to him. I cryed to him, I did not know the Way. He then called to me audibly, to step at least out of the C Path I was in; for if I ftaid there any long I was in danger to be catched in a great Net that was just hanging oC ver me, and ready to catch me up; that he wondered I was fo blind, or fo diftracted, as not to fee fo imminent and visible a Danger; affuring me, that as foon as I was out of that way, he would come to me to lead me into a • more fecure Path. This I did, and he brought me his Palm full of the Water of Heavenly Wisdom, which was of very great ufe to me, for my Eyes were ftreight cleared, and I faw the C great black Tower just before me; but the great Net, which I fpy'd so near C me, caft me in fuch a Terror, that I ran back as far as I could in one Breath, • without looking behind me: then my • Benefactor thus befpoke me, You have 'made the wonderful'ft Escape in the "World, the Water you used to drink is of a bewitching Nature, you would • elfe have been mightily fhocked at the • Deformities and Meannefs of the Place; for befide the Set of blind Fools, in • whofe Company you was, you may E 2

now

1

now observe many others who are only bewitched after another no lefs dangerous manner. Look a little that way, there goes a Crowd of Paffengers, they have indeed fo good a Head, as not to fuffer themselves to be blinded by this bewitching Water; the "black Tower is not vanished out of 'their fight, they fee it whenever they look up to it; but fee how they go fideways, and with their Eyes downwards, C as if they were mad, that they may thus rufh into the Net, without being beforehand troubled at the Thought of 'fo miferable a Deftruction. Their 'Wills are so perverse, and their Hearts fo fond of the Pleafures of the Place, that rather than forgo them they will • run all hazards, and venture upon all 'the Miseries and Woes before them.

SEE there that other Company, though they should drink none of the bewitching Water yet they take a 'courfe bewitching and deluding; fee how they chufe the crookedeft Paths, whereby they have often the black "Tower behind them, and fometimes fee the radiant Column fide-ways, which gives them fome weak Glimpfe of it. These Fools content themselves 'with

'with that, not knowing whether any ' other have any more of its Influence " and Light than themselves: this Road is called that of Superftition or Human Invention, they grofly over-look that which the Rules and Laws of the Place C prescribe to them, and contrive fome 'other Scheme and Set of Directions and Prescriptions for themselves, which 'they hope will ferve their turn. He 'fhewed me many other kind of Fools, C which put me quite out of humour with the Place. At laft he carried me to the right Paths, where I found true and folid Pleasure, which entertained me all the way, till we came in clofer fight of the Pillar, where the Satisfaction increased to that measure that my Faculties were not able to contain it; in the ftraining of them I C was violently waked, not a little grieved at the vanishing of fo pleasing a

• Dream.

Glafcow, Sept. 29.

Ὁ δ ̓ ἐς τὸ σῶφρον ἐπ ̓ ἀρετὴν τ ̓ ἄγων ἔρως, Ζηλωτὸς ἀνθρώποισιν

Eurip.

T is my Custom to take frequent Opportunities of en

I

quiring from time to time, what Success my Speculations meet with in the Town. I am glad to find in particular, that my Difcourfes on Marriage have been well received. A Friend of mine gives me to understand, from Doctors-Commons, that more Licences have been taken out there of late than ufual. I am likewife informed of several pretty Fellows, who have refolved to commence Heads of Families by the first favourable Opportunity. One of them writes me word, that he is ready to enter into the Bonds of Matrimony, provided I will give it him under my hand (as I now do) that a Man may fhew his Face in good Company after he is married, and that he need not be, afhamed to treat a

Wo

Woman with Kindness, who puts her felf into his power for Life.

I have other Letters on this Subject, which fay that I am attempting to make a Revolution in the World of Gallantry, and that the Confequence of it will be, that a great deal of the Iprightlieft Wit and Satire of the laft Age will be loft: That a bafhful Fellow, upon changing his Condition, will be no lon ger puzzled how to ftand the Rallery of his facetious Companions; that he need not own he married only to plun der an Heirefs of her Fortune,nor pretend that he uses her ill, to avoid the ridi culous Name of a fond Husband.

INDEED if I may speak my Opinion of great part of the Writings which once prevailed among us under the Notion of Humour, they are fuch ás would tempt one to think there had been an Affociation among the Wits of thofe times to rally Legitimacy out of our Island. A. State of Wedlock was the common Mark for all the Adventurers in Farce and Comedy, as well as the Effayers in Lampoon and Satire, to fhoot at, and nothing was a more ftanding Jeft in all Clubs of fafhionable Mirth, and gay Converfation. It was E 4 de