on a scale, divided into inches and lines, the degrees of humidity in ascending, and those of ficcity in defcending. Hygrometers are also made with an end of gut-cord, a a (fig. 12.) fixed on one fide to fomething folid bbb, and faftened by the other perpendicularly to a small crofs bar c, which turns according as the cord twists or untwifts, and fhews, as a hand on the circumference of a dial, the degrees of ficcity and humidity. Others place, (as in figure 13.) on the extremities of the finall crofs-bar, two human pafteboard or enamel figures, whereof the one enters, and the other comes out of, a little house with two porticoes, when drynefs or moisture makes the cord turn: That of the two figures, which the motion of the cord obliges to go out, when the moisture increafes, is made to carry an umbrello. We scarce learn any thing better from thefe inftruments, becaufe it often happens that the atmosphere has already loft a great part of its humidity, before the cord can give us any indication of it. STORY of ALMORAN and HAMET: An Oriental Tale. By JOHN HAWKESWORTH, LL. D. THE HE Doctor introduces his tale with these sentiments: Who is he among the children of the earth that repines at the power of the wicked? And who is he that would change the lot of the righteous? He who has appointed to each his portion is God; the omnifcient and the almighty; who fills eternity, and whofe exiftence is from himself! But he who murmurs is man, who yesterday was not, and who to-morrow fhall be forgotten; let him liften in filence to the voice of knowledge, and hide the blushes of confufion in the duft. Immediately after which he enters upon the tale, the fum of which is as follows: Solyman, the mighty and the wife King of Perfia, had two fons, Almoran and Hamet, and they were twins. Almoran was the first-born, but Solyman divided his affection equally between them. There was a great diffimilarity in their difpofitions, habits, and characters; Almoran was haughty, vain, voluptuous: Hamet was gentle, courteous, and temperate : Almoran was volatile, impetuous, and irafcible: Hamet was thoughtful, patient, and forbearing. Almoran's views were terminated by the prefent objects of pleasure and honour: Hamet's pleasures and pains, hopes and fears, were perpetually referred to the invifible Father of life, by fentiments of gratitude, refignation, complacency, or confidence; fo that his devotion was not periodical, but conftant; while Almoran regarded not God or devotion. Such were the fons of Solyman; when their father died, Almoran, with a tumultuous and impetuous joy, received the tidings, and haftened to accept the congratulations of the courtiers as abfolute Sovereign. Hamet, with modeft grief, came amongst the reft, to pay his duty to his brother, who received him with coolness, and a diftant pride. When Omar, an aged and faithful Counsel lor of Solyman, entered the court, and de« livered the will of Solyman to the brothers, in which it was found that Solyman had bequeathed his kingdom between them, Almoran's disappointment was great; Hamet's behaviour was modest and temperate. Their reflections in private were very different and Omar offered a plan by which their joint government might belt be carried into execution ;-upon this plan many excellent re marks are made, to which the Doctor refers in his dedication, while he finely pourtrays in them the difpofition of the brothers.-Dif appointed in his hopes of undivided empire, and equally disappointed through the fyftem of laws, which Omar had introduced, Almoran refolved, however, to reign abfolute in pleasure; here too he found difappointment; a repetition of the gayeft delights deprived them of all their power to pleafe. Hamet, on the contrary, did not feek pleafure, but pleafure fought him; the pleasures of fenfe were heightened to him by those of his mind, and the pleafures of his mind by thofe of fenfe; he had indeed as yet no wife; (while Almoran's Seraglio was full of them) for as yet no woman had fixed his atten tion. Among the Ambaffadors who came to congratulate the fons of Solyman, there was a native of Circaffia, named Abdallah. He had an only daughter, who attended him; her name was Almeida: She was beautiful as the daughters of Paradise, and gentle as the breezes of the fpring; her mind was without ftain, and her manners were without art. ran back into the room, fuch is the force of inviolate modefty, tho' the fmoke was then rifing in curling fpires from the windows : She was, however, foon driven back, and, part of the floor at the fame inftant giving way, the wrapt her veil around her, and leaped into the garden. Hamet caught her in his arms, the had fainted; he bore her to his apartment. She was covered only with the light and loofe robe in which the flept, and her veil had dropped off by the way. The moment he entered his clofet, the light discovered to him such beauty as before he had never feen; fhe now began to