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fatisfying and tumultuous, and where a tranfient gleam of gratifications at best trifling, is followed by a long winter of folid mifery.

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As the fecurity of my noble charge was infeparably connected with a deep perfuafion of this point, I thought the present no improper opportunity to enforce it. And that I might render the fubject more agreeable, by embellifhing it with the colours of Fancy, which never failed to delight him, I stepped to one of the bookcafes, and taking down the second volumeTM of DIALOGUES ON EDUCATION, read to him from the Sixteenth Dialogue, a Dream concerning PLEASURE, in which, under a great variety of imagery and characters, drawn from the poetic and from the living worlds, are fhadowed out, after the manner of some ancient moralifts, the accurfed arts of that Enchantrefs, in deluding, disappointing, and deftroying unwary mortals.

My pupil appeared very fenfibly affected. He often changed colour in the progrefs of the narrative. His countenance, which was naturally expreffive, fometimes lowered with indignation at the ftrong pictures he there faw exhibited of vice and villainy, fometimes brightened into approbation of the juft awards he found adjudged to the guilty, and at other times fmiled with contempt of the foppery and futility, which are expofed in fome of the ideal perfonages. So much did the whole vifionary scene engage him, that he hung upon my words with eager fufpence to the conclufion. He then feemed loft in thought; from which he no fooner recovered himself, than he exclaimed, "What pity the "author fhould have ended fo foon! Or

has he made amends, by communica"ting more fuch vifions elsewhere?" Obferving me filent, he added, “Is not "Virtue ufually spoken of by the poets as

a real perfon? Why did not this

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writer publish something in the fame way concerning Virtue? It must have been equally inftructive, and more "delightful."

The thought was not unreasonable. I reflected on it at parting, retired into the garden, and there revolved all that had paffed. This, with the beauty of surrounding Nature, the ferenity and ftillness of approaching night, and a state of mind equally undisturbed, concurred to produce the happieft flow of ideas I had ever experienced. Imagination ftretched her pinions, as if meditating a higher flight fome friendly spirit seemed to whifper fublimer things: my breaft heaved with the force of those conceptions which now poffeffed it. In this fituation I ftrayed infenfibly into an adjoining fummer-house, where, throwing myfelf down upon a couch, I unexpectedly fell asleep, and was favoured with the following Dream; which, when

I awaked, and recollected it, I thought might be of ufe to confirm my pupil in the love of Virtue. As it was long, I wrote it down, and fome days after read hit to him in our favourite gallery.

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TEMPLE OF VIRTUE.

I FANCIED that I was fuddenly tranfported into the Palace of PLEASure, which I had feen defcribed the evening before, where, notwithstanding the magnificence of the manfion, and the fpecioufnefs of the Goddefs, that ftruck at first fight, I difcovered, on a clofer furvey, fuch an air of affectation and deceit in both, with fuch a look of real diftrefs in many of her votaries, ill concealed under artificial fmiles, as, joined to the impreffions remaining on me from my waking thoughts, foon convinced me, that the whole was a pernicious contrivance to

feduce and ruin unhappy men: on which I broke away with difdain and horrour, and made all the hafte in my power from the enchanted valley where the Palace ftood. When I had reached what I judged a fafe distance, I began to lament in my own mind the mifery of such as are taken in the fnares of that wicked Sorcerefs.

Here I was met by the good Old Man of whom I had read but a few hours before, whom I recognized by his employment of giving directions to young travellers, and who, I could readily remember, was called THE GENIUS OF EDUCATION. Perceiving me in a penfive and melancholy mood, he addreffed me with much kindness, and inquired the cause. I told him where I had been, and what I had obferved, with the forrowful reflections I could not forbear to make on the fate of fo many deluded wretches; and subjoined, that being myself a youth of little experience, in queft of HAPPINESS, I

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