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and virtues of an ugly woman, can make little impreffion even on the mind of a philofopher.-My friend coloured, but before he could reply, a loud explosion from the farther end of the room, burft upon our ears, and filled us with momentary terror. In difcourfing on Lady Grey, my friend had forgotten the neceffary management of a retort, which, for want of his attention, burft in pieces. I know not what were its contents, but they fent forth fuch fuffocating effluvia, as, had I not been reftrained by politenefs, would quickly have driven me from the room.

When the fmoke which followed the explofion, was fomewhat diffipated, I observed my friend, ftanding in a melancholy pofture, with claiped hands, and fixed eyes, ruminating on the misfortune that had befallen him. A course of experiments, the labour of many weeks, were by this unhappy accident, rendered. abortive; it was a fubject that could not immediately admit of confolation. therefore, for fome time, preferved the ftricteft filence. Juft as I was about to open my lips with the voice of fympathy, the philofopher, who had never lifted his eyes from the remains of the broken veffel, fuddenly clapping his hands together, exclaimed in a transport of ecitacy, "I fee it! I fee it!Heavens!

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what a difcovery Never was there fo fortunate an accident ?" I was at firft mewhat aaid that my friend's fenfes had received a fhock from this alarming incident; but was happily relieved from ny apprehenfions, on being informed, that the appearances which the matter, contained in the retort, had affumed on its explofon, gave a hint to the philofcpher, for the explanation of fome phænomena hitherto unaccounted for. Io a moment, that fine countenance (and never did Brahma beftow upon a human foul, an adex fo intelligible) which had been fo lately fhaded by the cloud of defpondency, was brightened by the emanations of joy, and irradiated by the fmile of exultation and delight. I was not fufficiently initiated in fcience, to be able to appreciate the value of the dif covery, which gave fuch ecftatic pleasure to the mind of the philofopher; but contemplated with rapture, the wisdom of the immortal fpirit, who when he spread the volume of Nature before his rational offfpring, paffed this unalterable decree: "That to the mind, devoted to its perufal, the corrofive pafficns should be unknown. That it fhould have power to affuage the tumults of the foul; to fofter the emotions of virtue; and to produce a fpecies of enjoyment, peculiarly its

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own!"-Such, O! Maandaara! fuch are the advantages of science!!

According to appointment, I went, a few evenings ago to Lady Ardent's rout. Doctor Severan had the goodness to accompany me; a piece of condefcenfion, which, now that I know what fort of a thing a rout is, I cannot but confider as a very diftinguifhed compliment.

A rout is a fpecies of penance, of which the pious Yogees of Hindooftan never conceived an idea; if thefe people were not the profeffors of a religion which prohibits the worship of the inferior deities, I fhould fay, it was a facrifice to the Goddefs of Fashion; a facrifice not of the joint of a finger, or a toe, as we are here told it is the cuftom to prefent to that Goddess in fome newly discovered countries, but of every faculty of the foul, that diftinguishes the rational from the brute creation. These remain during the ceremony of the rout, in an abfolute ftate of fufpenfion. You may imagine, my dear Maandaara, what a facrifice this must be to people poffeffed of fo much wisdom, and who are fo eminently qua

*It is fuppofed by the Tranflator, that the Rajah here alludes to a cuftom faid to be practifed in Otaheite. See Cook's Voyages.

lified for the pleasures of converfation. What a facrifice! to be deprived of the interchange of ideas, of every communication of fentiment, and every advantage of understanding, and to be doomed to fit ftiffling in a crowded room, during the length of an evening, with no other employment, than that of turning over little bits of painted paper!

It is not furprising, that in fuch circumftances the countenances of thefe votaries of fashion, fhould fo frequently be diftinguished by the infipid ftare of vacancy, or the lowering frowns of dif content. For my part, I could not help pitying them from my very foul; I was particularly concerned for a group of young females, who were placed on a fopha in a corner of the room, and who, inftead of cards, held each in their hand a fmall fan, which they from time to time opened, and again fhut in a very melancholy manner. As I contemplated their fituation, with much compaffion, wondering, whether filence had actually been impofed upon them, as one of the duties of the ceremony, my feelings were effectually relieved by the entrance of three effeminate-looking youths, dreffed in the military habit, whofe pale-faces and puny figures, rendered it a matter of doubt, to which fex they actually be

longed, till one of them being faluted Lord, relieved me from the dilemma. Whether there was any thing exhilarating in the perfumes which these Saibs had plentifully bestowed upon their perfons, I know not; but their appearance feemed to spread a fudden ray of animation over the dejected Bibbys who in a moment began to fpeak to each other with wonderful loquacity; the fans were opened and fhut, with encreafing celerity. The Chouries upon their heads, were with one confent put into motion, waving like the graceful plumage of the Auney, when it carries the messages of Camdeo; and their eyes, which had hitherto rolled with languid vacuity, from one head-drefs to another, now turned their glances towards that part of the room, where the lady-like gentlemen ftood. Two of these heroes, with a degree of fortitude, to which many more gallant-looking men would have been unequal, turning their backs upon the fair creatures, who fo fweetly folicited their attention; fat down at a card-table, each placing himself oppofite to a wrinkled Bibby, old enough to be his grandmother. The young Lord, either poffef

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* A fabulous bird, frequently mentioned by the Poets of India, as the ambaffador of love.

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