proceeded, new hills were continually rising to their view; and the summit of the highest they could before discern seemed but the foot of another, till the mountain at length appeared to lose itself in the clouds. As I was gazing on these things with astonishment, a friendly instructor suddenly appeared: "the mountain before thee," said he, is the Hill of Science. On the top is the Temple of Truth, whose head is above the clouds, and a veil of pure light covers her face. Observe the progress of her votaries; be silent and attentive."

4. After I had noticed a variety of objects, I turned my eye towards the multitudes who were climbing the steep ascent; and observed amongst them a youth of a lively look, a piercing eye, and something fiery and irregular in all his motion. His name was Genius. He darted like an eagle up the mountain; and left his companions gazing after him with envy and admiration but his progress was unequal, and interrupted by a thousand caprices. When Pleasure warbled in the valley, hie mingled in her train.

5. When Pride beckoned towards the precipice, he ven tured to the tottering edge. He delighted in devious and untried paths; and made so many excursions from the road that his feebler companions often out stripped him. I observed that the muses beheld him with partiality: but Truth often frowned and turned aside her face,

6. While Genius was thus wasting his strength in tric flights, I saw a person of very different appearan ined Application. He crept along with a slow ana, ting pace, his eyes fixed on the top of the mountai ly removing every stone that obstructed his way, till most of those below him, who had at first derided and toilsome progress.

7. Indeed, there were few who ascended the hill equal and uninterrupted steadiness; for, besides the difficu ties of the way, they were continually solicited to turn asid. by a numerous crowd of appetites, passions, and pleasures, whose importunity, when once complied with, they becam less and less able to resist and though they often returned to the path, the asperities of the road were more severely felt; the hill appeared more steep and rugged; the fruits, which were wholesome and refreshing, seemed harsh and ill tasted; their sight grew dim; and their feet tript at every little obstruction.

8. I saw, with some surprise, that the muses, whose business was to cheer and encourage those who were toiling up

the ascent, would often sing in the bowers of pleasure, and accompany those who were enticed away at the call of the passions. They accompanied them, however, but a little way; and always forsook them, when they lost sight of the hill. The tyrants then doubled their chains upon the unhappy captives; and led them away, without resistance, to the h cells of Ignorance, or the mansions of misery.

9. Amongst the innumerable seducers, who were endeavdouring to draw away the votaries of Truth from the path of Science, there was one so little formidable in her appearance, dand so gentle and languid in her attempts, that I should scarcely have taken notice of her, but for the numbers she loc had imperceptibly loaded with her chains.

Sure

10. Indolence, (for so she was called.) far from proceedaging to open hostilities, did not attempt to turn their feet out Lis of the path, but contented herself with retarding their proqgress; and the purpose she could not force them to abandon, she persuaded them to delay. Her touch had a power like that of the torpedo, which withered the strength of those ver who came within its influence. Her unhappy captives still as turned their faces towards the temple, and always hoped to oa arrive there; but the ground seemed to slide from beneath ob their feet, and they found themselves at the bottom, before uth they suspected they had changed their place.

11. The placid serenity, which at first appeared in their intenance, changed by degrees into a melancholy languor, was tingid with deeper and deeper gloom, as they down the stream of Insignificance; a dark and sluger, which is curled by no breeze, and enlivened by ur, till it falls into a dead sea, where startled pasare awakened by the shock, and the next moment ed in the gulf of oblivion.

Of all the unhappy deserters from the paths of Scice, none seemed less able to return than the followers of Indolence. The captives of appetite and passion would of-ten seize the moment when their tyrants were languid or asleep, to escape from their enchantment; but the dominion 1 of Indolence was constant and unremitted; and seldom resisted, till resistance was in vain.

13. After contemplating these things, I turned my eyes towards the top of the mountain, where the air was always pure and exhilerating, the path shaded with laurels and evergreens, and the effulgence which beamed from the face of Science seemed to shed a glory round her votaries. Hap Py, said I, are they who are permitted to ascend the moun

tain! But while I was pronouncing this exclamation, with uncommon ardour, I saw standing beside me, a form of diviner features, and a more benign radiance.

14. "Happier." said she, "are they whom Virtue conducts to the Mansions of Content!" What," said I," does Virtue then reside in the vale ?" "I am found," said she, in the vale, and I illuminate the mountain. I cheer the cottager at his toil, and inspire the sage at his meditation I mingle in the crowd of cities, and bless the hermit in his cell.. I have a temple in every heart that owns my influence; and to him that wishes for me, I am already present. Science may raise thee to eminence : but I alone can guide thee to felicity!"

15. While virtue was thus speaking, I stretched out my arms towards her, with a vehemence which broke

my slum

ber. The chill dews were falling around me, and the shades of evening stretched over the landscape. I hastened homeward; and resigned the night to silence and meditation.

SECTION VII.

AIKEN.

The journey of a day; a picture of human life.

