m 
 
 KaH
 
 J
 
 TRUTH 
 
 I N A 
 
 MASK 
 
 Ades* &? primi kge lit or is or am. 
 
 VIRG. GEOR. 
 Garrit anlles 
 Ex re fabettas. 
 
 Ho R. 
 
 DUEL IN Printed. 
 LONDON, 
 
 Reprinted for M. Co o p E R at the Globe in 
 Pater-No/ter-Raw.
 
 [iii j 
 
 T O 
 
 The RIGHT HONOURABLE 
 
 JAMES, 
 
 LORD VISCOUNT 
 
 CHAR L EMO UN?. 
 
 MY LORD, 
 
 YOUR Lord/Kip may re- 
 member, that, during the 
 fhort Space of Time in 
 which I was charged with the 
 Care of your Education, I alk- 
 A z ed, 
 
 1304401
 
 iv DEDICATION, 
 
 ed, and obtained Leave to de- 
 dicate the following ALLUSIONS 
 to you : Although for many 
 and weighty Reafons, which, 
 in Charity, I forbear to mention 
 here, I chofe to quit you fo 
 foon; yet, fo far as You were 
 confidered, it was with the 
 greateft Regret 1 did it. As 
 neither of us can juflly charge 
 the other with the Caufe of 
 this Separation, fo give me 
 Leave to hope, that thefe little 
 * Performances will not be lefs 
 acceptable to you on that Ac- 
 count, efpecially as they are 
 not prefented with lefs Good- 
 will and Efteem. As your 
 Lordfhip, and every body elfe 
 who knows me, are fenfible I 
 am very far from being a Flat- 
 terer ,-
 
 DE D I C A T ION. V 
 
 terer ; and as I have not now 
 the Honour to be a Relative 
 to you in any Senfe ; fo, I 
 hope, I fhould not be fufpected 
 of Defign or Infmcerity, though 
 fome of my Sentiments, on this 
 Occafion, fhould be delivered 
 in the ufual Style of Dedica- 
 tions, That Style, however, and 
 the Bafenefs of thofe who ufe 
 it, as an Inftrument of their 
 own Defigns, and an Incentive 
 to the Vanity of their Pa- 
 trons, I, from my Soul, abhor; 
 and the Publick, to your Ho- 
 nour, (hall obferve, that I, who 
 know you, can, without the; 
 leaft Fear of offending, addrefs 
 you in quite another Manner. 
 
 THAT Eftate, that Rank, and 
 
 thofe natural Endowments, which, 
 
 A 3 in
 
 vi DEDICATION. 
 
 in another Dedication, might 
 be called yours, and much en- 
 larged on to flatter your Pride, 
 on this Occafion, (hall be called 
 the Property of your Country,, 
 and of Mankind,, and be men- 
 tioned only to alarm you. Do 
 not, my Lord, let any low, de- 
 figning Flatterer perfuade you, 
 that fuch Talents were abfolute- 
 ly left owed on. you by a wife and 
 provident God. Do not liften 
 to him ; the Wretch gapes' at a 
 Reward for his deteftable Ca- 
 fuiftry. I muft infift on it, they 
 were only depofited with you 
 for the publick Ufe, and muft 
 be accounted for to the real 
 Owner. Infinite Wifdom could 
 never intend fo much for the 
 Ufe of one Man, No, my Lord r 
 
 we
 
 DEDICATION. vii 
 
 we have (I fpeak in Behalf of 
 the Publick, of which I make 
 a Part) a juft Right to the ut- 
 moft Improvement, and the beft 
 Application you can poffibly 
 make, of all the aforemention,- 
 ed Talents, particularly the great 
 Abilities with which God hath 
 enriched your Mind, in Com- 
 parifon of which we efteem 
 your Fortune and Title as 
 Trifles. My Intention in fpeak- 
 ing thus to you, is to apprife 
 your Country of the great Things 
 they have a Right to expect from 
 you; and you, of the mighty- 
 Debt, which, in a few Years, 
 you muft begin to difcharge. 
 It is happy for you, my Lord, 
 that, to your excellent Talents, 
 God hath joined the mod a- 
 A 4 miable
 
 viii DEDICATION. 
 miable Difpolitions, without the 
 Afliftance of which, it is incom- 
 parably more difficult for Rea- 
 fon and Principle to govern a 
 great, than a little Mind: Yet, 
 though good Difpofitions are 
 qualified to reflect fuch Luftre 
 on great Talents, and lend 
 good Principles fuch powerful 
 Succours, they may be, and 
 often are, fo unhappily turned, 
 as totally to fubdue the latter, 
 and, by that Means, fatally 
 corrupt and pervert the for- 
 mer. 
 
 How amiably will your good 
 Nature adorn your Title, if it 
 humbles you to a prudent De- 
 gree of Condefcenfion for Per- 
 fons in a lower Rank! How 
 happily will it help you to ap-
 
 DE D1C AT 10 N. IX 
 
 ply and enjoy your Fortune, if 
 it opens your Heart with Ten- 
 dernefs and Generofity to pro- 
 per Objeds ! How glorioufly will 
 it employ your Talents, if it at- 
 taches them to the Service of 
 your Country, and the Good 
 of Mankind ! But if it opens 
 your Ears to Flatterers, and your 
 Affedions to the Followers of 
 vicious Pleafures, your great E- 
 ftate will not hinder you from 
 being a Beggar, nor your Title 
 from being the Contempt of 
 Mankind, nor your fine Talents 
 from being ftyled a good-natured 
 Fool. It is true, there is no be- 
 ing either a good or an agree- 
 able Man without good Nature j 
 yet fo it happens, that more 
 young Gentlemen,, of Rank and 
 
 Fortune,
 
 x DEDICATION. 
 
 Fortuue , are deftroyed by 
 that one good Quality, than 
 by all their bad ones put toge- 
 ther. 
 
 THE advifeable Difpofition 
 with which you are blefled, will 
 make the Wifdom and Good* 
 nefs of all, who approach you, 
 your own, provided you can 
 diftinguifh between the real and 
 pretended Friend, between the 
 ufeful and agreeable Advice. 
 The Art of doing this is high- 
 ly necefiary now, and will be 
 more fo every Day; becaufe 
 People of your Lordfliip's Rank 
 feldom get a Sight of real Per- 
 fons or Things, and are doomed 
 to be treated with mere Ap- 
 pearances during their whole 
 Lives, 
 
 As
 
 DEDICATION. xi 
 
 As to Perfons, fufpecl thofe 
 who comply with you in every 
 thing, and feem to live only ta 
 give you Pleafure ; be aflured 
 they pleafe you only for their 
 own Sakes, and Self is the grand 
 Object that terminates their Views 
 in all the Complaifance they fliew 
 you. Rather depend on hi m ,, who, 
 on fome Occafions, where Truth, 
 and the Duty of a Friend, require 
 it, difobliges, in order to fet you 
 right. Such a Perfon, it is to be 
 prefumed, hath no Eye to him- 
 felf, no By-ends of his own. Be 
 neither carried away by the feem- 
 ing Wifdom, with which one fort 
 of Advice may be inculcated ; 
 nor deceived by the Artifice, with 
 which another may beinfinuated ; 
 but (trip the Subftance of what is, 
 
 recom-
 
 xii DE D i c AT i o N. 
 recommended to you, of all its 
 Circumftances ; maturely conjfi- 
 der it in itfelf, and compare it 
 with your Duty, your Honour,, 
 and your real Intereft on the 
 Occasion. 
 
 As to Things, my Lord, you 
 are fure to be greatly, perhaps 
 fatally, deceived by them, if you 
 do not examine them with Can- 
 dour, I fliould rather fiy, in- 
 fpect into them with Severity. 
 They are fektom what they ap>- 
 pear to be. All is not good, that 
 pleafes , nor all evil, that dif- 
 gufls. Pleafure, and that of the 
 loweft and groffeft Kind, is the 
 Quagmire, in which the wealthy 
 Heirs of this inactive and aban- 
 doned Country generally plunge 
 themfelves, their Fortunes, and 
 
 their
 
 DEDICATION. xiii 
 their Honours , it is the foul Sink, 
 in which they are carried down 
 to Contempt and Deftru&ion ; 
 it is a Sand-bank, which, though 
 covered itfelf by the Water, is, 
 neverthelefs, rendered both infa- 
 mous and formidable enough by 
 the Wrecks of a thoufand great 
 Eftates and Families. Here floats 
 an empty Title ; there flounders 
 a fickly Heir ; in another Place, 
 fluctuate the fliattered Remains 
 of a great Fortune, that are al- 
 ready mortgaged to the Bottom ; 
 in a fourth Place, Reputation is 
 the Sport of the Winds ; and 
 the Soul is finking, at a vaft Di- 
 ftance, from all the Aids of 
 Religion. May Heaven give 
 you an early Difcernmcnt in 
 this Matter, and not leave'you to 
 
 the
 
 xiv DEDICATION. 
 
 the late Tuition of Time and 
 
 Experience ! 
 
 I AM the more emboldened to 
 fuggeft fuch Sentiments as thefe 
 to you, and hope for Succefs, the 
 rather, becaufe I have found in 
 you a found and clear Judgment, 
 a Readinefs to refign your Incli- 
 nations to that, and the Advice 
 of your Friends, and a Firmnefs 
 in the Midft of artful Sollicita- 
 tions, and fevere Trials, which 
 few Men are Matters of. On 
 thefe excellent Gifts, and Difpo- 
 fitions, I cannot help creeling the 
 higheft Hopes, efpecially when I 
 fee a true Love, and a deepSenfe 
 of Religion affording them the 
 moft folid Foundation, and the 
 moft unerring Dire&ion. You 
 have the Honour and Happinefs, 
 
 my
 
 DEDICATION. xr 
 
 my Lord, to be defcended from 
 Anceftors, eminently diftinguifli- 
 ed for true Piety, and its infepa- 
 rable Effect, Virtue. And it is 
 a very fenfible Pleafure to your 
 Friends, that this glorious Cha- 
 racter of the Family, infinitely 
 ou.tfhining all its Honours, is not 
 likely to die in you. Let others, 
 in this libertine and abandoned 
 Age, abfurdly bend their Prin- 
 .ciples to their Vices ; do you, 
 my Lord, fubdue the wild and 
 degenerate Part of your Nature 
 to the Dictates of divine Wifdom. 
 Coniider what Reftridions the 
 Reformation of your Affedlions 
 may require, rather than what 
 Indulgences the Gratification of 
 them may plead for. Confi- 
 der what Principles are neceflary 
 3 to
 
 xvi DEDICATION. 
 to the Prefervation and Well- 
 being of Society, and to the 
 Refinement of human Nature, 
 in order to its being exalted 
 to a Condition more commen- 
 furate to its Wifhes and the 
 Dignity of its original Frame 
 and End. In the next Place, 
 candidly confider the Chriftian 
 Religion, as an Hiftory of Facts, 
 and you will find it true $ and 
 as a Syftem of moral Precepts, 
 and you will find it excellent. 
 
 I HAVE found, by Experience, 
 that the naked Truth is difpleaf- 
 ing to moft People, and even 
 fhocking to many. I have, there- 
 fore,in the following AL LU s IONS, 
 given religious Truth fuch aDrefs 
 and Mafk, as may perhaps, pro- 
 cure it Admittance to a Confer- 
 ence
 
 DEDICATION. xvii 
 ence with fome of its Oppofers 
 and Contemners. I have alfo led 
 it out of the direct Path, where 
 the difingenous never look for 
 it; becaufe they are afraid of 
 finding it, that it may have an 
 Opportunity of meeting them in 
 their own Ways. It is alfo as ne- 
 eeflary, that Truth fhould thus 
 go in Search of many, who fin- 
 cerely admire it, but are carried 
 to a great Diftance from it, by 
 the Purfuitof a counterfeit Truth. 
 Light feems, at leaft, to fall with 
 greater Brightnefs and Power on 
 our Eyes, when reflected from a 
 Mirror, than in a direct Beam. 
 Reafon, in like Manner, ftrikes 
 with more Force at a Rebound ^ 
 and, what we can fcarcely con- 
 b ceive
 
 xvni 
 
 ceive, when applied diredly to 
 ourfelves, we often fuffer our 
 Minds to be convinced of, when 
 fet at a Diftance in fomewhat 
 elfe, in which our Prejudices are 
 not concerned. The Paflage to 
 rnoft Mens Minds is narrow and 
 winding ; and therefore thofe 
 Truths, that cannot be thrown 
 in dire&ly, muft fometimes be 
 infinuated by Approaches, that 
 don't feem to point too fully on 
 them. Our blefled Saviour, who 
 made the Heart, knew the Intri- 
 cacy of its Inlets, and entered it 
 with wonderful Addrefs by his 
 Parables : His Example alone is 
 fbfficient Authority for the Ufe 
 of fuch Performances , but whe- 
 ther the following ALLUSIONS are 
 
 in
 
 DEDICATION. xix 
 in any fort or degree fo execut- 
 ed, as to anfwer the End pro- 
 pofed by them, is humbly fub- 
 mitted to Time, and the Reader. 
 I fhall only here obferve to your 
 Lordfhip, that though fbme 
 Knowledge of Church Hiftory, 
 and a near Acquaintance with 
 the prefent reigning Controversies 
 in Religion, may be neceflary to 
 make them underftood minutely ; 
 yet the great Lines of thefe 
 Draughts are fo confpkuous, that 
 their Likenefs will eafily be dif- 
 cerned by every Reader of com- 
 mon Capacity. Give me Leave, 
 however, to pleafe myfelf with 
 the Imagination, that they will 
 be received by your Lordfhip* 
 as a Teftimony of the moft 
 
 fincere
 
 DEDICATION. 
 fincere Affection and Efteesa, 
 from, 
 
 MY LORD, 
 
 Tour Lord/hip s 
 
 Nov. 14, 
 
 PHILIP SKELTON
 
 CONTENTS, 
 
 ALLUSION I. 
 
