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prefent young men of fashion, which Thefe, however, I cannot cenfure;

would have difgraced the fervants' halls of their grandfathers. Mr Steevens received the first part of his. education at Kingston upon Thames; he went thence to Eton, and was afterwards a fellow commoner of King's college, Cambridge. He alfo accepted a commiffion in the Effexmilitia on its first establishment. The latter years of his life he chiefly paffed at Hampstead in unvifitable re tirement, and feldom mixed with fociety but in booksellers' fhops, or the Shakspeare Gallery, or the morning converzazione of Sir Jofeph Banks. I have heard of his caprices, of the fickleness of his friendships, and the fudden tranfition of his regards.

for I know not his motives; nor fhall I attempt to analyfe his fenfibilities. But, whatever may have been his failings, I do not fear contradiction when I affert, that George Steevens was a man of extraordinary talents, erudition, and attainments; and that he was an honour to the literature of his country. When Death, by one ftroke, and in one moment, makes fuch a difperfion of knowledge and intellect-when fuch a man is carried to his grave-the mind can feel but one emotion: we confider the vanity of every thing beneath the fun-we perceive what fhadows we are-and what fhadows we purfue." Etonenfis.

IN

YEZZEEZ.-A PERSIAN TALE.

N the city of Oojein,there was a young merchant, named Yezzeez, who a bounded in wealth, and had never yet experienced the damp of misfortune. His days conftantly paffed in mufic and feafting. One day he was enjoying the feftivity of a jovial company, when in the midft thereof a stranger appeared, and fitting down on a corner of the carpet, caft a look of sadness on the affembly. All at once they were infected with his melancholy, and re echoed his fighs. Yezzeez enquired into the fituation of this ftranger, who, though repeatedly queftioned, made no answer. This added to Yezzeez's furprize, and increafed his impatience, and he continued to importune the firanger, who at length faid:

"Although thy requeft might have been with-held, and can do thee no good, yet I fhall comply with it. Know then, that formerly my wealth and poffeffions were great beyond calculation. Having at one time, according to the cuftom of merchants, prepared a valuable affortment of goods, with an eye to profit, I departed for the city of Kinnouje. Several capital merchants accompanied me on the journey. At about four days diftance from Kinnouje, having accidentally feparated from the caravan, I ftrayed into a wilderness, where I had almost loft myfelf, as nothing appeared before me but a frightful defart. In every path

́that I explored from morning to evening, I found no refting place, while at every diftant horrible founds ftruck my car, and I every now and then perceived strange phantoms, which made my heart tremble.

"As the gloom of night advanced, the plain appeared to my imagination as a ftormy fea, whofe billows would fwallow up the fish of the sky. The branches of the trees, beating against each other from the violence of the wind, bowed to the ground, the fand of which, agitated by the ftorm, rofe in waves, fo that you might call them the ferpents of Pharaoh's rod, ready to devour the world. Helplefs, I refigned myself to destruction, and fat down at the foot of a tree, expecting inftant death. Suddenly, the found of human feet was heard, and on turning my eyes that way, I beheld a perfon advancing with great celerity, as if flying on the wings of fpeed. Alarmed, I endeavoured to hide myfelf, and invoked heaven for protection. The man, however, coming up, exclaimed, Who art thou? and what doft thou in this perilous defart alone? Fear kept me filent, when advancing with great fury toward me, he faid, Inform me of thy circumftances, or I will fever thy head from thy body with my fabre. In dread of my life, I attempted to reply, and faid, O valiant youth, be not enraged, for I am a mortal, who by accident being feparated from

my

my camp, have been bewildered in this defart. Have pity upon my forlorn condition; direct me in my paths, that I may join my friends.

When the young man was informed of my firuation, his wrath gave way to compaffion: Recover, faid he, from your fears, and you fhall inftantly be delivered from this dreadful place. Not far from hence is a moft delightful city, whofe fcite, like the gardens of paradife, difpells care, and whofe inhabitants are enchant ing as the dwellers in heaven. It has been from ancient days called the city of Laabutbauz, and I am named Riz waunt, by the happy inhabitants. Haften then, and follow me.

