THE two friends having made the promise which he required of inviolable fecrefy, Giaffar thus entered upon his wonderful story.

"I am thirty-fix years old, and my career is completed. I have paffed through it with honour, perhaps with glory; both love and fortune ftrewed it with flowers, till the fatal inftant which difcovered the abys in which I was nearly overwhelmed. I have loft every thing, even to my very name; the inhabitants of the Eaft mention it ftill with benedictions; the affection of a grateful people perpetuates the remembrance of it, and yet it must not be borne by me! Condemned to obfcurity, I am become a ftranger to my own fame, am unable to enjoy it, and dead to all the world; it is in the eternal filence of the tomb that I receive the approbation and the eulogies of my contemporaries! The unfortunate victim of defpotifm, and the fatal example of human vi

ciffitudes, I am Barmecide." At the found of this great and celebrated name, the Knights of the Swan rofe up. A fentiment of profound veneration and refpe&t' rendered them motionlefs for fome minutes: to great minds profcription and misfortune tend to increase the intereft which genius and virtue never fail to infpire!

The two friends confidered Barmecide with an eagerness of curios fity as if they beheld him now for the first time. The emotion and fympathy which they felt was expreffive a character, that Barmepainted on their countenances in fo cide was very ftrongly affected by it. "O! my friends," cried he, " reftore me to my exiftence." In faying these words, he threw himfelf into their arms; and having received their affectionate embraces, thus refumed his narration.

66

"you

My father, born in the dominions of Gerold, had a paffion for travelling. He infpired my mother with the fame inclination, who was always his infeparable companion. I drew my firft breath in Perfia; my father was my only inftructor, and he taught me by facts and obfervations founded on experience, and not by leffons derived from books. I had the misfortune to lofe this excellent parent when I was twenty years of age; my mother had been dead fome time before. I had three brothers. We had always lived together in the moft perfect union, and were determined not to feparate. Laving often heard of the extreme magnificence of the Court of Aaron Rafchid, we determined to ifit Bagdat. Arrived at this fuperb capital, we became acquainted with feveral Europeans of our own age, and we I i2

lodged

lodged all together under the fame

roof.

My brothers played on feveral mufical inftruments, fome of our new acquaintance had the fame talents, and as we could not enjoy at Bagdat the free exercise of our religion, we agreed, that on the folemn feftivals we should meet in a room, and chant the mafs. Our apart ment was towards the ftreet, and the people, flopping to liften to us, foon difcovered the motive of these religious exercises. Mahometan intolerance was alarmed; and obtained an edict from the Caliph, which was published throughout the city, prohibiting the Chriftians, under pain of death, from affembling to celebrate their religious rites. They were allowed, however, the privilege of perform ing them individually.

"This prohibition offended me fo highly, that I confidered what means could be devifed to elude it. I had always a genius for machanics; and, after fome reflection, I conceived the idea of conftructing an inftrument which might imitate all thofe with which I was acquainted, and even the human voice. I endeavoured to fupply it at the fame time with fo prodigious a volume of found, that it might produce to the ear the effect of a concert. I worked at my invention night and day, and in less than fix months produced an inftrument of an enormous fize, to which I gave the name of Organ, and which perfectly answered my intentions. I then placed myself near my window, and played on it every morning and night, chanting the fervice at the fame time. At the end of fome days, information was fent to the Caliph, that

the Chriftians, notwithstanding the rigour of his prohibition, had begun again their religious concerts, and with more audacity than ever. The Caliph iffued his orders in confequence; and one morning, while I was playing on my organ at the ufual hour, I heard a violent knocking at my door. I fhut up my organ, and rofe to enquire into the caufe; when at the fame inftant a number of armed men, came into my room, and teftified the greatest astonishment at finding me alone. The captain of the company asked me, where were my accomplices. I replied, that I had none. He paid no attention to this anfwer, and fought in vain in all my closets for the other musicians. He paffed feveral times in the front of my organ, without imagining it to be a mufical inftrument; which was in fome measure owing to my having given it the appearance of a cheft of drawers. At length, not being able to comprehend how my companions had efcaped, he ordered me to follow him. I defired to be conducted into the prefence of the Caliph. He replied, that he was conveying me thither. In fact, the prince had refolved to fee me, and to interrogate me himself. He received me with a gloomy and fevere air, confidering me fometime in filence; and ftruck with the serenity of my countenance, "Indifcreet young man," faid he, "what could infpire thee with fo much audacity, and fo much contempt for life?" " Sir," said I in, reply, "nothing fo effectually encourages innocence as the aspect of an equitable judge."-"Thou canst not," anfwered he, "deny thy difobedience. I myself have been

