life, but forely afflict the feelings of a tender and delicate mind. It is then the part of wisdom first to do every thing in our power to preferve an irreproachable character, and then to let our happi nefs depend chiefly on the approbation of our own con fciences, and on the advancement of our intereft in a world where liars fhall not be believed, and where flan derers fhall receive countenance from none but him who, in Greek, is called, by way of eminence, Diabo lus, or the Calumniator.

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