"As I had obferved in the young man the manners of courtefy and an affable behaviour, I gave thanks to heaven, and followed him clofe, till at length we reached the gate of the city, and on feeing its beauty, I fancied myself in heaven, and gazed with aftonifhment."

The ftranger had advanced thus far in his narrative, when fuddenly two wild cats, clasping each other with fury, drop ped from the balustrade of the house into the midft of the company, who were moft attentively liftening. Alarmed at this occurrence, they all ftartled, and the ftranger unperceived vanished from among them. When Yezzeez had recovered himself, he was greatly diftreffed at the departure of the traveller, and that his story was not concluded; perfons ran to every quarter to feek for him, but he was not to be found. Such was the curiofity of Yezzeez to know the remainder of his adventures, as to exceed all bounds, and he refolved on a journey to Kinnouje, against all the remonstrances of his friends and relations. He fet out with a few beloved companions, and in a short time reached Kinnouje, where he explored every part, but found no intelligence of the young man. Day by day he became fo impatient that it wafted his health and his fubftance; his companions left him, and he fubmitted to poverty, diving fometimes into the foreft, and fometimes winding the defart. In this manner he explored many countries, but without fuccefs. Inceffant fatigue reduced his body to a skeleton.

At length one day, as he was paffing over a defart; and notwithstanding all his endeavours could not reach a place of shelter, he met a compaffionate looking

* Phantom play.

youth, who tenderly enquired the cause of his diftrels. Yezzeez, having related his adventures, requested his affiftance to heal his forrows. The youth replied, "Ah, thou fool, what miferies haft thou brought upon thyfelf! Merely upon hearing a tale from an unknown perfon, without examining into the truth or probability of it, to commit thyself a wanderer in the defart, and foolishly to meafure the wind with thy hand, was not wife. Thy difficulties are impoffible to be relieved, fo haften away, and follow thy own policy," Yezzeez replied, "O generous youth, fince, ablenting myself tiom my family, I am involved in a bewildering path, how can my fpirit allow me to return back when advanced half way, without having attained my object? For God's fake, exert thy liberality, and as far as in thy power lend me thy affiftance." The youth rejoined, "Imprudent man, how canft thou, by my affiftance, arrive at the city of Laabutbauz, which has no exiftence upon the face of the earth? Efcape therefore out of this wilderness, and get thee into a place of fafety. Take this ivory fabre, and whenever thou art fatigued and inclined to reft, draw it from the fisken fcabbard, and lay it carefully by thee. When thou continueft thy journey, fheath it, and be cautious not to lofe it." Having faid this, the young man vanished from his fight.

Yezzeez now betook him again to travel, and heedless of the precipices and declivities in his route, with cheerfulnes fubmitted to the toil of walking till evening. He then flopped, and as he had been delired, drew the fabre from the scabbard; when lo! a vaft city appeared in the plain, of fuch extent as fancy could but feebly defcribe. Having retired to a house, he chofe an apartment, and being refreshed with ample fare, betook himself to fleep. In the morning, having girded on his fabre, he refumed his travel in the wilderness, and after having been for many days fupplied with refting places at night by the power of the word, he one day appeared on the bank of a lake, and flopped to quench his thirst. Suddenly, as he was drinking, the belt of the fabre breaking in the middle, it fell into the water, fuck to the bottom, and was irrecoverably loft.

On this accident, defpair poffeffed his mind, and he wandered in the deepeft

diftrefs.

