depart! Wife, children, relations, all ought to be facrificed, when it is necessary for the falvation of your country.

I inftantly mount my horse, and make fuch hafte, that I arrive by the middle of the next day at Czenftachow. I here found forty brave men waiting for me, and determined for the most hazardous enterprife.

Gentlemen, faid I to them, we are now met on purpose to carry a king out of the midst of his own capital. Those capable of attempting fuch a bold enterprife, are alone capable of effecting it: either fuccels or death awaits us!

After this fhort harangu, we prepare to depart. Kaluviki forewarned of our defign had already procured twelve waggons, loaded with hay and ftraw, each of which was drawn by four good horfes.

We inftantly difguife ourselves as peafants; we hide our clothes, our fabres, our piftols, and the faddles of our horfes, in the hay with which our waggons were partly filled; we agree upon certain figns, and I give them a watch-word, to be ufed according to circumftances. -Twelve of the confpirators, commanded by Kaluvfki, enter into Warfaw, accompanied by as many waggons, which they themfelves conduct. I divide the reft of my little troop into feveral brigades, on purpose to avoid fufpicion: each is ordered to march at fome diftance from the other, and to gain the capital by different gates.

We depart, and on Saturday the 2d of November, 1771, arrive at Warfaw, and lodge together at a convent belonging to the Domini

cans.

On the next day, which was Sunday, and which will for ever form a memorable epoch in the annals of Poland, one of my people of the name of Stravinski, being covered with rags, places himself

near the collegiate church, and foon after proceed, demanding charity even at the gates of the royal palace, where he obferves every thing that paffed. Several of the confpirators walked up and down the fix narrow streets in the neighbourhood of the great fquare, where Kaluvfki and myfelf were pofted. We remain in ambufcade during the whole day, and part of the after

noon.

At fix o'clock at night the king leaves the palace; he is followed, and is feen to enter the hotel of his uncle, the grand chancellor of Lithuania.

All our followers receive notice of this event, and affemble inftantly: they throw off their miferable clothes, faddle their horfes, and prepare their arms, in the large fquare belonging to the convent, where their movements are entirely concealed. They then fally forth, one after the other, under favour of the night. Too well known in Warfaw to hazard appearing there without difguifing myfelf, I ftill wear my peafant's drefs, and I mount an excellent horfe, caparifoned, however, after the common manner.

I then point out to my followers the different pofts in the fuburbs, which I had affigned them before our departure from the convent, and they were difperfed in fuch a manner, that all the avenues to the palace of the grand chancellor were carefully and ftrictly guarded.

Between nine and ten o'clock at night, the king comes forth on purpofe to return home; and we remark, with joy, that his attendants were far from being numerous.

The carriage was preceded by two men, who carried flambeaux, fome officers of his fuite, two gentlemen and an efquire followed. I know not what was the name of the grandee in the coach along with the king. There were two pages, one

at

The king proceeds flowly part of my people affemble at fome diftance; twelve of the most determined fpring forward: I put my felf at their head, and we advance at a good pace.

As there was a Ruffian garrifon at that very moment in Warfaw, we affect to fpeak the language of thofe foreigners, fo that our petty troop might be mistaken for one of their patroles.

We overtake the carriage at about a hundred and fifty paces from the grand chancellor's palace, and exactly between thofe of the bishop of Cracow, and of the late grand general of Poland.

All of a fudden we pafs the heads of the foremost horses, so that those who preceded, found themselves separated from thofe who furrounded the royal equipage.

I inftantly give the fignal agreed upon. Kaluvki gallops up with the remainder of the confpirators: I prefent a pistol to the poftilon who inftantly ftops; the coachman is fired upon, and is precipitated beneath the wheels. Of the two heydukes who endeavoured to defend their prince, one drops, pierced with two balls; the other is overturned by means of a back-handed stroke from a fabre, which he receives on the head; the fteed be longing to the efquire falls down covered with wounds; one of the pages is difmounted, and his horfe taken piftol balls fly about in all directions-in fhort, the attack was fo hot, and the fire fo violent, that I trembled for the king's life.

He himself, however, preferving the utmost coolness in the midst of the danger, had now defcended. from his carriage, and was ftriving to regain his uncle's palace on foot. Kaluviki arrests and seizes him by

During this moment, I confefs to you, that I thought Pulauki had bafel deceived me; that the death of the monarch was refolved upon, and that a plot had been formed to affaffinate him.

All of a fudden I form my refolves; I clap fpurs to my horse, overtake the little band, cry out to them to stop, and threaten to kill the firit perion who should dare to difobey me.

That God who is the protector of good kings, watched over the fafety of M. de P--! Kaluvíki and his followers ftop at the found of my well-known voice. We mount the king on horfeback, make off at full fpeed, and regain the ditch that furrounded the city, which the monaich is constrained to leap, in company with us.

At that moment a panic terror takes poffeffion of my troop; at fifty paces diftant from the ramparts, there were no more than feven who furrounded the perfon of the king.

