The traveller who turns aside to pluck at every flower, or who sometimes hurries, and sometimes loiters, will find himself distanced at last by those who calmly pace on, and are neither diverted by difficulties nor attracted by every casual appearance of temporary pleasure. This observation is fully verified by the restless disposition displayed in the character of the individual who forms the subject of the following sketch.

Will Ramble, on quitting his studies, at the age of eighteen, was taken into the counting-house of a West India merchant. His relations augured well to his success, in commerce, from his known talents and activity. In any situation he might have shone; but he chose rather to dazzle for a moment, than to preserve a clear and steady light. He becomes master of all the routine of the counting-house in less than twelvemonths, and at the same time was tired of its employ.

Why, thought our hero, should he be longer confined to ledgers and waste-books? Here he had nothing more to learn. His solicitation to be admitted to take a trading voyage for the benefit of his employer, overcame both the merchant and his own relations. He was soon equipped, and set sail for the West Indies, in raptures at the idea of seeing the world. A storm, however, which he had to encounter before clearing the channel, gave him no very favourable opinion of of the felicity of a sailor's life; but the storm vanished, and with it, his sense of danger and uneasiness. The remainder of the voyage was barren of occurrences. He landed in due time on the island of Jamaica, to which the vessel was bound; and in consequence of his eagerness to visit the new scenes that presented themselves, his hurry, and his neglect of proper precautions, he soon fell sick of fever peculiar to hot climates, and with difficulty escaped the grave. Our adventurer now began to reflect on his imprudence, regretted his having left the counting-house to encounter needless dangers, and began to form resolutions of checking his natural propensity for change. The vow formed in illness and under restraint, is seldom observed when health returns. Young Ramble felt all the vagaries of his natural disposition as soon as he recovered. He made himself speedily acquainted with the management of sugar plantations, and with the West India trade in general. But the heat of the climate, accelerated his propensity and impatience for change, and he determined to bid adieu to the sunny vales and Blue Monntains of Jamaica.

For some time, however, he had set his heart on being a soldier. When his connections found that his resolution in this respect could not be shaken, they procured a liberation from his original engagements, and purchased a pair of colours for him.— He joined his regiment, which was quartered in the country, strutted in a laced coat and cockade, and thought himself the happiest fellow alive. So he was for a few weeks; but here he found that he had little to learn, and less to practice, and his mind revolted at the idea of quiet; he found it necessary to be doing something, and in conformity to this principle,

he exchanged into a regiment, just about to sail for the East Indies.

A new scene, and a new quarter of the globe, again pleased and attracted his fancy. He anticipated the greatest felicity from his new change; but fortune determined otherwise. The ship in which he had embarked, was wrecked on the Maldivia Islands. He singly preserved life by swimming; but could save few of those accommodations that render it delightful. As he hated idleness as much as he disliked any constant employ, he set about providing the means of subsistence with all possible diligence, ingratiated himself with the natives, and became a mighty favourite with their chief. Had not the thought of being cut off from polished society, disturbed him, he might have been happy still. For a short space, he did not form any particular plan for effecting his deliverance. He, indeed, kept a good look-out for any ship that might pass; but such a chance was rare. At last he bethought himself of attempting something. He persuaded the Maldivians that he could teach them to build ships. The bait took-in a few weeks the first vessel was constructed; she was strong, but of rude formation; and all were eager to see her launched, and to try her on the waves. Young Ramble selected the best mariners, as well as those who appeared friendly to his interest, to have the honour of this experiment. He had fortunately saved a compass, and other necessaries from the wreck; and had privately laid in a small stock of provisions. The vessel sailed to a miracle; all were delighted with this nautic excursion; and by degrees they lost sight of land. Now was the critical moment! His associates wished to return; he distributed some liquors among them, and made a feint to tack about; but the wind being pretty high, and blowing off the shore, this could not be effected. He veered on another tack, but with no better success. At length, no individual except himself, knew the direction of the shore they had, left. Night coming on, he steered by the compass, and kept his companions in good humour, by telling them there was no doubt of their landing next morning. In the mean while, he made the best of

the wind and the time; and as no one could presume to direct the course of the vessel but himself, all were fearful of interfering; and on the third day he providentially landed near Cape Comorin. From thence our hero undertook a long journey to Fort St. George, where he was soon replaced in his rank, and sent with a detachment against one of the country powers who had just revolted. Captain Ramble, as we shall now call him, behaved with abundant resolution, success crowned the endeavours of his country, and he was rapidly rising in his new profession; when he once more became dissatisfied and disgusted with it, because he was confined to a garrison, while the range of the whole peninsula of India would scarcely have gratified his roving ambition.

To be concluded.

Biography.

ECCENTRIC CHARACTER.

There was very lately an eminent tradesman in Oxford-street, or Tyburn-road, whose father owed a sudden rise in his life and fortune, entirely to his honesty towards a singular character, who lodged in his house, in Hanover-yard, near that street, about thirty years since. The person here spoken of, rented a single room under this tradesman, into which he never suffered any person to enter upon any account whatever. In fact, though then in years, he was himself very seldom at home, as he was a regular attendant at the Stock Exchange every day. And besides this, was so exceedingly reserved, as scarcely ever to be seen by any person at home, excepting when he came in at night and went out in the morning.In the payment of his rent, the old man was scrupulously exact, never neglecting it an hour on the evening it became due, every week. But after lodging upwards of nine years in this house, without ever having a single follower to enquire after him; and being one morning missed by his landlord, in not coming down stairs as usual, he went up, fearing he might be ill, and knocked at his door. But no manner of answer being returned, after deliberating within

himself a few hours longer, and then coming to the resolution of bursting open the door, he did so, and, as he expected, found his tenant lifeless and cold.That he was possessed of great property had long been supposed by the landlord, who, though a very poor tradesman himself, and incumbered with a large family, without searching his room, or a bureau that stood in it, resolved to go early the next morning to a General, who then lived near Cavendish-square; whom, from the sameness of the name, &c. he, as it afterwards appeared, rightly conjectured was certainly some relative to his deceased lodger. But having arrived at the house, and owing to his appearance, with some difficulty gained admittance into the great man's hall, he found it no easy matter to persuade his footman, that he had business which required his speaking to the General in person.-He was repeatedly told he must send his message up, and as repeatedly refused it.-At length, as the General was probably told, that there was a ragged or mean looking fellow below, who must see him--he came down into the hall, when eying him from top to toe, "Well, good man," said he, (without offering, to take him into any other apartment, or out of the hearing of the servants,) "What is your business "Private," said the tradesman-" Private !" replied the General, (whose surprise seemed kindling into a degree of alarm,) "well, then follow me?" "You have," said the tradesman, "a relation of the name of St-n-pe, apparently in low circumstances:"the General pausing-" He is," continued the tradesman, certainly a relation." "There is," said the General in reply, "a dirty fellow in the city of our name; he wants I suppose-I can say nothing to you ?" "He wants nothing, Sir," continued the tradesman, "unless it be an heir to his property."Property," rejoined the General, "be explicit-" "Sir," continued the other," Mr. has lodged in one of my upper rooms these nine years; he has died suddenly, and supposing you to be his relation, I am come to inform you, that his corpse, as well as his cash, will remain sacred and untouched by me, till you chuse to inspect it." The General seemed

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