ceit, and given up to be trained in all the Courses of Vanity, till Scorn or Poverty come upon us. These Expreffions were no fooner handed about, but I immediately faw a general Disorder, till at laft there was a Parting in one Place, and a grave old Man decent and refolute, was led forward to be punished for the Words he had uttered. He appeared inclined to have spoken in his own Defence, but I could not observe that any one was willing to hear him. Vanity caft a fcornful Smile at him; Self Conceit was angry; Flattery, who knew him for Plain-dealing, put on a Vizard, and turned away; Affectation toffed her Fan, made Mouths, and called him Envy or Slanders and Fashion would have it, that at least he must be Ill-Manners. Thus flighted and defpifed by all, he was driven out for abufing People of Merit and Figure; and I heard it firmly refolved, that he fhould be used no better where-ever they met with him hereafter.

I had already seen the meaning of most part of that Warning which he had given, and was confidering how the latter Words fhould be fulfilled, when a mighty Noife was heard without, and the Door was blackned by a numerous Train of Harpies crowding in upon us. Folly and Broken Credit were seen in the House before they entered. Trouble, Shame, Infamy, Scorn and Poverty brought up the Rear. Vanity, with her Cupid and Graces, difappeared; her Subjects ran into

Holes

Holes and Corners; but many of them were found and carried off (as I was told by one who tood near me) either to Prifons or Cellars, Solitude, or little Company, the mean Arts or the viler Crafts of Life. But thefe, added he with a difdainful Air, are fuch who would fondly live here, when their Merits neither matched the Luftre of the Place, nor their Riches its Expences. We have feen fuch Scenes as thefe before now; the Glory you faw will all return when the Hurry is over. I thank'd him for his Information, and believing him fo incorrigible as that he would ftay till it was his Turn to be taken, I made off to the Door, and overtook some few, who, though they would not hearken to Plain dealing, were now terrified to good purpose by the Example of others: But when. they had touched the Threfhold, it was a strange fhock to them to find that the Delufion of Errour was gone, and they plainly difcerned the Building to hang a little up in the Air without any real Foundation. At first we saw nothing but a desperate Leap remained for us, and I a thousand times blamed my unmeaning Curiofity that had brought me into fo much Danger. But as they began to fink lower in their own Minds, methought the Palace funk along with us, till they were arrived at the due Point of Efteem which they ought to have for themfelves; then the Part of the Building in which they stood touched the Earth, and we depart

ing out, it retired from our Eyes. Now, whether they who stayed in the Palace were fenfible of this Defcent, I cannot tell; it was then my Opinion that they were not. However it be, my Dream broke up at it, and has given me Occafion all my Life to reflect upon the fatal Consequences of following the Sug geftions of Vanity.

of what we covet to poffefs, when it appears to be loft to us! What Excurfions does the Soul make in Imagination after it! and how does it turn into it felf again, more foolishly fond and dejected, at the Difappointment! Our Grief, instead of having Recourfe to Reason, which might restrain it, fearches to find a further Nourifhment. It calls upon Memory to relate the feveral Paffages and Circumstances of Satisfactions which we formerly enjoyed; the Pleasures we

purchased

purchased by those Riches that are taken from us; or the Power and Splendour of our departed Honours; or the Voice, the Words, the Looks, the Temper, and Affections of our Friends that are deceased. It needs must happen from hence, that the Paffion fhould often fwell to fuch a Size as to burft the Heart which contains it, if Time did not make thefe Circumftances lefs ftrong and lively, so that Reason fhould become a more equal Match for the Paffion, or if another Defire which becomes more present did not overpower them with a livelier Representation. These are Thoughts which I had, when I fell into a kind of Vision upon this Subject, and may therefore stand for a proper Introduction to a Relation of it.

I found my felf upon a naked Shore, with Company whofe afflicted Countenances witnessed their Conditions. Before us flowed a Water deep, filent, and called the River of Tears, which iffuing from two Fountains on an upper Ground, encompaffed an Ifland that lay before us. The Boat which plied in it was old and fhattered, having been fometimes overfet by the Impatience and Hafte of fingle Paffengers to arrive at the other fide. This immediately was brought to us by Misfortune who steers it, and we were all preparing to take our Places, when there appeared a Woman of a mild and compofed Behaviour, who began to deter us from it, by representing the Dangers which would attend our

Voyage.