benevolence, and dispose it for contemplation, I was wandering in a beautiful and romantic country, till curiofity began to give way to weariness; and I sat down on the fragment of a rock overgrown with mofs; where the rustling of the falling leaves, the dashing of waters, and the hum of the distant city, foothed my mind into the most perfect tranquillity; and fleep insensibly stole upon me, as I was indulging the agreeable reveries, which the objects around me naturally inspired.

I immediately found myself in a vast extended plain, in the middle of which arose a mountain higher than I had before any conception of. It was covered with a multitude of people, chiefly youth; many of whom pressed forwards with the liveliest expression of ardour in their countenance, though the way was in many places steep and difficult. I observed, that those who had but just begun to climb the hill, thought themselves not far from the top; but as they proceeded, new hills were continually rifing to their view; and the fummit of the highest they could before difcern feemed 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 instructer 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 filent and attentive."

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 fomething fiery and

irregular in all his motions. 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, he mingled in her train. When Pride beckoned towards the precipice, he ventured to the tottering edge. He delighted in devious and untried paths; and made so many excursions from the road, that his feebler companions often outstripped him. I observed that the Muses beheld him with partiality; but Truth often frowned, and turned afide her face. While Genius was thus wasting his strength in eccentric flights, I saw a perfon of a very different appearance, named Application. He crept along with a flow and unremitting pace, his eyes fixed on the top of the mountain, patiently removing every stone that obstructed his way, till he saw most of those below him, who had at first derided his flow and toilsome progress. Indeed, there were few who ascended the hill with equal, and uninterrupted steadiness; for, befide the difficulties of the way, they were continually folicited to turn afide, by a numerous crowd of Appetites, Passions, and Pleasures, whose importunity, when once complied with, they became less and less able to refift: and though they often returned to the path, the asperities of the road were more feverely felt; the hill appeared more steep and rugged; the fruits which were wholesome and refreshing, seemed harsh and illtafted; their fight grew dim; and their feet tript at every little obstruction.

1 faw, with fome surprise, that the Muses, whose business was to cheer and encourage those who were

toiling up the afcent, would often fing 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 loft fight of the hill. The tyrants then doubled their chains upon the unhappy captives; and led them away, without resistance, to the cells of Ignorance, or the manfions of Mifery. Amongst the innumerable feducers, who were endeavouring to draw away the votaries of Truth from the path of Science, there was one, so little formidable in her appearance, and so gentle and languid in her attempts, that I should scarcely have taken notice of her, but for the numbers she had imperceptibly loaded with her chains. Indolence, (for so she was called,) far from proceeding to open hostilities, did not attempt to turn their feet out of the path, but contented herself with retarding their progress; and the purpose she could not force them to abandon, she perfuaded them to delay. Her touch had a power like that of the torpedo, which withered the strength of those who came within its influence. Her unhappy captives still turned their faces towards the temple, and always hoped to arrive there; but the ground seemed to slide from beneath their feet, and they found themselves at the bottom, before they suspected they had changed their place. The placid ferenity, which at first appeared in their countenance, changed by degrees into a melancholy languor, which was tinged with deeper and deeper gloom, as they glided down the stream of Infignificance; a dark and fluggiflı water, which is curled by no breeze, and enlivened by no murmur, till it falls into a dead sea, where startled passengers are awakened by the shock, and the next moment buried in the gulph of Oblivion.

Of all the unhappy deferters from the paths of Science, none seemed less able to return than the followers of Indolence. The captives of Appetite and Paffion could often feize the moment when their tyrants were languid or asleep, to escape from their enchantment; but the dominion of Indolence was conftant and unremitted; and feldom resisted, till resistance was in

vain.

After contemplating these things, I turned my eyes towards the top of the mountain, where the air was always pure and exhilarating, the path shaded with laurels and other ever-greens, and the effulgence which beamed from the face of Science feemed to shed a glory round her votaries. Happy, said I, are they who are permitted to ascend the mountain!-But while I was pronouncing this exclamation, with uncommon ardour, I faw, standing beside me, a form of diviner features, and a more benign radiance. "Happier," said she, "are they whom Virtue conducts to the manfions of Content!" "What," faid I, "does Virtue then refide 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 fage 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!"-While Virtue was thus speaking, I stretched out my arms towards her, with a vehemence which broke my slumber. The chill dews were falling around me, and the fhades of evening stretched over the land-' scape. I hastened homeward; and refigned the night to filence and meditation.

AIKIN

SECTION VII.

The Journey of a day; a Picture of Human Life.

OBIDAH, the fon of Abenfina, left the caravanfera early in the morning, and purfued his journey through the plains of Indoftan. He was fresh and vigorous with reft; he was animated with hope; he was incited by defire; he walked fwiftly forward over the vallies, and faw the hills gradually rifing before him. As he pafsed along, his ears were delighted with the morning fong of the bird of paradise; he was fanned by the laft flutters of the finking breeze, and sprinkled with dew by groves of spices. He fometimes contemplated the towering height of the oak, monarch of the hills; and fometimes caught the gentle fragrance of the primrofe, eldest daughter of the spring: all his senses were gratified, and all care was banished from his heart.

Thus he went on, till the fun approached his meridian, and the increasing heat preyed upon his strength; he then looked round about him for fome more commodious path. He faw, on his right hand, a grove that feemed to wave its shades as a fign of invitation; he entered it, and found the coolness and verdure irrefiftibly pleasfant. He did-not, however, forget whither he was travelling; but found a narrow way bordered with flowers, which appeared 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 fuffering its fatigues. He, therefore, still continued to walk for a time, without the leaft remission of his ardour, except that he was fom