of my stay in the country, had sleep been a mortal sin, the image of this modest and innocent girl had kept me guiltless. "I returned home very considerably improved. My reading was enlarged with the very important addition of Thomson's and Shen stone's works; I had seen human nature in a new phases; and engaged several of my school-fel the stolen interview, the tender [remaining week I staid I did nofarewell, are the greatest and most thing but craze the faculties of delicious part of their enjoyments. [my soul about her, or steal out to "Another circumstance in my meet her; and the two last nights life, which made some alteration in my mind and manners, was, that I spent my nineteenth sum mer on a smuggling coast, a good distance from home, at a noted school, to learn mensuration, surveying, dialling, &c. in which I made a pretty good progress. But I made a greater progress in the knowledge of mankind. The contraband trade was at that time very successful, and it sometimes lows to keep up a literary corres happened to me to fall in with pondence with me. This improv those who carried it on. Scenes ed me in composition. I had of swaggering riot and roaring met with a collection of letters dissipation were till this time new written by the wits of Queen to me; but I was no enemy to so- Anne's reign, and I pored over cial life. Here, though I learned them most devoutly. I kept coto fill my glass, and to mix with-pies of my own letters that pleased out fear in a drunken squabble, me, and a comparison between yet I went on with a high hand them and the compositions of most with my geometry; till the sun of my correspondents, flattered had entered virgo, a month which my vanity. I carried this whim is also carnival in my bosom, when so far, that though I had not three a charming fillette who lived next farthings' worth of business in the door to the school, overset my tri-world, yet almost every post gonometry, and sent me off at a brought me as many letters as if I tangent from the sphere of my had been a broad plodding son of studies. I however struggled on the day-book and ledger, with my fines and cofines for a few days more; but stepping into the garden one charming noon, to take the sun's altitude, there I met my angel, 66 My life flowed on much in the same course till my twenty-third year; Vive l'amour, et vive la bagatelle, were my sole principles of action. The addition of two more authors to my library gave me great pleasure; Sterne and "It was in vain to think of do- McKenzie-Tristram Shandy and ing any more good at school. The | The Man of Feeling were my bo "Like Proserpine gathering flowers, "Herself a fairer flower-" som favourites. Poesy was still a la consumption; and to crown my darling walk for my mind, but it distress, a belle fille, whom I adorwas only indulged in according to ed, and who had pledged her the humour of the hour. I had soul to meet me in the field of usually half a dozen or more pieces matrimony, jilted me, with pecuon hand; I took up one or liar circumstances of mortificatiother as it suited the momentary on. The finishing: evil that tone of the mind, and dismissed brought up this infernal file, was my the work as it bordered on fatigue. constitutional melancholy, which My passions, when once lighted increased to an alarming degree. up, raged like so many devils, till they got vent in rhyme; and then the conning over of my verses, like a spell, soothed all to quiet! None of the rhymes of these days are in print, except Winter, a Dirge, the eldest of my To be continued. Travels. printed pieces; The Death of An Abridgment of the Travels of a poor Maille, John Barleycorn, and songs first, second, and third, (vol. 3.) Song second was the ebullition of that passion which ended the forementioned school business. Gentleman through France, Italy, (Continued from page 157.) Our next journey was from Vi east side of the Rhone, about sixteen miles south of Lyons. Vienne is undoubtedly one of the most "My twenty-third year was to me an important æra. Partly enne, in Dauphiny, which stands through whim, and partly that I at the foot of a mountain on the wished to set about doing something in life, I joined a flax-dresser in a neighbouring town (Irvine) to learn his trade. This was an ancient cities in France. Its siunlucky affair. My *** and to tuation is not very pleasant, being finish the whole, as we were giv-almost hid and covered with a ing a welcoming carousal to the mountain, and the streets are narnew year, the shop took fire and row and incommodious; but the burnt to ashes, and I was left like neighbouring meadows on the a true poet, not worth sixpence. "I was obliged to give up this scheme; the clouds of misfortune were gathering thick round my father's head; and what was worst of all, he was visibly far gone in banks of the Rhone are exceed ingly beautiful. Its chief manufactures are paper and sword blades; for of the last of which and all sorts of wares in iron or steel, it is particularly remarkable. many remains of Roman antiquities may be found in this city and deliers church, lies buried the famous French astrologer Nostradamus, with an inscription on a stone in the wall over his grave, importing that he had foretold all We proceeded to Valence, which is situated on the Rhone, not far below its confluence with the its neighbourhood. In the CorIsere. It is an ancient city, said to have been built by the Greeks, and afterwards made a Roman colony, who called it Valentia because of its strength. From the Abbey of St. Peter there is a sub-remarkable occurrences.-Before terraneous passage to the opposite we proceed, let us give a short acbanks of the Rhone. In the church count of Provence in general. of the Jacobins they shew the This country was called Probones of a prodigious giant, said vincia by the Romans, being one to be dug up in their monastery, of their first conquests on this side who must have been at least fifteen the Alps, which name, with a feet high. In this monastery they small variation, adapted to the have two small springs, very hot | French language, it retains to this in winter and cool in summer.