ftrain their tears, when they compared the defart barren plains through which they paffed, with the fertile, and delightful regions of Valentia. It afforded them however no fmall confolation in their diftrefs, to reflect that, as the dread which they had entertained of being murdered by the way, had proved groundless, they had now found a Prince of their own religion, disposed to grant them his protection. Upon their arrival at Tremezan, they were fuffered to retain all their wealth, which they had brought with them, and admitted to all the fame liberties, and privileges, as the natives of the place. [To be concluded in our next.]

EXTRACT of a private LETTER received by the HAWKE, lately arrived from INDIA.

IN

N the laft war, Major Gowdie had been Tippoo's prifoner, and was confined, with many other gentlemen, in Bangalore, where they fuffered every species of infult, hardship and barbarity. A humane and beneficent butcher, whose business led him often to their prifon, faw and felt for their fufferings; they had been ftripped of their clothes, and robbed of their money, before they were confined.

It would have coft the butcher his ears, perhaps his life, had he discovered any symptoms of pity for the prifoners before his countrymen.. They were allowed only one feer of rice, and a piece, or halfpenny per day, for their fubfiftence; but the butcher continued to relieve their neceffities. Upon opening the sheeps' heads, which they frequently bought from him as food, they were aftonished to find pagodas in the brains. Upon paffing the yard of their prifon, he often gave them abufive language, and threw balls of clay or dirt at them, to testify his hatred and contempt; but, upon breaking the balls, they always found that they contained a fupply of money for their relief, and this he did frequently for a long series of time.

3

Major

Major Gowdie had not long, entered the breach lately in Bangalore, when he faw and recollected his friend the butcher; he ran with eagerness to embrace him, faved him from the carnage, and led him to a place of fafety. The tranfports of the two generous fpirits, at their meeting, gave the moft pleafing fenfations to all who beheld them; it foftened the rage of the foldiers, and made the thirft of blood give way to the emotions of humanity.

THE

HOSPITALITY

REWARDED.

HE Czar Ivan, who reigned over Ruffia about the middle of the fixteenth century, frequently went out difguifed, i in order to difcover the opinion which the people entertained of his adminiftration. One day, in a folitary walk, near Moftow, he entered a fmall village, and pretending to be overcome by fatigue, implored relief from feveral of the inhabitants. His drefs was ragged: his appearance mean; and what ought to have excited the compaflion of the villagers, and enfured his reception, was productive of refufal. Full of indignation at fuch inhuman treatment, he was juft going to leave the place, when he perceived another habitation, to which he had not yet applied for affiflance. It was the pooreft cottage in the village. The Emperor haftened to this, and knocking at the door, a peafant opened it, and afked him what he wanted.—" I am almost dying with fatigue and hun-' ger,", anfwered the Czar; "can you give me a lodging for one night?"—"Alas!" faid the peafant, taking him by the hand,

you

poor

fare :

will have but you are come at an unlucky time; my wife is in labour; her cries will not let you fleep: but come in; come in ; you will at least be fheltered from the cold; and fuch as we have you fhall be welcome to." The peafant then made the Czar enter a little room, full of VOL. XV. children;

Ee

children; in a cradle were two infants fleeping foundly! A girl three years old was fleeping on a' rug near the cradle; while her two fifters, the one five years old, the other almost féven, were on their knees, crying, and praying to God for their mother, who was in a room adjoining, and whofe piteons plaints and groans were diftinctly heard" Stay here," faid' the peasant to the Emperor. "I will go, and get fomething for your fupper."

He went out, and foon returned with fome black bread, eggs, and honey." You fee all I can gîve you," said the peafant; "partake of it with my children. I muft go and affift my wife." Your hofpitality," faid the Czar, “must bring down bleffings upon your houfe; I am fure God will reward your goodness."-" Pray to God, my good friend,” replied the peafant, " pray to God Almighty, that she may have a fafe delivery: That is all I wish for "-" And is that all you wish to make you happy?"-" Happy! judge for yourself; I have five fine children; a dear wife that loves me; a father and mother both in good health; and my labour is fufficient to maintain them all."-" Do your father and mother live with you ?"-Certainly; they are in the next room with my wife."" But your cottage here is fo very fmall !"-" It is large enough; it can hold us all."

