amined, if we put fome honey into the bottom, it will immediately breed a commotion; they all feem to be upon the scent: even if they are weak, and hardly able to crawl, they will throw out their probofces as far as poffible to get to it, although the light is very faint. This last appears to arife more from fmell than feeing. If fome bees are let loose in a bee hive, and do not know from which houfe they came, they will take their ftand upon the outfide of fome hive, or hives; efpecially when the evening is coming on: whether this arifes from the imell of the hives, or found, I can hardly judge. A Defcription of ALFRETON HALL, in Derbyshire: With a Perspective View of that elegant Seat. A " LFRETON HALL, the feat of fiderable defcent for fome diftance: George Morewood, efq. is fituated on the hill, leading to the town of Alfreton in Derbyshire, and forms a ftriking object for feveral miles round. The building is of a fine white stone, very large and elegant, finished with great tafte, and beautifully furnished. It was built fome years ago, and exhibits an example in building worthy to be followed. The extenfive grounds are cultivated to the highest degree. The park immediately before the houfe confifts of fine young trees, that promife in future to rival any in the country: at this time, they form a pleafing object in the front of the view from the house, though fome years hence they will obftruct it. There are few places that afford a greater: variety of fcenery than Derbyshire: here you have bold abrupt precipices, with there a level for miles, bounded by chain after chain of round and pointed hills. Such is the view from Alfreton: the road from Shirland winds in fight for two miles, at times disappearing behind a clump of trees, till you are led to Higham, the fcattered houses of which, intermixed with trees, form a middle diftance. The eye is then conducted across the valley, between Higham and Matlock, to Blue Hills, rifing one beyond another in endless variety. The back of the houfe looks upon Alfreton; the main street runs in a very con it is for the moft part well built and pleasantly fituated. The church is an ancient Gothic structure near the hall, and adds not a little to the beauty of the profpect. It is rather remarkable, that there is but one houfe, and that is the turnpike, between Shirland and Alfreton. It would be injuftice not to mention the fimplicity and hofpitality of the middling ranks of fociety in this part of the county: it is not, perhaps, to be exceeded in any part of the world, and will ever reflect the highest honour on them. The village of Shirland has been mentioned to be two miles from Alfreton. It is an inconfiderable place, remarkable only for its church, which is a very good fpecimen of Gothic architecture. Though not large, it has been ftrangely disfigured in the inside by some ancient churchwardens, and a painter, whofe names are pompously infcribed on one of the pillars. It is a melancholy reflection, that many of our fine old buildings are faft verging to decay an inftance of which occurs in this church, as, a few days ago, a large beam, that run from one fide to the other of the roof, over the finging gallery, fell; very fortunately, juft before the choir had affembled. Had this not been the cafe, feveral lives muft unavoidably have been loft. It is to be hoped, that this accident may not be the prelude to the downfal of the whole ftructure. ZULBAR; An Indian Tale: By M. FLORIAN. THE following tale, to which I have made no addition, was given me by one of Tippoo Saib's ambaffadors;-an obliging man, but fomewhat of a mifanthrope. I give it a place here, as a mark of gratitude to the ingenuous Indian, who loft much time in tranflating it for me. Man, perfidious and bafe, fhall no longer deceive me. Too long have I worshipped the false virtues he affumes; too long, in order to believe him good, I have been blind to his actions, and liftened only to his voice. I was very affiduous in admiring him at the fhort intervals, when he took pains to appear eftimable, and faw him not in the continued periods, when he was actually otherwise. I am now weary of obferving that long feries of falfhood, fo obvious after mixing with the world. I can fee nothing but what is really contemptible in that fociety of animals, at once proud and mean, envious and difdainful; influenced, at the fame time, by a defire of praife, and a carelessness with refpect to virtue; by the love of indolence, and the neceffity of being active: they diftrefs themselves to beguile their time, and torment themselves in order to live. Nature, who has treated them as they deserve, has condemned them to a multiplicity of evils: but thefe evils are not fufficient for them; they have combined together, to invent a thousand more, in hopes