cord amongst brethren; the bleffings and honours with which virtue is rewarded; the amiableness of forgiving injuries; and the tender joys which flow from fraternal love and filial piety. Different in other respects as your lot may be from that of Jofeph, you have a father, my dear Alexis, who feels for you all the affection which Ifrael felt, and who hopes he has a claim to the fame generous return of gratitude. You have brothers and fifters, who are ftrangers to hatred, who will cherish and return your love, and whofe happiness is infeparable from yours: And you are under the protection and authority of that eternal Being, the God of Abraham, of Ifaac, and of Jacob, who fees, approves, and will exalt the virtuous.*

GOOD

In relating the hiftory of Jofeph, an incident, which reflects the highest honour on his character, has been omitted; because to my younger readers it admits of no explanation, and might wound the native modefty of thofe, who are farther advanced in years. There is a delicacy and fenfe of decency in the mind of an ingenuous youth, which fhields him more powerfully from feduction,

than

A

GOOD-NATURED CREDULITY.

CHALDEAN peasant was conducting a goat to the city of Bagdat. He was mounted on an afs; and the goat followed him, with a bell fufpended from his neck. "I fhall fell these animals," said he to himself, " for thirty pieces of filver; and with "this money I can purchase a new turban, "and a rich vestment of taffety, which I "will tie with a fash of purple filk. The

young damfels will then fmile more fa"vourably upon me; and I fhall be the "finest man at the Mofque." Whilft the peasant was thus anticipating in idea his future enjoyments, three artful rogues concerted a ftratagem to plunder him of his prefent treasures. As he moved flowly along, one of them flipped off the bell from the neck of the goat; and fastening it, without being perceived, to the tail of the

than the best leffons of morality, or the brightest examples of felf-government. This tender fhoot of vernal life, is often injured by improper culture; it fhrinks at the fuggestion of every loofe idea, and is blasted by their frequent and unseasonable repetition.

afs,

afs, carried away his booty. The man riding upon the afs, and hearing the found of the bell, continued to mufe, without the leaft fufpicion of the lofs which he had fuftained. Happening, however, a short while afterwards, to turn about his head, he difcovered, with grief and astonishment, that the animal was gone, which conftituted fo confiderable a part of his riches: And he inquired, with the utmost anxiety, after his goat, of every traveller whom he

met.

The fecond rogue now accofted him, and faid, "I have just seen in yonder fields, a man in great hafte, dragging along with him a goat." The peafant difmounted with precipitation, and requested the obliging stranger to hold his afs, that he might lose no time in overtaking the thief. He instantly began the purfuit; and having traversed, in vain, the course that was pointed out to him, he came back fatigued and breathless to the place from whence he set out; where he neither found his ass, nor the deceitful informer, to whofe care

he

he had entrusted him. As he walked penfively onwards, overwhelmed with fhame, vexation, and disappointment, his attention was roufed by the loud complaints and lamentations of a poor man, who fat by the fide of a well. He turned out of the way, to fympathize with a brother in affliction; recounted his own misfortunes; and inquired the cause of that violent sorrow, which feemed to oppress him. Alas! faid the poor man, in the moft piteous tone of voice, as I was refting here to drink, I dropped into the water a casket full of diamonds, which I was employed to carry to the Caliph at Bagdat; and I fhall be put to death, on the fufpicion of having secreted fo valuable a treasure. Why do not you jump into the well in search of the casket? cried the peasant, astonished at the stupidity of his new acquaintance. Because it is deep, replied the man, and I can neither dive nor swim. But will you undertake this kind office for me, and I will reward you with thirty pieces of filver? The peafant accepted the offer with exultation; and whilst he was putting off his caffock, vest,

and

and flippers, poured out his foul in thankfgivings to the holy prophet, for this providential fuccour. But the moment he plunged into the water, in fearch of the pretended casket, the man (who was one of the three rogues that had concerted the plan of robbing him) feized upon his garments, and bore them off in fecurity to his comrades.

Thus, through inattention, fimplicity, and credulity, was the unfortunate Chaldean duped of all his little poffeffions; and he haftened back to his cottage, with no other covering for his nakedness, than a tattered garment which he borrowed on the road.*

AN EASY AND INSTRUCTIVE EXPERIMENT.

IT

T was a clear frofty day: The fun fhone bright, and the ground was covered with fnow, when Euphronius invited

*The story is faid to have been written by an Arabian author: But I have taken the liberty of deviating from the original, and of making additions to it.

Alexis,