The porter at the entrance of Mahomet's paradise.

diftrefs. At length, he reached a plantation, where he beheld a husbandman fitting on the grafs, who repeatedly lifted up a cup to his lips, while his wife feattered feeds on the foil he had dug. An inclination to affociate with the husband man, arose in the mind of Yezzeez, and advancing a little, he fat down at a diftance. The countryman and his wife, looking upon him with kindness, enquired his fituation; upon which, Yezzeez recounted his adventures, and fignified the object of his heart. The husband man replied, "Ah! beautiful youth, what vain fcheme and idle fpeculation is this? Wander not foolishly in the path of deftruction, but quit this dangerous expedition, for it is impoffible it fhould fucceed. Affociate with us, that thou mayeft repole from the perfecution of fortune." Yezzeez accepted his offer, and refted from the fatigue of unavailing

travel.

As it happened, in this plantation, juft after the breathing of dawn, every morn ing arofe a mifiy vapour, which by de grees 'defcending, wholly enveloped the branches and leaves of a particular tree. Gleams of light then fhone through the mift, and a hand dazzling as the fun, was extended from it. The hufbandman advancing near the tree, in the manBer of ceremonious cupbearers, placed a goblet of fparkling wine on the hand, which for an inftant vanished, and re-ap pearing, gave back the goblet empty. This was repeated to the fortieth cup; after which the hand withdrawing, the vapour began to afcend, and quickly dif fufing itfelf in the air, in less than an hour was wholly difperfed.

After some time, the husbandman having decafion to leave home for a few days, entrufted the care of his houfe to Yez zez, giving him a particular charge to fupply the hand regularly with wine. The imprudent youth, impelled by curiofity to penetrate into the mystery, as he was one morning delivering the cup, rafhly grafped the hand with all his force, when inftantly a noife, more dreadful than the loudeft thunder, fhook the atmofphere, and a bird of monftrous fize Tuing from the mift, feized him in its talons like a fparrow, and mounted into the air above the higheft clouds, then gradually defcending, at length alighted on the pinnacle of a lofty dome, when loofing its hold, Yezzeez rolled over and over like a ball. He at length fell to the bottom of a pit fo dark, that night from $ts blackness might have added to her

gloom. Much as he tried to explore a paffage, he found no inlet to the path of hope, fo that preparing himself for death, he fat down, expecting his fate.

In this ftate, he at length perceived a glimmering of light, and on examining the place whence it proceeded, faw a door which opened to his preffure into a narrow paffage, through which having paffed, he found himfelf in a court furrounded by a high wall. Having climbed to the top, he let himself down by his hands on the other fide, and fell into a net placed below. A man rushing upon him, flung a rope round his neck, and dragged him to the foot of a lofty building, from a window of which a beauti ful damfel looking out, faid to his conductor, To-day's game is very thin, let him be releafed for fome time, til he fhall be worthy our acceptance.' Upon this the man fet him at liberty: when Yezzeez, overcame hy fear and fatigue, fell down fenfelefs on the ground.

On his recovery, he found himself alone in the midst of a barren pain. Suddenly advanced toward him on horfe back an old man, who on coming up enquired the caufe of his diftreff d fituation; and on being informed of his adventures, confoled his forrows, and prefented him with refreshments, on tafting which his ftrength returned, and his ipirits were revived. The old man then having directed him to follow a parti cular path, took his leave, affuring him that he would foon arrive at the object of his hope.

Yezzeez having thanked his generous preferver, proceeded with lightened heart, and renewed ardour. Travelling all night, he arrived by day-break at the fkirts of a city, of moft elegant building. The environs of it were alfo delightful. On every fide flowed delicioufly-tafted ftreams among besis of flowers, as in the gardens of heaves. Yezzeez remained for fome time motioniefs as a statue; and. when recovered, haftened to the city, Oa his arrival at the gate way, he, faw the doors fet with valuable jewels, and the way paved with agate, prinkled over with muk. The paths were clear from foil as the hearts of the virtuous; and the air, like the air of melody, gave re, lief to the forrowful heart. The treets, like the fumes of wine, excited cheer fulness; and the houfes, as he regular rows of an avenug, afforded fealations of ferenity.

