infenfible of that tender Paffion with which his Daughter was animated, to imagine it was impoffible for it to work Effects fo extraordinary; and being wholly devoted to Interest and Ambition, thought all other Confiderations ought to give Place to those two great Idols of the generality of Mankind.

As he truly lov'd his Daughter, however, he neglected no Means which he thought might be conducive to her Health; but all the Marks he gave her of his Tenderness, the receiv'd with as much Indifference as was confiflent with her Duty; and little Hope was there of her Recovery, when Gafan being in a few Hours to embark, engaged Celimond to make a Vifit at their House, and deliver a Letter to Madam Mafodier, and another to the charming Indifpos'd. That Gentleman had the Opportunity of executing his Commiffion first with the old Lady, by reason of the other's being confin'd to her Bed. The Contents of the Epiftle she receiv'd from him, were as follow.

I

To Madam MASODIER.

Go, Madam, to feek in other Climates what Heaven will not permit me to attain in my own. The Favours I have received from your Family, my Paffion for the adorable Irene, and my Refpect for you, will not fuffer me to depart, without affuring you, that neither Time, Abfence, nor the Cruelty of a Man who ought, and muft be dear to you, can ever alter my Heart from its firft Sentiments: 1 conjure you also to preferve thofe for me, who have been fo good to teflify and permit me the Canfolation to believe I may depend, on your good Wishes, to fee the incomparable Irene one Day united to

The Faithful

GASAN.

She appeared fenfibly touch'd at reading thefe Lines, and intreating Celimond to bear her Answer back, she presently wrote one in these Terms.

Το

To the Worthy GASAN.

I Am ignorant on what Defign you quit us, but what

Merit may

ever it be, wifh you all the Success your expect I have always defired you for my Son, and kave never look'd on you but with the Eyes of a Mother. Believe I infinitely efteem you, and tenderly love Irene, and that is enough to make you judge of my Sentiments ; if the Continuation of them may be of any Service to affuage your Sorrows, or procure you Satisfaction, be af fured they fhall laft as long as my Life.

MASODIER.

AFTER this, Celimond was admitted into the Chamber of Irene, the having been told he was in the House, and expreffing a Defire to fee him. He was introduced by Madam Mafodier, but that obliging Lady believing he might have a Letter, or fome Meffage to deliver, withdrew to a Window, and left them the Liberty of Speech; which as foon as he perceived, he gave her the Letter. But tho' fhe burn'd with an Impatience equal to her Diftemper, to see these dear Marks of her Lover's Paffion, the conceal'd it in the Bed, till she had an Op portunity of reading it without having any Witneffes of the Tears it would coft her. And only asking Celimend, when his Friend expected to embark, and defiring him. to renew from her the Proteftations fhe had given him of an eternal Fidelity, fuffer'd him to take his leave.

MADAM Mafodier went out of the Room with C:limond, and Irene had then Time to examine the Contents of the Billet, he had brought, which were in these Words:

M

To my For-ever Adored IRENE.

Y Heart is now about to prove the Torments of a long Abfence, but hope to return in a Manner fuch as fhall render me worthy the glorious Title of your Slave. I form a thousand bright Ideas in my Mind, to

L 3

enable

..

enable me to go thro' this more than fiery Trial. I have taken measures with Celife that you may often hear of me. -Oh! be fo divinely good, as to make me no Stranger to what paffes in your Heart! For I flatter myself that thofe Afurances you have given me will be of greater Force to keep you mine, than all that can be done against me will be able to tear me from you. My Faith in you is implicit, but my Courage is too little to fupport me, unless you join your Aid, and fortify me in this dreadful Separation, by frequently convincing me you never can forget

The Unfortunate, but

Ever faithful

GASAN.

