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bird, as we have no teftimony ancient or modern that can be relied on, we must leave him with that fhare of fame which his beautiful and elegant form has acquired. The fwan has ever been held in great efteem in England, and by an act of Edward IV, none except the fon of a king was permitted to keep one, unlefs poffefled of five marks a year; and by a fubfequent act, taking their eggs, in like manner as thofe of the hawk, was punished with imprisonment, for a year and a day, and a fine at the king's will.

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In Coke's Reports, part vii. in the cafe of fwans, it is remarked, that he who stealeth a swan in an open and common river, lawfully marked, the fame fwan fhall be hung in a houfe by the beak, and he who ftole it

fhall, in recompence thereof, give to the owner fo much wheat as may cover all the fwan, by putting and turning the wheat upon the head of the fwan, until the head of the fwan be covered with wheat.'

The chief reason for making the ftealing of fwans thus penal, is faid to be from the conjecture, that if either of a pair die or be otherwise feparated from its mate, the other does not long furvive. Great attention is paid at prefent to the prefervation of this noble bird. At ftated periods of the year, the king's barge, and thofe of two of the city companies, the Vintners and Dyers, proceed up the river, nearly as high as Marlow, to mark the young ones, which ceremony bears the appellation of fwanhopping.

AUGUSTE and MADELAINE: A Real History.

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It is with great Pleafure that we announce to our Readers the Publication of a Second Volume of Letters from France,' by Ms Helen Maria Williams. They contain many new Ancedotes relative to the French Revolution, and the prefent State of French Manners; and by the excellent Sentiments that pervade the whole, and elegant Vivacity of the Style, they are calculated at once to improve and to delight. A ore interefting Specimen we cannot give than the following Hiftory; for, as the fair Author herself obferves, nothing is fo affecting as Simplicity, and nothing fo forcible as Truth.

A FRIEND of mine, who is lately fhall therefore fend you the ftory ex

gone to Touloufe, has fent me from thence an account of fome circumftances which happened not long ago in that part of France, and which the fays are ftill much the subject of converfation. I fhall tranfcribe this narrative, which I believe will intereft you. Perhaps a novel-writer, by the aid of a little additional mifery, and by giving the circumftances which actually happened a heightened colour-by taking his pallet, and dafhing with the full glow of red what nature had only tinged with pale violet, might almoft fpin a volume from thefe materials. Yet, after all, nothing is fo affecting as fimplicity, and nothing fo forcible as truth. I

actly as I received it; and in fuch parts of it as want intereft, I beg you will recollect that you are not reading a tale of fiction; and that in real life incidents are not always placed as they are in novels, fo as to produce stage effect. In fome parts of the narrative you will meet with a little romance; but perhaps you will wonder that you meet with no more; fince the scene is not in the cold philofophic climate of England, but in the warm regions of the fouth of France, where the imagination is elevated, where the paffions acquire extraordinary energy, and where the fire of poetry flashed from the harps of the Troubadours amid the fullen gloom of the Gothic ages.

A young

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May boast a thousand fountains, that can caft

The tortur'd waters to the distant heav'ns: Yet let me choose some pine-topp'd precipice

Abrupt and fhaggy, whence a foamy stream,

Like Anio, tumbling roars.'What powerful fenfations does the firft view of fuch a scene produce!We feem to begin a new existenceevery former impreffion is for a while erafed from the memory, and the mind feels enwrapped and loft in the ftrong emotions of awe, aftonishment, and admiration.

Bareges was crowded, as it ufually is in the feafon, not only with French company, but also with ftrangers, who travel from other countries, in order to use its celebrated baths. The company amufed themselves, as they generally do at water-drinking places, by fauntering, lounging, cards, lotteries, jeux-d'éfprit, and fcandal.

Bareges is a very expenfive place. Even moderate accommodations must be purchased at a high rate; and provifions, as well as lodgings, are fome6

times obtained with difficulty. Bareges is therefore feldom reforted to by any but people of confiderable fortune, who can afford to level the obstacles which mountains interpofe to their conveniences and comforts, by the all-fubduing force of gold.

Among a number of perfons of rank and fortune, there was however one family at Bareges in a different fituation. This family confifted of an elderly infirm French officer, who had long been afflicted with the pally, and his daughter, a young woman about nineteen years of age. Their appearance and mode of living feemed to indicate, that, though in fearch of relief this old officer had journeyed to Bareges, he had in fo doing far exceeded the bounds of economy which his circumftances prescribed, and was forced to deny himself every accommodation his infirmities could fpare. He lived in the most retired manner, in the worft lodging at Bareges; and,

while the other ladies were dressed in a ftyle of expenfive variety and profufion, his daughter wore only a plain linen gown, which, though always perfectly clean, was coarse; and her dark hair was left unpowdered and without any ornament whatever. Fortunately for Madelaine however (for that was her name) her perfon was calculated to make her coarse gown appear to the best advantage; and though the was not very beautiful, her countenance had an expreffion of sweetness which answered the end of beauty by exciting love and admiration.

