S. O glorious exploits! and moft noble of all victories! But be fo good as to inform me yet farther, what may be the influence of the crown, with which you were saying he was to be crowned ?

O. C. It is that which renders him happy for he who has it once on his head, immediately becomes eafy and bleft; and does not place his hopes of happinefs in any thing without him, but poffeffes it in his own breaft.

S. How defirable is fuch an acquifition! And after he is crowned, what does he do? or whither does he go?

O. C. The VIRTUES take him, and lead him to the place that he had left, and bid him obferve those who continue there, amidst what difficulties and troubles they pafs their time; and how they are fhipwrecked in life, or wander about in it; or are conquered and led along like captives, fome by INTEMPERANCE, and others by ARROGANCE; here by CoVETOUSNESS, and there by VAIN-GLORY, or any other of the VICES: whofe chains they are in vain ftriving to get loose from, that they might escape and get to this place of reft: fo that their whole life feems to be nothing but one ineffectual ftruggle. And all this they fuffer from their miftaking the right way, and forgetting the orders given them by the directing GENIUS.

S. That appears to me to be the cafe; but I don't fo clearly fee, why the VIRTUES lead the perfon that has been crowned, back to the place that he had left.

O. C. Because he had never formed a full and

exact idea of the things that paffed there, but at best had only gueffed and doubted about them: for, from the draught of ignorance and error that he had taken at his entrance, he had imagined things that were bad to be good, and things that were good to be bad; by which means he had lived wretchedly, as indeed all do while they are there. But now that he has obtained the knowledge of what is really good, he can both live happily himself, and can fee how very unhappy the others are.

S. And when he has taken a full view there, what does he do, or whither does he go?

O. C. Wherever he pleases, for every where is he as fafe as one that is got into the Corycian cave; fo that wherefoever he goes, he lives in full fecurity, and undiflurbed happinefs; and is received by all others with as much pleafure as a good phyfician is by his patients.

S. And has he no longer any dread of thofe females which you called monfters? nor any apprehenfion of being hurt by them?

O. C. Not in the leaft; for he will never any more be molested either by ANGUISH or SORROW, or INTEMPERANCE, or COVETOUSNESS, or POVERTY, or any other evil; for he is now mafter of them all, and fuperior to every thing that formerly gave him any trouble. As they who practise the catching of vipers, are never hurt by the bite of thofe creatures, which is fo venomous and even mortal to others, because they have an antidote against their poifon; fo he is fafe from any influence of all thefe evils, becaufe he has the antidote against them.

S. That

S. That you have explained to me very well; but I beg you will tell me yet farther, who they are that are defcending from the middle of the rock, fome of them crowned, and with an air of joy on their countenances; and others without crowns, that feem to have been rejected, and have the marks of feveral falls about them, and are followed by certain

women.

O. G. They who are crowned, are fuch as got fafe to SCIENCE, and are delighted with the reception that she has given them; and thofe without crowns, who feem to have been rejected by her, and are returned in fo bad a condition, are fuch as found their hearts fail them, when they came to the precipice where PATIENCE ftands; and turned back from that point, and are now wandering irregularly they know not whither.

S. And who are the women that are following them?

O. C. They are SORROW and ANGUISH, and DeSPAIR and INFAMY, and IGNORANCE.

S. By your account they are attended by every thing that is bad!

O. C. Undoubtedly they are, but when they are got down into the firft inclosure, to VOLUPTUOUSNESS and INTEMPERANCE, they don't lay the blame on themselves, but immediately fay all the ill things they can of SCIENCE, and of those who are going to her; and tell how miferable and wretched thofe poor people are, and how much they fuffer, who leave the life they might have enjoyed below, and the good things beftowed there.

S. And

S. And what are the good things which they mean?

O. C. Luxury and Intemperance, to fay all in two words; for to indulge their paffions like brute beasts, is what they look upon as the completion of all their happiness.

S. And those other women that are coming down there, who look fo gay and fo well pleafed with themfelves, what are they?

Q. C. The OPINIONS, who, after conducting those to SCIENCE, who have gained admiffion to the VIR÷ TUES, are returning to bring up others, and to acquaint them how happy thofe are whom they have already conducted up thither.

S. And have they been admitted to the VIRTUES themselves?

O. C. By no means; for 'tis not allowable for OPINION to enter, where KNOWLEDGE has her dwelling. Their bufinefs therefore was only to conduct them to SCIENCE; and when he has received them, they turn back again to bring others;, like tranfportships, which as foon as they have delivered one freight, return for another,

S. You have now, I think, very well explained all the figures in the picture; but you have not yet told us what directions they were, which the Genius at the first portal gives to thofe that are entering into life.

O. C. He bids them be of good courage. Wherefore be you alfo of good courage; for I will tell you the whole, and leave no one thing unexplained

to you. VOL. II.

Ff

S. We

S. We shall be extremely obliged to you.

O. C. You fee that blind woman there on the round stone, who I told you before was FORTUNE. S. I fee her.

O. C. As to that woman, he orders them not to place any confidence in her, nor to look on any of her gifts as firm or fecure, nor to confider them as their property; for there is no hindering her from refuming them, and giving them to any body elfe; and 'tis what she is extremely apt to do. He therefore orders them to regard all her prefents with indifference, and not to rejoice if she makes them. any, nor to be dejected if he takes them away, and to think neither well nor ill of her; for whatever she does is done without thought, and all by mere chance and accident, as I have acquainted you already. 'Tis on this account that the Genius commands them, not to attach themselves to any thing the can give; nor to be like thofe fimple bankers, who when they have received any fum of money in truft, are apt to be pleafed with it, and look upon it as their own; and, when they are called upon to repay it, grow uneafy, and think it very hard; not confidering that it was deposited in their hands on that very condition, that the true owners might demand it again whenever they pleafed. Juft thus the GENIUS commands men to look upon all the gifts of FORTUNE and to be aware that he may recall them whenever he has a fancy to do it; or may fend in more, and, if the pleafes, may refume that and the former all together. He therefore commands thofe who are entering into life, to receive whatever fhe offers them, and, as foon as they