revive; and, before her fenfes returned, the preffed the Prince with an involuntary embrace, which he returned by ftraining her clofe to his breaft, in a tumult of delight, confufion, and anxiety, which he could fcarce, fuftain. She recovered, and, with much tender affiduity, Hamet fought out and reftored her to her father, and, having found that the was difengaged, commenced lover, and determined to marry her, but not before the year of mourning for his father Solyman was fulfilled. He kept the affair of his amour a profound filence from Almoran, fearing his impetuous temper: But it was difcovered to him by some women of the Seraglio; he refolved to fee Almeida; but, not willing to do fo without the confent of his brother, he gained that confent; was enamoured with Almeida, and refolved to enjoy her; but, amidst the conflict of his mind, he knew not what method to purfue. -Thus was he not only without enjoyment, but without peace; by turns pining with difcontent, and raving with indignation: His vices had extracted bitter from every fweet; and, having exhausted nature for delight in vain, he was repining at the bounds in which he was confined, and regretting the want of other powers, as the caufe of his mifery. In this fituation, the year of mourning being completed, he received a letter by the hands of Omar, from Hamet, informing him, that he proposed to celebrate his marriage on the morrow with Almeida. He received the intelligence with the utmost per turbation; and when alone expreffed all the tumult of his mind: When, behold, the palace fhook, a rushing like a blast in the defart was heard, and a being of more than human appearance ftood before him. This was a GENIUS of the middle region: "To thy own powers mine fhall be fuperadded; and if, as weak only, thou hast been wretched; henceforth thou shalt be happy. Take no thought for to-morrow; to-morrow my power fhall be employed in thy behalf. Be not affrighted at any prodigy, but put thy confidence in me." Thus fpeaking, he disappeared. - Hamet was full of anxious expectation for the enjoyment approaching, when faithful Omar was introduced to him. He informed him of what he had discovered, the love of Almoran to Almeida, and alfo of the interpofition of fome fuperior power in his caufe ; advised him of danger, and told him when follicitous what to do," Thou must do what is right. Let not thy foot be drawn by any allurement, or driven by any terror from the path of virtue; while thou art there, thou art in fafety; and, though the world fhould unite against thee, by the united world thou canst not be hurt." Fortified by Omar's advice, Hamet prepared for the ceremony: Almoran was feated on his throne, all the Princes of the court were affembled; Hamet and Almeida came forward. The Mufti was advancing to hear and record their mutual vows; Almoran began to defpair; and Hamet to hope that Omar's fufpicions were vain, when a stroke of thunder fhook the palace, a cloud rofe from the ground like thick smoke, between® Hamet and Almeida, and a voice pronounced with a loud but hollow tone, 'Fate has decreed to Almoran Almeida.' upon which Almoran feized, and after fome tumult prevailed, that Almeida should be torn from Hamet, and borne to his apartments. Hamet and Omar convened the people, and headed the troops; the people were fatalifts, and little regarded their ha rangues: "If it is decreed, faid they, that Almoran fhall have Almeida, and reign alone, who can prevent it? and if it is not, who can bring it to pafs ?" "But know you not, faid Omar, that, when the end is appointed, the means are appointed alfo? If it is agreed that one of you fhall this night die by poifon, is it not decreed alfo that he fhall drink it ?\" This was ineffectual. However, when he began to touch their paffions by their interefts, they heard him more favourably, and with one voice followed Hamet. Almoran was now in imminent danger of lofing all his power, and the more fo, as Ofman and Caled, who had the command of the troops, were difposed to be unfaithful. The Genius, however, appeared to him, and hope was again kindled in his bofom."-Thus concludes the first volume. Divided fway, the God who reigns alone, Abhors, and gives to Almoran the throne. The multitude stood aghaft at the prodigy; and, hiding their faces with their hands, every one departed in filence and confufion, and Hamet and Omar were left alone. Omar was taken by fome of the foldiers, who had adhered to Almoran, but Hamet made his escape. un In the tumult of this feeming accomplishment of his wishes, Almoran invefted Of myn with the highest power; making Caled, his rival, next to him in power and honour. Almeida fuffered all the grief and terFor, which a tender mind might be fuppofed to feel from fuch diftrefs. While fhe was indulging her diftrefs, Almoran came to her. When the faw him, fhe turned from him with a look of unutterable anguish; and, hiding her face in her veil, fhe