While he was meditating and admir ing thefe objects, two young men advan

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eed with speed, and each feizing an arm, conducted him to a fplendid palace. He was then led to a warm bath, and after wathing, being rubbed with perfumes and effences, was arrayed in royal robes, and a splendid crown fet with jewels was placed on his head. From the bath he was introduced in a fumptuous hall, and feated upon a gorgeous throne, befitting the flate of a powerful monarch. The nobles of the empire and officers of fate, like refpectfu flaves, having made the ufual proftrations and kiffed the ground, railed their congratulations to the fkies. Yezzecz remained without power to fpeak, loft in aftonishment and doubt whether he was in a dream or awake.

At length, a venerable vizier informed him that he was in the city of Laabutbauz, the fovereign of which was juft decealed; and, according to the laws of the empire, he, as the firft ftranger arrived, was his fucceffor in the throne, and to be united in marriage to the beautiful daughter of the late monarch; but on condition, however, that he must make no difhonourable attempts on the royal naram. Yezzecz, on hearing this fpeech, was overcome with a joy that cannot be defcribed.

When the fun defcended to the weft, a fplendid throne fet with jewels was placed in the apartment, on which the beautiful princefs, moft richly adorned, fat like a brilliant ftar in the throne of the fky. They fhowered garlands of flowers upon her head, and made offerings of rubies and pearls. When the lucky inftant for the king's admiffion arrived, the attendants withdrew from the - bridal chamber, from the door of which, to the hall of public audience, rofy: cheeked damfels, elegantly attired, lined the way in two rows of dazzling beauty.

When the bride and bridegroom were feated on the fame throne, they feemed as two cypreffes in the fame border, of as the fun and moon conjoined in one fign. The female attendants formed a ring about the throne, like planets round the fun; and having made their obeilance, began to fing and dance, playing at the fame time on various inftruments. The king became fo enraptured at their performances, that he loft all difcretion, and forgetting the vizier's conditions, attempted to kifs the princefs: who, dif fembling her difpleafure, gently rebuked his ardour, and filling a goblet with wine, prefented it to him, which he had no fconer drank, than he fell fenfeless aflexp.

In the morning, on awaking, Yezzeez gazed wildly around, but perceived no ray from the fun of beauty, nor any trace of laft night's feftivity. On the contrary, he found himself in a dreary wild, ftill doomed to the horrors of folitude; again he began to travel, but had not gone far when, to his aftonishment, he fuddenly beheld the walls of Oojein. His difappointment overwhelmed him with def pair, and in this condition he entered his own manfion. Having diftributed the remainder of his effects to the poor, he entered a fociety of devotees, and fixed his abode in a foreft unfrequented by man, where he spent the remains of his miferable life.

This difordered world, of frail foundation, is the abode of vifionary decep tion, in which those enfaared by its temptations acquire only thame and remorfe. It is a ftore of concealed miferies, and thofe who quaff the goblet of its enjoyments, swallow the bitter portion of repentance. Let thofe who give the rein to impatient curiofity and wild de fires, think of the fate of Yezzeez.

The following interesting account of the conduct of the late Sultaun of the Mafore, pending the affault of his capital, and of the particulars of his death, is collected from the teftimony of the Killadar of Seringapatam, and some of the immediate attendants of bis perfon.

THE

HE Sultaun went out early on the morning of the 4th of May, as was his cuftom daily, to one of the cavaliers of the outer rampart of the North face, whence he could observe what was doing on both fides; he remained there till about noon, when he took his usual repaft under a pandal. It would appear that he had at that time no fufpicion of the affault being fo near, for when Ed. Mag. April 1800.

it was reported to him that our parallels and approaches were unusually crowded with Europeans, he did not express the leaft apprehenfion, nor take any other precaution, but defiring the meffenger to return to the Weft face with orders to Meet Gof har with the troops on duty near the breach, to keep a ftrict guard.

