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THE GENEROSITY OF A LORD CHANCELLOR.

A living of five hundred pounds per annum falling into the gift of a late Lord Chancellor, of England the Premier recommended one of his friends as deserving it, whom his lordship approved, In the interim, the curate, who had served the late incumbent many years, for thirty pounds per adnum, came up with a petition signed by many of the inhabitants, testifying his good behaviour, and setting forth that he had a wife and seven children to maintain, and begging his lordship would stand his friend, that he might be continued in the curacy; and in consideration of his large family, if he could prevail with the next incumbent to add ten pounds a year he should for ever pray for him. His lordship promised to use his utmost endeavors to serve him. The reverend gentleman for whom the living was designed, soon after going to pay his respects to his lordship, my lord told him the affair of the curate, with this difference only, that he should allow him sixty pounds a year instead of thirty. The parson in some confusion replied, that he was very sorry he had promised the curacy to another, and could not go back from his word. How! said his lordship, have you promised the curacy before you were possessed of the living? Well, to keep your word with your friend, I will give him the curacy, but the living I assure

you I wil give to another; and having so said, left him. The next day the poor'curate coming to know his destiny, his lordship told him, that he used his endeavors to serve him as to the curacy but with no success, the reverend gentleman having disposed of it before. The curate, with a deep sigh, thanked his lordship for his goodness, and was going to withdraw; when my lord calling him back, said with a smile, 'Well, my friend, it is true I have it not in my power to give you the curacy, but if you will accept the living it is at your service It is not in the power of words to describe the curate's surprize and joy at this sudden turn in his favor, who, with the most moving expressions of gratitude, returned his lordship thanks, whose goodness had in a moment raised him and his family from the most necessitous condition to ease and affluence: and my lord to complete his generosity, ordered his clerk to make out the diploma without taking their customary fees.

ODD WAY OF BARGAINING FOR A WIFE.

Mercator, who went originally from London, acquired a fortune in the island of Jamaica; he concluded with himself he could not be happy in the enjoyment of it, unless he shared it with a woman of merit; none of his acquaintance in the female line suited his inclination; he therefore determined to write for one to his correspondent in London, through whose means he had obtained his fortune and consequence. As he had been so

much versed in mercantile matters, the style of writing usual in that way of business still adhered to him. Therefore treating of love as he did of business, after giving his correspondent many commissions, he reserved the following for the last, viz.

Seeing that I have taken a resolution to marry, and that I do not find a suitable match for me here, do not fail to send me by next ship bound hither, a young woman of the qualification and form following: as for a portion, I demand one; let her be of an honest family, between 20 and 25 years of age, of a middle stature, and well proportioned; her face agreeable, her temper mild, her character blameless, her health good, and her constitution strong enough to bear the change of the climate, that there may be no occasion to look out for a second through lack of the first, soon after she

THE ITALIAN PAIR: OR, FORCE OF AFFECTION.

A gentleman who is very happy in a beautiful friend, and is a kind of enthusiast for the married state, told me the following story of an Italian pair, who were famous for their unalterable constancy and affection. There lived at Genoa a young nobleman named Marini, who had a large estate in the island of Corsica, whither he went every five or six years to regulate his affairs. At the age of five and twenty he was married to a beautiful lady, the daughter of a Venetian senator, named Monimia, who had refused the greatest matches in Italy, to prefer the fortunate Marini. As their marriage was founded upon a mutual esteem, their passion increased instead of diminishing by enjoyment, till they became an example of conjugal duty to all who knew them. They had lived many years in this uninterrupted state of felicity, when Marini was obliged to make a voyage to Corsica, which was then disturbed by a rebellious insurrection, in order to secure his patrimony, by encouraging his dependants to stand firm in the defence of their country. But the greatest affliction, and which absorbed all the rest, was his being necessitated to part for a while from Monimia, who, being then far advanced in a state of pregnancy, was unable to go with him as usual. When the fatal time of separation was come, they embraced with the ut

most grief, and the warmest prayers to Heaven for one another's safety. As soon as this afflicting scene was over, Marini embarked, and having a fair wind, arrived safe at Bastia in a few hours. The success of the rebels being stopped, and the affairs of the island a little settled again, our lover began to prepare for his return to Genoa; but as he was walking one day by the harbor where the ships of burden lay, he heard two sailors, who were just arrived, talking of the death of a Genoese nobleman's wife then absent from the republic. This casual circumstance greatly alarmed him, and excited his curiosity to listen farther to their conversation, when, after a little pause, he heard one of them mention the name of his dear Monimia. At these words, his surprize and affliction were so great, that he had not power to follow the mariners to satisfy his doubt, but instantly swooned away, and when he recovered, found himself surrounded by his own servants lamenting over him. At the same time that this happened to Marini, something of the same nature equally distressed Monimia; for an imperfect account came to Genoa by the captain of a Venetian vessel, that a gentleman named Marini had been surprised near Bastia by a remaining party of rebels, and that he and all his attendants were killed by them. These two accounts involved our unfortunate pair in the greatest distress; they immediately took shipping in order to be convinced of what they so much dreaded to know; the one for Corsica, the other for Genoa. They were both sailed, when a vio

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