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in all that time-nor had the voice of friends or kinsman breathed through his lattice. His children-But here my heart began to bleed-and I was forced to go on with another part of the portrait.

He was sitting upon the ground upon a little straw, in the further corner of his dungeon, which was alternately his chair and bed; a little calender of small sticks were laid at the head, notched all over with the dismal days and nights he had passed there-he had one of these little sticks in his hand, and with a rusty nail he was etching another day of misery to add to the heap. As I darkened the little light he had, he lifted up a hopeless eye towards the door, then cast it down-shook his head, and went on with his work of affliction. I heard his chains upon his legs, as he turned his body to lay his little sticks upon the bundle. He gave a deep sigh-I saw the iron enter into his soul-I burst into tears-I could not sustain the picture of confinement which my fancy had drawn.

Section VII.

THE PALACE OF PLEASURE.

Methought I was suddenly transported into the Palace of Pleasure, which I had seen described the evening before; where, in spite of all the showy nagnificence of the mansion, and all the specious charms of the goddess that struck at first sight, I liscovered on a close attention, such a look of real listress in many of her votaries, ill concealed under artificial smiles, as, joined to the impressions remainng on me from my waking thoughts, soon convinced me that the whole was a cruel trick, to deceive and uin unhappy men. Whereupon I broke away with = mixture of disdain and horror, and made what aste I could from the enchanted valley in which the

palace stood. When I was got to what I judged a safe distance, I began to lament in my own mind the misery of such as are taken in the snares of that wicked sorceress. I had not got far on, when I was met by that good old man whom I had read of a few hours before, as giving directions to those travellers that were willing to hearken to him, and who I remember was called the Genius of Education. Perceiving me in a pensive and melancholy mood, he addressed me very kindly, and enquired into the cause of it.

I told him where I had been, and what I had observed, with the sorrowful reflections I could not help making on the fate of numberless deluded wretches; and added, that being myself a young traveller in quest of Happiness, I was uncertain which way to take. He looked at me with generous compassion, and bade me follow him, promising to put me into the right road. He conducted me along a winding path up a hill, on the top of which dwelt a sedate and thoughtful man, well advanced in years, who he told me was a near relation of his. He lodged in an open pavilion, from whence there was a prospect of the whole country round, and appeared, as we approached, to sit in a musing posture, on a chair of polished metal, which cast an uncommon lustre about him, and reflected strong and full the images of surrounding objects. He held in his hand a large telescope of exquisite workmanship, by the help of which the most distant things might be easily and distinctly discerned.

My guide informed me, that his name was Contemplation; that he was one of the eldest sons of Wisdom, and that he was posted on that hill by the sovereign of a great adjoining empire, called Virtue, to direct those who were travelling towards her temple. Methought his aspect was hale, serene, and piercing. There was something majestic in his wrinkles and gray hairs. A transparent mantle hung loose

about him, on which were wrought some mysterious figures that I did not understand.

As we entered his pavilion, he rose up with an rect and awful mein, and came forward to receive us _vith a remarkable composure and grace in his moions. Being struck with reverence, I beheld him at First with respectful silence. But growing more conident by his encouraging looks, I told him, that having been lately in the palace of that vile enchanress, Pleasure, I was so sensible of her destructive viles, that I had speedily made my escape, and was now in search of Happiness. Contemplation said, hat he was the professed friend and guardian of Youth, if I would trust myself to his care, he would ndertake to conduct me. Having joyfully accepted is offer, and being warmly recommended to him by ny former guide, he took me gently by the hand, nd led me to the brow of the hill, from whence ve could descry a wide extended country below, and ravellers innumerable crossing it by a thousand diffrent roads. "That large tract,' said he, "which ou see towards the left hand, so variegated with hills nd dales, and groves, and streams, and so full of inabitants and travellers, is the dominion of that powrful sorceress, Vice: for so she is properly called, hough she assumes to herself the more honourable ame of Pleasure.

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In that seemingly delicious bottom, which lies in he heart of the country, you see her palace, where -ou lately was. To confirm you in your opinion of er character, you may observe," said be, desiring ne to look through the telescope, "how some of hose miserable wretches, her votaries, are lost in he mazes of the wood which grows hard by; how thers of them wander up and down from one bowr of the garden to another, forlorn and distracted; whilst many of them are dragged away to a dirty cave, concealed from those who enter into her palace, at the farther end of a long lane behind it, and called he Cave of poverty: a horrid place, the mistress

whereof sits in gloomy state, on a large rough stone, clad in rags, shivering with cold, pining with hunger, and environed with a set of dismal figures, looking at her and one another with amazement. Some of their names are Dejection, Lamentation, Meanspiritedness, Suspicion, Greediness, Dishonesty, Despair. Not far from thence, you may perceive a strong prison, which is styled the House of Discipline. It is kept by two fierce and frightful fellows called Punishment and Terror, who are furnished with various instruments of toil, of pain, and of disgrace, for the chastisement of such malefactors as are delivered into their hands.

"But now," proceeded he, "cast your eyes again over the country which I showed you. It is divided into sundry districts, lying in a circle round the Palace of Pleasure. In their respective centres stand the seats of her principal ministers, who are always subject to her will, subservient to her interests. and ready to attend her court. On one side," to which he point ed the glass," you see," said he, "the mansion of Luxury, exceedingly magnificent and splendid, raised' with a profusion of expence, and adorned on every hand with all the extravagance of art." And here he desired me to mark with particular care an outlet from the gardens leading directly to the cave of Poverty.

Then turning the telescope to another side," Yonder," said he, "is the abode of Intemperance. It resembles, you see, a great inn, the gate thereof stands always open, and into which passengers are continually crowding. You may observe, that hardly any come out with the same countenance or shape with which they went in, but are transformed into the likeness of different beasts. A little way off is a large Hospital or Lazar-house, into which the poor wretches are flung from time to time, loaded with all manner of diseases, and condemned to sickness, pain and putrefaction."

Directing the glass another way, he next showed me the lower of Ambition, built on the top of a very

high hill, "Thither," said he, "you behold multitudes climbing from different quarters, struggling who should get foremost, and pushing down those before them. On one side of it, is a steep and slippery precipice, from which the most part, after having with infinite toil and contention gained it, tumble headlong into a bottomless gulf, and are never heard of more. On the other side, is a secret path which grows broader by degrees. At the entry to it, stands a smooth and artful villian, called Corruption, holding in one hand ribbons, and in the other bags of money, which under many specious pretexts, he presents to travellers, according to their several tastes. The path, after winding up the hill, leads down again by a straight descent, till it terminates in a dark dungeon, styled the Dungeon of Infamy. You observe what numbers are drawn into it. And of these there are not a few, who not only rejected for a long time the offers of Corruption, but exclaimed loudly against all who embraced them.

"The valley below," continued my guide, bending down the telescope, "is possessed by Vanity, whose district you may perceive, is still better peopled thap those of the other retainers to pleasure, which you have already seen. She allures into her gaudy mansion, most travellers, by promising to lead them to the palace of her mistress through the temple of Fame, which she pretends is just in the neighbourhood, and only to be come at by passing through her dwelling, although indeed the right road to it lies through the Temple of Virtue, hard by which it stands. Those who are so foolish as to be decoyed by her, are generally consigned over to the scoffs of Ridicule, a formidable figure, who wears on his face a perpetual sneer, and, who after treating them with proper marks of scorn, shuts them up in an obscure cell, called the Cell of Contempt.

After this, Contemplation pointed out to me, in a remote corner of the country, that looked as if it had been disjoined from all the rest, a castle, which he

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