under

have heard the found of inftruments and voices; and yet none but thyself has been found in thy chamber. Where are thy companions?" "I have," faid I, "none." "Liften," replied the Caliph; "thy phyfiognomy interefts and pleases me, and thy youth excites my pity. I am willing to pardon thee, but I expect a fincere confeffion." No, my lord," answered I," you will not pardon a man who fhall be mean enough to inform against his companions and friends." "Well!" exclaimed the Caliph with violence, "all the Chriftians at present in Bagdat fhall be this day put in irons." "They will be in that fituation only a few hours," said I 'in a tranquil tone; " and who fhall fet them free?" -"I, my lord." At this answer the Caliph became mute with aftonishment, and doubted whether he should pronounce my fentence, or difmifs me as a perfon infane. I began therefore again thus to addrefs him. "Sir, I can venture to protest to you, that I have not difobeyed your orders, and that I was alone, of which it will be very eafy to convince you, if you will deign to fend for the cheft of drawers, which is in my chamber. I will open in your prefence this myfterious article of furniture, and you will find in it a complete evidence of my innocence." The Caliph, whofe aftonishment was augmented by this discourse, iffued immediately the order for which I folicited, and my organ was conveyed into his apartment. While I employed myfelf in putting it into order, the Caliph, who waited with as much curiofity as impatience for the cataftrophe of this fingular fcene, went out for the princess Abaffa

our converfation, and returned along with her. The princefs, covered with a long veil, which concealed entirely her fhape and her face, placed herself on one of the cushions by the fide of her brother at a little diftance from, and in front of the organ. Then I asked permiffion of the Caliph to feat myself oppofite my cheft of drawers; and, at the fame inftant, I began to play, and to fing. The Caliph immediately heard thofe powerful and harmonious founds imitating fo completely flutes, horns, hautboys, and the human voice; when starting from his feat with wonder and delight, "Is it poffible," faid he, " that thefe drawers are an inftrument of mufic?" Yes, my lord," replied I, and I invented it to foften the feverity of your prohibition."

In prohibiting

thefe affemblies," faid the Caliph, "I wifhed principally to prevent the celebrity and folemnity which the union of different inftruments and feveral voices give to your ceremonies, I did not forefee that there could be fuch an ingenious contrivance to abrogate my edict; but it is but juft," added he, "that thofe who are compelled to obedience thould be more inventive than their governors." Saying thefe words, he turned towards Abaffa, to ask her what the thought of this adventure. Immediately the moft foothing and delightful voice which had ever yet attracted my ear, requested him in expreffions the moft flattering for me, to recompenfe the author of fo wonderful an invention. "Young man," faid the Caliph, who then approached me, "I admire the arts and every fpecies of talents; thy perfon alfo pleafes me. I de113

fire

fire to have the mechanism of this marvellous machine explained to me, and I charge myself with thy fortune: Thus," purfued he, addreffing himself to his fifter, "you fhall be fatisfied, Abafla; I fhall keep the inftrument and its in

ventor."

"The very fame day I was eftablished in the palace. I was furnished with an extenfive apartment, a multitude of flaves, and feveral magnificent prefents. I had no fortune, and I was charmed that I had acquired one with fo much rapidity and fingularity; but I was not lefs ftruck with the defpotifm which this prince mingled with his favours, even those which were moft diftinguifhed. He had difpofed of me as of a flave, without confulting my inclinations, without condefcending to inform himself whether any particular engagement might interfere with the defire he felt of attaching me to him. I made on this fubje& many melancholy reflections; but I was young, without experience, and dazzled with the brilliant qualities of the Caliph. In truth, he has very exalted ones. I thut my eyes against the terrible effects of his difpofition and character, and delivered up my mind to the fplendid profpe&ts with which fortune and ambition prefented me." The next day the Caliph fent for me, to explain to him the * mechanism of my organ. While demonftrating its principles, I perceived in a few minutes that he had no notion of the previous information that was neceffary to comprehend with facility the mechanifm of a machine fomewhat complicated; and, at the fame time, had fo much felf-conceit as to defire to conceal his ignorance.

