pretty pictures. One of these young people proposed to him to paint the five senses at four sous a-piece. Broor executed them so well, that another asked of him the twelve months of the year at the same price.

Our prisoner thought himself very happy, and considered, as a good fortune, the purchase money of these little subjects which he did by stealth, and in some leisure mo ments; but the considerable profits which his works brought him determined Hals and his wife to watch him so closely that he should not have a single minute to dispose of; these unconscionable guards, not content with exhausting him with labour, diminished day by day the small pittance destined for his subsistence.

This dreadful situation was like to drive him to despair,, when one of his comrades advised him to make his escape, and even furnished him with the means. Deprived of every thing, and almost naked, Broor strayed through the city not knowing where to go, nor what would be his lot. After ha ving wandered a long time, he stopt at the shop of a gingerbread baker, and bought as much as should serve him all. day, paying for it all the money which he had, and ran to place himself under the organ of the great church. Whilst he was there, ruminating in his mind how he should get into a more comfortable situation, he was recognised by an intimate friend who took him back to his master, who had been at much pains to find him, and, overjoyed at recovering him, promised to use him better in time to come.

Hals piqued himself upon the performance of his promise; he bought him a suit of second hand clothes, and fed him a little better. Broor, thus encouraged, set about his work with ardour, but always for the profit of his master, who sold very dear the pictures which he had for almost nothing. Broor alone was ignorant of his talents, and the

Aug. 22 resources which they would have procured him. Informed at last by his comrades of the price of his pictures, he escaped more effectually than the first time, and took refuge in. the city of Amsterdam, where he arrived without friends or money. His good stars conducted him to an honest seller of pictures, who granted him an asylum. One may guess with what pleasure Broor learned that his works were known in Amsterdam, and that they sold for a considerable price.

He would have perhaps doubted it, if an amateur had not given him about an hundred ducats for one of his pictures. As soon as Broor, 'who had demanded that sum trembling, saw himself in pofsefsion of so much money, he spread it cut upon his bed, transported with joy, and rolled himself: upon it..

Ten days pafsed in a debauch with the people of the very lowest sort, who soon made him find the bottom of his purse.. He then came back, rejoiced and content, to the pictures merchant where he lodged, who asking him what he had, done with his money: I have got. happily rid of it," said he, in order, to be more free."

This alternative between labour and difsipation was his constant plan of conduct all the rest of his life. He never dreamed of taking the pencil until he had no more. money. He was continually involving himself in drunken quarrels with the dregs of the populace, after having drank freely with them. His work fhop was generally,' in an inn, where he was often obliged to send his works to sell to the amateurs, to pay his expence.

Broor gave himself, up with such enthusiasm when at work, that he was often heard speaking Spanish, Italian, and French, as if he had been with the persons whom he was painting.

There is nothing more diverting than the adventures which Broor met with every day. In one of his rambles he was stript entirely by robbers. Not having money to purchase a new wardrobe, he took it into his head to make himself a habit of linen, on which he painted flowers in the taste of the Indian robes. The ladies were deceived by it, and were anxious to have a similar stuff and pattern. Broor contrived, in order to undeceive them, to mount a stage at the end of a performance; and, taking a spunge soaked with water, he effaced before their eyes all the pictures on his dress.

Whilst war was entirely desolating Flanders, Broor was very desirous of going to Antwerp. Notwithstanding the representations of his friends, he could not resist his impa. tience, and was taken in that city for a spy. Being shut up in the citadel, he had there the good fortune to meet the duke of Aremberg, whom he informed of his profefsion. The duke, who received sometimes visits from Rubens, begged that great artist to give to a prisoner some materials and other things wanted for painting. Rubens had no sooner cast his eyes on the picture which the pretended spy was making, than he cried out, This is a picture of Broor's! and was absolutely for paying him six hundred florins.

Rubens employed all his friends to get Broor out of prison; he even became surety for him, and having obtained his enlargement, he clothed him, and took care to have kim lodged, and brought him to his own table. Far from making a proper return for all these generous cares, Broor fed precipitately from the house of his illustrious benefactor in order to enjoy his liberty.

Broor perceived at length that he was despised by his relations on account of his ill drefs. Sensible of the marks of their disdain, he bought a very genteel drefs of velvet. One of his cousins seeing him so well equipped, begged him

to come to his marriage. Broor did not fail to be there, and as during the repast the company praised the good taste and propriety of the dress of our painter, he took a plate filled with sauce, and threw it all upon it, and spoiled at once with the grease all his fine apparel, saying it ought to enjoy its full fhare of the good chear, since it was evident it was his drefs alone that was invited, and not himself.

After this foolish action, he threw his coat into the fire in presence of the company, and went and shut himself up in an inn, where the pipe and a bottle of brandy supplied the place of riches and worldly greatness.

Tired of being possessed of nothing, Broor retired to the house of a baker in Brussels who had a pretty wife. He found means to insinuate himself into the good graces of both the husband and the wife, a singularity which happens every day. That baker who also followed the businefs of a picture dealer, lodged and boarded his new friend. Broor, in return, taught him to paint, and did other good offices to the lady. The connection between these two men. was so close, and their characters were so like, that they were scarcely a moment asunder. They even pufhed their disorders so far as to render themselves liable to legal punishment; an accident which obliged them to betake themselves to flight.

After having wandered some time, Broor came back to Antwerp, being reduced to the utmost misery; he fell ill there, and had no other asylum than the hospital, where he died at the end of two days.

Rubens honoured him with his tears, caused his body to be lifted from the grave where it was buried, and interred it anew with magnificent pomp; the city of Antwerp raised a fine tomb over him.

THE TEMPLE OF HYMEN.

In a letter written by a young gentleman of Philadelphia 10 a young lady.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

LAST night I slept, and I dreamed that I was walking on a beautiful spacious plain, in the middle of which stood a lofty magnificent temple, which appeared to be ancient and venerable: and though some people advanced in years who were present, remarked, that it was much decayed since they had first paid a visit there; yet to me, and all young persons who were in the single line of life, it appeared to be the most elegant and beautiful dome we had ever beheld. As I was admiring it, I saw innumerable crowds of people rushing forward towards it, in pairs; though, I confefs, I thought them very strangely coupled; as I observed men of fifty, leading nymphs of fifteen; and widows of forty, attended by beaux of twenty-two. I stepped to a person standing near me who belonged to the place, and asked him what the dome was called. He said it was called the temple of Hymen; "and those you see prefsing towards it," continued he, " are desirous of being united in the bands of matrimony; the cause of the disparity in age, is, that all these are money-matches." I then` seated myself near the gate of the dome, to take a view of them as they entered. There appeared in their coun⚫tenances a certain languor and cold indifference; and many of them, I thought, appeared unhappy; and the nearer they approached the temple, the more their anxiety seemed to increase. My attention was particularly taken with a handsome youth of about twenty-two years of age, who was attending an antiquated maid, who appeared advanced in life. He seemed to be gloomy and dejected;