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tween the rocks, and a small track leading to it, which is fcarce beaten; and with very few people walking in it, as it is all rough, and ftony, and difficult?

S. I difcern it very plainly.

O. C. And don't you see a high cliff on the hill, almost inacceffible, and with several precipices about it ?

S. I fee it.

Q. C. That is the way which leads to TRUE SCIENCE.

S. It is frightful only to look upon it.

O. C. And up above that cliff, don't you fee a large rifing rock, all furrounded with precipices?

S. I fee it.

O. C. Then you fee alfo the two women that stand upon it, with fo much firmness and beauty in their make, and how earnestly they extend their hands.

S. I do fo; and pray who are they?,

O. C. Those two are fifters, and are called TEMPERANCE and PERSEVERANCE.

Ș. And why do they extend their hands fo earneftly?

Q. C. They are encouraging those who are arrived to that rock, and calling out to them to be of good heart, and not to defpond, because they have but a little more to fuffer, and then will find the road all eafy and pleasant before them.

S. But how can they ever get up upon that rock itself? for I don't fee any the leaft path to afcend it by.

Q. C. The two fifters defcend to meet them, and

help

help them up. Then they order them to reft a little, infpire them with new ftrength and refolution, and promife to conduct them to TRUE SCIENCE; point out the way to them, make them obferve how even, and easy, and charming it is; and how free from all manner of difficulty or danger, as you fee is reprefented here.

S. How well does it answer the description!

O. C. You fee before that grove, the ground that extends itself into a beautiful meadow, with fuch a lively light over it.

S. Very plainly.

O. C. Then you see the third inclosure, in the midst of that meadow, and the portal to it.

S. I do fo; and pray, what do you call this place?

O. C. The habitation of the bleft; for here it is that HAPPINESS, and all the VIRTUES dwell.

S. What a charming place have they to dwell in! O. C. And do you obferve the lady near the portal, with fo beautiful and fteady a look; of a middle age, or rather a little past it, and dreffed in a plain long robe, without any the least affectation of ornaments? She is ftanding there, not on a round ftone, but a fquare one, firmly fixed in the ground; and by her are two other women, who look as if they were her daughters.

S. They do fo.

O. C. Of thefe, fhe in the midst is SCIENCE, and the other two are TRUTH and PERSUASION.

S. And why does SCIENCE ftand on that square ftone?

O. C. To

O. C. To fignify that her ways are ways of certainty, and that the prefents which the gives to those that arrive to her, are firm and lafting.

S. And what is that the gives to them?

O. C. Strength and tranquillity of mind, arising from a full affurance, that they fhall never undergo any evil again in their whole lives.

S. O heavens, how defirable are her presents! But why does the ftand thus without the inclofure?

O. C. To receive thofe that arrive thither, and give them to drink of her purifying liquor, and to conduct them into the prefence of the VIRTUES within, when they are thoroughly cleanfed by it.

S. I don't rightly understand what you mean by this cleanfing.

O. C. I will make that clearer to you. Suppose any friend of yours was afflicted with fome dangerous fit of illness; if he goes to fome knowing phyfician, and takes what he prefcribes, in order to root out the caufes of his difeafe, he may be reftored to a perfect ftate of health; but if he refufes to take what is ordered him, his phyfician will give him up, and leave him to be destroyed by his diftemper.

S. That is clear enough.

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O. C. In the very fame manner, when any one comes to SCIENCE, fhe takes him under her care, and gives him a draught of her cup to cleanse him, and drive out all the noxious things that are in him.

S. And what are those noxious things?

O. C. The error and ignorance that he drank out of the cup of DECEIT; and his arrogance, and luft, and intemperance, and anger, and covetoufnefs; in

fhort,

fhort, all the evil impreffions and habits that he had contracted in his paffage through the first inclosure.

S. And when he has cleanfed him from all thefe, whither does fhe fend him?

O. C. In through that portal, to KNOWLEDGE, and the other VIRTUES.

S. And where are they?

O. C. Don't you fee, within the portal, a felect company of ladies, of fingular beauty and decency, both in their look and drefs; and in a word, with every thing handfome, and nothing affected about

them?

S. I fee them, and should be glad to know their

names.

O. C. That at the head of them is KNOWLEDGE, and the reft are all her fifters, FORTITUDE, JUSTICE, HONESTY, PRUDENCE, DECENCY, FREEDOM, TEMPERANCE, and CLEMENCY.

S. What beauties they are! and what a longing defire do they inspire one with to enjoy their compa

nies!

O. C. That you may do, if you are wife enough to follow the way that I have fhewn you.

S. That will I ftrive to do as far as I am able.

O. C. Then you will arrive fafely to them.

S. And when thefe have received any one, whi

ther do they carry him?

O. C. To their mother.

S. And who is she?

O. C. HAPPINESS.

S. And where?

0. C. Do you fee the way which leads to that high

edifice,

edifice, which appears above all the inclosures, as a citadel does above all the buildings in a city?

S. Yes.

O. C. And do you fee that compofed, beautiful lady, fitting on a throne in the portico to it, with fo eafy and difengaged an air, and with that beautiful chaplet of fresh flowers on her head?

S. How beautiful does fhe look!

O. C. She is HAPPINESS.

S. And when any one arrives to her, what does fhe do to him?

O. C. HAPPINESS, affifted by all the Virtues, crowns him with her own influences; in the fame manner as they are crowned, who have obtained the greateft conquests.

S. But what conquefts has he obtained?

O. C. The greatest conquests, and over the most terrible of monsters, which formerly devoured and tormented, and enslaved him. All thofe has he conquered, and driven from him; and is become fo much mafter both of himself and them, as to make those things obey him, which he himself obeyed before.

S. I don't yet comprehend what monfters you mean; and should be very glad to know.

O. C. In the firft place, his ignorance and error; will you not allow them to be monsters?

S. Yes, and very dangerous ones too.

O. C. Then, his forrows, and repinings, and covetings, and intemperance, and every thing that is bad. All these has he fubdued, and is not fubdued by them as he used to be.

S. O

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