 Caterpillar changed into aBut- 
 ter flj-> Hluftrating the 'Exaltation 
 of Man y fomewhat more than a Reptile^, 
 into a State of Glory -, Page I 
 
 ALLUSION II. 
 
 The Branch revolting from the Stem, 
 brings his Complaint againfl the 
 Head which overshadows if, p. JO 
 
 ALLUSION IIL 
 
 fbe Sheep throw off the Tyranny of a 
 Shepherd-, and experience the Foll$ 
 of 'unbounded Liberty* p. 20
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 ALLUSION IV. 
 
 The Ejfefts of Party-Divifions repre- 
 fented in a Common-wealth of Bees, 
 
 P- 3<> 
 
 ALLUSION V. 
 
 A State of Nature no more defenjllle by 
 Oxford Logic than by Common Senfe^ 
 
 P-44 
 
 ALLUSION VI. 
 
 Reafon and Revelation compared to the 
 Sun and Moon, and the Behaviour 
 of the World under the Want of one^ 
 and Def eft of the other i p. 69 
 
 ALLUSION VII. 
 
 Popery, Proteftantifm> and Puritanifm 
 deferibed by the Uivifions among the 
 Hierapolitans, p. 8^ 
 
 ALLUSION VIIL 
 
 'the Church an Edifice deformed by Po- 
 pery
 
 pery much more than by Gothic Ar- 
 c 'hit eft ure, p. ioi 
 
 ALLUSION IX. 
 
 The Gofpel an univerfal Medicine, but 
 counterfeited or ill adminiftered by 
 Quacks , p. 121 
 
 ALLUSION X. 
 
 New Light no better than a Dark 
 Lanthorn, and ufed to as bad-Pur- 
 pofes, p. 136 
 
 ALLUSION XI. 
 
 The different SucceJjTes of Induftry and 
 Indolence, p. 
 
 ALLUSION XII. 
 
 I'he various Difputes concerning the 
 Origin of Power, and the Rounds of 
 Obedience; ilhtjjfcj$ie3 in the Tryal 
 of the Rivers jor'with drawing their 
 tribute from the Ocean, p. 189 
 
 AL L u-
 
 CONTENTS, 
 
 ALLUSION XIII. 
 
 A Hiftory of the Church and Clergy, 
 independent of the State, and united 
 'with it, under the Characters of Mifs 
 Yeridet and her Nurfe, p, 220 
 
 ALLUSION
 
 ( I ) 
 ALLUSION 
 
 The Firft. 
 
 A Caterpillar happening to fpy a 
 more convenient and inviting 
 Leaf, than that on which it crawled, 
 advanced towards it, and being juft up- 
 on the Point to pafs from the one to 
 the other, was accofted by a Fellow- 
 Worm, a Citizen of the fame Leaf, in 
 the following Speech. c Brother, be- 
 ' ware of venturing from your prefent 
 Situation in queft of a better ; I own 
 that Leaf you attempt affords more 
 tender Food, fparkles with brighter 
 Drops of Dew, and makes a loftier 
 Figure than this we live on. But 
 4 then, the Way thither is dangerous. 
 1 Should you, in palling from hence to 
 < it, drop from the Edge of either Leaf, 
 B ' conlider
 
 (2) 
 
 c confider the Height you are to fall 
 ' from, confider the certain Ruin and 
 c Death you are to fuffer, but above 
 
 * all, confider the Lofs you will fuftain 
 ' in never becoming a Butter-Fly. A 
 Butter-Fly, (faid the other) what is 
 that ? It is the mod beautiful Kind of 
 1 Bird (faid -he) into which every Ca- 
 e terpillar ;s by Nature converted at a 
 c certain Age. What AfTurance can 
 c I have, laid the travelling Worm 
 ' that fuch a Change (hall happen to 
 c me, (hould I live to that Age in 
 4 which you fay it always happens ? 
 * for could I be well afTured of it, I 
 
 * fhould be lefs willing to hazard my 
 
 * Life for Pleafure or Promotion ; the 
 Difference between one Leaf and an- 
 other being nothing in Comparifon 
 with the Happinefs of becoming a 
 Bird. You may be fully fatisfied re- 
 plied the other, provided you can 
 credit what I tell you, without a Pof- 
 fiblity of having any other Intereft 
 in fo doing, than the Pleafure of pre- 
 
 3 " ferving
 
 o 
 
 (3 ) 
 
 * ferving my Friend and Fellow In- 
 < fed'. ^ 
 
 " I LIVED in a miferable Ignorance 
 <c of the happy Change incident to 
 Caterpillars, till the Rifing of Yef- 
 {C terday's Sun, which no fooner began 
 " to fhine upon us over the Edge of 
 <c that Leaf to which you afpire, and 
 " which you know for fome Time 
 <c throws its Shadow upon ours, but 
 <c I was furprized with the Sight of a 
 <c Creature the moft beautiful I had e- 
 " ver beheld, fituated fo near me, that 
 " I could view it to full Advantage, 
 " which, whilft I was doing with 
 " great Amazement and Pleafure, it 
 " told me that my Aftonifhment at its 
 " Figure and Colour would be much 
 " encreafed,. did I know that it was a 
 " Creature of the fame Origin and 
 < c Kind with my felf. Surely, it is im- 
 <* pofTible, faid I, that a Creature, whofe 
 <f Body is covered with fuch elegant 
 " Down, and whofe Look is rendered 
 * c fo majeftick by thofe tall and flreight 
 B 2 " Horns
 
 tc 
 
 cc 
 
 (4) 
 
 " Horns that (hoot from your Fore- 
 <c head, mould have ever been in the 
 odious and abjedt Condition of a Ca- 
 terpillar. It is impoffible, faid I a- 
 gain with a deep Sigh, that fo glo- 
 cc rious a Bird, whofe Wings rifing to 
 " fuch a Height from your Back, dif- 
 <e cover fuch Variety of Colours fo 
 " beautifully difpofed, that the fined 
 " Flowers, or even the moft fparkling 
 <c Gems in the Drops of Dew, are 
 " fcarce equal to them, mould have 
 " any Affinity with fuch a wretched 
 cc crawling Worm as I am." 
 
 " BE not fo incredulous anfwered 
 " the wonderful Birdj it is but a few 
 <{ Days fince I found my felf awaking 
 <f out of a State little differing from that 
 <c of Death, and burfting a certain Shell 
 " in which I had lain protected, I know 
 " not how long. I perceived I was 
 " hanging at the very fame Place to 
 " which I had fixed myfelf fome Time 
 before when a Caterpillar. The 
 l< Wonder of this foon gave Way to 
 i the
 
 ( 5) 
 
 " the greater Pleafure and A mazement 
 " that ' attended my Transformation, 
 which was infinitely encreafed upon 
 " my moving thefe^ Wings, and find- 
 " ing I could pafs with fuch Expedi- 
 {t tion thro' the Air. I no fooner 
 " knew my Power, but I employed 
 " it in the Gratification of my Curio- 
 " fity. I roam'd from Flower to Flow- 
 " er, from Tree to Tree, and faw 
 " Things impofUble to be defcribed by 
 " me, or conceived by you. Tranf- 
 < ported with the Beauty, the Magni- 
 " ficence, and Variety of fuch Objects, 
 " I fpend my Days in Pleafures, as in- 
 <l expreffible as the Wonders that ex- 
 c< cite them. My Under ft anding is no 
 <c lefs enlarged, than the Means afford - 
 <e ed to its Improvement by thefe 
 <c Wings, with which, as I can tranf- 
 " port myfelf in a Moment to a great- 
 " er Diftance than you can in many 
 " Days ; fo, with the like won- 
 {C derful Agility of Mind, I can 
 tc vary the Objects of my Con- 
 
 Bj templa-
 
 (6) 
 
 " templation, even while I remain 
 <c fixed in the fame Place. Whilft my 
 " Body can make fuch fwift Flights 
 " on thefe Wings, I can, with the 
 " greateft Eafe and Expedition, re- 
 <c move to the Means of new Delights, 
 < l when cloyed with the Old ; or elude 
 <c thole Dangers with unimaginable 
 " Agility, which to the flow paced 
 " Caterpillar, are unavoidable. But 
 <{ fuch is the Activity of my Thoughts, 
 ' that they leave even thefe Wings far 
 " behind, and make fuch noble Sallies 
 " from my felf, that I can forefee the 
 " Dangers, and tafte the Delights of 
 <c Places, to which I am not yet ar- 
 " rived. Preferve thy felf, my Friend, 
 " concluded the lovely Bird, for this 
 11 happy State, to which, if thou be 
 <c not wanting to thyfelf in Care and 
 " Prudence, Nature (hall one Day bring 
 " thee. 
 
 ' So faying he flapped his Wings 
 e and rofe into the Air, farther than 
 my Eye could well attend him, and 
 
 c returned
 
 (7) 
 returned again, accompanied by fe- 
 
 * veral others, as beautiful as himfelf. 
 They feemed to divert themfelves 
 c by fporting with each other in the 
 e Air, whilfl the Sun, me- thought, 
 
 * {hone on their Wings with more 
 1 Pleafure and Luftre, than on all the 
 
 * Works of Nature. In Hopes of be- 
 
 * coming one of thefe, I am refolved 
 1 to take all pofTible Care to prefer ve 
 ' my Life, and not rifque it for fuch 
 ' Enjoyments as Caterpillars are capa- 
 ' ble of j and you, my dear Friend, de- 
 ' fift from your dangerous Attempt. 
 
 * In the fame delightful AfTurance of 
 f an happy Transformation, fo far def- 
 pife the Pleafures of your prefent 
 
 * reptile Condition, as by no Means to 
 
 * hazard thofe that are incomparably 
 ' more defirable for them.' 
 
 HERE he ceafed, and the rafh, ad- 
 venturous Caterpillar replied. c For 
 
 * all this incredible Tale, Sir, I have 
 c only your Word, which others, more 
 4 eafy of Belief than me, may liften to 
 
 ' if
 
 (8 ) 
 
 * if they pleafe ; but for my Part, I 
 1 will chufe thofe fmaller Enjoyments, 
 4 which I fee before me on that other 
 
 * Leaf, becaufe they are certain and 
 ' fenfible, rather than abftain in Hopes 
 ' of higher Delights, which I have on- 
 
 * ly another's Word for. Nature courts 
 
 * roe to Enjoyment, and I will not re- 
 ' fift. As for you, you may take your 
 
 * own Way, and diftracl the prefent 
 ' Moment which alone you can com- 
 
 * mand, with an idle and whimficat 
 
 * Concern for the Future, of which 
 you have neither Knowledge nor 
 
 * Poffefllon. But why do I trifle away 
 
 * my precious Moments in this whim- 
 
 * iical Speculation ? It is Lofs of Time 
 
 * to conlider how to fpend it, when In- 
 
 * flindfc is fo ready both to prompt and 
 ' to direct Fare thee well, my Friend; 
 ' live thou in Hopes, whilft I live in 
 c Pleafures ; and much Good may thy 
 gay, party-coloured Wings do thee, 
 < when thou {halt have tucked them 
 
 c on,
 
 ( 9) 
 
 - on, thou. believing and obliging Ca- 
 1 terpillar.' 
 
 WITH this he attempted the Paf- 
 fage, but fell to the Ground forely 
 bruifed ; which, together with the 
 Heat of the Earth on which he lay, 
 in a few Moments put an End to the 
 Life of the poor incredulous Worm. 
 The other, purfuant to his Refolution, 
 lived careful of his Life, fixed himfelf 
 to a Place pointed out to him by his 
 winged Advifer, and the next Seafon 
 changed his narrow Shell for the wide 
 Range of the Air, and the Privilege 
 of vifiting a thoufand Fields, with all 
 the Sweets the Spring and Summer pro- 
 duce. 
 
 ALLUSION
 
 ALLUSION 
 
 The Second. 
 