The company at Bareges foon became acquainted with each other, and the ladies always took notice of Madelaine when they met her in their walks, which however did not happen very often, for her father was frequently unable to go out. When he did, he was fupported on one fide by Madelaine, and on the other by his fervant. It was impoffible to fee with infenfibility the attention which this interefting young woman paid her father, whom the never quitted one moment. It was remarked with what

care

careful tenderness the used to lead him along the street of Bareges, walking the flowest pace she could, and watching his fteps as he moved feebly on. And when he was not able to venture out, she was seen at the window of their little parlour reading in order to entertain him. Her looks and manner announced that her difpofition was naturally sprightly, and that the would have been gay, if her father had not been fick. But all the cheerfulness fhe could affume while he fuffered, was exerted to amuse him, and fhorten the tedious hours of languor and debility.

Though Madelaine was handfome, the obfcurity and feclufion in which the lived preferved her from the envy of the women. They knew well énough that the gentlemen at Bareges were for the most part men of the world, who, though they may admire beauty, and approve of virtue, are never fo far the dupes of any tender or moral fentiment as to let it interfere either with their vanity, their ambition, or their interest. Although the French revolution had not yet happened, these ladies were aware that, with respect to marriage, the age of calculators was already come, and therefore no rival was to be feared in Madelaine. The ladies joined with the men in admiring the graces of her perfon, and the amiable qualities which her conduct displayed. Madelaine in fhort became the object of general esteem.

Augufte, for fo I fhall call our young Parifian, who has loft his title fince the laws of equality have been established in his country-Augufte fpoke lefs of Madelaine than the other gentlemen at Bareges; but it was perhaps because he thought of her more. Sometimes in his folitary morning rambles he used to make comparisons between her and the Parifian ladies among whom he had paffed the winter, and the comparison generally ended with a deep figh. The fcene of thefe meditations was certainly much in Madelaine's favour.

Perhaps at Paris or Verfailles, Augufte might have been dazzled by the polished graces of a fine lady rouged, powdered, perfumed, and equipped for conqueft. Thefe artificial attractions might perhaps have accorded well enough with clipped trees and angular walks. But Madelaine's fimple manners, Madelaine's natural fmiles and unftudied blushes were far more in unifon with the Pyrenean

mountains.

One evening, when Augufte was walking in the town of Bareges with fome ladies, he faw Madelaine at a little distance affifting with great difficulty to fupport her father, who appeared to be seized with a fit. Augufte darted like an arrow toward the fpot, and held up the officer till he found himself fomewhat recovered; and then Augufte, with a fort of gentle violence, obliged Madelaine, who was pale and trembling, to let go her father's arm, and fuffer him to affift the fervant in leading him home, which was but a few fteps farther. Augufte entered the house, where hé remained till the old officer was a little revived; and, after prevailing upon Madelaine to take a few hartfhorn drops, he retired.

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The next morning he felt that common civility required he should pay the old officer a vifit, and learn how he had paffed the night. It happened that Madelaine had the very fame idea. Surely,' thought fhe, it will be very strange if this young man, who was fo kind, fo careful of my father, and who made me take fome hartfhorn drops, fhould neglect to call and enquire after us.' This idea had come acrofs her mind feveral times; and he was meditating upon it at her father's bedfide, when Augufte was announced.

The old officer, who had all the finished politeness of his country and his profeffion, received him in the moft courteous manner; and, though he spoke with fome difficuity, yet he was profufe in acknowledgments for the fervice Augufte had rendered im.

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Madelaine's thanks were few and fimply expreffed; but the tone in which they were uttered was fuch that Augufte felt he could have facrificed his life to have deferved them.

The old officer ftill continued fick, and therefore Augufte ftill confidered it as an indifpenfable mark of attention to go every day, and learn the ftate of his health. He alfo began to feel that these vifits became every day more neceffary to his own happinefs. That happiness was indeed embittered by many painful reflections. He well

knew that to obtain his father the count de's confent to marry Madelaine, was as impoffible as it was for himself to conquer the paffion fhe had infpired. He knew exactly the order in which his father's enquiries would run on this fubject. He was aware that there were two interrogatories to be answered. The first was- How many thousand livres has The a year?' And the fecond- Is the noble?' And nothing could be more embarraffing than that the enquiry concerning fortune would, he was fure, come firft; fince that was the only article which could not be anfwered in a fatisfactory manner; for to Madelaine's family no objection could have been made. By the way, though the former nobility of France would not abfolutely contaminate the pure ftreams of noble blood by an union with the daughter of a roturier, they had always fufficient generofity to abate fome generations of nobility in favour of a proper equivalent in wealth.