The good peasant then went to his wife, who in about an hour after was happily delivered. Her husband in a transport of joy, brought the child to the Czar: "Look," faid he, "Look: this is the fixth fhe has brought me! May God preserve him as he has done my others !"-The Czar, fenfibly af. fected at this scene, took the infant in his arms: "I know," faid he, "from the phyfiognomy of this child, that he will be quite fortunate. He will arrive, I am certain, at preferment." The peafant fmiled at the prediction; and at that inftant, the two eldest girls came to kiss their new born brother, and their grand-mother came alfo to take him back. The little

ones followed her; and the peafant, laying himfelf down upon his bed of ftraw, invited the ftranger to do the fame.

In a moment, the peasant was in a found and peaceful fleep; but the Czar, fitting up, looked around, and contemplated every thing with an eye of tenderness and emotion,The fleeping children, and their fleeping father. An undisturbed filence reigned in the cottage." What a happy chaẩm ! What delightful tranquility!" Said the Emperor: "Avarice and ambition, fufpicion and remorse, never enter here. How fweet is the fleep of innocence !"-In fuch reflections, and on fuch a bed, did the mighty Emperor of the Ruffias fpend the night! The peafant awoke at the break of day, and his gueft, taking leave of him, faid, "I muft return to Mofcow, my friend; I am acquainted there with a very benevolent man, to whom I fhall take care to mention your kind treatment of me. I can prevail upon him to stand godfather to your child. Promise me, therefore, that you will wait for me, that I may be present at the christening; I will be back in three hours at the fartheft."—The peafant did not think much of this mighty promise; but in the good nature of his heart, he confented, however, to the stranger's request.

The Czar immediately took his leave: the three hours were foon gone; and nobody appeared. The peafant, therefore, followed by his family, was preparing to carry his child to church; but as he was leaving his cottage, he heard, on a fud. den, the trampling of horses, and the rattling of many coaches. He knew the Imperial guards, and inftantly called his family to come and fee the Emperor go by. hurry; and ftood before their door. carriages, foon formed a circular line; coach of the Czar ftopped, oppofite the peafant's door. The Guards kept back the crowd, which the hopes of feeing their fovereign had collected together. The coach door was opened; the Czar alighted; and advancing to his hoft, thus addressed him : I promised you a god-father; I am come E e 2

They all ran out in a The horses, men, and and at laft, the state

to fulfil my promise: give me your child, and follow me to church."The peafant flood like a ftatue; now looking at the Emperor with the mingled emotions of aftonishment and joy; now obferving his magnificent robes, and the coftly jewels with which they were adorned; and now turning to'a crowd of nobles that furrounded him. In this profufion of pomp he could not difcover the poor ftranger, who lay all night with him upon ftraw.

The Emperor, for fome moments, filently enjoyed his perplexity, and then addreffed him thus; “Yesterday you performed the duties of humanity: to-day I am come to discharge the most delightful duty of a Sovereign, that of recompensing virtue. I shall not remove you from a situation to which you do fo much honour, and the innocence and tranquility of which I envy-But I will beftow upon you fuch things as may be ufeful to you. You fhall have numerous flocks, rich paftures, and a houfe that will enable you to exercife the duties of hofpitality with pleasure.-Your new-born child fhall become my ward; for you may remember, continued the Emperor, fmiling, that I prophefied he would be fortunate."

The good peafant could not fpeak; but with tears of senfibility in his eyes, he ran inftantly to fetch the child, brought him to the Emperor, and laid him refpectfully at his feet. This excellent Sovereign was quite affected; he took the child in his arms, and carried him himself to church, and, after the ceremony was over, unwilling to deprive him of his mother's milk, he took him back to the cottage, and ordered that he fhould be fent to him, as foon as he could be weaned. The Czar faithfully obferved his engagement, caufed the boy to he educated in his palace, provided amply for his further fettlement in life, and continued ever after to heap favours upon the virtuous peafant and his family,

Hiftorical