Look round therefore without fear; obferve, con"template, and be inftructed.".

Encouraged by this affurance, I looked and beheld a mountain higher than Teneriffe, to the fummit of which the human eye could never reach; when I had tired myself with gazing upon its height, I turned my eyes towards its foot, which I could eafily difcover, but was amazed to find it without foundation, and placed inconceivably in emptiness and darkness. Thus I ftood terrified and confufed; above were tracks infcrutable, and below was total vacuity. But my protector, with a voice of admonition, cried out, "Theodore, be not affrighted, but raise thy eyes again; the Mountain of Exiflence is before thee, furvey it and be wife."

I then looked with more deliberate attention, and obferved the bottom of the mountain to be of gentle rife, and overspread with flowers; the middle to be more steep, embarraffed with crags, and interrupted by precipices, over which hung branches loaded with fruits, and among which were scattered palaces and bowers. The tracks which my eye could reach nearest the top were generally barren; but there were among the clefts of the rocks a few hardy evergreens, which, though they did not give much pleasure to the fight or smell, yet feemed to cheer the labour and facilitate the fteps of those who were clambering among them.

Then, beginning to examine more minutely the different parts, I obferved at a great distance a multitude of both fexes iffuing into view from the bottom of the mountain. Their firft actions I could not accurately difcern; but, as they every moment approached nearer, I found that they amufed themselves with gathering flowers under the fuperintendence of a modest virgin in a white robe, who seemed not over folicitous to confine them to any fettled pace or certain track; for fhe knew that the whole ground was smooth and folid, and that they could not be easily hurt or bewildered. When, as it often happened, they plucked a thistle for a flower, INNOCENCE, fo was the called, would fmile at the

N 3

mistake.

mistake. Happy, faid I, are they who are under fo gentle a government, and yet are fafe. But I had not opportunity to dwell long on the confideration of their felicity; for I found that INNOCENCE continued her attendance but a little way, and seemed to consider only the flowery bottom of the mountain as her proper province. Thofe whom the abandoned scarcely knew that they were left, before they perceived themselves in the hands of EDUCATION, a nymph more fevere in her aspect and imperious in her commands, who confined them to certain paths, in their opinion too narrow and too rough. These they were continually folicited to leave, by APPETITE, whom EDUCATION could never fright away, though the fometimes awed her to fuch timidity, that the effects of her prefence were fcarcely perceptible. Some went back to the first part of the mountain, and feemed defirous of continuing bufieft in plucking flowers, but were no longer guarded by INNOCENCE; and fuch as EDUCATION could not force back, proceeded up the mountain by some miry road, in which they were feldom feen, and scarcely ever regarded.

AS EDUCATION led her troop up the mountain, nothing was more obfervable than that fhe was frequently giving them cautions to beware of HABITS; and was calling out to one or other at every step, that a HABIT was enfnaring them; that they would be under the dominion of HABIT before they perceived their danger; and that thofe whom HABIT fhould once fubdue, had little hope of regaining their liberty.

Of this caution, fo frequently repeated, I was very folicitous to know the reafon, when my protector directed my regard to a troop of pygmies, which appeared to walk filently before thofe that were climbing the mountain, and each to fmooth the way before her follower. I found that I had miffed the notice of them before, both because they were so minute as not easily to be difcerned, and because they grew every moment nearer in their colour to the objects with which they

were

were furrounded. As the followers of EDUCATION did not appear fenfible of the prefence of these dangerous affociates, or, ridiculing their diminutive fize, did not think it poffible that human beings fhould ever be brought into fubjection by fuch feeble enemies, they generally heard her precepts of vigilance with wonder; and, when they thought her eye withdrawn, treated them with contempt. Nor could I myself think her cautions fo neceffary as her frequent inculcations feemed to fuppofe, till I obferved that each of these petty beings held fecretly a chain in her hand, with which fhe prepared to bind those whom the found within her power. Yet thefe HABITS, under the eye of EDUCATION, went quietly forward, and feemed very little to increase in bulk or ftrength; for though they were always willing to join with APPETITE, yet, when EDUCATION kept them apart from her, they would very punctually obey command, and make the narrow roads in which they were confined easier and smoother.

