Abudah, now feeling for, and taking out the fifty keys, thought himself the happiest of mankind. The danger which he conceived the talisman might be in, from lying in a chest so conspicuous, and which he had already experienced, determined him, at all hazards, to unlock with his fifty keys the iron chest, and take the talisman out, and always wear it concealed about him. With this view he began to try the first key, which, to his amazement, would fit neither of the fifty locks. At this he began to suspect, that either the Genius or Riches had mistaken (which he could hardly suppose), or that some evil Genius had changed them in his bosom.-" However," said he to himself, "perhaps, as one key will open none, one also may open all :" so, taking out one by one, he tried them all but neither of the fifty keys would open a single lock.

Abudah, at this discovery, flung himself on the sofa, and began to lament his miserable fate: but he soon resolved to try the keys a second time: "for," said he, "some key I have possibly missed, and such a treasure cannot be expected without much labour and pains." At this he rose up, and was going toward the chest, when, starting at a noise in the centre of the room, he beheld the little box, which had been the first cause of all his grief, and was saluted by the old hag, who hobbled out from her confinement, and began to terrify the afflicted merchant in the following terms:

"Oh, senseless Abudah! to hope that the Talisman of Oromanes might be bought with riches! Thou hast indeed a chest, but thou hast neither the means, nor canst thou force open this chest, to search for thy treasure: what, then, art thou the better for thy possession, or the happier for thy chest of iron? It will, indeed convey thee where thou desirest, and thou mayst rest upon it; but, waking, thou feelest the tortures of anxiety,

"He beheld the little box, the first cause of all his grief, and was saluted by the old woman who hobbled out of her confinement."

and feelest them the sharper, because thou fearest to lose what thou canst not enjoy. Go then, and search till thou findest the keys of the fifty locks; but be not so senseless as to suppose that the Genius would have parted with the treasure, could he have made any use of it. In a far different country must thou hope to find those keys which will unlock that chest; a joyous country, where serenity ever dwells, and pleasure reigns eternal.-A short respite will I give thee; but ere this moon be passed, let me find you active, or I shall invent double horrors to surround you."

Having thus said, the box closed, and in an instant Abudah beheld it mounted on the chest, which he vainly hoped would have driven such a troublesome guest from his house.

And now Selima his wife, awaking, beheld with surprise her husband Abudah drowned in tears by her side. She instantly pressed him in her arms, and, in transports, inquired by what happy fate he was returned.

"Why, know you not," replied Abudah, "that the third morning, as I mounted the car, which the traveller had prepared for me, and was arrayed in my best vestments of gold and diamonds, having a procession the length of two days before me, and such a numerous retinue of all the nobles of Bagdad, and having archers innumerable attending my caravan, which was moving toward the valley-?"

"Oh, my dear Abudah," said Selima interrupting him, "with what madness hath that wicked enchanter possessed you? What car? what vestments? what procession doth my lord talk of? There came, indeed (brought by those who called themselves your friends), a poor wretch here, who has embezzled the greater part of your riches, and who often talked in private with you: and this continued for some months, during which time you never attended to the speech

of your friends, but seemed wrapped up in that specious villain, who at last took you to the room fronting the gateway of the city, and there, for two days, you continued looking out, and seemed to be in raptures, talking of more riches than the world contains: and the third day, though he still continued by you, you persisted he was gone. Yet he went forth, and you followed him: and, getting into a little vehicle, he placed himself behind you, and your family have from that day lamented your absence."

At this recital Abudah turned his face on the sofa, and spake no more for several hours. At last, rising from the sofa, "Fool, indeed that I was!" said he, "to trust to the account of a miserable impostor, or believe that the Talisman of Oromanes might be purchased with riches."

[The continuation of the tale of the "Talisman of Oromanes" describes the second adventure of the merchant Abudah in the groves of Shadaski. We give the conclusion, which forms an introduction to the third Adventure :]

Thus passed away the night in the groves of Shadaski; the morning brought reflection and satiety; and Abudah, with some impatience, besought the Queen of Pleasures to surrender him the keys of the iron chest.

"My ever-loved Abudah," replied the Queen, "behold the chest in the centre of my temple; and here are the keys for my adventurous hero: go, happy Abudah, and purchase a perpetuity in these never-fading arms, by the possession of the talisman of the pleasure-giving Oromanes."

Abudah, having received the keys, jumped forward from