that their neighbours may endure them; and of all their agreements, this is the only one, which they have not violated. But why all these vain complaints? I refemble that vile flave, whom his mafter fent into a wretched inn. "If you fare well," faid he, "wait for me; in a few days, be certain that I fhall come to take you away. If you fare ill, nothing hinders your going away without me." The flave waited in much distress, but the foolish fellow could find no way to get, out.' Thus it was that Zulbar, spoke; who, though young, had experienced injuftice and ingratitude. He was then in an extensive foreft, in folitude and filence. A formidable storm harrowed up the ground with torrents of rain and hail: gleams of lightning, at intervals, illuminated the gloomy foliage. The thunder roared at a diftance; and the wretched Zulbar, fatigued and wet, exiled from his country, a fugitive, in rags, wandered with a flow ftep, with his head bent down beneath the fhade of the cocoatrees. On a fudden, in a paroxyfm of defpair, he ftopped, drew his poniard, and lifted his arm to ftab himfelf, when a voice exclaimed,—‹ Reverence thy life; thou mayeft render me fervice!' . • Ah,' faid he, I am weary of being ferviceable; I have found too much ingratitude.' Nevertheless, having faid this, he had dropped his dagger; and, by an involuntary movement, advanced toward the place whence the voice proceeded. Seeing no perfon near him, Where are you l he exclaimed, appear inftantly!what is it you want?' 'I want you,' replied the voice, to stoop to the foot of this bush of wild rofes. Look carefully on the ground, and remove this rofe-leaf, the weight of which hinders me from moving.' Zulbar, in amazement, looked on the ground, discovered the rose-leaf, and removing it with the point of his dagger, which he still held in his hand, faw an ant, which, fhaking off the rain with which it was oppreffed, made an effort with its wings to place itself at the feet of Zulbar. It thus addreffed him: • Generous ftranger, I thank you. During a whole hour, that I have been under that leaf, I have only been Kk 2 able able to difengage my head. Without your charitable aid, I had, perhaps, loft my life, which would have been very disagreeable, as I am well fatisfed with my condition. You do not feem very well contented with yours: I have heard your bitter complaints, and beheld you on the point of terminating your existence. How agreeable will it be to me, my dear benefactor, to be inftrumental in rendering your life more fupportable.'And who are you, then?' replied Zulbar, more aftonifhed than ever, how is it, that you are able to speak and to reafon ?'" You would be diftreffed enough,' replied the infect, "were I to put that queftion to you. Begin you by relating your calamities; my advice may, perhaps, be ufeful to you. By what you have uttered, it appears that you have great reason to complain of mankind. 1 am not at all furprised; they are almost all of them worthless, and yet I have always thought, that with a little care, it would be poffible to elude their malice. I have hardly feen an unfortunate perfon, who has not been the cause of his own miferies." You are very fevere,' anfwered the Indian, and you will doubtless prove to me that the leaf, under which you were oppreffed, fell upon you through your own fault.' Saying this, Zulbar feated himself by the ant. The infect, the better to hear him, climbed up a branch of the wild rose. Zulbar thus began : 'I am the fon of a rich jeweller in the city of Tipra. My father, fatiffied with the fortune he had acquired by his industry, did not with that I fhould continue his profeffion. He built a convenient and handfome house at a moderate distance from the capital. He bought the lands which were contiguous, and left me, at the age of eighteen years, mafter of an eftate, uniting beauty with convenience ;a charming retreat, and plenty of ready money. I had a fifter younger than myself, of diftinguished beauty, but of a difpofition ftill more amiable. She poffeffed whatever can conciliate affection, and had all the qualities which juftify efteem. Her name was Balkis, and we agreed never to forfake each other. Both of us affluent, much beyond our neceffities, we determined to employ our property in promoting the happiness of others. Our houfe, open to our neighbours, to ftrangers, and to travellers, was yet more particularly the afylum of the poor. Our principal expences, were thofe of benevolence and hofpitality. My fister's province laid in the diftribution of alms in private, rendering affiftance to the fick and infirm, and in giving portions to young maidens who had not wherewithal to marry. It was mine to provide work for those who wanted bread, and to do the honours of our houfe to thofe who were inclined to vifit