"virtue, this would not have been the measure of human actions. "We trust, therefore, that OROMASDESWill not let us suffer for "our adherence to virtue; but that we shall be recompensed for any interruption of our happiness in its pursuit. Such a confidence "enables us to act without apprehension, and brings us near to the "circumstances of the Deity, whose happiness is altogether con"sistent with the rule of his actions. As a philosopher then I “should think, that the perfect law of truth was immediately, and " for its own sake, regarded by the Deity alone; and by all created beings through him. I do not hereby deny the universality of "this law, but only take into it a consideration of our dependance on him whence we had our being. What more just than this? "Nor is it ungenerous and mercenary, as you seem to think; for I "would follow virtue steadily, while I might with tranquillity; "and when I could not do this, I would still follow virtue, pro"vided you will let me assure myself, (what cannot be excluded from "the mind of man,) that my conduct is approved by the Deity, and that he will sometime vindicate it by his favour. And on my part, to shew all the disinterestedness that a needy creature "can do, I will not pretend to prescribe terms to him, nor ask ' when, or where: though it be beyond the grave, and in worlds "to come, I am contented; and hereby shew a generous confidence " in my Maker."

This was my answer, CLEANDER ; and I confess I know no better. All religion is declaredly on my side. I think too, I have the authority of all legislators for my opinion of human nature, who do not expect our obedience to laws without promising proportionable advantages. Matter of fact speaks aloud for me on every side ; for where do we meet with general industry, courage, and virtues of every sort but under the protection and encouragement of a

good

good monarch, who gives us reason to be assured, that our best efforts in the practice of our duty will be followed by something more than the mere empty complacence which attends it?

H.

LETTER CLXXI.

CLEANDER to GOBRYAS.

CHARICI HARICLES arrived here last night from the court at Susa, and put into my hands a dispatch from thee, with some characters inclosed, which I shall not fail to make use of in any thing that requires great secrecy. It is impossible for me to express the concern and astonishment I felt, whilst I read the account thou givest me of the king's illness. Every melancholy idea, every fatal consequence crowded at once into my mind. But how greatly was I revived by the surprising good effect with which a remedy out of HIPPOCRATES was administered! ALEXIAS well deserves the honours he has received from the courtiers who, as my nephew informs me, were preparing, when he took horse, to congratulate the king upon his recovery.

I sympathize with thee noble scribe, in thy grief for the behaviour of TERITEUCHMES. It is scarcely credible, that one who bore the most distant affinity to thee, much less one who, by his long employment under thee, had opportunities of discerning the frequent proofs thou givest of fidelity, and an unexampled disinterestedness, should act so corrupt, so vile a part, and make so ungrateful a return to all thy favours. The danger to myself was light, I assure thee, even in my own estimation, when compared with the detri

ment which the king's affairs must have received, had his practices continued. At the same time thy friendly care on my account can never be sufficiently acknowledged.

Surely there are times when ARIMANIUS is busy in sowing the seeds of treachery amongst mankind, and promoting the downfal of empires by internal commotions. He has, at this juncture, infatu

ated the governors of Cyprus and Ægypt, and dazzled their eyes with the delusive glare of royalty and independence *.

*desunt cætera.

P.

*Note by the Translator.] The Jewish translator informs us, that the original has in this place received some damage from fire; so that the remainder of this important dispatch is become absolutely illegible. He could just discern the traces of letters unlike any he had before met with, which he supposes were the characters mentioned to have been sent by CHARICLES, probably a kind of cypher. We cannot but condole with our readers, on an accident which has deprived them of a material anecdote relating to the above-mentioned governors, whose intended revolt was in all likelihood prevented by the vigilance and industry of CLEANDER and his patron; for we hear no more of it. It is no wonder, that the learned MESHOBAB, in the grief of his heart, protests, that he would willingly give up twice the number of pages in the Talmud, to recover those which are defaced in his Persian MS.