 ON the Bank of the Thames ftood 
 a young Oak, that by the FrelTi- 
 nefs of its Bark, and the Vigour of its 
 Shoots, proved itfelf found and the Soil 
 ftrong ; it gained upon the Clouds by 
 fwift Advances, and feemed to afpire 
 towards Heaven with more exalted 
 Head than all the Trees of the Foreft. 
 Its upright Stem that rofe to a vaft 
 Heighth, without any conliderable 
 Branches, looked graceful in a Calm, 
 and waved majeftick in the Wind. 
 Below, it was cloathed with a plain and 
 comely Bark, nor wanted it above the 
 Ornaments of fair and goodly Leaves. 
 The Birds feemed to rejoice in perch- 
 ing on its Twigs , and as it raifed them 
 
 nearer
 
 nearer Heave ;i than any other Tree,, 
 feemed to fing their Maker's Praife 
 among its Branches with peculiar De- 
 light. For this all other Trees are faid 
 to have hated, and even its Brother 
 Oaks to have envied it. To what no- 
 ble Heights it would have afcended is 
 impoffible to tell, had not one of its 
 Branches diflented from the Stem, and 
 carried off with it a great Part of the 
 Strength that fhould have fed and ag- 
 grandized the Head. It fwelled and 
 fpread into variety of lefTer Ramifica- 
 tions, and feemed to fet up for an in- 
 dependent Tree. It was crooked and 
 mifhapen, and rather inflexible than 
 flrong, The Owls perched upon its 
 Boughs, and the Ravens netted among 
 its Branches. When the Head of the 
 Tree perceived its Pride, its diflenting 
 and rebellious Spirit, it ceafed to 
 fhoot higher into the Air, but fpread 
 above into large and fhady Branches, 
 that took up a wide Space, and afforded 
 a fecure Shelter againfl Storms, from 
 
 which
 
 which it protected even the rebellious 
 Branch that grew beneath. But fo un- 
 reafonable was that ambitious and male- 
 content Bough, that it broke forth at 
 laft, into the following bitter Expoftu- 
 lation. " O thou overgrown Branch 
 " (for it would not call it Head) with 
 " what AfTurance canft thou intercept 
 " the Sun and the Dew from me, who 
 " have an equal Right to them with 
 " thy felf ? With what Juftice canft 
 " thou draw to thee all the Sap and 
 " Subftance of thofe common Roots, 
 " to which the feveral Branches of the 
 <c Tree are equally intitled ? Permit 
 " me thou proud OpprefTor to enjoy 
 " my natural Rights. Is it becaufe I 
 am lowly minded, and have placed 
 <c my felf in an humble Station, that 
 " thou beared thy Head fo far above 
 " me, and infultefl me with the Rain 
 " atfecond Hand? How much Strong- 
 " er had our Tree been, how much 
 " more majeftick had it appeared, hadft 
 4 thou fuffer'd me to mix with thee,, 
 
 " and 
 
 <c
 
 ( '3 ) 
 
 " and make one Top of both. Our 
 <c united Strength and Beauty had 
 " raifed us far above all other Trees, 
 " and made us <%ueen of the Foreft. 
 " Then mould the Britifh Oak have 
 " exceeded the Cedar of Libanus \ 
 <{ then mould the Thames have reflected 
 " nobler Shades in its clear and peace- 
 " ful Streams, than all the Rivers of 
 " other Lands, than the Rhone, the 
 " Wefer, or the Tiber. Ceafe then 
 " thy Pride, and give me room to 
 " rife, or I mail gaul thy Sides, and 
 " join the Thorn, and thy other Ene- 
 11 mies to deftroy thee. 
 
 To this the Oak's fhady Head reply- 
 ed, with a Sigh that was heard thro* 
 all the Grove. " Inftead of anfwering 
 " thy Speech, made up of Complaints 
 " and Infults, with 'that Difdain which 
 " the lofty Top might look down 
 " with on ftraggling and difTenting 
 " Branches, I (hall reafon with thee 
 " as if thou wert my Equal. Thou 
 " malt fee, that altho' I am high, I am 
 
 " not
 
 ( H ) 
 
 <c not proud, as thou wouldeft reprefent 
 " me ; but willing to give thee an 
 <c Anfwer, altho' thy Prefumption, and 
 " the Juftice of my Caufe, might war- 
 ' rent my Silence, Firft y thou takefl 
 " it for granted that I am but thy fellow 
 " Branch, which, were it true, I ought 
 " to be allowed the Precedence due to 
 " my Birth-right, as the elder Branch. 
 " But I am the Head of the Tree, and 
 <{ it is thy own Fault that thou art 
 " beneath, and not a Part of the Head. 
 " Why didft thou diflent from the 
 " main Stem, before it had formed 
 " itfelf into an Head ? Was it thy 
 " Humility ? No, thou didft for fome 
 " Time, vie Preheminence with me ; 
 " and even now art only difcontented 
 <{ becauie thou art not upon a Level 
 " with, or higher than me. If thou 
 " wert fo very Humble, why fhouldeft 
 " thou ftomach the Lownefs of thy 
 " Situation ? Is it not of thy own 
 11 chuling ? Is it not fuitable to that 
 " Humility thou pretendeft ? Wouldeft 
 
 " thou
 
 ( 'S ) 
 
 <c thou have two Heads upon the fame 
 
 " Tree ? No, I know thou wouldft 
 c< not. It is thy Ambition to opprefs 
 " me, and rife alone thy felf. Thou 
 11 wouldll rather be the Head of that 
 " low, that crooked, and decrepit Tree, 
 " thy Defigns, if fuccefsful, mu ft make 
 " us, than be a Part of it, ftately as 
 " it is. Thou wouldfl rather have us 
 refemble that Fir, which hath loft 
 " its main Top, in the room of which 
 ' one of its Branches, before on a 
 " Level with the reft, pre fumes' to 
 " top it ; than that other, which 
 " always mooting upwards, in a di- 
 11 reel: Stem, rifeth to fuch a Height. 
 " How ftunted, how diftorted, how 
 " aukward is the firft! How grace- 
 " ful, how majeftick the latter ! But 
 ' fuppofing thou fhouldeft only afpire 
 " to an Equality with me, being fatif- 
 " fied to (hare that Power, which I 
 " now enjoy entire; even fo, thy Am- 
 " bition would be as detrimental 
 " to our Glory as it could, were it 
 
 " carried
 
 <( carried to greater Heights. Look 
 " round thee, and behold the miferable 
 " Figure thofe Plants make, who have 
 <c mot out into more Tops than one j 
 " how low, how deformed, how en- 
 " tangled by the Brambles, how over- 
 " born by the higher Trees that grow 
 * c near them ! Mark that Oak our 
 <e next Neighbour, that rifes with two 
 " Stems, almoft from the Ground. 
 <c Its Strength is not doubled, but 
 " divided, and it is impoflible its Se- 
 " paration mould ever fuffer it to be- 
 * come confiderable. How the one 
 " Stem gauls the other ! What a Rot 
 " there is between the Habitation of 
 " foul Infeds, and troublefome Flyes ! 
 " How its Branches, in time of Storm, 
 <c fret each other, and impoverim it 
 " in the Midft ! Call not that Humility 
 " in thy felf, which has only happened 
 " by a Difappointment of thy Am- 
 ** bition, and is owing to the Supe- 
 " riority of my Genius. Thou art 
 *' low, but it is not with thy Will, 
 
 " as
 
 ( '7 ) 
 
 ( as may be gathered from thy own 
 
 " Complaints and Difcontents. Nor 
 
 " call it Pride in me, that I life my 
 
 " Head towards Heaven, whither all 
 
 < the Trees of the Foreft, nay, the 
 
 " humbieft Shrubs, and even the Grafs 
 
 * c afpires. Favoured by the Genius 
 
 <{ that directs the Water to my Roots, 
 
 " and parts the Clouds, to let the Sun- 
 
 " Beams down upon my Leaves, I 
 
 " hope at leaft to preferve my prefent 
 
 " Exaltation, and, if thou and the 
 
 " Axe do not prevent me, to rife yet 
 
 " higher towards thofe blue Plains that 
 
 " lie above me. Call me not Oppreffor, 
 
 " who protected thee with thy Ravens, 
 
 ct from Yefterday's Storm, and bore all 
 
 " the Violence of its Wind and Hail 
 
 11 my felf j and who only overfhadow 
 
 thee, either to defend thee, or pro- 
 
 " tedt the main Intereft of the Oak, 
 
 from that Ruin, which thy Pride 
 
 " and Diflenfion would certainly bring 
 
 <f upon it, were they fed by the Sun- 
 
 " fliine and the Dew. What I do, 
 
 C " thoa
 
 ( rf) 
 
 " thou thy felf doft compel me to, 
 <c and it is with great Sorrow, that I 
 ec behold thee feparated from the other 
 " Branches, and envious of the Glory 
 * c of the Whole, which thou oughteft 
 " rather to augment, by making thy 
 <c felf more a Part of it. I take not 
 " from thee, what is thine j but thou 
 " unjuflly claimeft, as of particular 
 c< Right, what belongs to the whole. 
 fc Thou art my Shame and Reproach 
 * c amongft Trees, the Check of my 
 " Growth, and the Deftroyer of my 
 " Beauty. Well didft thou fay that 
 " we mould be the Queen of the Foreft, 
 ' had we been united j but to give us 
 * that Majefly which we want, whe- 
 *' ther is it more reafonable, that thou 
 * { fliouldeft afcend in one Trunk, 
 " and become a Part of our common 
 " Head, or that I mould lower my 
 Glories, and fhrink into thee, who 
 " art by Confeflion only an inferior 
 " Branch, and, as is evident to all the 
 Foreft, of a iidelong and diftorted 
 
 " Growth ?
 
 ( '9 ) 
 
 cc Growth ? I know thee an Alien 
 ' from the Stem, out of which thou 
 <{ fpringeft, and which thou wouldfl 
 " draw afide. I know thy Spleen, and 
 " expect the ufual Effects of the felfifh, 
 cc Spirit that actuates thy crooked Na- 
 " ture. However, flick thou to thy 
 '* Malice, and I'll abide by my Re- 
 11 folution. Know, that I hold thee 
 " too Inconfiderable, to deftroy my 
 " Life, altho' thou mayfl impair my 
 " Power j but if thou mouldft be 
 cl able to deftroy me, remember, in 
 u fo doing, that thou deflroyeft thy 
 " felf. Thou malt be little, if I con- 
 " tinuej if I perifh thou fhalt be no-" 
 " thing. To the Genius of our Tree, 
 " I refer my Caufe, and recommend 
 " my Prefervation. Live thou, altho' 
 " to repine and curfe me for thy own 
 " Follies. 
 
 C2 ALLUSION
 
 ( 20 ) 
 
 ALLUSION 
 
 The Third. 
 
 NO T far from the Verge of a fpa- 
 cious Foreft flood a Sheep Fold, 
 the Poflefllon of a careful and wealthy 
 Shepherd. So ftrong and fo high were 
 its Fences, that the Wolf and the Ty- 
 ger in vain attempted to overleep them. 
 Even the Lyon roaring for his Prey was 
 forced to feek it elfewhere ; here there 
 was no Entrance for the proud Deftroy- 
 er. Many a quiet Night had the ten- 
 der Flock repofed its felf within it's 
 wooden Fortification, and fearlefs heard 
 the neighbouring Foreft echo with the 
 Cry of ravenous Beafts. But at length 
 a Ram or two of more Boldnefs than 
 became Sheep, began to perfuade their 
 Fellows* that they fpent their Nights 
 
 like
 
 ( 2' > 
 
 like Slaves and Cowards, and in a Way 
 unbecoming Sheep of Spirit. 
 
 1 * Come (fays one of thefe Heroes 
 
 * a little more eloquent than the reft) 
 1 come, my Fellow-Rams, and my 
 4 deareft Ewes, let us fally from this 
 4 miferable Penn, in which we are ra- 
 4 ther imprifoned by the Tyranny of 
 4 Man, than protected from the Fury 
 4 of wild Bealls. Let us fally, I fay, 
 
 * into the open Plains, and enjoy that 
 1 delightful Liberty, in which the free 
 
 * Denizens of the Foreft fpend their 
 1 happy Days. O Liberty ! Liberty ! 
 1 thou lovely, thou inviting Condition, 
 1 how defirable art thou to the Wretch 
 c in Confinement, who pants and pines 
 
 < for thy Charms ! How delightful to 
 4 the generous Soul, that difdains Re- 
 4 ftraint, and thinks even its Body a 
 
 * Confinement! 
 
 4 Is it not moft unworthy, is it not 
 
 < moil fhameful, my Fellows, to take 
 
 4 Laws 
 
 * This Speech is founded on the Reafonings, and a<> 
 comraodated tQ the Manner of jny Lord
 
 ( 22 ) 
 
 Laws from Animals of another Kind, 
 and live by Rules altogether foreign 
 e to our Nature ? To what End our 
 (lender Limbs, and the Swiftnefs of 
 our Feet, if we are to be cooped up 
 within fuch narrow Limits, or driven 
 about at the Pleafure of a flow-paced 
 
 < and fluggiih Animal ? To what End 
 thefe formidable Horns, that arm our 
 
 < Brows, which, helped by the Rapi- 
 dity of our Carrier, make our Onfets 
 
 * irrefiftible, if we are to owe our Safe- 
 ty to artificial Arms in the Hands 
 of Man? All Animals are provided 
 
 * by Nature for their own Support, 
 and armed for their own Defence. 
 
 < Since Nature hath been as bountiful to 
 us as others, let us enjoy her Gifts, 
 and live according to Nature. O Na- 
 ture! Nature! Nature! Thou Sove- 
 reign of the World! Thou mighty 
 Emprefs of the Creation! Thou mild 
 
 * Mother and cherifhing Nurfe of all ! 
 when (hall I break forth from flavim 
 Rule?, and fly to thee ? When fhall 
 
 I
 
 ( 23 ) 
 
 * I purfue thy Dictates unreftrained by 
 1 Laws, by fervile and tyrannick Laws ? 
 
