XXI. A VISION.

INGENIOUS was the device of those celebrated worthies, who, for the more effectual promulgation of their well-grounded maxims, first pretended to divine inspiration. Peace be to their manes; may the turf lie lightly on their breast, and the verdure over their grave be as perpetual as their memories! Well knew they, questionless, that a proceeding of this nature must afford an excuse to their modesty, as well as add a weight to their instructions. For, from the beginning of time, if we may believe the histories of the best repute, man has ever found a delight in giving credit to surprising lies. There was, indeed, a necessary degree of credit, previous to this delight: and there was as necessary a delight, in order to enforce any degree of credit. But so it was, that the pleasure rose in proportion to the wonder; and if the love of wonder was but gratified, no matter whether the tale was founded upon a witch or an Egeria; on a rat, a pigeon, the pommel of a sword, a bloated sibyl, or a three-foot stool.

Of all writers that bear any resemblance to these originals, those who approach the nearest, are such as describe their extraordinary dreams and visions. Of ostentation we may not, peradventure, accuse them, who claim to themselves no other than the merit of spectators. Of want of abilities we must not censure them, when we are given to know that their imagination had no more part in the affair, than a whited wall has, in those various figures, which some crafty artist represents thereon.

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The first meditation of a solitary, is the behaHapless species, I viour of men in active life. cried, how very grossly art thou mistaken! how very supine, while youth permits thee to gain the prize of virtue, by restraint! how very resolute, when thine age leaves nothing to restrain thee! thou givest a loose to thine inclinations, till they lose their very being; and, like a lamp overwhelmed with oil, are extinguished by indulgence. What folly to dream of virtue, when there is no longer room for self-denial; or, when the enemy expires by sickness, to demand the honour of a triumph! Musing upon this subject, I fell into a profound slumber; and the vision with which it furnished me shall supply materials for this essay.

I was, methought, transported into a winding valley, on each side of whose area, so far as my eye could see, were held up (in the manner of a picture) all the pleasing objects either of art or nature. Hills rose one beyond another, crowned with trees, or adorned with edifices; broken rocks contrasted with lawns, and foaming rivers poured headlong over them; gilded spires enlivened even the sunshine; and lonesome ruins, by the side of woods, gave a solemnity to the shade. It would be endless, or rather impossible, to give an idea of the vast variety it seemed as though people, of whatever inclinations, might here meet with their favourite object.

:

While I stood amazed, and even confounded, at so astonishing a landscape, an old man approached towards me, and offered his assistance in alleviating “You observe," says he, " in the

my surprise.

*

middle path, a train of sprightly female pilgrims, conducted by a matron of a graver cast: she is habited, as you may observe, in a robe far more plain and simple than that of any amidst her followers. It is her province to restrain her pupils, that the objects glittering on each side may not seduce them to make excursions, from which they scarce ever find their right way again. You may not, perhaps, suspect the gulfs and precipices that lie intermixed amidst a scenery so delightful to the eye. You see, indeed, at a considerable distance,the gilt dome of a temple, raised on columns of the whitest marble. I must inform you, that within this temple resides a lady,‡ weaving wreaths of immortal amaranth for that worthy matron, if she exert her authority; and, as their obedience is more or less entire, she has also garlands of inferior lustre to recompense the ladies in her train.

"Your own sagacity," added he," will supply the place of farther instructions," and then vanished in an instant.

The space before me, as it appeared, was crossed by four successive rivers. Over these were thrown as many bridges; and beyond each of these streams the ground seemed to vary its degree of lustre, as much as if it had lain under a different climate. On the side of each of these rivers appeared, thought, a receptacle for travellers; so that the journey seemed to be portioned into four distinct stages. It is possible that these were meant to represent the periods of a man's life; which may be

The Passions.

† Reason.

Virtue.

- as I

distinguished by the names of infancy, youth, manhood, and old age.

During the first stage, our travellers proceeded without much disturbance. Their excursions were of no greater extent than to crop a primrose, or a daisy, that grew on the way-side; and in these their governess indulged them. She gave them but few checks, and they afforded her but little occasion. But when they arrived at the second period, the case then was greatly altered. The young ladies grew visibly enamoured of the beauties on each side; and the governess began to feel a consciousness of her duty to restrain them. They petitioned clamorously to make one short excursion, and met with a decent refusal. One of them, that visibly showed herself the greatest vixen and romp amongst them, had a thousand arts and stratagems to circumvent her well-meaning governess. I must here mention, what I remarked afterwards, that some of the pupils felt greater attractions in one stage, and some in another; and the scene before them, being well variegated with mossy banks and purling streams, frisking lambs and piping shepherds, inspired a longing that was inexpressible, to one that seemed of an amorous complexion. She requested to make a short digression; pointed to the band of shepherds dancing; and, as I observed, presented a glass, through which the matron might distinctly view them. The governess applied the glass, and it was wonderful to trace the change it effected. She, who before had, with much con

• Love.

stancy, opposed the prayers of her petitioner, now began to lean towards her demands; and, as if she herself were not quite indifferent to the scene of pleasure she had beheld, grew remiss in her discipline, softened the language of dissent, and, with a gentle reprimand, suffered her pupil to elope. After this, however, she winked her eyes, that she might not at least bear testimony to the step she did not approve. When the lady had gratified her curiosity, she returned for the present, but with an appetite more inflamed, and more impatient to repeat her frolic. The governess appeared uneasy, and to repent of her own compliance; and reason good she had, considering the confidence it gave her pupil, and the weight it took from her own authority.

They were not passed far from the second stage of their journey, ere they all determined to rebel, and submit to the tyranny of their leader no longer.

Another now took the lead: and, seizing an embroidered handkerchief, completely hoodwinked the directress. All now was tumult, anarchy, disagréement, and confusion. They led their guide along, blindfold, not without proposals of downright murder: they soon lost sight of the regular path, and strode along with amazing rapidity. I should, however, except some few,* who, being of a complexion naturally languid, and thus deprived of their protectress, had neither constancy to keep the road, nor spirit enough to stray far from it. These found the utmost of their inclinations gratified, in treasuring up shells from the banks of the river,

* The Virtuoso-passion.