standards. Therefore, unfortunate wretches, let all of you who wish to profit by my clemency pass on my right hand." At these words, all the prisoners at once precipitately passed on the right of the caliph. One man alone remained immoveable in his place. Almanzor observed him with astonishment, and said to him: "Why dost thou not imitate thy companions in misfortune?" "I do not imitate cowards," replied the soldier." I repeat it, I grant a pardon to all those who fled." "That I never did." "Madman! why dost thou refuse the means which I offer thee to save

thy life?" "Because, in saving my life, I should lose my honour." Hold" cries the caliph, transported with joy, "I pardon thee, and thy greatness of soul shall not go unrewarded." He ordered the soldier to follow him, and straightway conferred on him the command of the expedition for which he sought a commander of unexampled courage, and who would esteem his honour more than his life. The soldier's conduct justified the caliph in the confidence he had reposed in him; the expedition succeeded, and the war terminated successfully for Almanzor, who, afterwards, named this brave man generalissimo of his

armies.

I could, most magnificent lord," continued Morad, "relate to you a multitude of anecdotes, which shew how well the caliph Abou-Giafar-Almanzor knew to appreciate men at their true value; but, not to weary your highness too much, I will only add one more to those which you have already heard.

The minarets of Bagdad resounded with the piercing cries of Alla! Alla! the grand-iman is dead! The mosques were hung with black, and the mollahs traversed the streets, repeating in a lamentable voice, The grand-iman is dead! The whole city was in a ferment; each one enquired of his neighbour, who is the man whom the caliph purposes to invest with this sublime dignity? All the imans of the different mosques were solicitous to obtain it, for almost all of them had friends at court, ready to maintain their pretensions. The caliph listened to their solicitations, perceived the intrigues which were plotting round him, and waited to appoint the first minister of reli

gion, till time, or a favourable circumstance should reveal to him the man the most worthy to occupy & place which requires every virtue.

During the day, and even during the night, he frequently went out disguised, entered into the caravanseras, frequented the public places, and questioned every one, to enable him to discover who was the man of the people's choice, and whether in this man were combined all the virtues necessary for him who should be worthy to fill the vacant office.

One night, as he was walking in one of those disguises which rendered it impossible to recognise him, he heard three poor dervises who were familiarly conversing together. They were forming magnificent projects, and each one stated what would be the principal object of his wishes, if he were the master of his choice. For my own part, said one, I confess that I should like very well to be vizier, if it were possible; 'tis a fine thing to be vizier? And I, said another, if I were the master of my own destiny, I would simply desire to be the caliph Abou-Giafar-Almanzor; 'tis a glorious thing to be a caliph! The third dervise said nothing. At last, pressed by his comrades: "My dear friends," said he, "you have not a very high ambition. Mine is as much above yours as heaven is above the earth. Though I were possessed of all the riches that the universe contains, though the whole world were subjected to my sovereignty, still should I be sensible that there is something superior to all this." This discourse excited the curiosity of the rest of the dervises. "What then," said they, "is this thy wonderful treasure which is to be preferred to all other treasures and grandeurs?" "Next to the glory of our holy religion, what I the most ardently desire," replied the dervise, "is to possess but one half of the virtues, the wisdom, and the piety of a holy hermit whom I know, of the venerable Houssain." "Indeed! this is the first time we have heard the name of this hermit," said the two dervises. "That is very possible, my brethren : you are strangers; Houssain has retired from the world, and ever since the age of thirty he has utterly renounced all its vain pleasures, to consecrate himself entirely to God, and to devote himself without reserve

to the study of our holy religion. Every day an immense number of men of all ages visit him in the grotto which his own hands have hollowed at the foot of a little hill, six miles from Bagdad. There he preaches the word of God, of the truth of which he is so profoundly penetrated, that he almost appears as if he were its author. Already the report of the miracles which he has performed is spread far and near; for virtue, like his, cannot remain long hidden." The two dervises expressed the strongest desire to see and to hear this holy man. "Nothing is more easy," said their companion; 66 to-morrow, repair, at the fifth hour of the day, to the door of the great mosque; I will meet you there, and we will proceed together to the grotto of Houssain." The three dervises separated, after having appointed the rendezvous for the morrow. The caliph returned to his palace, called for the grand-vizier, and said to him: "to-morrow, before the fifth hour of the day, go to the door of the grand mosque, thou wilt there meet with a worthy dervise, whom thou must immediately bring before me."