 * It is better thou moulded: lead me, 
 4 than that Man mould drive me. Is 
 ' not thy Wiffiotn inexhauftible ? Are 
 
 * not thy Directions infallible? Why 
 
 * mould others be" added ? To what 
 
 < End fhould thofe of Man be fuper- 
 
 * induced ? I feel, I feel thee kindling 
 ' in my Breaft ! Behold, it enlarges to 
 ' take thee in, thou generous, thou 
 ' welcome Gueft, thou only lawful 
 
 * Sovereign; let me now, long en- 
 
 * flaved to ftrange Arts and unnatural 
 
 * Inventions, with prifline Senfe of thee, 
 
 * adore thy Power , and invoke thy 
 
 * Affiftance, not only to free myfelf,. 
 
 * but alfo to reftore the Liberty of thefe 
 
 < my Kindred and my Fellows. And, 
 O you dear Sharers of my good and 
 
 < evil Fortune, join one and all to af- 
 
 * fert with me the natural Liberty of 
 our kind. No more be driven in 
 ' Herds, but join in Arms. No more 
 
 * be pent within this narrow Fold, but
 
 ( 24) 
 ilTue forth into the fpacious Plains,. 
 
 and range without Reftraint the 
 flowery Fields; as free, as dauntlefs 
 < as that rampant Lion, that makes 
 4 the echoing Foreft with his Roar, 
 
 * and terrifies Mankind, our coward 
 ' Matters, 
 
 So faying he ceafed, and fuch of the 
 Flock, as were moved with his Ha- 
 rangue, found Means to elope with 
 him from the Fold. As foon as they 
 had their Legs at Liberty, they played 
 a thoufand Gambols in the neighbour- 
 ing Grounds, frilking and infulting the 
 poor cowardly Slaves, as they called 
 them, that kept within the Sheep-fold. 
 They were wonderous witty at the Ex- 
 pence of the tame Wretches that had 
 not Spirit to venture as they did : They 
 rambled round the . Fields : They 
 ftraggled through the Foreft. The Lion 
 devoured one , the Bear worried an- 
 other ; and fome of thofe that furvived 
 fuffered fo much, that they heartily 
 repented of their jll-adviied Ramnefs> 
 
 ia
 
 ('5 ) 
 
 in quitting the Care of the Shepherd, 
 and the Protection of the Sheep-fold. 
 In this miferable Plight, one, fomewhat 
 more lenfible of their Afflictions and 
 Dangers than the reft, thus befpoke 
 his Fellows: 
 
 * ALTHO' it is not many Days fince* 
 c we quitted a Place of Safety, under the 
 ' fpecious Pretences of Liberty and 
 * Enlargement, to expofe ourfelves to 
 ' Dangers and Hardmips, which we 
 ' might have been fufficiently aware 
 ' of, had we not been blinded by Ap- 
 1 pearances, and fpirited away from 
 ' Reafon and Safety, by the plaufible 
 c Harangue of one, who was fo cun- 
 1 ning as to impofe upon himfelf, as 
 1 well as us; yet we have had Time 
 c enough to make woeful Trial of our 
 1 Folly, and feel the melancholy Ef- 
 : fe<5ts of it in a great Variety of Mif- 
 : fortunes. We have been told fine 
 ; Things of Nature, and taught to 
 follow her as our only Guide and 
 Security. But either we have mifta- 
 D ken
 
 ( 26) 
 
 ken her, or me is unable to perform 
 thofe Promifes , which our Ring- 
 c leaders have falfely made us in her 
 f Name. Are not the Natures of all 
 f other Things, entered into a Con- 
 
 * fpiracy, to punifh our Prefumption ? 
 We dare not repofe ourfelves in the 
 ' Grafs, for fear of being ftung by Ser- 
 
 * pents, or bit by other poiibnous 
 Worms. Every Thorn wounds our 
 tender Legs, and every Brier feizes 
 ' us by the Wool, and tears off our 
 
 * Fleeces. We have neither Swiftnefs 
 c fufficient to fly from , nor Strength 
 e to refift the Beafts of Prey, that 
 ' feem to have a peculiar Tafte for our 
 
 * Blood. There are a thoufand things 
 f to frighten us, and our own natural 
 Timidity adds ten thoufand more 
 c that are not real. Should we live to 
 
 * fee the Summer at an End, which is 
 ' almoft impoffible, how mall we en- 
 c counter the Difficulties of the Win- 
 ' ter? Although there were neither 
 
 * Bears, nor Tygers, nor Lions to invade
 
 C 27 ) 
 
 us ; yet the Frofts, the Snows, and 
 dreadful Storms of Wind and Rain 
 are not to be refitted by any Defence 
 which Creatures, fo feeble and impro- 
 vident, can make againft them. Had 
 we not widely miftaken Nature, we 
 might eafily have feen, that me never 
 defigned us for an independent State. 
 It never was her Intention to form 
 any thing abfolutely capable of fub- 
 fifling apart from other things. To 
 make one Whole of all her Works, 
 /he hath left every Thing deficient in 
 fome Particular, which is to be fup- 
 plied by another, in order to combine 
 the whole. Between us and Man 
 there feems to be a natural, original, 
 and necefTary League arifing from the 
 Exigencies of both, which we mu* 
 tually fupply. As for our Part, it is 
 but too plain that we cannot fubfift 
 without his Helpj he prepares our 
 Food by the Sweat of his own Brow 5 ; 
 he cures our Diftempers, and he e- 
 refts fuch Fences round us, as are ne- 
 D 2 * ceflary
 
 ( 28 ) 
 
 * ceflary to protect us from the Fury 
 
 * of our Foes. Surely to treat us in 
 
 * this manner is by no means tyran- 
 
 * nick. So far we are from being Slaves 
 c to Man, that he rather feems to ren- 
 ' der us fuch Attendance as could be 
 1 expected from nothing but a Servant. 
 c And what have we gained by our E- 
 ' lopement from him, but the Privi- 
 ' lege of being more expofed to Dan- 
 c gers, and more diffracted by Fears, 
 
 * than while we permitted him to watch 
 for us ? O Liberty, how much do we 
 
 * miftake thee? If this is to be free, 
 ' give me back again the happy Securi- 
 ' ty of my former Confinement. While 
 I kept within our Fold, in that Place 
 at leaft, I could do what I pleafed ; 
 ' but now no where. I have only 
 < multiplied my Matters, and enlarged 
 
 * my Slavery ; and all this for the fan- 
 taftick Hope of being affifted and pro- 
 
 * tected by Nature in the moft unnatu- 
 f ral Attempt that Folly or Frenzy 
 
 < could
 
 * could infpire. I am refolved, if I can 
 c efcape the Dangers that lie between 
 ' me and the Fold, to return, and put 
 
 * myfelf again under the Protection of 
 
 * Man. It is better to help out the na- 
 tural Weaknefs of my kind, by the 
 ' Wifdom and Power of a fuperior Na- 
 ture, than perifh in the Lion's Paws, 
 ' as the fpeedieft Relief I can hope 
 
 < from the Diftrefs of my prefent Con- 
 
 * dition. As for you, my Friends, I do 
 
 < not expect you fhould follow either 
 my Advice or Example, fo flrongly 
 ' doth your Vanity feem ftill to poffefs 
 c you. Fare-ye-well , and learn from 
 ' further Calamities, what you have 
 been too flupid to gather from the 
 ( former. 
 
 D 3 ALLUSION
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 ALLUSION 
 
 The Fourth. 
 
 IN the Garden of a wealthy Farmer 
 flood a Bee-hive, inhabited by a 
 Nation of frugal and laborious Bees, 
 than which no other was governed by 
 an abler King, or wifer Laws. And 
 as the Garden, with the adjacent Coun- 
 try, abounded with all fuch Flowers 
 as that Climate, in the feveral Seafons, 
 was wont to produce ; fo they made 
 Store of Honey, lived peaceably and 
 plentifully within themfelves, and plant- 
 ed fo many Colonies as reached almofl 
 from one End to the other of the 
 Quickfet that defended them from the 
 northerly Winds. But as Bees are fal- 
 lible, as well as Men, their public Hap- 
 pinefs began at laft to be diflurbed by 
 a Spirit of Party and DiiTenfion; the 
 
 Origin
 
 Origin of which was this. There was 
 a certain daily Tribute of Honey paid 
 to the King or Mafler-bee, as he is 
 called among Men, which, by Law 
 and Cuftom immemorial, was to be 
 extracted from the fweeteft Flowers, 
 and prefented pure and fine to tne 
 Royal Bee. The King appointed cer- 
 tain Officers to collect this Tribute, 
 whofe Bufmefs it was, not to force it 
 from the People, but to receive k as a 
 free-will Offering. Alcho' his Right was 
 unqueftionable, and his Power irrefifti- 
 - ble; yet he was better pleafed that his 
 Subjects fhould give, than that he 
 (hould exact, and thought Love a 
 better Medium of Government than 
 Power. His Officers therefore were 
 only to exhort them to a voluntary and 
 g'.nerous Payment of the Royal Dues, 
 and, in all other Refpects, to fuch a Be- 
 haviour as becomes good Subjects and 
 honeft Citizens. Between thefe and 
 the People there arofe certain Difputes 
 about the Purity and Goodnefs of ths 
 D 4 Honey
 
 '( 32 ) 
 
 Honey Jet apart for the King's Uie. 
 From hence it began to be debated, what 
 was the pureft Honey, and which the 
 fweetcft Flowers. Concerning this 
 Matter there were many and warm 
 Difputes among the People j nor were 
 the Officers of the Crown lefs divided. 
 Their Differences did not flop here, nor 
 were they long confined to the King's 
 Revenues 5 for a thoufand idle Scruples 
 began to be raifed about the Honey that 
 was to be made for common Ufe. E- 
 very different Opinion was fupported by 
 a Sect and Party of its own ; and, fuch 
 was the extravagant Humour of the 
 Times, the more wild and fanciful any 
 of thefe Notions were, the more nume- 
 rous ufually were its Abettors. Some 
 were for having the Honey made at all 
 Seafons, maintaining, that fo good a 
 Work fhould never be intermitted; o- 
 thers contended to have -the Work con- 
 fined to certain Seafons ; infifting that, 
 in foul Weather, it was impoffible to 
 work; and that, as for the King's, 
 
 Honey
 
 ( 33 > 
 
 Honey in particular, it ought only to 
 be wrought on certain Days fet apart, 
 and confecrated to that particular Pur- 
 pofe. There was not a Flower in the 
 Field that had not a Party in its Favour, 
 and that was not condemned and pro- 
 hibited by the Party of fome other 
 Flower : So that , had they collected 
 Honey from none but fuch as no Party 
 had declared againil, they muft have 
 collected none at all. Each Party took 
 a Name, either from the Flower it af- 
 fected, or the Ring-leader it followed} 
 and thefe Names were contended for 
 with all imaginable Zeal aud Earneftnefs 
 by Numbers that knew nothing of their 
 own Party Principles, and were kept 
 warm only by the Name. One of the 
 King's principal Officers fet up a very 
 powerful Sect under the Name of Fi- 
 nancers, fo called, becaufe they pretend- 
 ed to farm the King's Revenues, and 
 tax all Petitions delivered to his Maje- 
 fty, as having the fole Right of pre- 
 /enting them in themfelves. Many 
 
 were
 
 ( 34 ) 
 
 were the Impofitions and Ufurpations 
 of this Sect, which, for fome Time, 
 tyrannized over the reft, notwith- 
 ftandbg that the King, unwilling to 
 inflict condign Punishment on fo great 
 a Part of his Subjects, who were milled 
 by thefe Financers, protefted againft 
 their Proceedings , and difallowed the 
 Authority by which they acted, in fre- 
 quent Manifestoes. But, at length, the 
 better fort of Bees, becoming diffatif- 
 fied with their unwarranted Ufurpati- 
 ons, (hook off their Authority, and 
 paid their Tribute to the King through 
 more honeft, and lefs oppreflive Offi- 
 cers. However, even thefe fell out a- 
 mong themlelves, partly about the for- 
 mer Differences that had embroiled the 
 Hive, and partly about new ones arif- 
 ing from Ignorance, or Zeal, or Ambi- 
 tion. And, as on former Occafions, what 
 could not be determined by the Tongue, 
 was decided by the Sting ; fo now again 
 they began to fight for their feveral Opi- 
 nions. Great was the Confufion, and 
 
 miferable
 
 ( 35 ) 
 
 miferable the Slaughter, that enfued up- 
 on thefe unhappy Diflenfions; the whole 
 Hive raged with Fury and Uproar; the 
 King's Revenues remained unpaid, and 
 the publick Work was at a Stand, till 
 the needlefs Niceties about the manner 
 of doing it, mould be fettled. 
 
