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fing lefs refolution than his companions, or not confidering this fort of penance neceffary for the good of his foul, joined himself to the fan-playing party of the young ladies.-Dulnefs and melancholy, vanished at his approach; every word he uttered, produced a fimper on the pretty faces of his female audience; the fimper, at length, encreased into a titrering laugh. Obferving that they caft their eyes to the oppofite fide of the apartment, I judged it was fome object placed there that excited their rifibility; following the direction of their glances, I perceived a Lady with a remarkable pleasant countenance, who had indeed no chourie upon her head, and who was in every particular lefs disfigured by drefs, than any other peifon in the room. I was pondering in my own mind, how this modeft and unaffuming perfonage, could excite the rifibility of the fair group, when a lady who had for fome time ftood near them, apparently engaged in over-looking a card-table, turned round, and addreffed them in the following manner: “When you, my lord and ladies, have fufficiently amufed yourselves in ridiculing the dress of that excellent woman, I hope you will next proceed to her character. You cannot do better, than compare it with your own. I do affure you, her

dress is not fo widely different from your's, as the furniture of either her head or heart. That very woman, with her flat cap and plain petticoat, has an understanding of the firft quality; and a heart replete with every virtue. While the has been cultivating the one, and exercifing the other in the nobleft manner; be fo good as to ask yourselves, how you have been employed? but, perhaps, your obfervations, like thofe of a monkey, can go no farther than the ornaments of the perfon? Then, poor things! who can blame you, for exercifing the highest of your intellectual powers; and for afferting your claim to rationality, though even by the lowest and moft equivocal of its characteristics?"-You have beheld a flock of Paroquets basking themfelves in the rays of the fun, all exerting their little throats, and fqualling and chattering with all their might when, lo! a Cormorant, or other bird of prey has made its appearance, and in a moment, the clamorous voices of the little green-robed chatterers, has been hushed in filence-becoming as mute as the vegetable tribe, under whofe friendly leaves they fought for fhelter.

Such was the effect produced upon the pretty group of Bibbys, by this une: pected harangue; and, I confefs, I par

ticipated fo much in their feelings, that I was not a little alarmed, when the orator turning with a look of ineffable contempt rom her dismayed auditors, addreffed herself to me.-Nor did it greatly tend to relieve me, when I discovered that it was Mifs Ardent, who thus did me the honour of introducing herfelf to my acquaintance. My friend, the philofopher, had faid enough to frighten me, at the idea of holding any communication with a learned Lady. I found her, however, not quite fo formidable as I had at firft apprehended. She, indeed, foon found means not only to reconcile me to her company, but to render it quite charming. She directed the converfation to the delightful fubject of my dear native country! at her defire, I defcribed to her the peculiar charms of the blooming landscape, whofe exhilarating beauties, gladden the hearts of the happy inhabitants of Almora. I painted to her imagination the immeasurable foreft, whose trees have their sky-touching heads overfhadowed by the venerable mountains of Cummow I talked of the thundering torrents which are dafhed from the ftuRendous rocks, and which delighted at their efcape from the frozen North, run to hide themselves in the bofom of Ganga. I told her of the names which

they affumed upon their rout, expatiated on the charming banks which adorned the course of the rapid Gumtry, and of the playful meanderings of the Gurra. I had likewise the honour of explaining to her, the prefent political ftate of the country; it is a subject upon which, fince I have been in England, I have seldom had any opportunity, and ftill seldomer any fatisfaction of converfing. In all that relates to our country, I have indeed found these weftern lovers of science, most deplorably ignorant. You may believe it impreffed me with a very high idea of the superior powers of Mifs Ardent's mind, when I found, that she had paid particular attention to every thing connected with the hiftory or literature of India. But even Mifs Ardent has her prejudices, and I did not find it a very eafy matter to convince her, that the Mahhabaret was fuperior to the Iliad of Homer or that Calidas was a dramatic Poet equal in excellence to Shakespeare. You will fmile at her prejudices; but confider, my dear friend, what you would think of the arrogance of any foreigner, who should have the prefumption to put the works of his countrymen in competition with thofe divine Bards, and you will learn to make allowances for this Lady. She was surprised to hear that I had not

yet been to fee the reprefentation of an English Natac, here called a play, and invited me to be of her party, to see the performance of one the following evening. I was charmed with the invitation; and did not fail in my attendance on the letter-loving Bibby, at the time appointed.

The building appropriated to this amufement, belongs to the King, and is called his Theatre; and to it he fends his fervants for the diverfion of the public. They are not, however, paid by their Mafter, but, like all the fervants of the English nobility, are paid by the vifitors. Nor are they fo modeft as fome that I have feen, at the royal palaces and gardens, who never afked for their wages, until they had gratified my curiofity; but thefe, ftipulated for a certain fum, and demanded it before they permitted me to enter.

My expectations in refpect to the magnificence of the building, and the fplendor of its decorations, were fomewhat difappointed: but upon the whole it is very well contrived, for feeing and hearing the performers.-In front of the ftage is an aifle, larger than that in the church, in which, the people are, however, treated with more refpect, being all accommodated with feats: and I could

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