which Nature feems to have finifhed with care ?. whence the infatuation, that he whom a comet could not amaze, fhould be aftonifhed at a meteor! When reafon was thus fatigued to find an answer, my imagination purfued the fubject, and this was the refult.

I fancied myself placed between two landscapes, this called the region of Beauty, and that the valley of the Graces; the one adorned with all that luxuriant Nature could beftow; the fruits of various climates adorned the trees, the grove refounded with mufic, the gale breathed perfume, every charm that could arise from fymmetry and exact diftribution were here confpicuous, the whole offering a profpect of pleasure without end. The valley of the Graces on the other hand feemed by no means fo inviting; the ftreams and the groves appeared just as they usually do in frequented countries: no magnificent parterres, no concert in the grove, the rivulet was edged with weeds, and the rook joined its voice to that of the nightingale. All was fimplicity

and nature.

The most striking objects ever firft allure the traveller. I entered the region of Beauty with increafed curiofity, and promifed myfelf endless fatisfaction in being introduced to the prefiding goddefs. I perceived feveral ftrangers, who entered with the fame defign, and what furprifed me not a little, was to fee feveral others haftening to leave this abode of feeming felicity.

After fome fatigue, I had at laft the honour of being introduced to the goddefs, who reprefented Beauty in perfon. She was feated on a throne, at the foot of which ftood feveral ftrangers lately introduced like me; all regarding her form in extafy. Ah, what eyes! what lips! bow clear her complexion! bow perfect ber Shape! at thefe exclamations Beauty

with downcaft eyes, would endeavour to counterfeit modefty, but foon again looking round as if to confirm every fpectator in his favourable fentiments; fometimes fhe would attempt to allure us by fmiles; and at intervals would bridle back, in order to inspire us with refpect as well as tenderness.

This ceremony lafted for fome time, and had fo much employed our eyes, that we had forgot all this while that the goddess was filent. We foon, however, began to perceive the defect: what, faid we, among each other, are we to have nothing but languishing airs, foft looks, and inclinations of the head, will the goddefs only deign to fatisfy our eyes? Upon this one of the company stepped up to present her with fome fruits he had gathered by the way. She received the prefent moft fweetly fmiling, and with one of the whiteft hands in the world, but ftill not a word escaped her lips.

I now found that my companions grew weary of their homage; they went off one by one, and refolving not to be left behind, I offered to go in my turn; when juft at the door of the temple I was called back by a female, whofe name was Pride, and who feemed difpleafed at the behaviour of the company. Where are you bastening? faid fhe to me with an angry air, the goddess of beauty is here. I have been to vifit her, Madam, replied I, and find her more beautiful even than report had made her. And why then will you leave her? added the female. I have feen her long enough, returned I; I have got all her features by heart. Her eyes are ftill the fame. Her nofe is a very fine one, but it is ftill juft fuch a nose now as it was half an hour ago: could the throw a little more mind into her face, perhaps I fhould be for wishing to have more of her company. What fignifies, replied my female, whether he has a mind or not; has fhe any occafion for mind, fo formed

AS

as he is by Nature? If she had a common face, indeed, there might be fome reafon for thinking to improve it ; but when features are already perfect, every alteration would but impair them. A fine face is already at the point of perfection, and a fine lady fhould endeavour to keep it fo; the impreffion it would receive from thought, would but disturb its whole economy.

To this fpeech I gave no reply, but made the beft of my way to the valley of the Graces. Here I found all those who before had been my companions in the region of beauty, now upon the fame errand.

As we entered the valley, the prospect infenfibly feemed to improve; we found every thing fo natural, fo domeftic, and pleafing, that our minds, which before were congealed in admiration, now relaxed into gaiety and good-humour. We had defigned to pay our refpects to the prefiding goddefs, but the was no where to be found. One of our companions afferted, that her temple lay to the right; another, to the left; a third, infifted that it was ftraight before us; and a fourth that we had left it behind. In fhort, we found every thing familiar and charming, but could not determine where to feek for the Grace in perfon.

In this agreeable incertitude we paffed feveral hours, and though very defirous of finding the goddefs, by no means impatient of the delay. Every part of the valley prefented fome minute beauty, which without offering itself at once, stole within the foul, and captivated us with the charms of our retreat. Still, however, we continued to search, and might ftill have continued, had we not been interrupted by a voice which, though we could not fee from whence it came, addreffed us in this manner:

"If you would find the goddess of Grace, feek "her not under one form, for fhe affumes a thou"fand. Ever changing under the eye of infpecVOL. III. 66 tion,

X

"tion, her variety, rather than her figure, is pleafing. In contemplating her beauty, the eye glides over every perfection with giddy delight, "and, capable of fixing no where, is charmed "with the whole *. She is now Contemplation "with folemn look, again Compaffion with humid eye; the now fparkles with joy, foon every fea

66

ture fpeaks diftrefs: her looks at times invite our "approach, at others reprefs our prefumption; the "goddefs cannot be properly called beautiful "under any one of thefe forms, but by combining "them all, fhe becomes irrefiftibly pleafing."

Adieu.

From Lien Chi Altangi, to Fum Hoam, first Prefident of the Ceremonial Academy at Pekin, in China.

THE fhops of London are as well furnished as those of Pekin. Thofe of London have a picture hung at their door, informing the paffengers what they have to fell, as thofe at Pekin have a board to affure the buyer, that they have no intention to cheat him.

I was this morning to buy filk for a night-cap; immediately upon entering the mercer's fhop, the mafter and his two men, with wigs plaftered with powder, appeared to afk my commands. They were certainly the civileft people alive; if I but looked, they flew to the place where I caft my eye;

* Vultus nimium lubricus afpici. HOR.

every motion of mine fent them running round the whole fhop for my fatisfaction. I informed them that I wanted what was good, and they fhewed me not less than forty pieces, and each was better than the former; the prettieft pattern in nature, and the fitteft in the world for night-caps. My very good friend, faid I to the mercer, you muft not pretend to inftruct me in filks; I know these in particular to be no better than your mere flimfy Bungees. That may be, cried the mercer, who I afterwards found had never contradicted a man in his life, I cannot pretend to say but they may; but I can affure you, my Lady Trail has had a facque from this piece this very morning. But friend, faid I, though my Lady has chofen a facque from it, I fee no neceffity that I fhould wear it for a night-cap. That may be, returned he again, yet what becomes a pretty Lady, will at any time look well on a handfome Gentleman. This fhort compliment was thrown in fo very feasonably upon my ugly face, that even though I difliked the filk, I defired him to cut me off the pattern of a night-cap.

While this business was configned to his journeyman, the master himself took down fome pieces of filk ftill finer than any I had yet feen, and spreading them before me, There, cries he, there's beauty, my Lord Snakeskin has bespoke the fellow to this for the birth-night this very morning; it would look charmingly in waistcoats. But I do not want But I do not want a waifcoat, replied I: Not want a waistcoat, returned the mercer, then I would advise you to buy one; when waistcoats are wanted, you may depend upon it they will come dear. Always buy before you want, and you are fure to be well ufed, as they fay in Cheapfide. There was fo much juftice in his advice, that I could not refuse taking it; befides, the filk, which was really a good one, increased the temptation; fo I gave orders for that too.