 THINGS being brought to this Pafs, 
 an ancient Bee, who had always diftin- 
 guifhed himfelf, not only by his Induftry 
 in the publick Work, and a punctual 
 Difcharge of the King's Dues, but alfo 
 by the readieil Obedience to the King's 
 Officers, and by a meek and gentle Spi- 
 rit in the midfl of turbulent and con- 
 tentious Times, aflembled all the Citi- 
 zens of the Hive in the vacant fpace on 
 the Floor; and, with that Authority 
 which his well-known Wifdom and In- 
 tegrity had given him, leaning from a 
 Comb that hung over them, addrefTed 
 them in the following manner: 
 
 c MY dear Fellow Subjects, it is not 
 c becaufe our King wants either Au- 
 1 thorny or Power to reduce us tq^-the 
 
 ' Obedience-
 
 1 Obedience we owe him, and the 
 c Peace and good Agreement we owe 
 ourfelves, that he rather chufes to let 
 
 * Reafon and Experience make us fen- 
 ' fible of our Intereft, than to com- 
 c pel us to our Duty by Force j but be- 
 ' caufe he defires to rule with Cle- 
 
 * mency rather than Rigour, and as a 
 ' King among Bees, not a Tyrant over 
 
 * Wafps. The Frenzy and Rebellion 
 
 * that have poflefled us, might juftify 
 1 more fevere Methods in our King ; 
 but thofe he feems to defer as the laft 
 ' Remedy. Let me in the mean Time, 
 with that honeft Zeal which I have 
 ' always endeavoured to demonftrate 
 
 * in the Service of the Publick, try if 
 c I can prevent the Neceffity of hardier 
 4 Means, by applying thofe of Reafon 
 ' and fober Advice. Let me earneftly 
 ' intreat you to remember thofe happy 
 
 * Times, when there were no Diffe- 
 c rences among us ; how pure was our 
 ' Honey, and how plentiful our Stores 1 
 c with what kind Affection did we af- 
 
 < fid
 
 ( 37 ) 
 
 c fift and encourage each other in the 
 publick Work ! How agreeably did 
 ' the Senfe of our general Intereft 
 1 fvveeten all our Toils ! and how joy- 
 
 * fully did we feaft on the declicious 
 
 * Stores provided for us by our mutual 
 
 * Labours, and fecured by our unani- 
 1 mous Counfels ! The only Conten- 
 4 tion then was, who ftiould fet leaft 
 
 * by himfelf, and promote the pub- 
 ' lick Well- fare with greatefl Zeal 
 1 and Ability. Did any of you pine 
 ' thro' Want then, as you do at prefent? 
 4 Was your Provifion difagreeable or 
 4 unwholefome to you ? Or, can any 
 . of you fay that your King flighted his 
 
 * Free-will Offering as fcanty or un- 
 clean ? What moved you then to 
 raife fuch idle Scruples about that 
 which was to be prefented to him, 
 feeing he never fhewed the fmalleft 
 Difrelim to it ? Why do you contend 
 about the Manner of preparing that 
 
 < which you are to (hare among your- 
 
 < felves, fmce before your pernicious 
 
 * Refine-
 
 ( 38 ) 
 
 * Refinements, our Honey was pure 
 ' and perfect, our Subfiftance plentiful, 
 
 * and our Enjoyment of it peaceable 
 
 * and fearlefs ? Sufpend your Conten- 
 c tious Spirits, cool your party Zeal 
 for a Moment, and calmly reflet 
 how abfurd it muft be to fpend that 
 
 * Time in difputing how your Honey 
 ought to be made, which fhould be 
 
 * adlually employed in the making it ? 
 Nay, what wild Infatuation muft 
 fuch fcrupulous Difquifitions argue 
 
 * in you, who knew fo well before 
 
 * how to ptovide all Things neceflary 
 4 for the public k Weal ? For fhame, 
 ceafe your airy Speculations, fit only 
 for the Idle and Brain- fick, and be- 
 take yourfelves to the folid Practice 
 of that Knowledge which you had 
 c at firft, and which will always be 
 
 * fufficient for you, if you do not puzle 
 
 * it away with vain Refinements. To 
 what End are your Difputes, if they 
 
 * are to laft for ever ? Do you not 
 perceive that the Summer is far ad- 
 
 ' vr.nced.
 
 ( 39 ) 
 
 ' vanced, that the Winter approaches 
 < apace, and that we are utterly un- 
 
 * provided of that which is abfolutely 
 
 * necefTary, while you are bufied in 
 c trifling Debates about certain ufelefs 
 
 * Niceties, that fpring from the Intem- 
 
 * perance and Luxury of your own I- 
 
 * maginations ? Why will you difpute 
 1 about the mofl convenient Seafons 
 c for making Honey, when you will 
 
 * not make it at any ? Why will you 
 
 * drive about the Flowers out of which 
 
 * it is to be gathered, when you will 
 1 not gather it at all ? A Wafp, fuch 
 ' is the Malignity of its Nature, ex- 
 ' tracts Poifon out of all Kinds of Herbs 
 and Flowers, as well the wholefome 
 as the baneful. So on the contrary, 
 a Bee, let the Flowers be what they 
 
 * will among which it plies, draws 
 
 * wholefome and odoriferous Honey. 
 Let me therefore befeech each of 
 c you to gather from fuch Flowers as 
 c lye neareft, in order to make the 
 ' quickeft Returns j or from fuch as 
 
 i furnifli
 
 c furnifti the greatefl Abundance of 
 
 * fweet Juices, that our Supply may 
 c be the more Plentiful ; or from what- 
 ' ever Flowers he is befl pleafed with, 
 c provided he do not fail in bringing in 
 
 * every Day the Quantity required. 
 
 * Let me advife you all to lay by thofe 
 c party Names, by which you have 
 
 * diftinguimed your felves and em- 
 
 * broiled this Kingdom, and to value 
 c your felves, not upon the Name or 
 
 Credit of a Sect, but upon the Pri- 
 vileges of our excellent Conftitution. 
 Let me alfo advife you, who are ap- 
 pointed publick Infpeclors of the 
 Work, to receive all good and whole- 
 fome Honey, that is brought you, 
 and to flow it immediately, without 
 enquiring what Hour of the Day it 
 was gathered, or from what Vege- 
 tables extracted. Our King, Thanks 
 to his unlimited Bounty, has given us 
 a free Grant of all the Gardens and 
 Fields, and proclaimed the various 
 Flowers that bloom at the feveral 
 
 ' Seafons,
 
 (V ) 
 
 Seafons, or enamel the whole Face of 
 ' the Earth, to be clean and fit for 
 
 * the Ufe of Bees. Let not one Part 
 
 * of us pretend to live upon the La- 
 
 * hour of the more Induftrious, while 
 c they fpend their Time in difputing 
 about Opinions, which, be they ne- 
 c ver fo right, they have no Inclina- 
 c tion to put in Practice. It is of dan- 
 * gerous Confequence to ridicule thofe 
 
 * as filly, unlearned, or flavifh, that 
 1 honeftly labour for the Common Sup- 
 c port of our Society. There are ma- 
 
 * ny among us that pretend to direct, 
 c and dictate without any Authority 
 from our King ; and others, who 
 ' altho' authorized, take the Liberty to 
 
 contend with and rail at each other, 
 while they fhould give all their Dili- 
 gence to regulate the publick Affairs. 
 When his Majefty thinks it conveni- 
 ent, no doubt on it, he will piinifh 
 the firft as Intruders, and the laft as 
 Difturbers of the publick Peace. By 
 Unanimity and mutual Affiftance we 
 E (hall
 
 (4* ) 
 
 * fliall again thrive. If we lay By cur 
 ' vain and foolifli Speculations, and 
 ' induftrioufly apply our felvcs to the 
 ' neceflary Bufinefs of the Hive, we 
 
 * fhall again fiouriih. Peace, and Se- 
 
 * curity, and Plenty fliall be again re- 
 
 * flored. The Fields fhall contribute 
 their Golden Wealth, and the Gar- 
 
 * dens their rich Perfumes. But, if we 
 i {ha.ll ilill periift in our abfurd and 
 
 * dangerous Folly , let us remember 
 
 * that \ve have a King, who, lince he 
 cannot reform us by his Counfcls, will 
 ' undoubtedly fubdue us to a founder 
 <- and better Mind by that Power which 
 1 he holds not in vain. 
 
 * WE may be fure he will neither be 
 
 * regardlefsof our Intereft nor his own 
 4 Honour. Chufe you now whether you 
 '* will be wifely led by Advice to con- 
 fult your Safety, or be forced into a 
 better Conducl by the unhappy Effects- 
 < of your prefent Folly, and of the 
 Royal Difpleafure. It is true, I am 
 
 * but one of yourfelves, and no further 
 
 < authorifed
 
 (43 ) 
 
 authorifed to fpeak in Publick, than 
 as Reafon, Neceffity, and Concern for 
 the publick Calamity have emboldened 
 me. However, it is your Intereft to 
 be guided by Reafon, altho' it fhould 
 be Conveyed to you through the mean- 
 eft Vehicle, as well as to gather 
 Honey from Flowers the lead (howy 
 or ftately. 
 
 ' SAYING this he withdrew. The 
 
 Bees, afhamed of their paft Folly and 
 
 Perverfenefs, and tired with the Mi- 
 
 feries their Broils and Contentions had 
 
 ; brought upon them, betake themfelves 
 
 ' filent and repenting, to Labour and 
 
 : Induftry. Nor was it long 'ere they 
 
 1 had fufficient Reafon to rejoice at the 
 
 Reftoration of their ancient Simplicity; 
 
 * for with it, Peace, Wealth and Order 
 
 * returned, and all Things were fet to 
 Rights within, while each Bee, ftudi- 
 c ous of the common Good, ch'earfully 
 traded among the Meadows and Fields, 
 
 * and gladly faluted his fellow Citizen?, 
 as he met them among the Flowers. 
 
 ALLUSION
 
 (44 ) 
 
 The Fifth. 
 
 IT was about the Middle of Summer, 
 when Nature enriches the Fields, 
 and ftores the Gardens with unftinted 
 
 X 
 
 Bounty, that a pretty numerous Com- 
 pany of Students and other Gentlemen, 
 fet out from Oxford for London. As 
 they were moft of them Men of Tafte, 
 -and particularly enamoured of Nature, 
 with a certain Caft to Freedom of 
 Thought, they communicated their 
 Obfervations on the Country they rode 
 through, to the no fmall Entertainment 
 of each other, altho' there was fcarce 
 any Agreement In their Sentiments or 
 Taftes. Some were befl pleafed with 
 Gardens, others with Fields. The 
 Rivers had their Admirers, and the 
 new mown Meadows, with their Hay- 
 cocks
 
 ( 45 ) 
 
 cocks, theirs. This liked one Gentle- 
 man's Seat, and that another - y and if 
 there was any Thing in which they a- 
 greed, it was in commending the Com- 
 mons and the Downs, inafmuch as, 
 there principally, Nature and Liberty 
 appeared. This Diverfity of Sentiment 
 afforded at firft, a good deal of Variety 
 to their Converfation, and gave it a 
 Sprightlinefs that does not always attend 
 an uniformity of Tafte and Opinion in 
 Company. However, it was not long 
 'ere it degenerated into Difputation, 
 each Party growing fo warm in Defence 
 of his own, and Contradiction of the 
 oppofite Opinion, that the moft pofitive 
 Bigots could not have expected greater 
 Reiignation from others than thefe free, 
 thefe fair, and candid Thinkers. They 
 all talked at once, and wrangled with 
 fuch Vehemence and Noife, that other 
 Travellers, who met them, thought 
 them mad, and thofe who dwelt by the 
 Road, came out to flare, while 
 their Dogs barked^ the Boors fhouted, 
 
 and
 
 (46) 
 
 and the Concert con filled of the mbfl 
 confufed Set of Noifes that were ever 
 heard. 
 
 ALL this Time Aerius y who had 
 ever before been careful to have his Share 
 of Noife and Contention, was quite fi- 
 lent, and feemed fo unufually wrapped 
 up in Thought, that the reft, happen- 
 ing, to obferve him, ceafed all of a fud- 
 den, and, fixing their Eyes on him, ex- 
 pected, in deep Sufpence, the Iflue of 
 fuch intenfe Meditation. As foon as he 
 found there was Silence made, he broke 
 it with a loud Exclamation. 
 
 * O how miferably are we debarred 
 of our natural Rights and Privileges ! 
 