SHE lov'd him with too much Ardor not to be most fentibly afflicted at the Thought of what it was he fuffer'd, and the Certainty of his Departure; the Dangers to which he was going to be expofed, joined to the Apprehenfions that perhaps the might never fee him more, made her pafs the Night in the most terrible Anguish that a Heart can be capable of conceiving; and the Agitations of her Mind fo highly increafed her Diftemper, that the Phyficians who were appointed to attend her, declared that they could do no more; and that there was not a Poffibility for Art to reftore her. But these Gentlemen are not always infallible; the Time allotted for her Death was far off, and when she seem'd nearest the Grave, and her Mother weeping over her, as over the Body of a departed Child, what they took for Death was no more than a found Sleep, which Nature, over-wearied with long mourning, fell into; and in three or four Hours fhe awaked, fo much better, that the Standers-by were ready to impute her Cure to a Miracle Heaven had wrought in her Favour. Her Youth, and the Advantage of an excellent Constitution, in a few Days after, put her paft Danger; and as foon as the was capable of holding any Converfation, without Prejudice, Madam Mafodier fell into a Difcourfe of Gafan;

and

and perceiving the could fpeak of him without any Emotions which diforder'd her, acquainted her with his Departure, and fhew'd her the Letter he had written.-I have enough, pursued fhe, to convince me of his Paffion for you, and of the Tenderness you have for him; and I could with Succefs had crown'd your mutual Defires. But, my dear Irene, fince your Father is abfolutely against this Marriage, I think it my Duty, as a Mother, to do every thing in my Power to keep you from Despair. Time and Abfence may wear off the Impreffion you have made on him; and if fo, I hope you alfo may be enabled to erase that of his.'Tis with Regret I fpeak this; and, perhaps, the Advice I give you may not be neceffary: Yet if it fhould, I conjure you to arm yourself for it, by every Remonftrance which Reason is capable of making.

IRENE kiffed her Hands while fhe was fpeaking, and could not refrain letting fall fome Tears upon them. Be affured, Madam, faid fhe, I will never do any thing, which shall render me unworthy of those Principles you have infused into me; but as with your Permiffion I have given the unfortunate Gafan fome Teftimonies of my Affection, be pleafed to fuffer me to continue them till I fhall have other Reasons than his Misfortune to withdraw my Heart.

MADAM Maladier would prefs her no farther; and in this Difpofition I must leave them for a while, and return to Gafan.

CELIMOND had not acquainted that faithful Lover with the Condition in which he left Irene, fearing it might obftruct his Voyage; therefore departing from Marfeilles with as much Courage, as a Man could do, who had left behind him all that was dear or valuable, he embarked wiih the rest of the Ambaffador's Retinue, and in due Time arrived at the Porte. His fine Manner of Addrefs, his Skill in the Sciences, and the Eloquence with which he expreffed himself, made the Ambaffador look on him as an extraordinary Perfon, and conceive a very great Friendship for him; he foon became the moft lov'd, and most trusted Favourite of all that were

about him. He was admitted to all the Audiences: and that Favour procuring him the Aquaintance of fe→ veral Bafhaws, and Great Men, the Accomplishments he was Master of, gain'd him an univerfal Esteem. He Icon became perfect in the Turkish Language; and the Ambaffador made choice of no other Person to treat with the Minifters of the Porte, on any Business of Importance: Nor did he execute thefe Commiffions, without giving Satisfaction to both the one and the other.

MEHEMET-AZAN, Captain Bafhaw, or General of the Seas, Half-brother to the Grand Vifier, had fo great an Effeem and Love for him, that he was continually making him some rich Prefent or another. In fine, he was fo generally carefied and courted, that if Love had not too deeply taken Poffeffion of his Soul, he might have been one of the most happy Men in the World.

BUT the Image of Irene, and the Distance between him and the dear Substance, fill filling all his Mind, left him no Relifh for any other Joys; and when he confider'd the Refpect with which he was treated, and the Indignity he had received from Mafodier, he thought himfelf unhappy to meet with Civilities which he expected not, and the contrary from thofe whofe Favour had alone the Power to make him blefs'd. But as he had left Marseilles for no other Reason than to fet him. felf above the Contempt of Mafodier, he resolved not to return to that Place till he had accomplish'd his In tent, and to leave no Means untried for that End. With thefe Views he applied himfeif induftrioufly to Business, and had made a pretty handfome Fortune during the three Years that the Ambaffador had his Refidence at Conftantinople. At the End of that Time, he was recalled by the King, and Gafan was preparing to attend him: But the Bafhaw of the Seas, having taken notice of his great Genius and Capacity, cou'd not refolve to part with him, if there was a Poffibility of obliging him to ftay behind. And being ordered by the Sultan to equip a Fleet against the Venetians, he offer'd him a confiderable Employment in it, if he would confent to ferve under the Ottoman Power. The Propofal

was