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knew to be an explainer of hard words, I had immediate recourfe to it, and found a Critic to be a man fkilled in the art of judging of literature." What information might I not expect to receive from fuch infallible judges, who, as the fubfequent description informed me, must be qualified, "nicely to difcriminate, and ably to judge, the beauties and faults of writings." -The name of a great author, whose works I had read with fatisfaction and delight, met my ear, and the fire of expectation was inftantly kindled in my bofom. Confcious that I could only fkim the Turface of that ocean of wisdom, contained in the work of this great moralift, I now hoped to fee fuch hidden gems produced to view, as had escaped my feeble fearch: but, judge of my mortification, at being informed only of the fize of his wig!-Both the critics produced a thousand little inftances of the oddities of his manner, the peculiarity of his dress, and the irritability of his temper. But as to the excellence of his precepts, the ftrength of his arguments, or the fublimity of his fentiments-the critics faid not a word!

The name of this author led to that of another-a Poet to whofe verfes Mifs Ardent gave the epithet of charming. Her learned guefts, though, in ge

neral, obfequioufly fubmiffive to her opinion, did not, in this inftance, feem to coincide with her.-But, intead of pointing out the defects of his compofition, they only mentioned the badness of his tafte, of which they gave an irrefragable proof, in his preferring a roasted potatoe to a chefnut! Mifs Ardent, who did not feem pleafed to have the tafte of her favourite poet called in queftion, abruptly turned the converfation, and addreffing herself to me, told me, fhe fhould foon have the pleasure of introducing me to fome gentlemen of dif tinguished talents and acknowledged merit, whose names I had probably heard. -She then mentioned three of the most celebrated writers of the present day, every one of whofe works I had had the advantage of reading with Delomond, in the courfe of our voyage. While fhe yet spoke the Chubdar re-echoed the names of thefe celebrated men; they entered, and paid the tribute of refpect to this patronefs of fcience, who, when fhe was feated among them, appeared in my eyes, like the Goddess Serrefwate, furrounded by the gems of the court of Vicramaditya.

Think, Maandaara! think, what I muft have felt, at the fight of four live authors! You may well believe, that I could not

find myself in the immediate presence of fo many learned perfonages, without experiencing a confiderable degree of agitation. I remained immerfed in filent awe and breathlefs expectation. Surely, faid I to myself, the conversation of men who are capable of writing books, must be very different from that of common mortals!

One of them opened his mouth-I liftened with avidity-and heard-that the morning had been remarkable rainy. -How beautiful is this condefcenfion, faid I again to myself, in one so wife! -The Chubdar again entered, it was to announce that the dinner was upon the table. I followed Mifs Ardent and her fearned guests into the apartments destined for this repaft, where, according to the barbarous cuftom of the country, they fat down to eat at one table, and confined their converfation while they remained at it, to eulogiums on the good things fet before them, of which, in compliment (no doubt) to the mistress of the feaft, they devoured a goodly quan tity. While they were thus employed, I retired to the fopha at the other end of the room, where I contemplated with aftonishment, how much men of genius could eat. At length, the long-protracted feaft was finished, the mangled re

mains of the bipeds and the quadrupeds, the fishes of the fea, the vegetables of the earth, and the golden fruits of the garden, were carried off by the domestics; a variety of wines fupplied their places upon the table-the liquid ruby flowed, and thefe difciples of the poet of Shiraz feemed to unite with him in regard to the fovereign efficacy of the sparkling contents * of the goblet.

The allufion is taken from one of the odes of Hafir, which, as it does not appear among thofe felected by Mr. Nott, for his very elegant Tranflation, we think the following LITERAL one, may not prove unacceptable:

1. The feafon of fpring is arrived, let the fparkling goblet go round!

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2. Seize, O ye youths, the fleeting hour, and enjoy the extatic delight of the company of the fawn-eyed daughters of love.

3 Boy! fill out the wine, and let the liquid ruby flow, for it is it alone that poureth the oil of gladnefs into the hearts of the unfortunate, and is the healing balm of the wounds of the afflicted. 4. Leave the corroding thorns of wordly cares, and the anxiety of ambition, to immortalize the -names of Cyrus and Alexander.

5. Let me indulge in my favourite wine, and fee which of us fhall foon eft obtain the object of his defires.

6. Let mine ear liften to the melody of the lute and the cymbal, and mine eyes be charmed with the fair daughters of Circaffia.

7. Go, O my foul, and give thyfelf to joy, for it is needlefs to anticipate to-day the forrows of to

morrow.

So much has been faid and fung on the infpiring powers of wine, that I anxiously watched its effects on thefe men of learning. But, unfortunately for wit and me, no fooner were the bottles fet upon the table, than the subject of politics was introduced; a fubject which to me, is ever dull and barren of delight. To Mifs Ardent, it appeared otherwife; fhe entered with warmth and energy into the difcuffion, and spoke of minifters and their measures, of the management of wars, and the interefts of nations, in fuch a decifive manner, as proved her qualified to become the Vizir of an Empire.

Not feeing the converfation likely to take a turn to any other fubject, and confidering that the prefence of a stranger might throw fome restraint on the dif cuffion of affairs of ftate, I took my leave; and muft confefs, that I returned from this banquet of reason, not altoge ther fatisfied with my entertainment.

As after having loft a game at Chefs, it is my cuftom to ponder on the paft moves, until I find out the falfe ftep that led to my defeat, fo do I ruminate on the disappointment of expected felicity, till I make a discovery of the fource from which it has flowed. In doing fo, I am almoft

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