(PP)

A few minutes afterwards he was in

informed that Meet Gof har had been killed by a cannon fhot near the breach, which intelligence appeared to agitate him greatly; he immediately ordered the troops that were near him under arms, and his personal fervants, to load the cara bines which they carried for his own ufe, and haftened along the ramparts towards the breach, accompanied by a felect guard and several of his chiefs, till he met a number of his troops flying before the van of the Europeans, who he perceived had already mounted and gained the ramparts. Here he exerted himself to rally the fugitives, and, uniting them with his own guard, encouraged them by his voice and example to make a dɛtermined fland. He repeatedly fired on our troops himself, and one of his fervants afferts that he saw him bring down feveral Europeans near the top of the breach. Notwithstanding thefe exertions, when the front of the European flank companies of the left attack approached the pot where the Sultaun tood, he found himfelt almoft entirely deferted, and was forced to retire to the traverses of the North ramparts; these he detended, one after another, with the braveft of his men and officers, and, affifted by the fire of his people on the inner wall, he feveral times obliged the front of our troops, who were pushing on with their ufual ardour, to make a ftand. The lofs here would have been much greater on our part, had not the light infantry and part of the battalion companies of the 12th regiment, croffing the inner ditch and mounting the ramparts, driven the enemy from them, and taken in reverse those who with the Sultaun were defending the traverses of the outer ramparts,

While any of his troops remained with him, the Sultaun continued to difpute the ground until he approached the paffage across the ditch to the gate of the inner fort; here he complained of pain and weakness in one of his legs, in which he had received a bad wound when very young, and ordering his horse to be brought, he mounted, but feeing the Europeans ftill advancing on both the ramparts, he made for the gate, followed by his palanquin and a number of officers, troops, and fervants. It was then, probably, his intention, either to have entered and fhut the gate, in order to attack the mall body of our troops which had got into the inner fort, and if fuccefsful in driving them out, to have attempted to maintain it against us; or

to endeavour to make his way to the Palace, and there make his laft ftand: but, as he was croffing to the gate by the communication from the outer rampart, he received a musket-ball in the right fide, nearly as high as the breaft: he, however, ftill preffed on, till he was ftopped, about half-way through the arch of the gateway, by the fire of the 12th light infantry from within, when he received a fecond ball clofe to the other; the horse he rode on being alfo wounded, funk under him, and his turban fell to the ground; many of his people fell at the fame time, on every fide, by mufketry both within and without the gate.

The fallen Sultaun was immediately raised by fome of his adherents, and placed upon his palanquin under the arch, and on one fide the gateway, where he lay or fat for fome minutes, faint and exhaufted, till fome Europeans entered the gateway. A fervant, who has farvived, relates that one of the foldiers feized the Sultaun's fword belt (which was very rich,) and attempted to pull it off; that the Sultaun, who still held his fword in his hand, made a cut at the foldier, with all his remaining ftrength, and wounded him about the knee, on which he put is piece to his shoulder and fhot the Sultaun through the temple, when he inftantly expired.

Not lefs than 300 men were killed, and numbers wounded, under the arch of this gateway, which foon became impaffable, excepting over the bodies of the dead and dying.

About dufk, Gen. Baird, in confequence of information he had received at the Palace, came with lights to the gate, accompanied by the late Killadar of the fort and others, to fearch for the body of the Sultaun, and after much la bour it was found, and brought from under a heap of flain to the infide of the gate. The countenance was no ways diftorted, but had an expreffion of ftern composure : his turban, jacket, and fword. belt, were gone; but the body was recognized by some of his people who were there to be Padshaw; and an officer who was prefent, with the leave of General Baird, took from off his right arm the talilman, which contained, fewed up in pieces of fine flowered filk, an amulet of a brittle metallic fubftance, of the colour of filver, and fome manufcripts in magic Arabic and Perfian characters, the pur port of which (had there been any doubt). would have fufficiently afcertained the identity of the Sultaun's body. It was

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