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couries (small shells which go current for money here), she distributed them amongst the populace, together with rice fried in butter and sugar, very plentifully, as she passed from her house to the place of burning; where, when she arrived, they had not begun to make the pile : so she was set down, together with her dead husband, and gave several orders to the people in making the pile, and was so far from being in the least afraid, that she rejoiced much. I went up to her, and asked her if it was her own free will and consent? She told me it was, and that she was much obliged to me for giving her liberty to burn in that place, and desired I would not offer to oppose it, as she would certainly make away with herself was she prevented. She sat there, talking with her friends and neighbours, till the pile was ready, which was above an hour, and then went a little distance off, where the deceased was also carried, and were both washed with Ganges water, and had clean cloaths put on them. The son of the deceased then put a painted paper crown, or cap, on his father's head, of the same kind as is usual for them to wear at their marriages; and a Bramin woman brought four lamps burning, and put one of them into the woman's hand, and placed the other three round her upon the ground: all the time she held the lamp in her hand, the Bramin woman was repeating some prayers to her; which when finished, she put a garland of flowers round her head, and then gave the son of the deceased, who was standing close by, a ring made of grass, which she put upon one of his fingers, and an earthen plate full of boiled rice and plantains mixed up together, which he immediately offered to his deceased father, putting it three times to his mouth, and then in the to his mother, who did not taste it. The deceased was supported all this time, and set upon his breech close by his wife, who never spoke after this, but

same manner.

made

the

made three selams to her husband, by putting her hands upon the soles of his feet, and then upon ber own head. The deceased was then carried away and laid upon pile, and his wife immediately followed, with a pot under her arm, containing 21 couries, 21 pieces of saffron, 21 pons for betel-nut, and the leaf made up ready for chewing; one little piece of iron, and one piece of sandalwood. When she got to the pile, she looked a little at her husband, who was lying upon it, and then walked seven times round it; when she stopped at his feet, and made the same obeisance to him as before. She then mounted the pile without help, and laid herself down by her husband's side, putting the pot she carried with her close to her head; which as soon as done, she clasped her husband in her arms; and the son, who was standing ready with a wisp of straw lighted in his hand, put the blaze of it three times to his father and mother's mouths, and then set the pile on fire all around, whilst the populace threw reeds and lighted ·wood upon them; and they were both burnt to ashes in less than an hour, I believe she soon died, for she never moved, though there was no weight upon her but what she might

easily have overset, had she had

any

inclination."

To be concluded in our next.

THE HON. ROBERT BOYLE,

AN eminent philosopher, and a truly good man, was the son of Richard, Earl of Cork, and was born at Lismore in Ireland, in the year 1627. At Eton school, where he was educated, he soon discovered a force of understanding, which promised great things; and a disposition to improve it to the utmost. In natural philosophy he made useful discoveries; and always aimed at two points in his writings

and

and experiments, namely, truth, and the good of mankind. His judgment, accuracy, and penetration fitted him for the discovery of truth, on any point he studied; and in his philosophical experiments, he was so cautious in examining and reporting, as to avoid the least imputation of rashness or credulity. His abilities were acknowledged by the learned in foreign nations; in France, by Bayle and Rapin; in Germany by Morhof; in Italy, by Redi; and in Holland, by Boerhaave, who passed the following culogium on him—“ Boyle was the ornament of his age and country. Which of his writings shall I commend? All of them. To him we owe the secrets of fire, air, water, animals, vegetables, fossils: from his works may be deduced the whole system of natural knowledge." "His knowledge," says his intimate friend, Bishop Burnet, "was of so vast van extent that were it not for the variety of vouchers, I would be afraid to say all I know.” Having entertained doubts about the truth of christianity, he examined its evidences, and appropriated a large annual sum for defending it against its opponents. He was at the charge of the translation and impression of the New Testament into the Malayan tongue; and he had it dispersed in the East Indies. He gave a great reward to the person who translated into Arabic, Grotius's incomparable book, on the truth of the Christian religion; and had a whole edition printed at his own expense, which he took care to have spread in all the countries where that language is understood. By munificent donations, and by his patronage, he also very materially promoted the plans of other persons, for propagating the Christian religion, in remote parts of the world. In other respects, his charities were so extensive, that they amounted to more than a thousand pounds sterling every year.

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His distinguished learning and unblemished reputation, Induced Lord Clarendon to solicit him to assume the sacer

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dotal function; which he refused, for various reasons, one of which was, that whatever he wrote on religion would have greater weight, as coming from a layman. The chief object of his philosophical pursuits was to promote the cause of religion, to discountenance atheism, and to raise in himself and others, more exalted notions of the greatness and glory, the wisdom and goodness, of God. "He had,” says Bishop Burnet, "the most profound veneration for the great God of heaven and earth, that I ever observed in any man. The very name of God was never mentioned by him without a pause, and observable stop in his discourse."

His zeal was unmixed with narrow notions, or a bigoted heat in favour of a particular sect; it was that spirit which is the ornament of a true Christian; indeed, so brightly did the example of this great and good man shine, through his whole course, that the Bishop, on reviewing it, in a moment of pious exultation thus expressed himself: “I might challenge the whole tribe of libertines to come, and view the usefulness, as well as the excellence, of the Christian religion, in a life that was entirely dedicated to it."

The Industrious Children.

"TRAVELLING through the counties of Aberdeen and Banff," says Lord Kames in a letter to the Duchess of Gordon, dated August, 1770, "it is pleasant to see the young creatures turning out every where from their little cottages, full of curiosity, but not less full of industry; for every one of them is employed: and in knitting stockings, they lose not all the while a single motion of their fingers. This sight I have never beheld without delight."-In most parts of Wales, and in many other places, females are seldom seen without their knitting, at any spare moment; or when carrying their milk pails, or driving cattle, or engaged in any work that leaves their hands at liberty,

Dreadful consequences of Gaming.

TO THE PUBLISHERS OF THE CHEAP MAGAZINE.

GENTLEMEN,

From your readiness to insert my last communication into the pages of your useful little work, I am led to believe that occasional Anecdotes, levelled against particular prevailing vices, may not be unacceptable to you in future; and as I frequently meet with such in my reading, should the early insertion of this shew that I am right in my conjecture, you may possibly soon hear from me again.

Some melancholy effects of the pernicious practice of Gaming, have lately appeared in the public papers; one of them, you will no doubt recollect, terminated in the premature and disgraceful end of a young gentleman, in a foreign land, at a distance from his friends, and who, but for this fatal propensity, might perhaps have been still alive, in the way to preferment, and likely to become an honour to his country and connections.

It is not my wish to harrow up the feelings of the afflicted relations of this unfortunate youth, by being more explicit on an event so recent, but, in order to deter athers from falling victims to the same fertile source of calamity, or being entangled in such a bewitching snare, may I request you will have the goodness to insert the following Anecdote, which I have lately met with. HUMANUS.

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IN one of the principal cities in Europe lived Lucius and SAPPHIRA, blessed with a moderate fortune, health, mutual love, and peace of mind. Their family consisted of two little darlings, a son and a daughter. They seemed to want for nothing as an addition to their happiness; nor were they insensible of what they enjoyed; but animated with gratitude to Heaven, they were happy instruments of good to all about them. Towards the close of the summer in 1765, LUCIUS happened to be in company with some neighbouring gentlemen, who proposed to waste an hour or so at cards; he consented, more in complaisance to the taste HH 2

of

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