As he has a fund of intelligence

and good fenfe, I could easily, by explaining to him fome of the firit principles, and by clearing up his doubts, have fhewn him plainly what he wished to know; but he required a learned explanation; he pretended to underftand what it was impoffible he could comprehend, fo that my illuftration was abfolutely ufelefs to him. He carried away with him only the fecret perfuafion that he had impofed on me on the fubject of his inftruction; and he left in my mind the chagrin of perceiving to what an extent of puerility may be ftrained the pride of the most enlightened of men, when their mind has been vitiated by a long poffeflion of unlimited dominion.

He made, however, of my organ, an ufe which was very grateful to me. The Ambaffadors of Charlemagne were then at his Court, and the Caliph added my organ to the numerous prefents with which he entrufted them for their mafter."

Madame Genlis here informs her readers in a note, that the first organ known in Europe was fent, as appears from hiftory, to Charlemagne by the Caliph Aaron.

On the Injustice of the Charges brought against the genuine Philf phers. From Dela Croix's French Spectator.

ACCORDING to thofe who fuffer from our revolution, all the errors, the acts of injuftice, and the perfecutions, which afflict the friends of humanity, are the work of philofophy. May it not be alferted, with more truth, that it is becaufe men have defpifed her leffons, and been deaf to her voice, that fo many troubles and difatters

have happened, which have brought defolation on town and country? Has not philofophy affumed all forms, and borrowed all languages, in order to make our monarchs comprehend that they ought inceffantly to occupy themfelves with the happiness of their fubjects; that, in facrificing the public welfare to the defires of fome individuals, they did not even fatisfy the avidity of their courtiers; that they exposed themfelves to the rifk of feeing extinguished in the hearts of their fubjects that love which is fo natural to the people under their dominion, and which was the firmeft fupport of their throne? Were not the days of the author of Telemchus poifoned with exile, becaufe he dared to trace, under the eyes of Louis XIV. the duties of a great king? Was not Racine overwhelmed with a load of difgrace, for having effayed to move the heart of the fame prince to the misfortunes of his people.

Did not Voltaire, Montefquien, Mably, Rouffeau, in fine, all the philofophical and moral writers, ufe all their efforts to fnatch Louis XV. from his fcandalous indolence, and to fow in his frozen heart fome feeds of virtue? What eulogies, even to exaggeration, have they not given to tienry IV. in order to excite the emulation of his defcendants, and to caufe him to be revived in the heirs of his throne! The wifett counfels have been difdained, the best intentions calum niated. Then the zeal of philofophy was irritated; the affumed the prophetic tone, and concluded with clearly announcing thofe events which now frike our eyes and aftonith our minds. Thefe truths appeared to improbable, that

fcarcely any attention was paid to them. In proof of my affertion I only quote the following paffage from Emilius: "You truft to the exifting order of fociety; without reflecting that this order is fubjec to inevitable revolutions. The great become little, the rich become poor, the monarch becomes a fubject. Are the ftrokes of fate fo uncommon that you may expect to be exempt from them? We approach the fate of crifis and the age of revolution; who can anfwer to you for what you will then become?" To render this the more ftriking, the author adds in a note, "I confider it as impoffible that the great monarchies of Europe can have long to laft; all have fhone, and every ftate which fhines is near to its decline: I have more particular reafons for this maxim for my opinion; but it is not my business to mention them, and every one fees them too plainly."

King, prelates, nobles, financiers, was it poflible more clea ly to predict to you your prefent fate! Happily for bim who foretold your fudden fall, you only regarded him with contempt.

If the magiftrates had not with inexorable infenfibility rejected the maxims of the Beccarias, the Filangieris, and the Dupatys, and of all thofe who conjured them in the name of humanity to extend an equitable protection over innocence and wretchednets, would they not have found defenders in that national aflembly which destroyed their power? The nobles, fo jealots of their quit-rents, their corvées their right of the cha 2, and all thofe claims of fervitude which degrade the inhabitant of the coun114