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innumerable feducers, who were endeavouring to draw away the votaries of Truth from the path of Science, there was one, fo little formidable in her appearance, and fo gentle and languid in her attempts, that I fhould fcarcely have taken notice of her, but for the numbers fhe had imperceptibly loaded with her chains. Indolence (for fo fhe was called) far from procceding to open hoftilities, did not attempt to turn their feet, out of the . path, but contented herself with retarding their progrefs; and the purpose she could not force them to abandon, the perfuaded them to delay. Her touch had a power like that of the torpedo, which withered the ftrength of those who came within its influence. Her unhappy captives ftill turned their faces towards the temple, and always hoped to arrive there; but the ground feemed to flide from beneath their feet, and they found themselves at the bottom, before they fufpected they had changed their place. The placid ferenity which at firft 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 fluggish water, which is curled by no breeze, and enlivened by no murmur, till it falls into a dead fea, where the ftartled paffengers are awakened by the fhock, and the next moment buried in the gulph of Oblivion.

Of all the unhappy deferters from the paths of Science, none feemed 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 afleep, to escape from their enchantment; but the dominion of Indolence was conftant and unremitted, and seldom refifted till refistance 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 fhaded with laurels and other ever-greens, and the effulgence which beamed from the face of the goddefs, feemed to shed a glory round her votaries. Happy, faid I, are they who

are

are permitted to afcend the mountain!-But while I was pronouncing this exclamation with uncommon ardour, I faw ftanding befide me a form of diviner features and a more benign radiance. Happier, faid fhe, are those whom Virtue conducts to the mansions of Content! What, faid I, does Virtue then refide in the vale? I am found, faid fhe, in the vale, and I illuminate the mountain: I cheer the cottager at his toil, and infpire the fage at his meditation. I mingle in the crowd of cities, and blefs 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 prefent. Science may raise you to eminence, but I alone can guide you to felicity! While the goddess was thus fpeaking, I ftretched out my arms towards her with a vehemence which broke my flumbers. The chill dews were falling around me, and the fhades of evening ftretched over the landscape. I haftened homeward, and refigned the night to filence and meditation.

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On Cruelty to Animals.

CONTAIGNE thinks it fome reflection upon hu

MONTA

man nature itself, that few people take delight in feeing beafts carefs or play together, but almost every one is pleased to see them lacerate and worry one another. I am forry this temper is become almost a diftinguishing character of our own nation, from the obfervation which is made by foreigners of our beloved paftimes, bear-baiting, cock-fighting, and the like. We fhould find it hard to vindicate the deftroying any thing that has life, merely out of wantonnefs: Yet in this principle our children are bred up; and one of the first pleasures we allow them is, the licence of inflicting pain upon poor animals: Almost as soon as we are fenfible what life is ourselves, we make it our sport to take it from other creatures. I cannot but believe a very good ufe might be made of the fancy which chil dren have for birds and infects. Mr Locke takes notice of a mother who permitted them to her children, but rewarded or punished them as they treated them well or ill. This was no other than entering them betimes into a daily exercise of humanity, and improving their very diverfion to a virtue.

I fancy, too, fome advantage might be taken of the common notion, that 'tis ominous or unlucky to deftroy fome forts of birds, as fwallows and martins. This opinion might poffibly arise from the confidence thefe birds feem to put in us, by building under our roofs; fo that it is a kind of violation of the laws of hofpitality to murder them. As for Robin-red-breaftsin particular, it is not improbable they owe their fecurity to the old ballad of "The children in the wood." However it be, I don't know, I fay, why this prejudice, well-improved, and carried as far as it would go, might not be made to conduce to the prefervation of many innocent creatures, which are now exposed to all the wantonness of an ignorant barbarity.

There

There are other animals that have the misfortune, for no manner of reason, to be treated as common enemies, wherever found. The conceit that a cat has nine lives, has coft at least nine lives in ten of the whole race of them: Scarce a boy in the street but has, in this point, outdone Hercules himself, who was famous for killing a menfter that had but three lives. Whether the unaccountable animofity against this useful domeftic may be any cause of the general perfecution of owls (who are a fort of feathered cats), or whether it be only an unreasonable pique the moderns have taken to a ferious countenance, I shall not determine: Tho' I am inclined to believe the former; fince I observe the fole reafon alledged for the deftruction of frogs is because they are like toads. Yet, amidst all the misfortunes of these unfriended creatures, 'tis fome happiness that we have not yet taken a fancy to eat them: For fhould our countrymen refine upon the French never fo little, 'tis not to be conceived to what unheardof torments owls, cats, and frogs, may be yet referved.

When we grow up to men, we have another fucceffion of fanguinary fports; in particular, hunting. I dare not attack a diverfion which has fuch authority and custom to support it; but must have leave to be of opinion, that the agitation of that exercife, with the example and number of the chafers, not a little contribute to refift those cheeks, which compaffion would naturally suggest in behalf of the animal purfued. Nor fhall I fay, with Monfieur Fleury, that this fport is a remain of the Gothic barbarity; but I must animadvert upon a certain custom yet in ufe with us, and barbarous enough to be derived from the Goths, or even the Scythians; I mean that favage compliment our huntsmen pafs upon ladies of quality, who are prefent at the death of a ftag, when they put the knife in their hands to cut the throat of a helpless, trembling, and weeping creature.

Damon

DAMON

Damon and Pythias.

AMON and Pythias, of the Pythagorean sect in philofophy, lived in the time of Dionyfius, the tyrant of Sicily. Their mutual friendship was fo ftrong, that they were ready to die for one another. One of the two (for it is not known which) being condemned to death by the tyrant, obtained leave to go into his own country to settle his affairs, on condition that the other fhould confent to be imprisoned in his ftead, and put to death for him, if he did not return before the day of execution. The attention of every one, and efpecially of the tyrant himself, was excited to the highest pitch; as every bady was curious to fee what would be the event of so strange an affair. When the time was almoft elapfed, and he who was gone did not appear, the rafhness of the other, whofe fanguine friendship had put him upon running fo feemingly defperate a hazard, was univerfally blamed. But he still declared, that he had not the least shadow of doubt in his mind of his friend's fidelity. The event fhewed how well he knew him. He came in due time, and furrendered himself to that fate, which he had no reafon to think he should efcape; and which he did not defire to escape by leaving his friend to fuffer in his place. Such fidelity foftened even the favage heart of Dionyfius himself. He pardoned the condemned. He gave the two friends to one another; and begged that they would take himself in for a third.

Valentine

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