The affair of TERITEUCHMES, from the want of GOBRYAS's letter, to which CLEANDER refers, is also very obscure. Thus much appears, that he was a relation of the chief scribe, who had been employed in his office, and probably intrusted with affairs of consequence; and that he betrayed what passed through his hands to PyTHON, but was detected before his treachery had produced any bad effect. Those who love to amuse themselves with historical parallels, may compare this accident with one of the same nature, that happened to a very able minister, M. VILLEROY, secretary of state to K. HENRY the IVth of France. NICOLAS DE L'HOSTE, his godson, and first commis, took a bribe of 1200 crowns per annum from the court of Spain, to give them advice of the most secret transactions in his master's department. After having continued this traitorous correspondence for some years, he was discovered in a very odd manner. The whole story, which is a curious one, may be found in SULLY'S Memoirs, vol. iv.

LETTER CLXXII.

INTAPHERNES to CLEANder.

WHILE HILE thou art perhaps expecting a lively description from the pen of HYDASPES of a birth-day solemnity, I, alas! CLEANDER, am indicting a letter to thee in his stead, which must turn upon a very different scene, the melancholy obsequies of that HYDASPEs, our amiable friend. Such is the generosity of thy nature, that thou wilt, I dare say, lament with me his loss, from the purest motives of a disinterested friendship; whilst those who have too little of the tender passions in their constitution, to be much affected upon the like occasions, cannot help bestowing a tear on his memory.

The last birth-day of ARTAXERXES was celebrated with more than usual pomp. When the days of public audience were expired, (during which the great king is seated on his splendid throne to receive the addresses of his satraps, with the presents that are sent from every province of the empire,) then all that numerous multitude which resort to Susa upon these occasions, were feasted in that great square called the court of the garden of the king's palace*. The

* We have, in the first chapter of the book of Esther, a full description of the magnificence of the Persian kings upon these publick entertainments. We read of white, green, and blue hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble; that the beds were of gold and silver upon a pavement of red, blue, white, and black marble; and that the drinking vessels were of gold, the vessels being diverse one from another; and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king. We read likewise at the 8th verse, that the custom of compelling men to drink more, upon such occasions, than would do them good, was very much

discouraged

The whole solemnity was conducted according to the ancient customs, which are well suited to the magnificence of the supreme Lord of the East. But there is one thing which our present grief should cause to be for ever banished from these publick rejoicings, that excess which has been thought necessary to express our loyalty upon such occasions, and has too often proved fatal to the best and most temperate of his subjects. The wisdom of ARTAXERXES has long since disavowed that ridiculous privilege, which he thought inconsistent with the dignity of our monarchs, that of drinking immoderately themselves, and joining in the Persick dance* at such seasons. But let us draw a veil over this indiscretion, which perhaps is the only considerable one you will find throughout the life of that excellent satrap. And indeed it is my opinion, that the hurry and fatigue he underwent in performing the ceremonials of his office, upon this grand occasion, contributed more than the royal wine, to the cause of his untimely death.

Very incapable am I of doing justice to his character, for few there are who stand in so amiable a light. None have I known more largely possessed of all those social virtues which claim an universal esteem. None have I known so unenvied in his greatness, because such was the use he made of his interest with his sovereign, that nobody had cause to wish it less. A stranger to the low arts of flattery, he disdained to recommend himself to the favour of his

discouraged by AHASUERUS. And as we have some reason to conclude, that the AHASUERUS there mentioned was the same with our ARTAXERXES, one is the more surprized, that HYDASPES, who has, through the course of these letters, supported the character of a very rational kind of man, should have imposed the fatal necessity upon himself. Note by the Translator.

*For the Persick dance see XENOPH. 6th book of the expedition of the younger CYRUS, where he thus describes it; τέλος δὲ τὸ Περσικὸν ὠρχείτο κροτῶν τὰς πέλτας, καὶ εκλασε καὶ ἀνίσατο.