Augufte, while he was convinced of the impoffibility of obtaining his father's confent to his marriage, did not pay Madelaine one vifit the lefs 'from that confideration; and when the ufual hour of his vifit arrived, he often fuddenly broke a chain of admirable reafoning on the imprudence of his attachment, in order to haften to the dwelling of her he loved. In a fhort time he ceafed all kind of reafoning on the subject, and abandoned his heart without referve to the

moft violent and unconquerable paffion.

Augufle made a declaration to the old officer of the fentiments which his daughter had infpired. The old gentleman mentioned it to Madelaine, and the only anfwered by tears, of which he perfectly underflood the meaning. When Augufte explained his fituation with refpect to his father, the officer defired him to think of his daughter no more. Augufte felt that he might as well have defired him to cease to breathe. He continued his vifits, and the officer was foon reduced to that ftate of languor and debility which left him neither the power nor the with to forbid them. His complaints increafed every day, and were attended with many alarming fymptoms. The feafon for the waters of Bareges was now paft, and all the company left the place, except the old officer, who was too weak to be removed, and Augufte, who, while Madelaine remained, had no power to tear himfelf from the fpot. In a few weeks the old officer felt that his dying hour was near. Augufte knelt with Madelaine at his bedfide-her voice was fuffocated by tears; and Augufte had fcarcely power to articulate in broken accents that he would devote his life to the happiness of Madelaine. The old officer fixed his eyes with a look of tender anxiety upon his daughter, and foon after expired. Madelaine mourned for her father with uncontrouled affliction, nor could all the attentions of her lover difpel that anguish with which her affectionate heart lamented the lofs of her parent.

The winter being far advanced, she propofed to defer her journey to the diftant province where the and her father had lived, until spring, and to place herfelf in the mean time in a convent not far from Bareges. Augufte exerted all the eloquence of love to induce her to confent immediately to a private marriage. She hesitated at this propofal; and while they were converfing together on the subject, the door of the room in which they

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lover any particulars of the converfation which had paffed between her and the count.

Augufte, in this laft interview with Madelaine, atoned for the cruel difdain of his father, by the most folemn and paffionate affurances of fidelity, not to be shaken by time or circumflance; and then, after attempting to leave the room several times, and res turning as often, he at length tore himfelf away. Madelaine, when the faw him depart, felt that every earthly hope had vanished with him."

She fet out early the next morning for the convent of ; but not till after the had fat for fome time weeping in the chair which Auguste used to occupy.

were fitting was fuddenly thrown open, and Augufte faw his father the count de enter. He had heard of the attachment which detained his fon at Bareges, and had haftened to tear him from the fpot before it was too late. He upbraided his fon with great bitterness, and began alfo to upbraid Madelaine: but there was fomething in her looks, her filence, and her tears, which stifled the terms of haughty reproach in which he was prepared to addrefs her; and order ing his fon to leave the room, he defired to fpeak to her alone. After explaining to her the abfolute impoffibility of her being ever united to his fon, and his determination to dinherit him, and leave his whole fortune to his fecond fon, if Augufte Madelaine paffed the remaining fhould perfift in his attachment to her part of the winter in the convent of -after endeavouring to awaken her, during which period fhe repride and her generofity, he defired to know where the propofed going. She told him her intention of placing herself immediately in the convent of He approved of this defign, and left her to go to his fon. No fooner was the door of the room shut, than Madelaine gave way to thofe tears which he had fcarcely been able to restrain while the count was fpeaking. She had never felt so fenfibly her orphan condition as at this moment; and the dear remembrance of her fond father was mingled with the agony of difappointed love.

ceived frequent letters from Augufte; and when ipring arrived he conjured her, instead of removing to her own province, to remain a little longer in her prefent fituation; and flattered her with hopes of being able ere long to fulfil thofe engagements upon which all his happiness depended.

In the fummer of this year an event took place which will render that fummer for ever memorable. The French nation, too enlightened to bear any longer thofe monftrous oppreffions which ignorance of its juft rights alone had tolerated, fhook off its fetters, and the revolution was accomplished.

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Meantime the count de declared to his fon, that his only chance of ever obtaining his miftrefs depend- Madelaine was a firm friend to the ed on his abfolute unconditional fub- revolution, which he was told had miffion to his commands, and that he made every Frenchman free. And must instantly attend him to Paris. if every Frenchman is free,' thought Augufte eagerly enquired what was Madelaine, furely every Frenchman to become of Madelaine; and his fa- may marry the woman he loves.' It ther told him that he had determined appeared to Madelaine, that, putting to take refuge in the convent of all political confiderations, points upon Augufte abfolutely refufed to depart which he had not much meditated, till he was allowed an interview with out of the queftion, obtaining liberty Madelaine. The count was obliged of choice in marriage was alone well to confent; but before he faffered worth the trouble of a revolution; them to meet, he obtained a promife and he was as warm a patriot from from Madelaine not to mention to her this fingle idea, as if he had ftudied

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