This order is obeyed, and the next day the grandvizier conducts into the presence of the caliph the good dervise, who, faithful to his promise, had been waiting for his two fellow-travellers. "Dervise," said Almanzor, "I have heard thee make a pompous eulogy of a holy hermit, named Houssain. I was at a loss on whom to bestow the dignity of grand-iman, and I think him worthy of it. Go, then, and seek him for me; tell him that the fame of his knowledge and his virtues has reached my ears, and the manner in which I intend to reward his piety." At the same time the caliph commanded his vizier to accompany the dervise with a numerous and brilliant escort.

The good dervise can scarcely contain himself for joy at the intelligence which he is commissioned to announce to the venerable hermit, for whom he would be willing to sacrifice his life, so deep an impression have the virtues of this holy man made upon his heart. He wished to have wings that he might arrive the sooner at the grotto. At length he approached the sanctuary inhabited by wisdom and piety, the asylum from whence emanate all the graces of heaven. He saw

the hermit surrounded by a numerous auditory, whom he was edifying by his sublime discourses. The dervise rushed into his arms, and, shewing him the grandvizier, he announced to him the commission with which he was charged by the commander of the true believers. The holy man raised his eyes towards hea ven, and exclaimed, "Blessed be the all-powerful Alla! May his will be done!"

In a short time the news was spread among the nu merous assembly by whom the saint was surrounded. The air rang with cries of joy, and on all sides were heard the exclamations of "Blessed be Alla! the holy hermit is named grand-iman of Bagdad!" The mul titude dispersed, and proclaimed throughout the surrounding neighbourhood an event which filled all hearts with joy and exultation.

In the mean time the train of the hermit made their entry into Bagdad, and proceeded direct to the palace of the caliph. Almanzor courteously approached the venerable Houssain, and said to him: "I have heard of thy virtues, and as the representative of the prophet, I am commissioned to reward thee. Answer me then, Houssain, what is the first object of thy most ardent wishes? Ask it, and it shall be given to thee." Houssain fell at the feet of the caliph, and humbly crossing his two arms over his breast, he replied: "Magnificent Lord, brilliant sun of light and of wisdom! since I am permitted to tell thee what is the sole object of my ambition, I will confess that I have never desired any thing so ardently as I do the office of grand-iman of Bagdad."-" What! is that all thou desirest?" replied the caliph smiling.-" Yes, all. If I fill so elevated a station all my wishes will be accomplished."""Tis well! rise!" said the caliph mildly; this important dignity is not meant for thee, but for the man who desires above all things the glory of our holy religion, for this good dervise who would have given all the riches, all the dignities of the earth to possess a part of those virtues which he supposed existed in thy heart.”

The hermit, overwhelmed with confusion, was sent back to his grotto, and the good dervise was proclaimed first iman of Bagdad, a grand and sublime

function, the duties of which he discharged during his whole life with such exemplary piety, that, after his death no one dared aspire to succeed to him.

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You may thus perceive, my lord, by the recital which I have given you, said the sage Morad, that the caliph Almanzor possessed a correct knowledge of the human heart. "Our words," he would say, often dictated by fear, by policy, by thoughtlessness, or interest. We are not always masters of our own actions. Are we not often led away against our will by a sudden impulse, by imperious circumstances, by that mysterious power which seems to direct every thing here below, and to which our ignorance gives the name of chance! It is not then by their words, nor even by their actions, that we must judge of the true value of men, but by the real value of those things which they the most esteem." In following this maxim, we are never deceived, for it has no exceptions.

ESSAY ON THE

REGULATION OF OUR TIME.

IT is generally allowed, that order is necessary in all things. Regularity is as "oil to the wheels of time." When we pay attention to our various duties, and endeavour to do all things in their own season our days will naturally roll on with a smoothness to which the votaries of chance are entire strangers. While they suffer themselves to be carried away by every gust of incidental desire, depending for amusement or employment on the uncertain occurrences of the passing hours, and folding up their hands in idle expectation; let us wisely husband our time as our most precious treasure, and apply our talents to such useful occupation as may engage our faculties for the present, and lay the foundation for future satisfaction. Let us not hang loosely as to the concerns inevitably connected with our respective conditions, because those concerns are not gilded with the fanciful charms of novelty. Let us rather attend to them with increasing complacency for that very reason. Certainly