1. OBIDAH, the son of Abensina, left the caravansera egi in the morning, and pursued his journey through the pla of Indostan. He was fresh and vigorous with rest; he animated with hope; he was incited by desire; he swiftly forward over the vallies, and saw the hills rising before him.

2. As he passed along, his ears were delighted morning song of the bird of paradise; he was fanne last flutters of the sinking breeze, and sprinkled with t by groves of spices. He sometimes contemplated the to ering height of the oak, monarch of the hill; and sometit caught the gentle fragrance of the primrose, eldest daughte of the spring all his senses were gratified, and all care vbanished from his heart.

3. Thus he went on, till the sun approached his meridi and the increased heat preyed upon his strength; he then looked round about him for some more commodious path. He saw, on his right hand, a grove that seemed to wave its shades as a sign of invitation; he entered it and found the coolness and verdure irresistibly pleasant.

4. He did not, however, forget whither he was travelling; but found a narrow way bordered with flowers, which ap

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peared to have the same direction with the main road; and was pleased, that, by this happy experiment, he had found means to unite pleasure with business, and to gain the rewards of diligence without suffering its fatigues.

5. He therefore, still continued to walk for a time, without the least remission of his ardour, except that he was sometimes tempted to stop by the music of the birds, which the heat had assembled in the shade; and sometimes amused himself with plucking the flowers that covered the banks on either side, or the fruits that hung upon the branches. At last, the green path began to decline from its first tendency, and to wind among the hills and thickets, cooled with fountains, and murmuring with waterfalls.

6. Here Obidah paused for a time, and began to consider whether it were longer safe to forsake the known and com. hon tract; but remembering that the heat was now in its greatest violence, and that the plain was dusty and uneven, he resolved to pursue the new path, which he supposed only to make a few meanders, in compliance with the varieties of the ground, and to end at last in the common road.

7. Having thus calmed his solicitude, he renewed his pace, though he suspected that he was not gaining ground. This uneasiness of his mind inclined him to lay hold on every enew object, and give way to every sensation that might sooth or divert him. He listened to every echo; he mounted every hill for a fresh prospect; he turned aside to every cascade; and leased himself with tracing the course of a gentle river holled among the trees, and watered a large region with innumerable circumvolutions.

8. these amusements, the hours passed away unaccount. ed; ms deviations had perplexed his memory, and he knew not towards what point to travel. He stood pensive and confused, afraid to go forward lest he should go wrong, yet conscious that the time of loitering was now past. While he was thus tortured with uncertainty, the sky was over spread with clouds; the day vanished from before him; and a sudden tempest gathered round his head.

9. He was now roused by his danger to a quick and painful remembrance of his folly; he now saw how happiness is lost when case is consulted: he lamented the unmarly impatience that prompted him to seek shelter in the grove; and despised the petty curiosity that led him on from trifle to trifle. While he was thus reflecting, the air grew blacker, and a clap of thunder broke his meditation.

10. He now resolved to do what yet remained in his pow

er, to tread back the ground which he had passed, and try to find some issue where the wood might open into the plain He prostrated himself on the ground, and recommended hi life to the Lord of nature. He rose with confidence and tranquillity, and pressed on with resolution. The beasts o the desert were in motion, and on every hand were hear the mingled howls of rage and fear, and ravage and expira tion. All the horrors of darkness and solitude surrounded him: the winds roared in the woods; and the torrents tum bled from the hills.

11. Thus forlorn and distressed, he wandered through th wild, without knowing whither he was going, or whether h was every moment drawing nearer to safety, or to destruc tion. At length, not fear, but labour, began to overcom him; his breath grew short, and his knees trembled; and h was on the point of lying down in resignation to his fat when he beheld, through the brambles, the glimmer of taper.

12. He advanced towards the light; and finding that proceeded from the cottage of a hermit, he called humbly a the door, and obtained admission. The old man set befor him such provisions as he had collected for himself, on whi Obidah fed with eagerness and gratitude.

13. When the repast was over, "tell me," said the h mit, "by what chance thou hast been brought hither? have been now twenty years an inhabitant of the wilderne in which I never saw a man before." Obidah then the occurrences of his journey, without any concealment palliation.

14. "Son." said the hermit; "let the errors and foll. the dangers and escape of this day, sink deep into thy he Remember, my son, that human life is the journey of a d We rise in the morning of youth, full of vigour, and fu expectation; we set forward with spirit and hope, w gaiety and with diligence, and travel on a while in the rect road of piety towards the mansions of rest

15. "Ia short time, we remit our fervour and endeavo to find some mitigation of our duty and some more ea means of obtaining the same end. We then relax our vigo and resolve no longer to be terrified with crimes at a d tance: but rely upon our own constancy, and venture approach what we resolve never to touch. We thus e the bowers of ease, and repose in the shades of security.

16. Here the heart softens, and vigilance subsides; are then willing to inquire whether another advance can