burst into tears. The tyrant was moved; for “ feeling obduracy (our author very juftly obferves) is the vice only of the old, whofe fenfibility has been worn out by the habitu al perpetration of reiterated wrongs." Almoran ufed every argument, but in vain, to rival his brother, and to win her affection; when he urged the interpofition of the divine power, "Urge no more, faid fhe, as the decree of Heaven, that which is inconfiftent with divine perfection. Can he, in whofe hand my heart is, command me to wed the man, whom he has not enabled me to love? Can the pure, the juft, the merciful, have ordained, that I fhould offer e braces which I loath, and violate which his laws permitted me to make he have ordained a perfidious, a lovel joyless proftitution !"-Enraged and dif. appointed, Almoran left her: In the anguifh of difappointment, he faid, "What have I gained by abfolute dominion! By the caprice of one woman I am robbed not only of enjoyment, but of peace; and condemned for ever to the torment of unfatisfied defire!" The Genius once again appeared to him during this conflict of his mind, and, as he had wifhed for the form of Hamet, gave him a talisman, by which he might aflume the form of whomfoever he would only upon these terms, that, upon him whofe appearance he affumed, his must be impreft, till he fhould reftore his own, There was no doubt whofe form Almoran would affume; yet he dreaded the confequence, left Hamet fhould avail himself of the form of Almoran, However, getting over thefe fears, and having given orders to Ofmyn to admit Hamet to Almeida, in cafe he should appear, he made ufe of the raliliman, and affumed the perfon of his brother, a Hamet, at this time, concealed himself near the city; and, as Almoran affumed his, he perceived himself impreft with the form of Almoran; upon which he haftened towards the palace.-Almoran, in the form of Hamet, going to the apartment of Almeida, was met by Ofmyn, who, mistaking him for the real Hamet, expreffes his utter abhorrence of Almoran, and his defire to fee Hamet on the throne. This is well worked up, and Almoran, who cannot discover his difguife, is wracked with the most poignant diftrefs. He comes, however, to Almeida, who receives him with joy; but, as he preffes haftily for guilty pleafures, the rejects him, and vows to give her hand to Almoran, as he had been fo much mistaken in Hamet. Thus difappointed again, yet happy in the disappointment, the imaginary Hamet retired, purpofing to affume his own form.-Soon after comes the real Hamet, in the form of Almoran : Almeida, who was deceived, perplexes Hamet much, with an account of what paffed. — But, at length, Almoran having affumed his own form, Hamet ftood before Almeida alfo in his own perfon. The doubts and difficulties were then all folved, and the virtuous lovers renew all the tenderness of their love. When behold Almoran enters the apartment, finds them together, boils with rage, and, deaf to the intreaties of Almeida, or the remonftrances of Hamet, orders him to a dreadful dungeon, purpofing immediately to take him off. He was about to call the minifters of death, when again the Genius appears, and tells him, that, though he was free to afflict, he was not to murder his brother. "What then remains, faid Almoran, in the ftores of thy wisdom, for me? Till he dies, I am at once precluded from peace, and fafety, and enjoyment." Look up, faid the Genius, for the iron hand of despair is not yet upon thee. Thou canst be happy only by his death; and his life thou art forbidden to take away; yet mayft thou ftill arm him against himself, and, if he dies by his own hand, thy wishes will be full." "O name, faid Almoran, but the means, and it shall this moment be accomplished." "Select, faid the Genius, fome friend."-Almoran's foul was shocked to think that he had not one friend in whom he could confide: However, by the advice of the Genius, he determined to be his own meffenger, and to vifit his brother in the form of Ofmyn, by the help of his talifman. Accordingly he fecures Ofmyn, upon whom his own form was to be impreft, and goes to the prifon, of which Caled had the guard, the enemy and rival of Ofmyn, in power; whom he had determined to take the the first opportunity to deftroy, not only, as he had committed fome treacherous fecrets to him, but because he hoped to fucceed him in dignity, and alfo was confirmed in his refolution, by the enmity, which inferior minds never fail to conceive against that merit, which they cannot but envy without fpirit to emulate, and by which they feel themselves difgraced, without an effort to acquire equal honour. Almoran, in the form of Ofmyn, came to the prifon, fhewed the royal fignet, as a teftimony that he came with the King's authority; and, while Caled behaved with the greatest deference to him, was admitted to Hamet. He informed him, that cruel tor tures were preparing for him, and that the only way for the