charming month of May-your venerable elms will then begin to shew their leafy honours, and all the beauties of the spot which I so much admire, will appear in their highest perfection. My dear good aunt, I almost dread your sober advice, but I do believe all your serious remonstrances would then be lost apon your incorrigible

ARABELLA.

Such, gentlemen, is the natural result of a fashionable education ;-such are many of the young ladies of the higher classes at the present day. And are these the women, who are to fill the important and responsible station of wives and mothers in our country? Will they form suitable companions for men of worth and intelligence? Can it be expected that they will train their sons to usefulness and form their daughters to virtue and happiness. Alas! they need that plain good sense, which enables a woman to conduct with dignity and propriety in any station. They are lamentably ignorant of every thing that relates to domestic economy; and know about as little of themselves as if their souls resided abroad. Do not these things call for a reform ?-The hope of eliciting from the able pens of "the Fraternity" something on the subject, was one inducement to my making this communication.

Your attentive reader and friend,

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

HONORIA.

Allegoricus shall be inserted in our next.

Morpheus is likewise received; and we shall be happy to present it to our readers as early as possible.

It gives us pleasure to number Leon among our correspondents: he shall appear as soon, as our present engagements are discharged.

G. H. was very acceptable; he shall also have a place as soon as may be. Kate is under consideration.

We hope the pen of Alfred will not be suffered to remain long unemployed; but that we shall again have it in our power to entertain the publick with the acceptable effusions of his muse.

THE MICROSCOPE.

EDITED BY A FRATERNITY OF GENTLEMEN.

NEW-HAVEN, (Conn.) PUBLISHED BY A. H. MALTBY & Co.

DURING one of the gloomy storms by which the face of the heavens has been eclipsed the present spring, I retired to my chamber, and passed the evening in reflecting upon the cheerless prospect, which death presented to mankind, before the appearance of our Saviour. These reflections and the thoughts excited by them, I take the liberty to enclose. Should you think them worthy a place in your paper, they are at your disposal.

Yours, &c.

ALLEGORICUs.

The uncertainty of life and the precariousness of human existence are subjects which always excited the liveliest interest in the minds of the heathen. The Moralist of antiquity, looked in vain for some clue to unfold to him the reason why life was so transient, and so replete with sorrow. When experience had imparted to him all its treasures, he still found himself enveloped in darkness, and through the veil of futurity which lay before him, his unassisted eye could not penetrate. That the soul exercising thoughts and volitions, and partaking of elevated enjoyments, should like rays from the sun perish forever, filled his mind with doubt and gloomy forebodings. To relieve himself from these perplexities, he fancied that in some

élevated regions, the soul amid the purest enjoyments would exist and brighten forever. He beheld the works of a being illimitable in power, adorning the regions of creation, and from the stores of his bounty, he was daily receiving much to comfort him in his way. He saw the finger of God in the lightning, and in the tempest, and enjoyed his daily protection while surrounded by danger; still when he fixed his eyes on the dreariness of the grave, he discovered no lamp piercing its darkness, and illumining his path with even a solitary ray. That Socrates should have shuddered at annihalation, and experienced an anxious solicitude when his dissolution approached, is not surprising, when it is remembered what a dreary prospect the mythology of Greece, presented to all its vota

ries.

With such reflections revolving in my mind, I retired and under the influence of balmy sleep, all external objects were soon banished from my sight. The train of thoughts which had interested me while awake, still absorbed my mind, and presented to my view the following vision.

Methought that the sun had retraced his course for nineteen centuries, and that the heathen world with all its innumerable inhabitants were then existing. That the northern half of Europe, which now exhibits its fruitful fields and smiling cities, was the abode of beasts of prey and the wandering barbarian. That Greece fallen from its high estate, was mouldering in ruins, and its former glory like the expiring taper, was casting its lingering rays through the melancholy gloom, which brooded over its present degradation. That Rome with all its dazzling conquests, and its mighty power, was spreading its fame throughout the world; and on the wreck of subjugated nations, was erecting an arch of triumph, which should extend from pole to pole.

Methought I was wandering through some unknown region, where every object was teeming with life-where fruits and flowers imparted their choicest fragrance. Suddenly I found an inherent energy enabled me to stretch my wing, and move onward through space, unobstructed in my course, by those

laws which influence material objects. Variety opened to my view its countless treasures, gilding with more than terrestrial beauty the boundless region around me, and imparting a finished lustre to the prospect. While indulging myself in examining the variegated objects before me, I discovered at an immense distance a dark valley, through the gloom of which no eye could penetrate:

On one side of it, I perceived beings endless in number, moving towards it like rolling clouds, and plunging into it regardless of its terrors. All apparently started from the same point, but moved with a varied rapidity. This point which was called "Nativity" was the origin of their progress, and from it they proceeded without lingering on their way. Some in the commencement of their being, reached it before a single sun had revolved around them, while others tottering with age seemed to pursue their course, with the progress of a snail, as if dreading to encounter this impenetrable darkness. Their path towards it was adorned at first with the flowers of hope, but ere they had completed half of their progress, their bloom and colours faded. Some attempted to beguile their way, by turning their eyes from the terrors. Although they spread a fancied brightness over the present, and carolled away their hours in mirth, still the farther they advanced, they found their pleasures a poorer antidote, to the dreary prospect which was spread before them. Numbers who realized that they were rapidly hastening towards this vale, seized upon this or that object to obstruct their progress. Although they occasionally were propped up with exultation, and fancied themselves stationary; still all their companions perceived them rapidly approaching it, and that sooner or later they would become the inhabitants of this gloomy valley.

Above this multitude I discovered Pain, Disease, and Sickness, with their countless attendants, cowering, like the eagle for his prey. Thousands who exhibited the bloom of health, and the vigour of manhood, while they were going on their way rejoicing, were seized by these messengers, and in the twinkling of an eye, were hurried forward to this region of

gloom, and lost forever. These myriads of beings, moving onward like the waves of the sea, were succeeded by others, who following in their tracks, soon reached this vale of darkness and were seen no more.

Notwithstanding they all shuddered when they thought of entering this valley, still many (to my great surprise) exerted all their energies, to accelerate the progress of those around them. More were hurried forward by their fellow beings than by the countless messengers who hovered over them. Although every commotion seemed to give a momentum to their progress; their agitations still continued, as if conscious that their existence was too long protracted.

As my curiosity was excited by the prospect I was contemplating; I determined to approach nearer, and learn from some of this immense congregation, for what object they were created-why they did not retrace their steps-or by a union among themselves, break the chains which drew them towards this abyss. Descending from my elevation I soon mixed with this multitude, and made these enquiries of those around me. I learned that they all started from a common point, and were bound they knew not whither. Some thought that they should be annihilated when they reached the cloudy region, which was called the VALE OF DEATH others believed that beyond it clearer skies and happier prospects were prepared før them-while many were convinced that they should soon sink into this gulf of sorrow, to rise no more forever. A few whom I addressed had a faint hope that this valley which had been for ages receiving its prey, would before they reached it be filled, while most thought that it was without a bottom, and that despair brooded over it with terrific gloom.

While ruminating upon their miseries, I exerted myself to find some relief to their anticipated sufferings. All my attempts however were fruitless, as before I had imparted any comfort to my companions, I felt the attractive influence of this dismal vale. I should have been driven on with the passing thousands, had I not ere the chain of Fate was entwined around me, ascended to more elevated regions. Here sta