 < Behold that Garden, a fpotof dtlicious 
 * Ground, to which all Mankind have 
 an equal Right, enclofed by ftrong 
 
 < Walls, and engrofled by one ! Nay, 
 behold the whole Country on our 
 right Hand and on our left, that 
 ought to be as free as Light or Air, 
 occupied by particular Perfons, that 
 call themfelves Owners and Lords of
 
 ( 47 ) 
 
 it, and all its Produce! Away with 
 thefe Hedges and Ditches ereded here 
 
 * without my Confent, to (hut me and 
 
 * Mankind out from our own! Who 
 can endure, that, of all this noble 
 1 Country, io flored with the Necefla- 
 e ries of Life, and the Materials of Plea- 
 ' fure, not a Foot fliould be left us, but 
 c this narrow Road, bare and barren, 
 
 * and void even of Nourifhment, for the 
 
 * Beafls that carry us ; infomuch that 
 
 * we are forced to purchafe Neceflaries 
 c on the Road, and fubmit to buy our 
 ' own, or ftarve. Is it not, my Friends, 
 1 the Mark of a mod: flavifh and abject 
 s Spirit, to fuffer ourfelves to be cooped 
 < up between the Ditches that bound 
 this Road, to follow the Crowd, to 
 ' jog on contented with the Beafts of 
 Burthen, while we dare not pafs into 
 4 our own Grounds, while we dare not 
 1 pull thofe Flowers, nor tafte thofe 
 c Fruits, that fpring fpontaneous from 
 a Soil common to Mankind, and re- 
 
 * ferve not their Sweets with an Inten- 
 
 * tion
 
 tion to pleafe any particular Perfon, 
 but invite all, and are as ready to re- 
 gale you or me, as him that prefumes 
 to monopolize them. As for this 
 c dull beaten Track, I leave it to the 
 Wretches that are fatisfied to be led 
 
 or driven by others. Let them poor- 
 ly content themfelves with the Con- 
 finement and Reflraint that others are 
 pleafed .to lay upon them, fince they 
 have not Refolution to afiert their 
 own, nor Spirit to trace out a free 
 
 * and generous Path for themfelves. I, 
 ' for my own Part, will difmount im- 
 mediately from this Horfe ; fuch Helps 
 ' I defpife, they are a falfe Acknow- 
 ledgment of Weaknefs, I have Legs 
 ' of my own, of fufficient Strength, and 
 (hall not borrow from an Animal fo 
 much my inferior. Where is the 
 4 Good of thinking freely, if I may not 
 c act with fuitable Freedom ? Whilft 
 1 nothing in Nature, no, not even Rea- 
 ' fon itfelf, can bound my Thoughts j 
 v muft I fuffer Ditches to confine my* 
 
 Feet,
 
 (49 ) 
 
 * Feet, and Locks my Hands? How 
 * dare -any Man fliut me out from my 
 
 * natural and indefeafible Rights? Are 
 
 * not thefe Grounds mine, as well as his 
 ' that has can fed thefe arbitrary Fences 
 
 * to be made ? He might as well pre- 
 
 * fume to meafure out the Sea by 
 
 * Marches and Mearings, and erect par- 
 ' ticular Pofleffion and Dominion on the 
 ' Waters j taxing the Fifh, and renting 
 c out the Waves, as to engrofs any Part 
 ' of the Land, which was at firfl as com- 
 mon as the Sea, and hath been fince 
 ' cantoned and occupied by Tyrants and 
 1 OpprefTors, whole Rights I difallow, 
 
 * as I defy their Power. 
 
 THERE was fomething fo new in 
 this Refolution, fo free in the Expqftu- 
 lations with which it was defended, and 
 fo animated in the whole Harangue, 
 that, like the Cry of a Mafter-hound, 
 it opened the Mouths of the whole 
 Pack, who, almolt to a Man, feconded 
 what he faid with a loud Cry of Nature 
 and Liberty, and forthwith declared 
 F againft
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 againft the common Road, and were 
 preparing to take the Fields, when 
 Polites^ who loved Freedom as well as 
 Aerius, but knew how to diftinguim 
 between that and Madnefs, obferving 
 that they were in earneft, begged that 
 Serins would, in the Name of the reft, 
 anfwer him a few Queflions before they 
 parted, which was readily granted him, 
 and it produced the following (hort Dia- 
 logue, 
 
 < POLICE S. Pray, Aerius, with 
 
 < what Intention did we leave Oxford? 
 
 < AE R IUS. To vifit London. 
 'POLICES. Ought we not to 
 
 c take the readieft, the fafefl, and the 
 c mofl agreeable Way thither? 
 
 < AERIUS. No doubt on it we 
 e ought, and there it is; directly over 
 thofe Fields, and through that Gar- 
 e den. 
 
 'POLICES. Why do you not 
 c think the High-way a more ready 
 c Path to London , than over Hedge and 
 
 < Ditch, after Will-irith-tbe->wifp? 
 
 'AERIUS.
 
 e AE,R1US. By no means. It winds 
 
 * and turns fo many different Ways, 
 
 * and maketh fuch needlefs Semicircles 
 
 * and Angles, that I have not Patience 
 ' to follow it. Not I, I am for the near 
 
 < Cut. I love to go the fhorte.ft Way 
 to my Point. Order the Road to be 
 1 cut in a right Line, and then perhaps 
 c I may not altogether difapprove it j 
 
 * but, remember, it muft be mathemati- 
 
 * cally direct, or I will have nothing to 
 fay to it. 
 
 < POLICES. How can that be 
 done, when it is to ferve other PCQJ- 
 ' pies Occafions, as well as yours, and 
 
 * * muft now and then make an Elbow 
 
 < at a Country-town, that there may 
 .be a Communication thence to the 
 
 < City? 
 
 < AERIUS. Pugh. What have I to 
 1 do with other Peoples Occafions ? 
 
 < What ferves all, ferves none effectual- 
 
 < ly. If I can find a ftiorter, that fhall 
 * ferve my Occafions. 
 
 F 2 < POLJTES.
 
 ( $2 ) 
 
 < POLI'TES. But how can you find 
 a (horter? Setting afide the Labour 
 of leaping Ditches, and fcrambling 
 through Hedges, is it poffible for you 
 c to pate from hence in a right Line to 
 
 * London? Every Hill you come to, will 
 1 oblige you to quit your diredt Path, 
 and betake yourfelf to fuch round- 
 ' about Ways as will coft you no little 
 ( Time. There is no darting through 
 c the Center of an Hill, to avoid going 
 c about. Then a Lake, or a rapid River, 
 ' or a walled Town, will put you quite 
 c out, in fpite of your Teeth. At the 
 End of your Journey you will cer- 
 
 * tainly find, that travelling on the open 
 c Road with a good Horie under you, 
 was a readier Way than trudging it on 
 
 < Foot through Briers and Thorns. We 
 will give you Demonftration for that, 
 ' by feeing a good Part of the Town be- 
 
 < fore you arrive. 
 
 * AERIUS. Why, look you, Poli- 
 
 < tes, that may be, becaufe we mall be 
 
 < greatly taken up in contemplating the 
 
 * Beauties
 
 (53 ) 
 
 Beauties of Nature as we pafs through 
 them. But perhaps the high Road 
 may be the readier of the two. I 
 am fure you will allow, it is not the 
 fafer. Such Impofition at Inns on a 
 Road, fo befet with Foot- pads and 
 High way- men, greatly frighten me. 
 Give me the rural Honefty of thofe 
 fruitful Fields and flowery Lawns , 
 where I may walk, or ileep, or divert 
 me, as I lift, without fear of Robbers 
 or Pick-pockets. 
 
 ' POLITES. Have a Care how 
 you call Names, Aerius-, thofe Per- 
 fons whom you afperfe, are Men of 
 the fame way of thinking, and the 
 very fame Principles with yourfelf. 
 <4ERIUS. With me, Sir? No, Sir, 
 I am a. Man of Honour, Sir, and 
 would fcorn to rob or pilfer. 
 < POL1TES* How do you mean? 
 Are not all things in common ? 
 
 I US. Yes, Sir, fo I hold. 
 1 POLICES. Is not therefore the Mo- 
 ney in my Pocket as much yours as 
 mine ? F 3 AERIUS.
 
 ( 54) 
 
 Undoubtedly it is. 
 POLICES. And is not the Money 
 in your Fob as much mine as yours? 
 
 < ^ERIUS. Hum. Why, why; I 
 believe it muft. 
 
 < POLICES. Well, then, what 
 need you fear on the great Road, 
 iince you carry nothing but what you 
 acknowledge to be the Right of any 
 Man you meet? And why will you 
 load People with reproachful Names 
 of Thief and Robber, for claiming 
 what they have a natural Right to ? 
 And which, if you refufed, you muft 
 be an Enclofer and a Monopolifer by 
 your own Principles, as much as he 
 that fhuts you out of a Piece of your 
 Ground, which he calls his Garden, 
 becaufe he hath built a Wall about it, 
 and carries the Key ? Then, again, I 
 am furprized to hear you talk of Im- 
 pofition at Inns, as if the Hoft could 
 do you any Injuftice, who carry his 
 Money as well as your own. Nay, is 
 he not very civil in giving you either 
 
 4 Meat
 
 (55 ) 
 
 < Meat or Drink for Money, which 
 c he hath as good a Right to as your- 
 felf ? 
 
 <AERIUS. Civil! There you are 
 out. Have not I a Right to his Meat 
 
 * and Drink? Are they not mine? Is 
 ' not all he hath my own.? 
 
 < POLITES. And why then don't 
 ' you travel with us, and treat your 
 ' Friends, fince you have fuch plentiful 
 1 Provifion laid in before you ? 
 
 < AERIUS. Becaufe I have the 
 c very fame here in the Country at e- 
 
 < very Gentleman's Seat and Farmer's 
 Houfe. And then I am better pleafed 
 
 < with the Tour of the Fields and 
 c Gardens, which will lead me through 
 
 * Flowers, and Fruits, and beautiful 
 
 * Scenes, where I can tread on Nature's 
 
 * green Carpet, and hear the fweet 
 ' Chorus of the Grove, than the dufty 
 4 Track of this tedious Road, where I 
 1 muft beat my Feet on the unrelenting 
 c Stones, and be tortured with the mriek- 
 
 * ing of Cart-wheels, the rumbling of 
 
 F 4 Coaches
 
 ( 6 ) 
 
 c Coaches and Waggons, and the-harfh- 
 
 * er Sound of their Voices who drive 
 
 * them. I own to you, all Roads mult 
 ' be alike fafe tome, who travel, as the 
 ' Bircl^ do, without Coil or Charges, 
 ' or any thing to lofe, which I claim a 
 
 * fpecial Right to: But you will as rta- 
 
 * dily own, I hope, that the Way I am 
 ' taking is infinitely more agreeable than 
 
 * this which you feem refolved to chufe. 
 
 ' POLITES. Depend on it, Aerius, 
 
 * I will, if you can prove it practicable. 
 ' Do you think you can travel to London 
 ' without your Horfe ? Or, if you mould, 
 f would not the Labour out- weigh the 
 ' Pleafure? 
 
 < AER1US. By no mean?. I can 
 
 * do it, and with Pleafure too ; befides, 
 ' though it fliould be a little toilfome or 
 ' fo, it is better than to be beholden to 
 1 a Brute for that, which Nature has 
 qualified me to beftow on myfelf. I 
 
 * cannot endure to fee one Creature 
 mounted upon the back of another. 
 
 * It is unnatural and tyrannick, and un- 
 
 * worthv
 
 ( 57 ) 
 < worthy of that Freedom, which,- as 
 
 * \ve deiire it ourfelves, we mould not 
 
 * infringe in other Creatures. 
 
 'POLICES. But, tell me, do you 
 c really expecl: that the Inhabitants of 
 
 * the Country will permit you to break 
 1 down their Fences; welcome you. 
 
 * to their Hjjufes, and freely give you 
 up your Share of that Provision $ 
 ' which you fay they have in keeping 
 
 * for you ? Do you think they will 
 4 readily acknowledge your Right of 
 
 * Nature? You know the EngliJJj are 
 
 * a ftubborn People, and talk much 
 of Liberty and Property; what now 
 
 * if they mould treat you like a 
 
 * fturdy Beggar , and kick you from 
 1 their Doors, or knock out your 
 
 * Brains for an Hou fe- breaker ? For, it 
 ' is certain, not one in a million of them 
 1 know any thing of the Juftice of 
 
 f c your Claim upon their Goods and 
 
 * Chatties ; and, what is worfe, if you 
 pleaded it to them until Doom's- 
 1 Day, they would never be con- 
 
 vinced.
 
 f vinced, being as well intitled to 
 c think for themfelves, as you or any 
 ' Man elfe, and as tenacious of their 
 t Subftance as you are of your Opi- 
 nions? 
 
 < AERIU'S. Why truly, Po/ites, 
 ' our fcnglijh are a very unnatural kind 
 of People j however, I hope to con- 
 
 < vince them by the undeniable Ar- 
 guments I {hall offer. There is Rea- 
 
 * fon in all Men, and I {hall make fo 
 ftrong an Appeal to that fovereign 
 Arbitrefs of Truth, that they muft 
 all prefently yield. 
 
 < POLICES. I do not know that. 
 
 * You fee plainly you cannot convince 
 
 < me in a Cafe, in which I am not 
 ' concerned : Plow much lefs will you 
 be able to reafon them out of what 
 ' tliey value more than their Lives ? 
 
 AERIUS. It has alway been 
 
 * my Opinion, that Scholars are the 
 4 moft bigotted Wretches upon Earth. 
 ' You read, Polites^ you read. Hence 
 ' your inexpugnable Prejudices, and in- 
 
 f telkftual
 
 (5? ) 
 
 4 tellectual Slavery to Authorities, and 
 4 received Errors. But among the Coun- 
 f try People there is more of Nature, 
 ' and an opener Ear to Inftriiction. 
 POLICES. Well, this may be 
 
 * true j and, it is certain, Reading has 
 
 * never biafled your Reafon. But tell 
 4 me, dear Aerius, would thofe Grounds 
 4 on the other Side of that Fence you 
 c are going to break through, be fo 
 
 * beautiful, or fo richly ftored with all 
 ' manner of Plenty as they are, did not 
 
 * fome Body take care to enclofe them 
 
 * with Ditches, or to manure them ? 
 
 < AER1US. It is likely they would 
 not. 
 
 ' P L I TE S. And would any one 
 c take the Pains to cultivate them, had 
 
 * all the reft of the World as good a 
 ' Right to the Produce as himfelf? 
 