unfortunate Prince to ef cape his brother's rage, was to deftroy himfelf, for which end he gave him a poignard, which Hamet feized with gratitude and joy. "Be quick, faid the difguifed Almoran." "I will be quick, faid Hamet, and the figh that fhall laft linger upon my lips fhall blefs thee." They then bid each other farewel; and Almoran retired from the dungeon; and the door was again closed upon Hamet. Caled, who waited at the door till the fuppofed Ofmyn fhould return, prefented him with a beverage which he had prepared, of which he recounted the virtues; the unfufpecting Almoran received it with pleafure, drank it off eagerly, and returned to the palace. While Hamet, in the mean time, grafping the dagger, prepared for the blow: When his mind took the alarm,"Let me reflect, faid he, a moment; from what can I derive hope in death? from that patient and perfevering virtue, and from that alone, by which we fulfil the task which is affigned us upon earth. Is it not our duty to fuffer as well as to act? If my own hand configns me to the grave, what can it do but perpetuate that mifery, which, by difobedience, I would fhun? What can it do but cut off my life and hope together? With this reflection, he threw the dagger from him; and, ftretching himself again upon the ground, refigned himself to the difpofal of the Father of man, moft merciful and almighty, To Almoran, waiting impatiently for the news of Hamet's death, at length came Caled; but, instead of the intelligence which he wished to receive, he only hears the dire information, that Olmyn was a traitor, and that Caled gave him a bowl of poifon, as he came out of the prifon from Hamet! Upon which Almoran ftriking his hands together, looked upward in an agony of defpair and horror, and stabbed Caled to the heart.-In this dreadful moment the Genius once again appeared; and told him, "that there was but one method to preferve his life, by a charm, which Hamet must apply." Almoran with fullen pride confents; the Genius vanishes. Almoran, by the help of his talifman, determines to be prefent at the meeting between his brother and the Genius, whom he begins to fufpect, and accordingly affumes the form of a foldier. The Genius appears to Hamet in the prifon, and exhorts him to ufe a magic charm for his deliverance, against which, Hamet's confcience remonftrating, the Genius leaves him, with the fcroll, to determine for himself. Almoran affumes the form of Omar, to perfuade him not to use it; as the Genius had declared, it would be the means of his brother's deftruction. Thus Almoran was deceived. His arguments prevailed. - For in the language of Omar he faid, "To preferve thy life wilt thou destroy thy foul ?” "O ftay, faid Hamet, let me not be tried too far: let the ftrength of him, who is almighty, be manifelt in my weakness." Upon this he rejects the charm, and Almoran in an extafy of joy received it. As this was only a trial of Hamet's virtue, fhort was Almoran's triumph.- -The Genius once more appeared, Almoran, faid he, to the laft founds which thou shalt hear, let thine ear be attentive! Of the fpirits which rejoice to fulfil the purpose of the Almighty, I am one. To Hamet and to Almoran I have been commiffioned from above; I have been appointed to perfect virtue by adversity; and in the folly of her own projects to entangle vice. The charm which could be formed only by guilt, has power only to produce mifery: Of every good which thou, Almoran, wouldft have fecured by difobedience, the oppofite evil is thy portion: And of every evil, which thou, Hamet, waft willing by obedience to incur, the oppofite good is beftowed upon thee. To thee, Hamet, are now given the throne of thy father and Almeida. And thou Almoran, who, while I speak, art incorpo rating with the earth, fhalt remain through all generations a memorial of the truths which thy life has taught." Such were the events, fays our author concluding, recorded by Acmet, the defcendant of the prophet, and the preacher of righteousness! for to Acmet that which paffed in fecret was revealed by the angel of inftruction, that the world might know, that to the wicked increase of power is increafe of wretchedness; and that those who condemn the folly of an attempt to defeat the purpose of a Genius, might no longer hope to elude the appointment of the Moft High. The The BRITISH Mufe, containing original Poems, Songs, &c. A New COUNTRY DANCE. BEAUX OF St. JAMES'S. Firft and fecond couples right hands acrofs, round and caft off; left hands round with the third couple and caft up; lead down, up again, and caft off, N IMITATION OF AN ODE OF HORACE. Immortalia ne fperes, monet annus WOW fpring begins her fmiling round, Lavish to paint th' enamell'd ground; The birds exalt their chearful voice, Attend, my lovely maid, and know Let not the flatt'rer hope perfuade: The river's filver flood constrains: Yet, when in fnow and dreary froft To lead the dance, to court the fair, Dr |