The night was dark and rainy, and it was neceffary to difmount at every intant, on purpofe to found the morafs with which we were furrounded,

The horse on which the monarch rode fell twice, and broke his leg at the fecond fall: during thefe violent movements, his majefty loft his peliffe, and the fhoe belonging to his left foot.

If you wish that I should follow you, fa;s he to us, you must furnish me with another horse and a pair of boots.

We remount him once more, and, on purpose to gain the road by which Pulauki had promised me to

* Fur cloak.

advance,

advance, we refolve to pass through a village called Burakow but the king exclaims, Do not go that way'; there are Ruffians there!

I immediately change our route ; but in proportion as we advance through the wood of Beliany, our number continues to diminish. In a fhort time I perceive nobody around me but Kaluvíki and Stravinski: a few minutes after, we are challenged by a Ruffian centinel on horfeback, at whole voice we inftantly ftop, greatly alarmed for our fafety.

Let us kill him! cries the ferocions Kaluvfki, pointing to the king. I inftantly avow to him, without difguile, the horror which fuch a propofition infpired me with. Very well, you may then take upon you the task of conducting him, adds this cruel-hearted man, who immediately after precipitates him felf into the woods. Stravziniki follows him, and I alone remain with the king.

effects of which are eafieft to be feen, is ambition.

As this paffion fometimes grows fo violent, as to abforb all the powers of the mind, fo it is oftentimes of the greatest benefit to mankind in general, and to thofe who are governed by it; nor does it seem reafonable to fuppofe that the benevolent Author of our being fhould have implanted in us paffions fo powerful, as at times to be beyond the reach of reason, were it not to fome ufeful purpose, and contributory to our happiness.

The defire of glory is not blameable in it elf, but worthy of praife; therefore, if ambition can be in any wife accounted criminal, it must be from its effects, which are usually pure as the fpring from whence they flow. It may, indeed, be urged that it has been the occafion of much mifchief, and that it fometimes pufhes men on to commit unjust actions, to obtain the object of its with; but this is not often the cafe, fince difhonour always attends on injuftice, and it confequently coun> teracts its own ends. Though in fome cafes it may have been the cause of injustice, yet it is, on the contrary, generally the furce of the greateft and noblest achievements. In youth, when reafon is not yet in its bloffom, it fires the mind of man, and haftens him on in the purfuit of glory, to acts worthy of reafon the most refined and exalted; and when he arrives at a mature age, then reafon affumes her authority, and what in the beginning was only an enthusiastic paffion, ends in the most folid and

permanent virtue.

Were we strictly to examine the conduct of our greatest men, both ancient and modern; could we lay view them in every part, it would open their hearts before us, and in moft cales appear, that ambition was their grand and primary mo tive of action: we should fee them

disdaining a dishonourable action, not from any confcientious motives, but merely for the preservation of that ineftimable gem, their honour; and thus grafping at fame, at length fatiate themfelves with the fhadow of virtue, and purfue the original itfeif; fenfible by experience, that this alone is the foundation of all their hopes.

Inftead of complaining of what we conceive to be imperfections, we fhould confider, that, the great Being who gave us all the paffions, likewife gave us reafon to direct them; and no doubt but all was for our good. We examine but one fide of the object, and immediately pronounce our judgment; but were we thoroughly to confider and inveftigate his works, we should find,

"All difcord, harmony not underflood,

"All partial evil, univerfal good."

We ought therefore, for thefe reafons, to confider ambition as a bleffing neceffary to our profperity, and cultivate it accordingly; obferving only, that we point out the I proper path, which we may be af fured it will purfue.

T. J

mifery, rather than be the occafion of his acting against his judgment and his confcience.

Crook, ftruck with the exalted fentiments, and strengthened with the farther encouragements, of fo dear and perfuafive a friend, altered his purpofe, and not only gave his opinion against the king, but argued with a noble boldness and armnels on the fide of law and liberty.

The VISION of FEMALE EXCEL

LENCE.

Beauty in vain her sparkting eyes may roll:

Charms firike the fight-but merit wins the foul. POPE.

Say, man-what more delights thee than the fair?

We rule the noily world-but they rule us;

Then teach them how to guide, and

hold the rein, with judgment. Their applaufe may once again reftore the quiet reign of virtue, Love, and peace, and yet bring back the blush of

Folly, and the fhame of vice.

VILLAGE CUrate.

N the month of May, when na

ture puts on her gayeft robes, I paffed a few weeks at a friend's country house. As its diftance from town was inconfiderable, I walked thither, and fauntering along amufed myself with the picture que fcenes prefented to my view. Quit ting the confined metropolis, I, with agile foot, tripped over the dewy mead, and my heart thrilled with the livelieft fenfations of joy;

Nor palace, theatre, nor proud exchange,

Here lift their heads, but fir-trees, beach, and pine,

O'er verdant valleys, and on pleasant hills,

Lift up the thoughtful mind from earth to heaven.

My