firft of thofe affemblies would take place in less than ten days, and that I must not think of departing until I heard the life of an illuftrious hero read, who had expired in the arms of victory. I had the pleasure of hearing his life read; and as he had fallen in defence of the liberties of his country, I thought that his eulogy would turn entirely on his feats in battle; instead of that I was very much furprized to find that his filial affection, his humanity, his patronage of the arts, his integrity in the fenate, &c. took the lead. When the hiftorian however came to the circumstances of his death, the whole audience melted into tears.His buft was then placed on the ftage, the Genius of the island first appeared in the habit of a beautiful young woman, with a dejected air that could not be feigned: having placed a crown of laurel on his head, in which M 3 which each of the Virtues in their turn inferted an emblematic flower, Envy came in laft of all, and with a reluctant hand placed a fprig of bays on the top of the whole. Farewell. LETTER LETTER XXXIX. MY DEAR FRIEND,. I WOULD not advise you to read this. till after dinner, or at least till you are fure that you are in a good, temper on your own account and mine: this ought to be referved, you will fay, for the poli fcript; but perhaps it would come too late in that order. You fee I have paffed over ten days of which I have faid nothing, and in truth all that I could fay, were I inclined to be more particular than I am, is, that they paffed over fo agreeably, that I could fcarce perfuade myself that the whole exceeded fo many hours-fuch is the celerity of Time when Pleasure holds the glass. -The fupper was ufually crowned with a story from fome of the best writers and as I read a number of pa M 4 thetic thetic tales, I had the pleasure of obferving, that as often as I touched on any one founded on disinterested love and faithful paffion, that Elvina was fure to tranfcribe the particulars of it into a book which fhe had prepared for that purpose; and indeed it was furprifing to think how fhe improved, even on the most tender expreffions. LETTER LETTER XL. MY DEAR FRIEND, THE Arabians, fpeaking of the cure of love, advise to take occafion (fays Doctor Ferrand) to difcourfe of the party that is the cause of this paffion, in the hearing of the patient, and to reckon up all her imperfections, making them more and greater than they are, and even to fet forth her virtues in the colour and shape of vices. Et mala funt vicina bonis: errore fub illo, I thought to try this remedy, but when I began to think of the imperfections of her fex, I could find none in her. I caft my eye forward, and strove to perfuade myself, that I faw time robbing her eyes of their luftre, and her cheeks of those rofes that bloomed in paradife, while " innocence and love M 5 were |