the forest, from every baleful tree the night raven uttered his dreadful note, and the prospect was filled with desolation and horrour. In the midst of this tremendous scene my execrable guide addressed me in the following manner :

"Retire with me, O rash unthinking mortal, from "the vain allurements of a deceitful world, and learn "that pleasure was not designed the portion of human "life. Man was born to mourn and to be wretched; "this is the condition of all below the stars, and. "whoever endeavours to oppose it, acts in contradic"tion to the will of heaven. Fly then from the fatal "enchantments of youth, and social delight, and "here consecrate the solitary hours to lamentation " and wo. Misery is the duty of all sublunary "beings, and every enjoyment is an offence to the "Deity, who is to be worshipped only by the mortifi"cation of every sense of pleasure, and the everlasting "exercise of sighs and tears."

This melancholy picture of life quite, sunk my spirits, and seemed to annihilate every principle of joy within me. I threw myself beneath a blasted yew, where the winds blew cold and dismal round my head, and dreadful apprehensions chilled my heart. Here I resolved to lie till the hand of death, which I impatiently invoked, should put an end to the miseries of a life so deplorably wretched. In this sad situation I espied on one hand of me a deep muddy river, whose heavy waves rolled on in slow sullen murmurs. Here I determined to plunge, and was just upon the brink, when I found myself suddenly drawn back. I turned about, and was surprised by

the

the sight of the loveliest object I had ever beheld. The most engaging charms of youth and beauty appeared in all her form; effulgent glories sparkled in her eyes, and their awful splendours were softened by the gentlest looks of compassion and peace. At her approach the frightful spectre who had before tormented me, vanished away, and with her all the horrours she had caused. The gloomy clouds brightened into cheerful sunshine, the groves recovered their verdure, and the whole region looked gay and blooming as the garden of Eden. I was quite transported at this unexpected change, and reviving pleasure began to glad my thoughts, when, with a look of inexpressible sweetness, my beauteous deliverer thus uttered her divine instructions:

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My name is RELIGION. I am the offspring "of TRUTH and LovE, and the parent of BENE"VOLENCE, HOPE, and Joy. That monster from "whose power I have freed you is called SUPERSTI"TION, she is the child of DISCONTENT, and her "followers are FEAR and SORROW. Thus different as she has often the insolence to assume my name "and character, and seduces unhappy mortals to "think us the same, till she, at length, drives them to

the borders of DESPAIR, that dreadful abyss into "which you were just going to sink.

"Look round and survey the various beauties of "the globe, which heaven has destined for the seat of the human race, and consider whether a "world thus exquisitely framed could be meant for "the abode of misery and pain. For what end has "the lavish hand of Providence

diffused such in

"numerable

"numerable objects of delight, but that all might rejoice in the privilege of existence, and be filled "with gratitude to the beneficent author of it? Thus

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to enjoy the blessings he has sent, is virtue and "obedience; and to reject them merely as means "of pleasure, is pitiable ignorance or absurd perverseness. Infinite goodness is the source of cre"ated existence; the proper tendency of every ra"tional being, from the highest order of raptured seraphs, to the meanest rank of men, is to rise inces

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santly from lower degrees of happiness to higher. They have each faculties assigned them for various "orders of delights."

"What," cried I, "is this the language of RE"LIGION? Does she lead her votaries through flow

ery paths, and bid them pass an unlaborious life? "Where are the painful toils of virtue, the mortifi"cations of penitents, the self-denying exercises of "saints and heroes?"

"The true enjoyments of a reasonable being," answered she mildly, "do not consist in unbounded indulgence, or luxurious ease, in the tumult of passions, the languor of indolence, or the flutter "of light amusements. Yielding to immoral plea

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sure corrupts the mind, living to animal trifling ones debases it; both in their degree disqualify "it for its genuine good, and consign it over to "wretchedness. Whoever would be really happy,

must make the diligent and regular exercise of his "superiour powers his chief attention, adoring the per"fections of his Maker, expressing good-will to his "fellow-creatures, cultivating inward rectitude. To "his lower faculties he must allow such gratifications

as

as will, by refreshing him, invigorate his nobler pursuits. In the regions inhabited by angelick natures, unmingled felicity for ever blooms, joy flows "there with a perpetual and abundant stream, nor "needs there any mound to check its course. Be

ings conscious of a frame of mind originally diseased,

66 as all the human race has cause to be, must use the regimen of a stricter self-government. Whoever has "been guilty of voluntary excesses must patiently sub"mit both to the painful workings of nature, and "needful severities of medicine, in order to his cure. "Still he is entitled to a moderate share of whatever alleviating accommodations this fair mansion of his " merciful Parent affords, consistent with his recovery. And in proportion as this recovery ad"vances, the liveliest joy will spring from his secret sense of an amended and improved heart.-So far "from the horrours of despair is the condition even of "the guilty.-Shudder, poor mortal, at the thought "of the gulf into which thou wast but now going "to plunge.

པ

"While the most faulty have ever encouragement "to amend, the more innocent soul will be supported "with still sweeter consolations under all its experi

ence of human infirmities; supported by the glad"dening assurances that every sincere endeavour to "outgrow them shall be assisted, accepted, and re"warded. To such a one the lowliest self-abasement "is but a deep-laid foundation for the most elevated hopes; since they who faithfully examine and acknowledge what they are, shall be enabled under my "conduct to become what they desire. The christian "and the hero are inseparable; and to aspirings of "unassuming

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"unassuming trust, and filial confidence, are set no "bounds. To him who is animated with a view of obtaining approbation from the Sovereign of the universe, no difficulty is insurmountable. Secure in "this pursuit of every needful aid, his conflict with the severest pains and trials, is little more than the vigorous exercises of a mind in health. His patient dependence on that Providence which looks through "all eternity, his silent resignation, his ready accom“modation of his thoughts and behaviour to its in66 scrutable ways, is at once the most excellent sort of "self-denial, and a source of the most exalted trans

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ports. Society is the true sphere of human virtue. "In social, active life, difficulties will perpetually be "met with; restraints of many kinds will be necessary; "and studying to behave right in respect of these is a

discipline of the human heart, useful to others, and "improving to itself. Suffering is no duty, but where "it is necessary to avoid guilt, or to do good; nor "pleasure a crime, but where it strengthens the in"fluence of bad inclinations, or lessens the generous

activity of virtue. The happiness allotted to man "in his present state, is indeed faint and low, compared with his immortal prospects, and noble capaci"ties; but yet whatever portion of it the distributing "hand of heaven offers to each individual, is a need"ful support and refreshment for the present moment,

so far as it may not hinder the attaining of his final "destination.

"Return then with me from continual misery to "moderate enjoyment and grateful alacrity. Return "from the contracted views of solitude to the proper "duties of a relative and dependent being. Religion