I dreamt of fplendid habits and a numerous retinue, of gardens, palaces, eunuchs and women, and waked only to regret the illufions that had vanished. My health was at length impaired by the inquietude of my mind; I fold all my moveables for fubfiftence, and referved only a matrafs, upon which I fometime lay from one night to another.

In the first moon of the following year, the Caliph came again to Mecca, with the fame fecrecy, and for the fame purposes. He was willing once more to see the man, whom he confidered as deriving felicity from himfelf. But he found me not finging at my work, ruddy with health, and vivid with cheerfulness; but pale and dejected, fitting on the ground, and chewing opium, which contributed to substitute the phantoms of imagination for the realities of greatness. He entered with a kind of joyful impatience in his countenance,

which

which the moment he beheld me, was changed to a mixture of wonder and pity. I had often wifhed for another opportunity to address the Caliph; yet I was confounded at his prefence, and throwing myself at his feet, I laid my hand upon my head, and was fpeechlefs." Haffan," faid he, "what canft thou have loft, whofe wealth was the labour of thy own hands; and what can have made thee fad, the spring of whose joy was in thy own bosom? what evil hath befallen thee? speak, and if I can remove it, thou art happy." I was now encouraged to look up; and I replied," Let my lord forgive the prefumption of his fervant, who rather than utter a falfhood would be dumb for ever. I am become wretched by the lofs of that Į never poffeffed: thou haft raised wifhes which indeed I am not worthy thou shouldest satisfy; but why should it be thought, that he who was happy in obscurity and B6 indigence

indigence, would not have been rendered more happy by eminence and wealth?"

When I finished this fpeech, Almalic ftood fome moments in fufpenfe, and I continued proftrate before him." Haffan," faid he, "I perceive not with indignation but regret, that I miftook thy character: I now discover avarice and ambition in thy heart, which lay torpid only because their objects were too remote to rouse them. I cannot therefore inveft thee with authority, because I would not fubject my people to oppreffion; and because I would not be compelled to punish thee for crimes which I firft enabled thee to commit. But as I have taken from thee that which I cannot reftore, I will at leaft gratify the wishes I excited, leaft thy heart accufe me of injuftice, and thou continue a stranger to thy felf. Arife, therefore, and follow me." I fprang from the ground as it were with the wings of an eagle; I kiffed the hem

of

of his garment in an extasy of gratitude and joy; and when I went out of

my house, my heart leapt as if I had escaped from the den of the lion. I followed Almalic to the caravanfera in which he lodged ; and after he had fulfilled his vows, he took me with him to Medina. He gave me an apartinent in the Seraglio; I was attended by his own fervants; my provisions were fent from his own table; and I received every week a fum from his treasury, which exceeded the moft romantic of my expectations. But I foon difcovered that not dainty was so tasteful, as the food to which labour procured an appetite; no flumbers fo fweet, as those which weariness invited; and no time fo well enjoyed, as that in which diligence is expecting it's reward. I remembered these enjoyments with regret; and while I was fighing in the midft of fuperfluities, which though they encumbered life, yet I could not give up, they were fuddenly taken away. B 7 Almalic

Almalic, in the midst of the glory of his kingdom, and in the full vigour of his life, expired fuddenly in the bath; fuch thou knoweft was the destiny which the Almighty had written upon his head.

His fon Aububeker, who fucceeded to the throne, was incenfed against me, by fome who regarded me with contempt; and he fuddenly withdrew my pension, and commanded that I fhould be expelled from the palace; a command which my enemies executed with fo much rigour, that within twelve hours I found myself in the streets of Medina, indigent and friendlefs, expofed to hunger and derifion, with all the habits of luxury, and all the fenfi. bility of pride. O! let not thy heart despise me, thou whom experience has not taught, that it is mifery to lose that which it is not happiness to poffefs. O! that for me, this leffon had not been written on the tables of providence! I have travelled

from