us. On all public occafions, our villagers were fure to find with us a plain, but plentiful repast, which was diftributed to them in front of our manfion, and of which we ourfelves partook. We had alfo mufic, and danced together till the evening; and never did our guests leave us, till they had crowned us with flowers, kisfing our hands with tears of joy, and entreating heaven to watch over us. For four years I enjoyed this peaceful delight, of which the value is never known till it is loft: I wanted nothing, I wished for nothing. I loved my fifter,-fhe loved me in return. This pure friendship fatisfied our hearts. I heard the name of Balkis bleffed by thofe who knew her, and Balkis fometimes heard bleffings pronounced on her brother. This was our recompence, and the most affectionate method of making return for our benevolence. Of all mankind, I was doubtless the happieft, when, onë morning, I received a vifit from a young Faquir in our neighbourhood, who came to us every week to recruit his ftock of provifions. Zulbar,' fays he, have you heard the news?' No,' I replied, what has has happened?' The queen of Tipra is dead. The king has published an edict, by which all the maidens of his kingdom, from fixteen to twenty years old, are obliged to meet in a large plain near his capital. In the midft of this plain, is a narrow path of the finett fand, upon which, with the extremity of a wand, myfterious characters are traced. All the young women, by turns, are to run over this path; and fhe, whofe fwift feet fhall not obliterate one of thee myfterious characters, is to be queen of Tipra.' What is it to me,' I replied, if the king fhall felect for his wife the swifteft of his fubjects?'— 'How,' returned the Faquir, will you difobey the king? Muft not your fifter Balkis alfo appear at the plain? Her virtues deferve from heaven to be placed upon the throne. Think of the glory which must follow, and of all the good she will be able to do. Reflect how her brother Zulbar, whose wisdom and talents are buried in this miferable village, will foon perhaps employ, for the felicity of a whole nation, thofe talents, an account of which he owes to God. Remember, alfo, that religion and morality forbid your oppofing the defigns of heaven.' This conversation threw me into a profound reverie. My tenderne fs for Balkis, my hope of feeing her on a throne, of which I knew her to be worthy; the certainty of the happinefs fhe would procure to her fubjects; the defire' • Of being her minifter,' interrupted the infect. "This is the motive which decided you, though, perhaps, you did not dare to fay fo. Ah! I am not unacquainted with the value of thofe difinterested fentiments which felf-love conceals, by which we hide from our felves our ambition and our vani y. You remind me of a certain fox I one day faw in a trap.'- See,' faid he to complaining voice, what I fuffer from loving my brethren. Pafing near this machine, I feared that the bait which it contained, might allure fome innocent fox to its de-' ftruction. I wished to take away this treacherous bait, and the trap has fallen on myself,” I fhall fay no more, Zulbar, I fee that you are unhappy enough; I beg you will refume your story.' It should feem that you already knew it,' returned the melancholy Indian. I conducted my filter to the plain, and the it was whom the king preferred. From this moment fhe became miftrets of the kingdom, and difpofed of all employments. Loaded with honours, courted, feafted, anticipated in my wifhes, I faw myself the idol of the court, and the object of univerfal veneration. I was young, rich, credulous, and the brother of the favourite. The grandees and the courtiers thronged around me, heaped careffes upon me, and eagerly contended for my friendship. I was not avaricious; I believed myself beloved, and my affections were expanded. I divided, without referve, among my new friends, my effects, my credit, and my wealth. I difpofed of all my land to beftow on them its value. I inceffantly importuned my fifter to obtain for them what they wanted, and believed myself fufficiently repaid for my trouble, and indeed my ruin, by the extreme gratitude of those whom I obliged, by the encomiums they heaped upon me, and by the lively fenfibility they expreffed toward me. Such repeated praifes, and fuch numerous friends, at length emboldened my filter to obtain for me the poft of vizier. All the court ́applauded the choice; I was more praifed, more courted than ever, They already commended the fuccefs which attended my administration: they talked only of my glory: and having always heard myfelf extolled as a being of fuperior order, I at length believed myfelf fuch, and refolved to to prove myfelf. I exerted all my talents-I employed all my time, to regulate the affairs of the kingdom, |