36 MULAI, A TALE. ^^'ciy H, 



My father was fovereign of the grtataH part of hidqflan: 

 I^ Melai, was his eldtil fon, and, qf coulequence, the peace- 

 ful inheritor of his throne. 



The aitill was confounded, and Hartqd froim his feat, to 

 teftify his refpeft for a vifitor fo ilkiTtrious ; but the old man 

 took hini by the hand, and with a friendly fimile, obiiped 

 him to refume it. I intreat you, laid he, to let ceremony 

 alone. It is the fate of princes to bp flattered in profperity ; 

 but when, at any time, by the vicilTitutle of human affairs, 

 they are reduced to the level of ordinary mortals, thoufands 

 are ready to cenfure and delpile them jlbut few. very few, 

 either to comfort or to pity. Be you but one of thefe, and 

 I, am more than contented :-r-Then, after payiing a few mo^ 

 ments, the hing oi Indojlan proceeded a;f foUows : 



My father was a prince who delighted in war Kis 



neighbours trembled at the terror of his name ; and even 



his fubjefis looked , up to him witli fear My difpofi- 



tion was totally different j my chief wifh, even from my 

 youth, was to fecure the tranquillity, and the affcclion of 

 my people. He was grown old amid the tumults of v/ar, and 

 looked upon liis arms witli as much fatisfaCiion, as the bridcr 

 groom contemplates hl« nuptial attire. I, on the contrary, 

 put them on with reluctance, and never. without ofFeiing a 

 fervent fupplication, that I might foon be able to lay them 

 afide for ever. 



A few minutes before the death of my father, he called 

 me for the lalt time to his bedfide j when, taking this ring 

 from his finger, ant! putting it upon mine, he fpoke with 

 dilhculty the followiiiig words : — With this I hequtkth to 

 you the government of my kingdom : may you never be in 

 danger of lofing it. But the foftnefs of your temper, and 

 .your averfion to war, embitters with anxiety thffe lad mo- 

 ments of my life. 1 fee that the eminence to which you 

 will foon be exalted, is a ftatlon you wa* never intended to 

 fill ; and I tremble with apprehenfion for what may be the 

 confequence, when your fubjefts become acquainted viith 

 your unmanly difpofition. I befeeeh you, at leaiV.fo, long 

 as you are a monarch, never to let that ring pajrt from 

 your finger : A time may perhaps come, in which it will 

 be ufeful, I promifed.it, and he expired. 



The beginning of my government was employed in bene- 

 fgflions, v/hich were amply requited with acclamation and 