 4 AE R IUS. I believe no one would. 
 e But what then ? 
 
 * POLITES. Why then it fol- 
 4 lows, that if all particular Right were 
 4 taken away, thofe Crowds that you 
 
 4 now
 
 (60 ) 
 
 now claim fo ftrenuoufly, would in 
 one Seafon become ufelefs and un- 
 fruitful, infomuch that neither you, 
 nor any body elfe, would think them 
 worth his claiming. But now I think 
 on it, as I believe you are refolved to 
 have your Swing, and fuch a one 
 that there is little Hazard of my ever 
 feeing you again j I muft not let you 
 go off with my Clothes on your Back, 
 That Coat, and the reft, are as much 
 mine as yours: Come, ftrip, and divide 
 before we part. 
 
 * AERIUS. What, take my 
 Clothes from me, that I bought 
 with my own Money ! No, that is 
 
 unreafonable and unjuft. But, 
 
 hold, fince I have as good a Right to 
 yours. 
 
 1 POL ITE S. Ay, that may be ; 
 but as I am the ftronger, I am re- 
 folved to have both ; and I want to 
 know how you will find your Re- 
 
 medv. 
 
 j 
 
 'AERIUS.
 
 < A E R I U S. What ! would you 
 have Right and PofTeffion decided by 
 
 Force ?' 
 
 < POLITES. Yes, undoubtedly 
 in the goodly State of Nature you 
 propofe, for there being no Laws, 
 Right can be founded on nothing 
 elfe.' 
 
 'AERIUS. Yes, Nature has 
 
 her own Laws, and thofe fo binding 
 
 that, were they not buried under the 
 
 : unweildy Superstructure of Statutes 
 
 : and Revelations, they would fuffi- 
 
 1 ciently fecure the Rights and Privi- 
 
 1 leges that are founded on them/ 
 
 < P O L 7TE S. Are not the Laws 
 c of Nature to be found in every Man ?' 
 
 AERIUS. They are/ 
 'POLICES. Are they equally 
 f ftrong in all ? 
 
 < AERIUS. No, in fome they 
 * do not operate with that Force that 
 were to be wifhed. 
 
 ' POLITES. How then are thofe 
 f that obey the Law of Nature, to de- 
 
 ' fend
 
 ( 62 ) 
 
 5 fend themfelves againft the Unjuftice 
 and Oppreflion of the Lawlefs ? 
 
 ' AERIU S. Now are we come 
 right upon Society, and Civil Go- 
 vernrnent,. and then the Ditches are 
 
 < fafe again, and my Claim to the 
 Lands inclofed, quite defaced. But 
 
 < I tell you, Polites, Society is Nonfenfe. 
 
 < Your Politicians make a great Stir a- 
 
 < bout Forms of Government, fome 
 { crying up a Monarchy, fome an A- 
 ' riftocracy, fome a Democracy ; but 
 
 < away with them all, fay I ; becaufe 
 there' can be no fuch Thing as 
 ' Liberty in any of them. Either 
 
 * one or a few muft govern, and all the 
 
 < reft muft be Slaves ; or elfe, if all 
 govern, why then, Matters are to be 
 4 managed by the Majority j all the 
 
 * reft muft fubmit, muft act contrary 
 ' to their Judgments, and fuffer many 
 Things againft their Wills. I tell 
 ' thee, Polifes, Society is nothing better 
 ' than a Trick impofed on the Many 
 f by a few cunning and defigning 
 
 c Knaves,
 
 1 Knaves, to gratify their Avarice and 
 1 Ambition, and that they may live at 
 ' the Expence of others. It is plain, 
 that this is the Cafe from the Struggles 
 
 * with which Governments are ob- 
 tained, and the tyrannick Ufe that is 
 c always made of them. Down with 
 < the Thrones of Kings, and the Senate 
 ' Houies of Common-Wealths ! Can 
 ' we not live without fuch artificial 
 f Trumpery, as well as FoXes or Lyons? 
 c Into the Fire with your Acts of Par- 
 liament, your Canons and your Vo~ 
 c lumes of the Civil Law. They are.no- 
 
 * thing but the Inftruments of Impofi- 
 c tion and Coufenage, If you don't 
 c know that they are, go to Law, Polites, 
 4 go to Law. A little Attendance in Wefi- 
 ' minfter-Hall, or a Chancery Suit will 
 
 * foon give you the fame Averfion to 
 ' Law that I have. 
 
 POLICES. Well then, Aerius, 
 c it is agreed that vve have no Govern- 
 
 * ment, no Laws. 
 
 A E R 1 U $.
 
 ( 64) 
 
 < AERIVS. Ay, agreed, agreed, 
 Man. Come, iliake Hands on it. 
 4 How you and I fhall love one another 
 
 * in a State of Nature! 
 
 POLICES. Stay, not fo faft. 
 ' No Shaking of Hands, no combining, 
 c for you fay we are to lay afide all So 
 
 * ciety. As for loving each other, that 
 c is as your Submifiion to my Com- 
 c mands (hall render you agreeable to 
 
 * me. 
 
 < A E R I U S. Your Commands ! 
 
 * What does the Man mean ? Why, I 
 c tll thee, we are now in a State of 
 
 * Nature, in which 'there is no Autho- 
 ( rity, no Sovereignty, no Laws. 
 
 < POLICES. That is what I fay ; 
 
 * and now that I am juft about twice 
 4 as ftrong as you, I will force you to 
 c do what I pleafe. Your Coat is better 
 
 * than mine, I will have that in the 
 f firft Place. You have about forty 
 c Guineas in your Pocket, come, de- 
 e liver them ifp to me quickly. If you 
 make any Refiftance -, by all the 
 
 < Rights
 
 (65 ) 
 
 4 Rights and Privileges of Nature, I 
 
 ' will dam out your Brains againfl the 
 c Pavement. Why, I like this State 
 c of Nature hugely. If we are to 
 1 have no Courts of Juftice, no Exe- 
 
 * cutioners nor Gallows, I fhall live 
 c moft delicicufly. I do not know 
 whether there be a Man in the Na- 
 
 * tion, whom I could not get the bet- 
 
 * ter of at pulling, and hauling, and 
 drubbing j if you turned us cut na- 
 ' ked, do you^ fee, ? in fun's naiura- 
 
 < libus. 
 
 < A E R I U S. I mean, that in a 
 State of Nature, there are no Laws, 
 
 * but thofe of Nature, which will fe- 
 c cure my Plights tho' I be the weaker.. 
 
 P OL ir E S. Do not truft to 
 c them, for I alTure you, now that we 
 
 < are in a State of Nature, and utterly 
 unaccountable for all we do, I find 
 
 * the Law of Self-Love ftronger than 
 1 all the reft, and with the Affiflance 
 e of thefe Hands, I fhall gratify it to 
 
 G
 
 (66) 
 
 * the full, let it coft you or others 
 .' what it will. 
 
 ' Do you hear this Gentleman, (faid 
 ' *deriits y turning to the reft of the 
 ( Company) do you hear the Threats of 
 1 this unreafonable and imperious Mon- 
 ' iler ? You are concerned as well as 
 
 * me. Stand by me therefore, and 
 
 * do not fuffer the Weaker to be op- 
 ' pre/fed, fince it muft be your own 
 
 Turns next/ 
 
 Upon this, they were all preparing 
 to lend Aerius their Afliftance, when 
 P elites cried out: 
 
 c LOOK ye, Gentlemen, you are now 
 deciding this Queition fairly in Fa- 
 vour of me, without knowing it; and 
 
 * Aerius himfelf, in having implored 
 your Aid, has given up the Poffibili- 
 
 * ty of fubfifting out of a Society. My 
 Strength, too great for any one of you, 
 4 has forced you into a Society, a Ne~ 
 c ceffity that muft ever change a State 
 ' of Nature, if there could be fuch a 
 
 1 State
 
 (6? ) 
 
 4 State into Government, and clearly 
 
 * evince the abiolute want of Laws 
 
 * and Penalties, and pubiick Admini- 
 flration of juftice. The Wall that 
 
 * keeps us out of that Garden, would 
 
 * be but a weak Defence for the Fruit 
 4 within, were they not fur rounded by 
 
 * a ftronger Fortification ; I mean, the 
 
 * Statutes againft Felony and petty 
 1 Larceny, which can keep out thofe 
 4 who could eafily climb over the Wall. 
 1 You may leap thefe Ditches too with- 
 c out much Difficulty,, but you won't 
 4 fo eafily get over the Laws againft 
 4 Trefpals, that fortify thbfe Ditches 
 4 to better Purpofe than any Quickfet. 
 Be advifed by me. Mount your 
 4 Horfes again, and purfue the King's 
 4 High-way, like honeft Men, who 
 4 dare keep the Caufeway of the Crown. 
 
 * There is no Slavery in fo doing. 
 4 The King himfelf, God blefs' his 
 4 Majefly, mufl be fatisfied with it, 
 4 when he travels. Here he ftop'd, 
 14 ?jid ftrdden Shame feized the whole 
 
 4 Company
 
 (68) 
 
 Company. They fneaked to their 
 ' Horfes, and galloped forward, as faft 
 * as they could, to make amends for 
 c the Time they had loft. 
 
 So ended this Conteft, in which, for 
 once, fober Senfe and Reafon got the 
 better of that fpecious kind of Mad- 
 nefs, which, under the Pretence of Li- 
 berty, would turn us wild into the 
 Fields, a kind of Beaft more Savage 
 than any other, as not fparing its own 
 Kind, and- whilft it is miiled by a falfe 
 Notion of Nature, committing Things- 
 that Nature abhors. 
 
 ALLUSION
 
 ALLUSION 
 
 The Sixth. 
 
 Sciagenes and Sefas. 
 
 CCIAGENES. Say what you 
 will, and magnify the Good that 
 is done by the Cbriftian Religion, at 
 what Rate you pleafe j I fay, it doth 
 more Harm than Good in the World. 
 There are two Things in which a Man 
 may be rendered better or worfe, by 
 the Doctrines he hears, and the Princi- 
 ples he embraces ; to wit, his Mind 
 and his Actions. Now in both, your 
 Religion hath greatly injured us. As to 
 our Minds, did they ever fhew fuch 
 Extravagance under the Influence of 
 any Syftem of Doctrines that has ob- 
 tained in the World, as under the Chri. 
 
 itian?
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 flian ? To illuftrate this by a Recital of 
 all the ftrange and fenfelefs Opinions 
 that your feveral Sects have contended 
 for, would be a very odious and tedious 
 Undertaking. As to our Actions, 
 which it {hould be the Bufinefs of Re- 
 ligion to regulate, how miferably they 
 have been perverted by the Chriitian 
 Religion, any one may perceive, who 
 reads the Hiftory of the Chriftians. 
 The Author of your Religion has told 
 us, that we are to know a Tree by its 
 Fruit; by this Rule, his muff have been 
 a very corrupt Tree, for its Fruits have 
 always been very unwholefome, as well 
 as diftafteful, ever fmce the firft plant- 
 ing. Chriftianity has affected the Ac- 
 tions of its Profeffors in two different 
 Ways. It has furnhlied fome with an 
 hypocritical Covering for fuch Enor- 
 mities as cannot bear the publick In- 
 fpection, it has tempted them to put 
 on the Appearance of Virtue, and 
 make that ferve inftead of the Thing; 
 whilfl it hath fupplicd others with Pre- 
 tences,
 
 tences, for openly committing the moft 
 horrid Crimes. Perfecution, Rebellion, 
 Tyranny, and Bloodfhed, hang in Cluf- 
 ters, on the Gofpel Vine, and weigh 
 it down, in fpight of the Support afford- 
 ed it by Prieftcraft, and the Power of 
 the Church. 
 
 S E LA S. You judge moft unfairly, 
 S'tiflgentS) in afcribing thofe ill Effects, 
 to the Chriftian Religion, which are 
 diredlly contrary to its Doctrines, its 
 Precepts, and the Examples it recom- 
 mends to our Imitation. The abfurd 
 Opinions, that fome, who called them- 
 felves Chriftians, have broached and 
 abetted, were the Produce of their own 
 extravagant Imaginations. Our Saviour 
 fcwed Wheat, but the Folly and wild 
 Enthufiafm of Mankind, have fown 
 Tares among it. Nor, can wicked 
 Actions be attributed, with any Juftice, 
 to Principles, altogether rational and 
 virtuous, altho' they may be committed, 
 by the ProfefTors of thofe Principles. 
 You are a Lawyer j muft we burn our 
 
 Statutes, 
 
 3
 
 ( 72 ) 
 
 Statutes, and the whole Corpus Jurum, 
 becaufe you fecretly take Fees on one 
 Side of a Caufe, and openly plead on 
 the other ? Muft Phyfick and Surgery 
 be prohibited, becaufe an ignorant Quack 
 fhall miftake, and give Hemlock for a 
 Cordial, or, becaufe a murdering Phy- 
 fician {hall take a Fee, from a young 
 libertine Heir, to fend his fickly Father 
 out of the World ? Chrift planted a 
 Vine, and its Fruits are Meeknefs, and 
 Charity, and Obedience, to the higher 
 Powers, and Self-denial ; which, as they 
 are Virtues, much againft the Grain of 
 the World, we may be fure they muft 
 have weighed down the Chriftian Re- 
 ligion, with that Load of Odium that 
 attends them, had it not been fupported 
 by the Vine-flock of God's continual 
 Grace. Pride indeed, and Avarice, 
 fpring up near the Root of the Vine, 
 and twifting themfelves among its Bran- 
 ches, mix their pale and baneful Berries, 
 with its' beautiful and wholefome Clut- 
 ters* 
 
 THE
 
 ( 73 ) 
 
 THE greater Part by far, both of 
 the Knowledge and Virtue that is in' 
 the World, fprings from the Chriftian 
 Religion; tho' idle Pretenders to Know- 
 ledge, have taken Occafion from thence, 
 to pefter the World, with a thoufand 
 vain Speculations, and pernicious Re- 
 finements ; and, altho* wicked and felf- 
 interefted Men have impudently pre- 
 tended to draw the Motives of their 
 unrighteous Practices, from a Delire 
 to promote its Welfare. If indeed 
 Mankind had never reafoned abfurdly, 
 nor acted wickedly, before they em- 
 braced the Chriftian Religion, we might, 
 with the greater {hew of Truth, af- 
 cribe the Folly and Vice, too often to 
 be met with among Chriftians, to our 
 Religion, rather than to the Infirmity^ 
 and Degeneracy of our Nature. But, 
 as it is quite otherwife, and as there; 
 has really been more Knowledge, and 
 ftridler Virtue among the Wormippers 
 of Chrift JefiiSy than among thofe who 
 were ignorant of Chriflianily, Expe- 
 H rience
 
 ( 74 ) 
 
 rience is againft you, I will tell thec 
 a Tale-, if thou wilt liften it, O 
 Sciagenes. 
 
