a fun like that he had left, a feren head, and blooming verdure under his

"I plainly perceive your amazeme genius; but fufpend it for a while.

was formed by Alla, at the reques "the infpection of our great Prophes entertained the fame doubts whic mind when I found you, and from quence of which you were fo la "The rational inhabitants of this wor

ed agreeable to your own ideas; th "lutely without vice. In other refpe bles your earth, but differs from wholly inhabited by men who neve "If you find this world more agreeab "you fo lately left, you have free p "fpend the remainder of your days in i

mit me, for fome time, to attend you, "filence your doubts, and make you quainted with your company and yo "bitation."

"A world without vice! Rational be "out immorality!" cried Afem, in "I thank thee, O Alla, who haft at le my petitions: this, this indeed wi happiness, ecstasy and ease. O for an lity, to spend it among men who are of ingratitude, injuftice, fraud, viole "thousand other crimes, that render foc "rable!"

"Ceafe thine exclamations ” replied th

"action before us, and communicate to me the re" fult of thine obfervations. Lead wherever you "think proper, I fhall be your attendant and in"ftructor." Afem and his campanion travelled on in filence for fome time, the former being entirely loft in aftonifhment; but, at laft, recovering his former ferenity, he could not help obferving, that the face of the country bore a near refemblance to that he had left, except that this fubterranean world ftill feemed to retain its primeval wildness. "Here," cried Afem, "I perceive animals of prey, and others that feem only defigned for their fubfiftence: it is the very fame in the world over our heads. But had I been permitted to inftruct our Prophet, I would have removed this defect, and formed no voracious or deftructive "animals, which only prey on the other parts of

the creation.” "Your tenderness for inferior ❝ animals is, I find, remarkable,” said the genius, fmiling. "But, with regard to meaner creatures,

this world exactly refembles the other; and, in

deed, for obvious reafons; for the earth can "fupport a more confiderable number of animals, "by their thus becoming food for each other, than

if they had lived entirely on the vegetable pro"ductions. So that animals of different natures "thus formed, instead of leffening their multitude, "fubfift in the greatest number poffible. But let us "haften on to the inhabited country before us, and "fee what that offers for inftruction."

They foon gained the utmost verge of the foreft, and entered the country inhabited by men without

vice; and Afem anticipated in idea the rational delight he hoped to experience in fuch an innocent fociety. But they had fcarce left the confines of the wood, when they beheld one of the inhabitants flying, with hafty fteps, and terror in his countenance, from an army of fquirrels that closely purfued him. "Heavens!" cried Afem, "" why does "he fly? What can he fear from animals fo con"temptible?" He had fcarce fpoke, when he perceived two dogs purfuing another of the human fpecies, who, with equal terror and hafte attempted ed to avoid them. "This," cried Afem to his guide," is truly furprifing; nor can I conceive "the reafon for so strange an action.” "Every

fpecies of animals," replied the genius, has, "of late, grown very powerful in this country; "for the inhabitants, at first, thinking it unjuft to "ufe either fraud or force in deftroying them, they

have infenfibly increased, and now frequently ravage their harmless frontiers." "But they "should have been destroyed," cried Afem; "you fee the confequence, of fuch neglect." Where is then that tendernefs you fo lately expreffed for fubordinate animals?" replied the genius, fmiling: "you feem to have forgot the branch of juftice." "I muft acknowledge my << mistake," returned Afem: "I am now con"vinced that we must be guilty of tyranny and

injuftice to the brute creation, if we would enjoy "the world ourfelves. But let us no longer ob"ferve the duty of man to these irrational crea"tures, but furvey their connections with one ❝ another."

As

As they walked farther up the country, the more he was furprised to fee no veftiges of hand fomehoufes, no cities, nor any mark of elegant design. His conductor, perceiving his furprise, obferved, That the inhabitants of this new world were perfectly content with their ancient fimplicity; each had an house, which, though homely, was fufficient to lodge his little family; they were too good to build houfes, which could only increase their own pride,. and the envy of the fpectator; what they built was for convenience, and not for fhow. “At "leaft, then," faid Afem, "they have neither "architects, painters, or ftatuaries, in their fo

ciety; but these are idle arts, and may be fpared. "However, before I fpend much more time here, you

fhould have my thanks for introducing me into, "the fociety of fome of their wifeft men: there is fcarce any pleasure to me equal to a refined con"verfation; there is nothing of which I am so "enamoured as wisdom.” "Wifdom!" replied his inftructor, "how ridiculous! We have no wif"dom here, for we have no occafion for it; true "wifdom is only a knowledge of our own duty,

and the duty of others to us: but of what use is fuch wifdom here? each intuitively performs. "what is right in himself, and expects the fame " from others. If, by wisdom, you should mean vain curiofity and empty fpeculation; as fuch pleasures have their origin in vanity, luxury, or avarice, we are too good to purfue them.' All this may be right," fays Afem; “but, mẹ"thinks I obferve a folitary difpofition prevail

among the people; each family keeps feparately "within their own precincts, without fociety, or "without intercourse." "That indeed is true,” replied the other; "here is no established society; nor should there be any: all focieties are made "either through fear or friendfhip; the people we are among are too good to fear each other; and "there are no motives to private friendship, where "all are equally meritorious." Well then," faid the fceptic," as I am to spend my time here, if "I am to have neither the polite arts, nor wifdom, nor friendship in fuch a world, I fhould be

glad, at least, of an eafy companion, who may "tell me his thoughts, and to whom I may com"municate mine.' "And to what purpose should "either do this?" fays the genius: flattery or curiofity are vicious motives, and never allowed "of here; and wisdom is out of the question.'

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"Still, however," faid Afem," the inhabitants "must be happy; each is contented with his own "poffeffions, nor avariciously endeavours to heap

up more than is neceffary for his own fubfiftence: "each has therefore leifure to pity those that stand "in need of his compaffion." He had fcarce spoken when his ears were affaulted with the lamentations of a wretch who fat by the way-fide, and, in the moft deplorable diftrefs, feemed gently to murmur at his own mifery. Afem immediately ran to his relief, and found him in the last stage of a confumption. "Strange," cried the fon of Adam, *that men who are free from vice fhould thus fuf"fer so much mifery without relief!" "Be not

"furprised,"