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SECOND EVENING.

The ENGLISH MERCHANT.

A TALE.

IN my return from the Indies, I had fome affairs with a Spanish merchant, and, while I was managing in one of their seaports, there came a Spanish corfair, who had taken a rich Turkish prize, with feveral Turks and Moors prifoners, whom he offered to fell as flaves: I never had any traffick of this kind, from any view of intereft, but from a motive of compaffion I had purchased liberty for many a miserable wretch, to whom I gave freedom the moment I paid his ranfom. Among

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the captives newly taken, there was one distinguished by the richness of his habit, and more by the gracefulness of his port: He drew all my attention, of which he appeared fenfible, and ftill directed his looks to me: Our fouls feemed to greet one another, as if their intimacy had been of long standing, and commenced in fome pre-existent period. There was fomething in the air of this young ftranger fuperior to adverfity, and yet fenfible of the prefent disadvantage of his fate; while I felt for him an emotion, foft as the ties of nature, and could not but impute it to the secret impreffion of fome intelligent power, which' was leading me to a height of generofity beyond my own intention; and by an impulse of virtue on my foul, directing it to the accomplishment of fome diftant and unknown defign of Providence; the heavenly inftigation came with a prevailing force, and I could not but obey its dictates.

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The price fet on this captive was extravagantly high, and fuch as would be a vaft disadvantage to my present affairs to part with however I liftened to the gentle monitor within, and paid the corfair his full demands. As foon as I had conducted the youth to my lodgings, I told him he was free; the price I had paid was for his friendship and liberty. "Then you have confined me," replied the gentle franger, "by the most lafting engagements; I might have broke through any other restraint; but I am now your voluntary flave, and dare truft you with a fecret unknown to the Spaniards. My name is Orramel, the fon of a wealthy Baffa in Conftantinople, and you may demand what you please for my ranfom." "You will foon be convineed," faid I, "there was no mercenary intention in this action; the amity I have for you is noble and difinterested; it was kindled by a celeftial spark, an emanation

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from the divine clemency, and terminates in nothing below your immortal happiness : and were you inclined to examine those facred truths which would lead you to that felicity, and to fhare my fortune in a free and happy nation, the wealth of the Indies fhould not buy you from my affection; but if it is your choice to return to the customs and religion of your country, you are abfolutely free without attending to any terms for your release." With a friendly, but dejected look, he told me, it was impoffible for him to dispense with his filial obligations to an indulgent parent; but he pofitively refused his freedom, till he had given intelligence, and received an answer from his father; which he foon had with a carte blanche to me, on which I might make my own demands for his fon's ranfom. I returned it with no other terms, but the liberty of all the chriftian flaves he had in his poffeffion; hoping, by this difinterested conduct

conduct, to leave a conviction on the mind of my young friend in favour of chriftianity. It was fome months after he was gone, before I could finish my negotiation in Spain, but as foon as they were dispatched, I embarked for Holland. We had not been a week at fea, before the ship was taken by a Turkish pirate, and all the men in it carried to Conftantinople to be fold as flaves: My lot fell to a master from whom I was like to find most barbarous treatment; however, I was refolved to endure my bondage, till I could give intelligence to my friends in England to procure my ranfom; for I was fixed on this, that no hardfhip should reduce me to give Orramel an account of my diftrefs till I was again in circumstances, not to need his kindness, nor expect a retaliation of my own. But heaven had kinder intentions by bringing me into this adversity, nor left me long without redrefs. As I was talking in a public place

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