THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. -24%3 
- ‘One day, when I was ftanding by the king in the palace, 
he afked, in difcourfe, “ Whether I,’too, was not»drunk in 
the quarrel with Guebra Maf{cal, before we came to blows?” 
and, upon my faying that I was perfectly fober, both before 
and after, becaufe Anthulé’s red wine was finifhed, and I 
never willingly:drank hydromel, or mead, he afked with a 
degree of keennefs, “ Did you then foberly fay to Guebra 
Mafcal, that an end of a tallow candle, in a gun in your 
hand, would do more exécution than an iron bullet in-his*” 
——“ Certainly, Sir, I did fo." —* And why did you fay ‘this ?” 
fays the:king dryly enough, and in a manner I had‘not be- 
fore obferved, “ Becaufe, replied I, it was truth,’and a’pro- 
per reproof to a vain man, who, whatever eminence he 
might have obtained in a country like this, has not know- 
ledge enough to entitle him to the truft of cleaning a gun 
in mine.”—“ OQ! ho! continued the king; as for his know- 
ledge I am not fpeaking of that, but about ‘his gun. You 
will not perfuade me that, with a tallow candle, you can 
kill a man or a horfe.”——* Pardon ‘me, Sir, faid I, bowing 
very refpectfully, I will attempt to perfuade you of nothing 
but what you pleafe to be convinced of: Guebra Mafcal is 
my equal no more, you are my mafter, and, while Iam at 
‘your court, under your protection, you are in place of my 
fovereign, it would be great prefumption mn me to argue 
with you, or lead to a converfation againft'an opinion that 
‘you profefs ‘you are already fixed in.”—“ No, no, fays he, 
with an air of great kindnefs, by‘no means, I was only a 
fraid you would expofe yourfelf before bad people; what 
‘you fay to me is nothing.”—“ And what I fay to you, Sir, 
has always been as fcrupulouily true as if I had been fpeak- 
ing to the king my native fovereign and mafter. Whether 
Hhe T can 
