verfal joy I fear may be attributed to fome other caufe; how wretched are thofe who are like me, denied even the last resource of mifery, their tears, Adieu.

I BEGIN to have doubts whether wifdom be alone fufficient to make us happy. Whether every step we make in refinement is not an inlet into new difquietudes. A mind too vigorous and active, serves only to confume the body to which it is joined, as the richest jewels are fooneft found to wear their fettings.

When we rife in knowledge as the profpect widens, the objects of our regard become more obfcure, and the unlettered peasant, whofe views are only directed to the narrow fphere around him, beholds Nature with a finer relifh, and taftes her bleffings with a keener appetite, than the philofopher whose mind attempts to grasp an universal fyftem.

As I was fome days ago purfuing this fubject among a circle of my fellow-flaves, an antient Guebre of the number, equally remarkable for his piety and wisdom, feemed touched with my converfation, and defired to illuftrate what I had been faying with an allegory taken from the Zendavefta of Zoroafter; by this we fhall be taught, fays he, that they who travel in pursuit of wisdom, walk only in a circle; and after all their labour, at laft return to their priftine ignorance; and in this also we shall

fee

fee that enthusiastic confidence or unfatisfying doubts terminate all our enquiries.

In early times, before myriads of nations covered the earth, the whole human race lived together in one valley. The fimple inhabitants, furrounded on every fide by lofty mountains, knew no other world but the little fpot to which they were confined. They fancied the heavens bent down to meet the mountain tops, and formed an impenetrable wall to furround them. None had ever yet ventured to climb the fteepy cliff, in order to explore those regions that lay beyond it; they knew the nature of the fkies only from a tradition, which mentioned their being made of adamant; traditions make up the reasonings of the fimple, and ferve to filence every enquiry.

In this fequeftered vale, bleffed with all the fpontaneous productions of Nature, the honeyed bloffom, the refreshing breeze, the gliding brook, and golden fruitage, the fimple inhabitants feemed happy in themselves, in each other; they defired no greater pleasures, for they knew of none greater; ambition, pride, and envy were vices unknown among them; and from this peculiar fimplicity of its poffeffors, the country was called the Valley of Ignorance.

At length, however, an unhappy youth more afpiring than the reft undertook to climb the mountain's fide, and examine the fummits which were hitherto deemed inacceffible. The inhabitants from below gazed with wonder at his intrepidity, fome applauded his courage, others cenfured his folly; ftill however he proceeded towards the place where the earth and heavens feemed to unite, and at length arrived at the wished-for height with extreme labour and affiduity.

His firft furprize was to find the skies, not as he expected within his reach, but still as far off as before; his amazement increased when he saw a wide

extended

extended region lying on the oppofite fide of the mountain, but it rofe to aftonishment when he beheld a country at a distance more beautiful and alluring than even that he had just left behind.

As he continued to gaze with wonder, a genius, with a look of infinite modefty, approaching, offered to be his guide and inftructor. The diftant country which you fo much admire, fays the angelic being, is called the Land of Certainty; in that charming retreat, fentiment contributes to refine every fenfual banquet; the inhabitants are bleffed with every folid enjoyment, and ftill more bleffed in a perfect confcioufnefs of their own felicity; ignorance in that country is wholly unknown, all there is fatisfaction without allay, for every pleasure firft undergoes the examination of reafon. As for me I am called the genius of Demonftration, and am ftationed here in order to conduct every adventurer to that land of happiness through thofe intervening regions you fee over-hung with fogs and darknefs, and horrid with forefts, cataracts, caverns, and various other fhapes of danger. But follow me, and in time I may lead you to that diftant defirable land of tranquillity.

The intrepid traveller immediately put himfelf under the direction of the genius, and both journeying on together with a flow but agreeable pace, deceived the tedioufnefs of the way by converfation. The beginning of the journey feemed to promise true fatisfaction, but as they proceeded forward, the skies became more gloomy and the way more intricate; they often inadvertently approached the brow of fome frightful precipice, or the brink of a torrent, and were obliged to meafure back their former way; the gloom increafing as they proceeded, their pace became more flow; they paufed at every ftep, frequently ftumbled, and their diftruft and timidity increased. The genius of Demonftration now

therefore

therefore advised his pupil to grope upon hands and feet, as a method though more flow, yet lefs liable

to error.

In this manner they attempted to purfue their journey for fome time, when they were overtaken by another genius, who with a precipitate pace feemed travelling the fame way. He was inftantly known by the other to be the genius of Probability. He wore two wide extended wings at his back, which inceffantly waved, without increafing the rapidity of his motion; his countenance betrayed a confidence that the ignorant might mistake for fincerity, and he had but one eye, which was fixed in the middle of his forehead.

Servant of Hormizda, cried he, approaching the mortal pilgrim, if thou art travelling to the Land of Certainty, how is it poffible to arrive there under the guidance of a genius, who proceeds forward fo flowly, and is fo little acquainted with the way; follow me, we fhall foon perform the journey to where every pleasure waits our arrival.

The peremptory tone in which this genius fpoke, and the fpeed with which he moved forward, induced the traveller to change his conductor, and leaving his modeft companion behind, he proceeded forward with his more confident director, feeming not a little pleased at the increased velocity of his

motion.

But foon he found reafons to repent. Whenever a torrent croffed their way, his guide taught him to despise the obstacle by plunging him in; whenever a precipice prefented, he was directed to fling himfelf forward. Thus each moment miraculously efcaping; his repeated escapes only ferved to increase his temerity. He led him therefore forward, amidst infinite difficulties, till they arrived at the borders of an ocean which appeared unnavigable from the black mifts that lay upon its furface. Its unquiet

waves were of the darkest hue, and gave a lively representation of the various agitations of the human mind.

The genius of Probability now confeffed his temerity, owned his being an improper guide to the Land of Certainty, a country where no mortal had ever been permitted to arrive; but at the fame time offered to fupply the traveller with another conductor, who thould carry him to the Land of Confidence, a region where the inhabitants lived with the utmoft tranquillity, and tafted almost as much fatisfaction as if in the Land of Certainty. Not waiting for a reply, he stamped three times on the ground, and called forth the Damon of Error, a gloomy fiend of the fervants of Arimanes. The yawning earth gave up the reluctant favage, who feemed unable to bear the light of the day. His ftature was enormous, his colour black and hideous, his afpect betrayed a thousand varying paffions, and he fpread forth pinions that were fitted for the most rapid flight. The traveller at first was fhocked at the fpectre; but finding him obedient to fuperior power, he affumed his former tranquillity.

I have called you to duty, cries the genius to the dæmon, to bear on your back a fon of mortality over the Ocean of Doubts into the Land of Confidence: I expect you'll perform your commiffion with punctuality. And as for you, continued the genius, addreffing the traveller, when once I have bound this fillet round your eyes, let no voice of perfuafion, nor threats the moft terrifying, perfuade you to unbind it in order to look round; keep the fillet faft, look not at the ocean below, and you may certainly expect to arrive at a region of pleasure.

Thus faying, and the traveller's eyes being covered, the dæmon muttering curfes, raised him on his back, and instantly up-borne by his ftrong pinions, directed his flight among the clouds. Net

ther