— day. The air of Provence is temThere are two fountains in this perate in the mountainous part, city, whose conduits are supposed but very hot in the vallies; on the to have been built by Julius Cæsar, coast it is very mild and pleasant, and are vaulted so high that a man having usually refreshing breezes may walk upright in them. Its from the sea. The country has neighbourhood is extremely plea-abundance of corn, excellent wines sant, the hills lying about it on the east side in shape of a crescent, and the Rhone with its delightful meadows opening to it on the west. and fruits of all sorts, particularly olives, of which they make the best oil in France; citrons, oranges, lemons, pomegranates, figs, almonds, peaches, apricots, &c. They have a great many silkworms, which are fed with the leaves of mulberry-trees, and produce a vast quantity of silk. Their rivers abound with fish, but those taken on the sea-coast are remark Having staid a few days at Valence, we continued our journey through the Principality of Orange to Aix, the capital of Provence. This city stands at the foot of a hill, called St. Eutropius, near the river Aix, about 35 miles south-ably delicious. They have also east of Avignon. It is an Arch- plenty of salt on the coast, and a ishop's See, and has an Univer- sort of ashes of which they make sity founded by Pope Alexander, glass and soap. Provence likein the year 1409, whose privileges wise produces a store of saffron ; are the same with those of the and its wastes and mountains are University of Paris. A great covered with a variety of fragrant herbs and shrubs. The inhabi- the great school of music and tants of this country are ingenious painting, contains the noblest proand industrious, and carry on a ductions of statuary and architecvast trade to Spain, Italy, Turkey,ture, and abounds with cabinets of Syria, Egypt, and all over the rarities, and collections of all Mediterranean. Their chief port kinds of antiquities. In this counis Marseilles, to which we now try I proposed to myself great saproceed. tisfaction from the learning of my Marseilles is situated on the tutor, who was an excellent antiMediterranean, about 20 miles quarian, and perfect master of the south of Aix, and has a very safe Italian language. Accordingly, and commodious harbour, but not in the beginning of November we capable of admitting ships above took leave of the kingdom of 600 tons. This city is well for- France, and embarked at Martified, and defended by a castle seilles on board a Tartane bound and two citadels, and for many for Genoa. We had fine sailing miles on the coast there are bea- for three days, till, by contrary cons, to alarm the country on the winds, we were driven into St. approach of an enemy. It is a Remo, a pretty sea-port, belong→ ing to the Genoese. This town is bishop's see; and the cathedral, dedicated to St. Lazarus, who pleasantly situated on the ascent they pretend was their apostle, is of a hill, and the neighbouring very ancient, and said to have country abounds so much with been formerly a temple of Dianna. oranges, lemons, and other deliciThe adjacent country is full of ous fruits, that it is styled the pleasant seats, which, with their Paradise of Italy. It is also regardens and vineyards, afford a markable for its plantations of most delightful prospect. This palm-trees, which in other parts city is considerable with respect of Italy are not to be found. We to its manufactures and commerce, lay in this harbour one night; but for which its situation is very ad- the wind coming fair next morn→ vantageous. ing, we set sail again for Genoa. Etaly. The weather was fine, and the the sun shone bright, when we arrived at Genoa, which, from the Having thus travelled through sea, affords one of the most agree-. the heart of France, we determin-able prospects in the world. This ed to take shipping for Italy, be- city stands partly on a flat, close ing impatiently desirous of view- to the shore, and partly on the deing a country so famous in history, clivity of a hill. The houses are which once gave laws to the as lofty as in Europe; stand very world; and which is at present thick together, and are most of them painted on the outside, so that they make a very gay and splendid appearance. On the roofs of the houses, which are flat, they have gardens of flowers and evergreens; and also in their balco which, if you please, you are at liberty to insert. Αλφα. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH nies. Their lower rooms are dark, OF DEMOCRITUS OF ABDERA, A, D. 361. This philosopher was born at Abdera, in Thrace, and was descended from a noble family, and was the cotemporary of Socrates, Archelaus and Zeno. He made a tour through Egypt, Persia, and Æthiopia, in order to increase his knowledge in astronomy and theological sciences, and after several occasioned by the height of the houses, and the narrowness of the streets; but they are by this means defended from the scorching heat of the summer. Five or six of the streets are of a great breadth, and the houses magnificent, as they are also in the suburb called St. Pietro d'Arena. One street in particular is very beautiful, being as it were, a double range of state-years, returned to his native place, ly palaces from one end to the the other; the fronts of several of which are entirely of marble.— There are also a great many hand- To gain his livelihood, he gave some palaces along the shore on instructions to the people, and each side the city, which gives it recited one of his compositions, a very imposing effect when view-called Diacosmus, which met with ed from the sea. The harbour is universal applause. So entirely was large and deep, but much exposed to the south-west wind, the most troublesome that blows in this part of the Mediterranean; but they have a mole, which pretty well secures their small vessels. To be continued. To the Editor of the Oxford Entertaining Miscellany, MR. EDITOR, much improved in philosophical attainments, but almost destitute of the means of support. he devoted to study, that he spent days and nights in dark caverns and sepulchres; he taught his disciples that the soul died with the body; and therefore as he gave no credit to the existence of ghosts, some youths, to try his fortitude, in masks and black garments, suddenly rushed into his cave, in the dead of the night; the philosopher received them unmoved, and, scarcely looking at them, calmly desired them to cease making themselves such objects of The following I have ridicule and folly. He was reselected from my Scrap Book,markably chaste and temperate, |