for the fame Man: All the World was furpriz'd..
His Air was now compofed wholly of Humanity, his
Words were modeft and referved; he frequented only
Churches, Hofpitals and Prifons, doing wonderful Cures
among the Sick and Wounded, and relieving the Poor
with his Advice and Purfe. This pious Conduct per-
fuaded every body that he was become a real Penitent,
and gained him as much Love and Efteem, as before
he had incurred the contrary and as he had a fecret
Interest in what he did, he fet himself to examine what
Ideas the People had conceived of him; and prefently
perceiving that his Appearances of Devotion had effaced
the Memory of his paft Vices, he continued them in
fuch a Manner, that in a small Time he was look'd on
as a Pattern of Piety; and ftill executing his Function
of Profeffor of Phyfic, in which he had furprifing Suc-
cefs, none thought themfelves truly happy without the
Acquaintance of the now highly valuable Bory. The
Archbishop of Milan had fo great a Friendship for him,
that having a Defire to travel to Rome, he gave him
Letters of Recommendation to the Pope, and several of
the Cardinals.

He had not been long at Rome, before he acquired a Reputation equal to that he had raised himself to in Milan; nothing could be had in greater Confideration among the People, both for his Skill and Goodness; and fome of them were of the Opinion, that he owed his Succefs as much to his eminent Virtue, as to his Study. He no fooner found the Influence he had gain'd, than he began to infinuate to fome, whom he found most difpofed to believe him, that the Holy Spirit was enter'd into him, to maintain the Redemption of the World; fetting himfelf equal with the fecond Perfon in the Trinity. On too many did this pernicious Doctrine take Effect, and being whifper'd from one to the other, join'd with the great Cures he perform'd, which, by thofe whofe eafy Faith was wrought on to give Credit to his Artifices, were look'd on as Miracles, in a little Time brought him a Congregation, where he establish'd a new Form of Worship, and gave his Sectaries the Name

Name of Evangelics: On each of which he laid his Hands, affuring them, that after they would partake of that Holy Spirit with which he was animated.

Ir is incredible how many Profelites were brought over by these Chimeras; the Number grew fo confiderable, that Information was given of it to the Confiftory, and Bory oblig'd to fly; he was however taken in a fhort Time, and put into the Prison of the Inquifition, from which difmal Place he never returned.

By this Adventure, faid Julia, we not only prove how very dangerous all heretical Notions are, but also the Weakness of human Understanding, even where there is the greatest Appearance of good Senfe. For my Part, rejoin'd Florinda, I never could comprehend how one can change one's Religion, without at the fame time altering one's Principles.

You would think it then ftrange, replied Felicia, that a Presbyterian fhould become a Catholic, a Muf fulman abjure Mahomet, or a Turk embrace the Chrifian Faith? That is not what I mean, refumed Florinda; I count all those, whom you have named, among the Blind, I applaud their Change, and blefs the Power which gives Sight to their Eyes: But I cannot fuffer that a Catholic fhould turn Heretic or Turk. If the amiable Camilla, faid Julia, had not laid it down for a Rule, that we fhould treat only on ferious Subjects in this Clofet, I could give the Company the Recital of an Adventure that happened about the Middle of the last Age, which would convince Florinda, that there may happen Accidents which may conftrain one to change One's Religion even in fpite of one's felf. That was not the Law of my Inclinations, replied the ever-chearful Camilla, and I believe there are none here but will gladly break through it for the Pleasure of hearing you. We have talk'd enough on Politics this Morning, added Urania, to allow ourselves now to mingle fome Gallantry in our Converfation. Neither has the charming Julia yet fubmitted to the Rules we firft-fet down to ourselves to obferve, and this Occafion happens à propos for her to enter into them, and to give us an Infinity

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Infinity of Satisfaction. I wish, reply'd fhe, I may be able to give you as much as you hope; but this I proteft, that if the Adventure I am about to relate, be not diverting, it is not my Fault, fince I pretend not to give you a Romance, but a true Hiftory; but in which, in my Opinion, there are many Things worthy of Remark. Then perceiving that the whole Company had prepared themselves for Attention, fhe waited not to be farther importuned; but began the Performance of her Promife in thefe Words:

The Hiftory of GASAN.

LOVE, faid the, in all Countries, and in all Ages,

has been the Cause of many fingular Events; but that which I am about to relate, has fomething in it fo very wonderful, that it cannot, without fome Difficulty, be received for Truth.

