was uncertain what road to purfic. He looked upon me with generous 'compaffion, and defired me to follow him.

7

He then conducted me along a winding path up a hill, on the fummit of which, refided a fedate and thoughtful man, well, advanced in years, who, he informed me, was one of his near relations. We found him lodged in a lofty pavilion, from whence there was a prospect of the coun try on every fide; and he appeared, as we approached, to fit in a mufing pofture on. a chair of polished metal, which diffused about him an uncommon luftre, and reflected ftrong and full the images of things. Placed before him was a noble telescope of exquifite workmanship, by : the help of which the moft diftant objects might be easily and diftinctly difcerned.

My Guide acquainted me, that the name of this refpectable perfonage was CONTEMPLATION; that he was one of

the eldeft fons of Wisdom, and that he was potted on that hill by the fovereign of a great adjoining empire, called VIRTUE, to inftruct those who were travelling towards her Temple, His afpect was folemn, ferene, and piercing. There was fomething majestic in those wrinkles, with which age and meditation had marked his forehead; and his grey hairs were “av crown of glory.”

As we entered his pavilion, he rofe up with an awful compofure, and came forward to receive us with remarkable fublimity in his air and gesture. Struck with reverence, I at firft beheld him in respectful filence; but, reaffured by his encouraging looks, I reprefented to him, that, having been lately in the Palace of the Enchantrefs, PLEASURE, I was soon aware of her deftructive wiles, had speedily made my efcape, and was now in fearch of HAPPINESS. The venerable Power replied, that as he was

the profeffed friend and guardian of youth, he would undertake to direct me, if I was difpofed to put myself under his care. Having thankfully accepted his offer, and being warmly recommended to him by my former Guide, he feated me by him, and bad me obferve, from the advantageous fituation in which I now was, the wide-expanded regions that lay below, and the innumerable multitude of travellers that croffed it in a thousand different roads.

"That large tract," said he," which 66 you fee towards the left hand, so varię"gated with hills, and dales, and groves, "and ftreams, and fo thronged with in

habitants and paffengers, is the domi"nion of the Sorccrefs, vICE; for fo fhe

is properly called, although the boldly "affumes the more honourable appellation

of PLEASURE. In that feemingly deli"cious valley, which lies in the heart of "the country, you fee her Palace, where

you lately was. To confirm you in your opinion of her character, you may obferve," faid he, defiring me to look through the telescope, how fome of thofe miferable beings, her votaries, are bewildered in the mazes of the wood which grows hard by; how others of them wander up and down. from one bower of her gardens to "another, forlorn and diftracted; while of them are dragged away

many

dirty cave, concealed from those who "enter her Palace, at the farther end of "a long lane behind it, and called The Cave of Poverty: a horrid place, of which the miftrefs fits in gloomy "ftate, on a large rough ftone, clad in "rags, fhivering with cold, pining with hunger, and environed by a fet of difmal figures eyeing her and one another with dejection and amazement. Some of their names are Difcontent, Lamentation, Mean-fpiritedness, Flattery, Greedinefs, Sufpicion, Difhonesty, Defpair."

"Not far from thence you may per. ceive a ftrong prifon, which is ftyled

The House of Difcipline. It is kept by "two fierce and frightful figures, called "Punishment and Terrour, who are fur"nifhed with various inftruments of toil, "pain, and disgrace, for the chastisement "of such malefactors as are delivered into "their hands.

"But now," proceeded he, "cast your "eye again over the country which I "showed you. It is divided into fundry "diftricts, lying in a circle round the

Palace of PLEASURE. In their refpec "tive centers ftand the feats of her "principal minifters, who are always "fubject to her will, fubfervient to her "interefts, and ready to attend her

court.

"On one fide," to which he pointed the glafs, "you fee," said he, “ the "Manfion of Luxury, magnificent and