It was obfervable, that their ftature was never at a ftand, but continually growing or decreafing, yet not always in the fame proportions; nor could I forbear to exprefs my admiration, when I faw in how much lefs time they generally gained than loft bulk. Though they grew flowly in the road of EDUCATION, it might however be perceived that they grew; but if they once deviated at the call of APPETITE, their ftature foon became gigantic; and their strength was fuch, that EDUCATION pointed out to her tribe many that were led in chains by them, whom he could never more rescue from their flavery. She pointed them out, but with little effect; for all her pupils appeared confident of their own fuperiority to the strongest HABIT, and some seemed in fecret to regret that they were hindered from following the triumph of APPETtite.

It was the peculiar artifice of HABIT not to fuffer her power to be felt at first. Those whom the led, she had the address of appearing only to attend, but was continually doubling her chains upon her companions;

which were fo flender in themselves, and so filently fastened, that while the attention was engaged by other objects, they were not eafily perceived. Each link grew tighter as it had been longer worn; and when by continual additions they became fo heavy as to be felt, they were very frequently too ftrong to be broken.

When EDUCATION had proceeded in this manner to the part of the mountain where the declivity began to be craggy, fhe refigned her charge to two powers of fuperior afpect. The meaner of them appeared capableof prefiding in fenates, or governing nations, and yet watched the steps of the other with the moft anxious attention, and was vifibly confounded and perplexed if ever the suffered her regard to be drawn away. The other feemed to approve her fubmiffion as pleafing, but with fuch a condefcenfion as plainly fhewed that the claimed it as due: and indeed fo great was her dignity and sweetness, that he who would not reverence, must not behold her.

"Theodore," faid my protector, "be fearless, and be "wife; approach these powers, whofe dominion ex"tends to all the remaining part of the Mountain of "Exiftence." I trembled, and ventured to address the inferior nymph, whofe eyes, though piercing and awful, I was not able to fuftain." Bright power," said I, "by whatever name it is lawful to addrefs thee, tell "me, thou who prefideft here, on what condition thy "protection will be granted ?" "It will be granted," faid fhe, "only to obedience. I am REASON, of all "fubordinate beings the nobleft and the greatest ; "who, if thou wilt receive my laws, will regard thee "like the rest of my votaries, by conducting thee to "RELIGION." Charmed by her voice and afpect, I profeffed my readiness to follow her. She then prefented me to her mistress, who looked upon me with tenderness. I bowed before her, and she smiled.

When EDUCATION delivered up thofe for whofe happiness she had been fo long folicitous, fhe feemed to expect that they should exprefs fome gratitude for her

care

care, or fome regret at the lofs of that protection which she had hitherto afforded them. But it was easy to discover, by the alacrity which broke out at her departure, that her prefence had been long difpleasing, and that she had been teaching those who felt in themfelves no want of inftruction. They all agreed in rejoicing that they should no longer be fubject to her caprices, or disturbed by her documents, but should be now under the direction of REASON, to whom they made no doubt of being able to recommend themselves by a steady adherence to all her precepts. REASON counfelled them, at their first entrance upon her province, to enlift themselves among the votaries of RELIGION; and informed them, that if they trufted to her alone, they would find the fame fate with her other admirers, whom she had not been able to secure against APPETITE and PASSION, and who, having been seized by HABIT in the regions of DESIRE, had been dragged away to the caverns of DESPAIR. Her admonition was vain; the greater number declared against any other direction, and doubted not but by her fuperintendency they should climb with fafety up the Mountain of Exiftence. "My power," faid REASON, "is to advife, not to "compel; I have already told you the danger of your "choice. The path feems now plain and even, but "there are afperities and pitfalls, over which RELIGION "only can conduct you. Look upwards, and you will "perceive a mist before you fettled upon the highest "vifible part of the mountain; a mift by which my "profpect is terminated, and which is pierced only by "the eyes of RELIGION. Beyond it are the temples of « HAPPINESS, in which those who climb the precipice

by her direction, after the toil of pilgrimage, repofe " for ever. I know not the way, and therefore can "only conduct you to a better guide. PRIDE has "fometimes reproached me with the narrowness of my "view, but, when the endeavoured to extend it, could "only fhew me, below the mift, the bowers of Con"TENT; even they vanished as I fixed my eyes upon

"them;