A GENTLEMAN of the City of Thoulon, named Gafan, about twenty Years of Age, the younger Son of an ancient Family, was left by his Parents with a very fmall Portion of Wealth, but with a Mind fo much improved by Education, and all Accomplishments worthy of his Sex, that in looking on him, or hearing him difcourfe, the Difadvantages of Fortune were forgot, and only what was defirable remembered. He had a perfect Knowledge in all the Sciences, but that of Navigation was what he took the most Delight in, and by which he both wifh'd and endeavour'd to raise himfelf. There was no Opportunity of that kind which prefented itself, that he did not embrace with an Industry and Zeal, which demonstrated the laudable Ambition he had of repairing, by his Genius, the Deficiencies of Fortune. A Merit fo extraordinary in a Perfon of his Years, gained him the Love of as many as were Witneffes of it; and there was not a noble Family in Thoulon, who did not caft their Eyes on him as the Won

der

der of his Time, and a Youth whom all the Virtuous, and Lovers of Ingenuity, were bound to take into their Protection. "Tis not to be doubted, but that without leaving the Place of his Nativity, he might have become great and rich; but a common Fate was not decreed for him; extraordinary were to be the Incidents of his Life, fevere the Trials of his Virtue, terrible the Extremities to which he was to be reduced, and vast the Rewards which were to crown his Perseverance in Good, and fteady Abhorrence to all that bore the Name of Ill. He became acquainted with a famous Merchant of Marseilles, who had a Warehouse at Thoulon, and at that Time was there; he was called Mafodier; he was a Man of Wit and Spirit, extremely rich, and a great Lover of Navigation; which laft Article made Gafan vastly charm'd with his Conversation: He was no lefs pleas'd with that of Gafan, and they became in a few Days as intimate as if near a-kin. Mafodier perfuaded him to come and refide at Marseilles, offering him an Apartment in his own House, and affured him of his Interest and Credit in Ships which traded to Hamburgh and Conftantinople. Such a Propofal appear'd too advantageous to be refufed; he confented to go with him, and being arrived at Marfeilles, there, the next Day after their Departure from Thoulon, Mafodier prefented him to his Wife and Daughter, as a young Gentleman who was extremely dear to him.

THE good Mien of Gafan, his Wit, and that Grace with which all his Actions were accompanied, immediately poffefs'd them with Sentiments in his Favour; but unapprehenfive of the Deftiny which attended him, a Stranger yet to Love, and thoughtless of its Power, he had not armed his Heart against the Impreffions which the Charms of the young Madamoifelle Mafodier made on him. Irene (fo was the call'd) was about fourteen. or fifteen Years of Age; her Complection what we call a Brunetta, but clear, and her Skin fmooth as polish'd Ivory; her Features regular, and form'd to please ; a molt delicate Shape; and all these Beauties illuftrated with an Air which no Words can exprefs, tender and

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Lively

lively at once, commanding, yet perfuafive: In fine, her Perfections were of fuch a Nature, as were fufficient to make her Mistress of a Heart at the first Sight.

GASAN felt all their Force, and foon found that he ftood in need of at leaft as much Prefence of Mind as he was Master of, to conceal the new Emotions he was poffefs'd of; but presently turning the Effect of his Admiration into the Appearance of an unmeaning Gallantry, he complimented Mafodier and his Wife on having a Daughter of fo much Beauty, and feem'd to railly a little on the Danger to which he was expofed, by living in a conftant View of fuch powerful Charms. Both the Father and the Mother anfwer'd him in the fame Manner, taking all he faid for Complaifance and Pleafantry; but Irene gueffing at his Sentiments, by thofe fhe was herfelf poffeffed of, triumphed at the Conqueft fhe had made, and which fhe could not but think fo worthy of her; and not reflecting whether the fhould endeavour to guard herself from the Invasion of a Paffion, whofe Joys or Anxieties fhe had not yet experienced, fhut not her Heart from that innocent Delight fhe took in looking on a Man, who appeared infinitely amiable to her.

MASODIER failed not in any of the Promises he had made Gafan; he fettled him in his Family, ordered him to be attended, and in all things refpected as his own Son, and was equally induftrious for the Promotion of his Intereft and Reputation. But our young Lover, who had now loft great Part of his Relish for public Affairs, having every Hour in the Day an Opportunity of entertaining the charming Irene, and difcovering ftill more of her Perfections, his Paffion increafed with the Knowledge how worthy fhe was of it; nor did he love alone, the lovely Object of his Wifhes had at least an equal Share in the Influence of the tender God. The true Affection with which both were poffeffed, ftood not in need of Words to explain itself; the Language of the Eyes was fufficient to explain the Language of the Heart; nor had either of them the Power of expreffing any other Way the Violence of their Paffion. Gafan

was