dazzling acquirements of the unprincipled man of fashion. These are my undisguised sentiments: and had I a sister, a daughter, or a son, I should use every endeavour to convince them, that though the form might be considered in part as civil, yet the actual marriage was of divine institution, and therefore ought to be most religiously observed by both parties, if they have any regard for their happiness hereafter, or their respectability here.

As I consider religion without morality to be a farce, so do I mean, by the words " religiously observed," true fidelity, which is a strictly conscientious observance of that virtuous and faithful love, which the contracting parties so honourably promise, so openly avow, and so sacredly pledge to each other till "death do them part."

To the pen of Gisborne, both married and un married are under the greatest obligation. His "Considerations antecedent to Marriage," cannot be too carefully read,-his duties of matrimonial life cannot be too strictly practised. By an attentive perusal of his pages, the most beautiful and accomplished woman may make her charms still more attractive; and the most gay and elegant man may obtain that knowledge of the human heart, as to ensure to himself, by a kind and affectionate attention to the woman of his choice, that blissfulness, which domestic felicity, arising from a mutually honourable and virtuous conduct, can alone give.

Frequently do we bachelors smile at the expression-" for better, for worse;" and unblushingly allege, that the dread of the latter deters us from becoming Benedicts. How far are we surpassed in this respect by the Athenians, the burthen of whose song, at their marriage feast, was-"'Epuyov κακὸν, εὗρον ἄμεινον,”. "I quitted the bad, I found the better." From this we read, they never dreamed of such a thing as finding a lady worse : and I am persuaded that it is, nine times out of ten, the fault of a bad husband, when the wife becomes worse. The Greeks had also another custom, viz.-that of writing over the door of the bridegroom's house, “Mndév ero xaxóv,”—“Let no evil enter here." This induced Diogenes once to observe, that the master had no right to go in :and if the same custom was still in vogue, I am afraid the same sarcasm might very justly be applied to some bridegrooms, who, when they do enter, carry with them as much evil as the man to whom the Cynic alluded.

As a bachelor, I shall, for the future, lay aside the idea of a lady becoming worse; and I hope other bachelors will follow so excellent an example. The only fault that can possibly be laid to the charge of the ladies, and for which they often smart most grievously through the rest of their lives, is, parting with their hearts without consulting their judgment. Of the danger arising from fixing the affections, without first giving reason

the command of the vessel, at the commencement of the voyage through life, Fielding thus expresses his conviction:

"Safe o'er the main of life the vessel rides,

When Passion furls her sails, and Reason guides;
Whilst she, who has that surest rudder lost,

'Mid rocks and quicksands by the waves is tost;
No certain road she keeps, nor port can find,
Toss'd up and down by every wanton wind."

In having left the vessel to be tossed about at random,—and as there are shoals of jealousy and ill-temper-quicksands of treachery and seduction -whirlpools of ruin and infamy-besides innumerable rocks of destruction, scattered over the ocean of life, it is natural to suppose that the vessel must at last strike or go down: I therefore venture to give you the following lines on the same idea.

When o'er the gently-flowing tides,
While soft the gale,

Which swells the sail,

The weak, frail bark of woman rides,

The mind undisturb'd, and passion asleep,
Reason will pilot her over the deep.
But when clouded the skies,

Dread tempests arise,

And that tempest of love, dreaded most ;

The pilot is blinded,

The helm is not minded,

And this way and that the vessel is tost;

She rocks and she reels,

She settles, she heels,—

She founders at last,-and is lost!

Having trespassed so long on your patience, and that of your readers, I now take my leave, with a sincere wish, if you are a bachelor as well as myself, that we may meet with women whose attractions are heightened by virtue, good sense, and good humour.

Thus solaced by the assiduous endearments of a tender and affectionate wife, we may scoff at the unthinking dissipation of some-smile at the ambitious folly of others—and, like Gil Blas, write over our doors

"Inveni portum--opes et fortuna valete,

Sat me ludisti-ludite nunc alios."

MILESOLIM.

ON THE CANARA CAVES IN SALSETTE.

On the north of Bombay, and opposite to Mahim, lies the Island of Salsette, of which Tanna is the capital, on the eastern side; and, this being the frontier coast towards the Mahratta country, is defended by a small fort, which is garrisoned by two companies of Sepoys.

Salsette has long been celebrated for its subterranean temples, of which those of Canara, situated near the centre of the island, are the principal.

On the morning of the 16th November, 1800, I

set out early from Poullec to visit them, and crossing the ford at Sion, proceeded on, through a romantically beautiful tract of hilly country, which is but little cultivated. After a journey of fifteen or sixteen miles, and at the hour of eleven o'clock, I reached the foot of this majestic mount. Here I was obliged to leave my palanquin, as the surrounding thickets covered the small path, which leads to its ascent, and rendered it extremely difficult, without some guide to point out the way. At this place, the mountain appears to be of vast circumference, and is clothed on every side with the thickest foliage, but terminating, near to the summit, in a barren rock, which appears greatly elevated above the adjacent hills. After ascending by a circituous route, the distance of one mile, I reached the entrance to the caves, where the first object that strikes the eye, is a flight of rude steps, leading into a large cave or temple, through a lofty and extensive portico, which is hewn out of the solid rock, and ornamented in the front with a colonnade of plain pillars, formed to support the immense surface of the roof. Those pillars bear some resemblance to the Tuscan order. On the right and left hand of the portico, there are two colossal statues, chiselled from the stone wall in bas-relief, and rising to the height of about twentyfive feet. These figures are of an uncouth form, and are decorated with various fantastic ornaments, such as ear-rings, &c. And by being placed in so