I obferved a Temple magnificent but unoftentatious. That country," faid my Director, "is the Dominion of VIRTUE, " in which the inhabitants are inured to labour, but reap the fruits of it in health "of body and tranquillity of mind. Thofe "safperities and precipices which you now "perceive, are chiefly in the entrance. "As you advance, it improves in fmooth"nefs and delight. The Temple which

you defcry is that of the GODDESS, where the receives and rewards her ❝ faithful votaries, who enjoy, beyond "the power of chance and forrow, what "you are in purfuit of, HAPPINESS.” "Oh bleffed votaries!" cried I, with fudden rapture; "oh glorious Temple!

32

thither let us bend our steps: I long to σε join that high affembly: let us fet out "immediately." My Guide approved of my ardour; but, to prevent it from running into prefumption, again foretold me I fhould meet with confiderable difficulties in the road, on which I was about

H

to enter; and then, taking me by the hand, led me down the hill, ruminating. on all I had just heard and feen.

We no fooner arrived at the foot of it, than I began to find the truth of his predictions; for we came to a road entangled with thickets, befet with thorns, perplexed, abrupt, and craggy. By these inconveniences, though I had been fufficiently forewarned of them, I was not a little difcouraged; fo that, from a hafty im patience to be at the end of fo difagreeables a journey, I hurried on before my Pro tector: but the fafter I went, the more was I bewildered. The path indeed was fo narrow, and my difpofition fo heedlefs, that I cafily deviated into by-roads; an error to which I was additionally tempted on the approach of fome perfons of grave appearance, who told me they were going the fame way, and were devoted to the GODDESS to whofe Temple I was tra yelling.

D 2

The firft I met wore a plain garb thrown carelessly about him, had a blunt manner, and a demure afpect fomewhat inclining to the fullen, inveighed strongly against the manners of the country from which I came, spoke of the folly and knavery of mortals with much acrimony, and obferved that many were professed, but few or none real friends to VIRTUE. He called himself Honesty, and bad me follow him, offering to conduct me the fhorteft way to her Temple. Impatient to reach it, and forgetting, in my hafte, the wife and friendly Conductor, to whom I owed fo much attention, I was weak enough to accept the offer of this pretender, but foon had reason to repent of my rashness; for, instead of extricating, he led me into a greater maze, and through worfe thickets, than those I had already paffed, where I was pierced and torn with the briars and brambles which grew on every fide. This made me refolve to follow him no longer. His

true name, I afterwards found, was Cynical Sournefs.

On his leaving me, advanced another of a figure yet more homely. He was bare-footed, had a mortified visage, with a matted beard which reached to his middle, and was clad in fackcloth, girt round with a rope. In one hand he held a maple dish, and in the other grafped a whip, with which he would now and then lafh himself by way of penance. The name he affumed was Temperance, though I underftood afterwards that he was only Mankifh Aufterity. His appearance was in many respects far enough from engaging; yet, as he profeffed the utmost fimplicity of diet and manners, put on a fanctimonious look, and péremptorily af. ferted, that there was no other way to the Temple of VIRTUE but through his cell, I was, in the prefent diforder of my thoughts, induced to follow him: but the road he led me was fo ftoney and

tough, his discourse was so forbidding, and his ́ deportment fo fierce, that being greatly shocked I foon relinquished him.

The next who accofted me was a ftately perfonage with a plaufible countenance, and an air of grandeur, in which however appeared fomething ftarched and haughty. He gave me to know, that he was by profeffion à Philosopher; fpoke much of his difinterefted zeal, his inconfined benevolence, his inflexible probity, his perfect command over all his paffions, his fovereign contempt both of pain and PLEASURE; and boldly affirmed, that none but he and his followers were acquainted with the road to the Temple of VIRTUE, that he was a bofoin friendof the GODDESS, and commiffioned by her to lead young travellers to her facred abode. His name, he faid, was Stoicifm, though his enemies through fpite often mifcalled him Pride. Impofed upon by an appellation fo celebrated, and fuck