PAINTERS represent Fortune with a bandage over her eyes, by which they mean to tell us, that she distributes her gifts indiscriminately, and as chance happens to throw a happy object in her way, without paying regard to either or merit. The following short history will evince the truth of the old , that there is a something necessary, besides merit and industry, to make a person's fortune in this capricious world.  
A brave old soldier, whom I shall under the borrowed name of Ulysses, had acquired honours in the service of his country on the field of battle. Having passed the prime208 of his life in actual service, he to pass the evening of his days in the circle of his family, and the care of his children.
 
He tenderly loved his offspring, and he had the inexpressible pleasure and delight to find himself beloved by them.
 
As his son had entered into a marriage contract by the consent of all parties, a house was taken for the young couple, and the necessary repairs and embellishments were not forgotten. One of the apartments being designed for pictures, the generous youth, without acquainting his father with his design, employed a painter to describe all the heroic actions of his sire.
 
This business was completed with great expedition and , and as soon as the house was properly and furnished, the young gentleman invited all his relations and particular acquaintances to partake of an elegant dinner, on his commencing housekeeping. When the veteran entered the room, where all his glorious actions were represented in the most lively colours, he could not avoid being singularly struck with the generous of his son. The company were at a loss which they should most admire, the heroic exploits of the father, or the exemplary conduct of the son.
 
The old general surveyed every picture with an air of carelessness, at which the company were not a little surprised, and could not help wondering at his composed . "You acted very properly, son," said the old gentleman, "to conceal your intentions of this matter from me till you had completed it, as I otherwise should most certainly have it in its birth. What you have thus done is a convincing proof of your love and affection for me; but, however sensible it may make me of your to me, yet it does not much flatter my vanity.
 
"Few pieces of biography are correct on their first appearance in the world, where the parties meant to be handed down to have not been consulted. The most particular event, from the want of proper information, is frequently omitted. Such is the case, my son, in the present instance. There is one circumstance in my life which ought to have been recorded, since to that action alone I owe all my fortune, and my in the army." However, as dinner was then serving up, the conversation was dropped, and the company very soon began to have something else to think of.
 
The next day, however, being at dinner with his children and a small party of friends, his son requested him to inform him what was that heroic act he had forgotten in his penciled history. The general replied, he had no objections to do so, but observed, that it would be necessary to go into the room where the pictures were hanging.
 
As soon as they had entered the room, the general began his observations on the paintings. "I suppose son," said he, "you have terminated the first line with that in which his is supposed to have made me a lieutenant-general. In this, indeed, you have made a very capital error, as you have here brought together events that happened at different periods. But I would wish to know, whether the military honours I have received, were in consequence of the actions represented in this picture, or on account of what is represented in the whole."
 
The young gentleman replied, without the least , that the honours he had received were in consequence of all his services, and not of any single one.
 
"You are very much mistaken," said the general, "for it was in consequence only of one action in my life, that I enjoy my present honours; and this action you have not recorded."
 
The young gentleman was very much surprised to think that he should forget the principal occurrence of his father's life, and that too from which alone he was raised in the army. He his own want of memory, and was the more angry with himself, as he could not even then it.
 
"Do not make yourself uneasy," said the general to his son, "for it is not possible that you could paint an action you never knew any thing of. It is a transaction which I have never yet related to any one; but I shall now give you the particulars.
 
"During the very early part of my life as a soldier, I lost my left leg, and received so dangerous a wound in my head, that my life was for some time despaired of, nor did I recover of it till after sixteen months had elapsed. I lost my three youngest sons on the field of battle, where they bled in the service of their king and country.
 
"Notwithstanding all these services, I enjoyed no higher rank than that of a major for nearly thirty years, while in that battle, in which I lost my limb, my general fled, in order to preserve his precious life from danger, and was rewarded with ............