it; for, being long practised in Wickedness, he had already discovered a Way to remove his Fears, without hazarding his Tomans. Endeavour, says he to Liamil, to preserve those Remains of Favour which the King still has for you. Be blind to those Fondnesses which so deeply affect you; let not your Sister's Rivalship alarm you: I will soon bring it to an End. Flatter Zeokinizul; I know him, Fondness and Complaisance are the only Means to preserve his Heart.

Pursuant to these Instructions of Jeflur, Liamil so far from troubling the King with Complaints, was more eager in her Caresses, and the Prince overjoyed to Love and be beloved by two such easy and unsuspecting Rivals, carried on with both of them an Amour, whose Guilt seemed to make it the more delightful. Leutinemil became with Child, and as she protested that her Husband had no Share in her Pregnancy, it must be attributed to Zeokinizul. Jeflur was not at all disturbed at it, he was only affraid of the Mother, and here was a favourable Opportunity to dispatch her.

She went her Time very happily, and was safely delivered. Zeokinizul paid her his Compliments in the most tender Terms; but a

few Days changed all this Joy into the deepest Sorrow. She was seiz'd with violent Pains in her Breast, which were followed with such terrible Convulsions, as, in a few Hours proved the Death of this unfortunate Mother; nor could the Physicians, or at least they would not, declare the real Cause of it. Zeokinizul was so afflicted at this unexpected Loss, that he intermitted every Pleasure and Diversion. Liamil seemed to indulge an excessive Grief on a double Account, and so artfully concealed her Joy for her Rival's Death, that the compassionate King dismist his Sorrows to put an End to hers. This Shew of Sympathy and Tenderness in Liamil, imposed on many, and reunited Zeokinizul to her with more Fondness and Attachment than ever.

Though he had a very important War upon his Hands, it did not divert him from the Gratifications of Love; he left the entire Management of every Thing to the Mollak Jeflur. The Welfare of his Troops and Glory of his Arms were to depend on Generals of the Minister's Appointment, whose Weakness and sordid Parsimony, occasioned several very ignominious Miscarriages to the Kofirans. Zeokinizul had such a paternal Love for his People, that the Loss of a hundred thousand brave Soldiers, and above seven Millions of Tomans would have greatly afflicted him, had his Passion for Liamil left him any Freedom of Thought, but in her Company, he was insensible to every other Concern. The disinterested Fondness of this Favourite, who

only loved the Lover in the King, must have made her the happiest that ever was, if relying less on her Merit, or warned by a recent Experience, she had guarded against some of her own Sex, whom she must think envied her Elevation, and watch'd her Ruin; but as an illusory Conceit that a Passion which had subsisted for many Years, would never be extinguished, brought her into the very Misfortune from which Leutinemil's Death had delivered her.

She had three Sisters still remaining, who all longed impatiently to show themselves to their Sovereign, though they were none of Nature's Master-pieces. Coquetry and something worse had always been hereditary in this Family, who yet seem to have bewitch'd Zeokinizul. The eldest of these three Sisters, was the Widow of a Bassa of the second Rank, she expected the Precedence as being a little more sprightly than the others; and full of a high Conceit of her Desert, she depended on keeping her Station long enough to put the others out of all Hopes. She had a great deal of Leutinemil's Temper, only still more Ambition. There had formerly been a very close Intimacy betwixt her and Kelirieu, and it is thought, that he espoused her Interests as much through Gratitude, as Envy and Revenge to displace Liamil.

Her continued Familiarity with Zeokinizul, had worn away even that little Modesty which the most abandoned Prostitutes are seen to retain; and having been long in Possession of his Spouse's Rights, she came to look upon

herself as such; and made no Scruple of seeing Company when she was just coming from her Lover's Arms, and her Face full of the Marks of his eager Caresses. I have been assured by several Noblemen, that one Day she threw herself out of an Arbour, under Pretence of avoiding Zeokinizul's Embraces with her bare Breast and loose Hair, and said to them, very unconcernedly, for God's Sake see how this Fornicator has handled me. She had now lost all Relish for these delightful Parties of Pleasure, whilst they were to be in private, and was continually importuning her Lover to chuse a Set of Associates. Kelirieu, to compass his own Aim, seconded the Favorite's Desire with such flattering Stories, that his Master recommended to him the Care of finding out some Persons of both Sexes who were fit to bear a Part in these Festivals of Bacchus, and the Cytherean Deity. The Confident laid hold of this Opportunity at length, to gratify Lenertoula's Impatience to be introduced to the King. Her Sister Liamil, who had entertained no Suspicion at her Punctuality in shewing herself at Court, was as easy with Regard to her being admitted as one of the Guests. But Zeokinizul was not so indifferent about her, for he fell violently in Love with her at her first Appearance. Lenertoula observed him very attentively, and artfully avoided any Steps which might give him Reason to conclude, that she was his own. The Monarch was caught in the Snare, and when she perceived the Force of his Love was equal to her Wish,

she declar'd to him the Conditions on which alone she would yield herself up to his Embraces. Zeokinizul could refuse her nothing. Rank, Titles, Riches, all was laid at her Feet; and Lenertoula being now in no Danger of Disappointments, or at least in a Condition to support them, was under no Apprehension of her Intrigues becoming publick.

This second Act of Perfidiousness in her Sisters, fill'd Liamil with Rage. As she had imagined the King's Heart to be her Property by right of Prescription, she bitterly reproach'd him for his Inconstancy. But her Reign was over, for Zeokinizul dismissed her coldly, without so much as even debating the Matter with her, and within a few Hours, he notified to her by one of his Eunuchs, that she should immediately leave the Court. This was a Step of Lenertoula's Policy. This new Favourite, fearing lest her Sister, than whom none better knew the King's Temper, might lay hold of one of his soft Moments, when he could refuse nothing, to recover her Property. She objected some religious Scruples which could not be satisfied but by removing Liamil. This unfortunate Creature, who, after so long a Continuance in so high Favour, had nothing left but the Sorrow for losing it, and the Shame of having purchased it at the Price of her Honour, retired into a Mosque, where she is said to have spent the Remainder of her Life in penitential Devotions. I must, for my Part, be of Opinion, that her Grief was

much greater for the Loss of her Lover, than for having ever enjoy'd him. However, tho' she had lost Zeokinizul's Love, she felt his Generosity; for he order'd all her Debts to be discharg'd, and settled on her a very large Annuity. Lenertoula was so fully satisfied by such evident Proofs of her Sovereign's Love, that she now consented to make him happy. The Monarch's Desires were heightened