 1 IN the old Egyptian Chronicles, 
 c we are told, that the Sun, once upon 
 
 * a Time, being highly provoked at the 
 
 * Wickednefs of Mankind, which he 
 was daily obliged, not only to behold, 
 ' but to lend his Light to, refolved ne- 
 
 * ver more to offend the Purity of his 
 Eye, nor pollute the Luftre of his 
 1 Rays, with the Corruptions of the hu- 
 c man Race. Full of Indignation he 
 ' turned his foaming Steeds, and drove 
 c the bright Chariot of the Day fo far 
 ' into the Eaflern Sky, that it appear- 
 
 * ed like a Star of the third Magnitude. 
 e From thence, with a certain Penury 
 
 * of Light, he twinkled faintly on this 
 c ungrateful World, that had fo much 
 
 * abufed his Bounty. However, not 
 c intending to leave himfelf intirely 
 c without a Witnefs, nor to plunge the 
 c World in utter Darknefs, he ordered 
 c his Sifter, the Moon, with her Train 
 
 of
 
 ( 75 ) 
 
 of Plants, to ftay behind, partly to 
 afford Mankind a fmall Portion of 
 that derivative Light which they en- 
 joyed ; and partly to obferve, in their 
 Periods round this World, the Beha- 
 viour of Mankind during his Abfence. 
 Mortals, inilead of lamenting his De- 
 parture, hailed the Darknefs, and 
 rejoiced in that Secrecy which it af- 
 forded their Crimes ; the Beafts of 
 Prey rumed from their Dens, and 
 exercifed their Fury, without Reftraint 
 or Fear : Their favage Nature grew 
 ten-fold more outrageous, by the 
 boundlefs and uninterrupted Licence 
 the continual Night afforded them : 
 The Fruits of the Earth, with all the 
 Variety of fweet-fmelling Herb, or 
 beautiful Flower, faded away, and 
 ilirunk into their primitive Seeds, 
 whilft nothing but the baneful Yew, 
 and the cold Hemlock, with other 
 poifonous Weeds, dverfpread the damp 
 and dreary Soil. As thefe, with now 
 and then a Dragon-, or a Tyger, when 
 H 2 < they
 
 (76 ) 
 
 < they could kill jthem, were the only 
 ' Food of Mankind, they filled them 
 e with various Diflempers, and (hortned 
 their fearful and miferable Days. 
 e From thence too, as well as from the 
 Coldnefs and Inclemency of the Air, 
 together with the continual Darknefs, 
 the Heart of Man grew numb and 
 ' infenfible, grew fierce and boiflerous, 
 ' grew gloomy and fullen. . Charity 
 ' grew Cold, and hardened to an Icicle. 
 ' Humanity, in paffing from Man to 
 
 < Man, was frozen by the Bleaknefs 
 ( of the Air j and being fhivered to 
 c Pieces, was blown away by the Winds 
 in Snow. Fraud and Theft, and Ra- 
 pine, fkreened by the black Wing of 
 * Darknefs, with lawlefs and ungo- 
 vernable Impunity, blended right and 
 
 < wrong, and confounded Property. 
 Pride and Anger, Envy and Malice, 
 {talked Abroad in the thick Cloud of 
 Night, and made fuch hideous Ha- 
 ' vock, that the Moon is faid, to have 
 ' fickened at the Sight, and fallen into 
 
 thofe
 
 (77 ) 
 
 thofe fainting Fits that have eve* 
 fince, at certain Seafons, oppreiTed 
 her, and overcome her Light. Every 
 one kindled up a Fire of his own, and 
 called it his Sun j while thofe who 
 happened to live near each other, 
 made greater Fires by their common 
 Labour, on every high Hill, which 
 they alfo called their publick Sun?, 
 comforting themfelves with thofe, and 
 forgetting the true Sun ; by which, at 
 the fame Time that they defpifed its 
 Abfence, they acknowledged the Ne- 
 ceffity of its Influence. At length, 
 the Fuel began to fail, and the Fires 
 to go out. The Wicked lived and died 
 in Works of Darknefs, in Fury, and 
 Violence, and Terror. The virtuous 
 few that flill remained, wandered up 
 and down, a Prey to all they met, 
 and fought in vain for Light. The 
 Moon pitying their undeferved Suf- 
 ferings, and fearing the total Extinc- 
 tion of human Nature, fent a Mef- 
 fage, by a Comet, which approached 
 H 3 'the
 
 (78) 
 the mod diftant Part of her Orbit, 
 
 * acquainting her Brother with the State 
 e of human Affairs, and befeeching him 
 c to return, if not to fave a Race un- 
 grateful to him, yet at leaft for the 
 ' Prefervation of thofe who loved the 
 1 Light, and lived a Life becoming it. 
 
 The Sun, fays the Chronicle, moved 
 
 with Companion, and hoping that 
 
 ' the Miferies Man had fuffered by the 
 
 ' Abfence of his Rays, would have 
 
 c fubdued his inordinate Paffions, and 
 
 * drfpofed him to a more decent Con- 
 ' duct, fet out again for this World j 
 < and, as he drew nearer, the Heavens, 
 4 to the Eaflward (hone with glorious 
 ' Light, and glowed with unufual Heat. 
 
 * Left lie mould furprize and dazzle the 
 World by a fudden and unexpected 
 c Arrival, he fent the Morning Star 
 before him, as his Harbinger, to pre- 
 
 * pare his Way ; which the Eaftern 
 ' Aftronomers no fooner obferved, but 
 they publiihed the glad Tidings, to 
 the great Comfort of the Good, and 
 
 1 the
 
 (79 ) 
 
 e the no fmall Diftnay of the Evil. 
 ' However, notwithstanding this Pre- 
 ' paration, there were but few, even 
 ' of thofe who wiflied for his Return, 
 
 * who could bear the Brightnefs of the 
 
 * Day-fpring when it vifited them ; io 
 1 tender had the long continued Dark- 
 { nefs rendered their Eyes. It was 
 ' fome Time before they could inure 
 .' themfelves to the ftrong Beams of 
 1 Light that {hone io powerfully on 
 ' them. There were Numbers whom 
 ' the Length of Night had entirely 
 ' blinded, who comprehended not the 
 c Light, but attributed their {tumbling 
 ' and flraying to a Continuation of 
 ' Darknefs, when it was really owing 
 to a Defeft in their own Opticks. All 
 
 * Nature welcomed the Return of the 
 
 * Sun with a joyful Salutation, except 
 
 * the Owls, and Beads, and Men of 
 1 Prey, who had tyrannized in the 
 1 Dark. The Lyons, the Tygers, the 
 
 < Bears, and the Wolves, betook 
 
 < themfelves to their dark Caves and 
 
 H 4 { gloomy
 
 (8o) 
 
 ' gloomy Den?, becaufe their Deeds 
 
 ' were evil. The more fubtile Serpent 
 
 * put on a mining Garment, which it 
 
 * pretended to have borrowed from the 
 
 * new Beams of the Morning, and 
 
 * practifed its Frauds in Day-lighr. 
 ' The more impudent Vulture and 
 ' Hawk, {laid, and outfaced the Sun, 
 
 * directing themfelves by its Light in 
 ' the bloody Deeds they committed* 
 ' Among Men, fome roufed by its Ar- 
 
 * rival, rejoiced, and went forth to 
 
 * their honeft Labours in the Vineyard, 
 ' or among their Folds, whilft others 
 4 took the Advantage of it, to opprefs 
 ' their Neighbours with open Robberies 
 ' and cruel Wars ; and when it ferved 
 
 * them ill for fuch Purpofes, they re- 
 f viled it, and wiflied that thofe Clouds 
 
 * which it had raifed, might {hut out 
 c its Light from the World, or intire- 
 
 * ly extinguish it. At length, there 
 < arofe a Sstft of Philofophers, falfely 
 
 * fo called, who endeavoured to prove, 
 
 that
 
 ( 8. ) 
 
 that the Sun was of bad Confequencc 
 to the Happincfs of the World. 
 ' THEY bade their Difciples obferve 
 how its Heat fublimed the Poifon of 
 the baneful Weed, giving Growth to 
 the horrid Bramble, and the prickly 
 Thorn j but took no Notice of its 
 calling forth the ufeful Tree, with 
 the wholefome Herb, and cloathing 
 Nature in its fplendid Attire of Flowers, 
 perfumed with ten Thoufand O- 
 tlours. They accufed it with caufing 
 Calentures and Fevers, ungratefully 
 forgetting, that it had removed thofe 
 numberlefs Diforders that proceeded 
 from the immoderate Cold, and the 
 damp Vapours. They made it the 
 Caufe of Putrefaction and Stench in 
 Pools and Fens, without confidering 
 that its. genial 'Heat ferments the 
 warm Spirits and volatile Odours of 
 the Spices. They were too (hort 
 fighted, to fee the remote Benefit of 
 thofe feeming or immediate Inconve- 
 nkncies that attended the Influence of 
 
 < the
 
 ( 82 ) 
 
 the Sun. They could not dive fo far 
 into Nature, as to find out the fecret 
 Properties of Things, and therefore 
 did not confider, that what is hurtful 
 in one Cafe, is moft ufeful in another, 
 for which it is peculiarly defigned. 
 They taught, that it was the Source 
 of violent Paffions , and Madnefs, 
 without remembring that, whilft it 
 gently foftened and warmed the ma- 
 terial World, it infufed a fympathe- 
 tick Tendernefs and Mildnefs into the 
 Intellectual. They apprehended it 
 would fet the World on Fire, becaufe 
 it had thawed its Ice. They con- 
 templated the Comets with more Plea- 
 fure, and commended them as brighter 
 Luminaries than the Sun. They ad- 
 mired the Meteors, as infinitely more 
 glorious than the Source of Day. 
 They faid, the Sun was the Prifon of 
 impious Souls, and that its Light was 
 elaborated by Fiends, afcribing all 
 the Wonders it performs in this lower 
 World, to the Devils that work in its 
 
 * fiery
 
 fiery Furnace : Nay, they curfed the 
 Moon and the Planets, for no other 
 Reafon, but becaufe they borrowed 
 their Light from the Sun. Some of 
 them lighted up Candles at Noon- 
 day, and pretending to do their evil 
 Deeds by thofe, afcribed all the Light 
 about them, each to his own glimmer- 
 ing Taper. Others maintained, that 
 the Eye itfelf was a luminous Body, 
 endued with innate Light j by the E- 
 manation? of which, they faid, Vi- 
 fion was performed j and, that it was 
 not only fuperfluous, but dangerous 
 to let in the adventitious Light of the 
 Sun, left it fhould extinguish the na- 
 tural Rays of the Eye. All this, and 
 a great deal more they urged, becaufe, 
 the Day Light was an Enemy to their 
 Works of Darknefs. The All- feeing 
 Sun was not ignorant of their Hypo- 
 crify, their Ingratitude and Malice ; 
 but he neither approached to fet them 
 on Fire, nor retired again to leave them 
 
 in Darknefsj he only faid, 
 
 My
 
 " MY Sifter moves and mines on, 
 without being difturbed or detained 
 " by the ill Humour of thofe Curs, 
 " who bark at her from the Earth. 
 " In like Manner, I fhall pour out my 
 " Heat and Light promifcuouily on 
 <c all, on the Evil as well as the Good, 
 " that whilft it directs and comforts 
 " thefe, it may be a continual Witnefs 
 " againfl thofe. My Influence is good 
 " in itfelf, and its Luftre glorious, as 
 " well when it mines on a Dunghil, 
 " as when it paints the radiant Bow 
 " in the Clouds. I decree, that my 
 " Rays fhall be to every Man, as he 
 <c is difpofed to receive them ; Good to 
 tc the Good, according to his Nature; 
 <{ and Evil to the Evil, according to his. 
 " Whilft they (hall enable fame to fee, 
 " they mail deprive others of their 
 " Sight, who have a previous Difpo- 
 " fition to Blindnefs. Whilft they di- 
 " reel: and enlighten the Upright, in 
 his honeft Calling, and are a Blefiing 
 ** to him, they mall detect and accufe 
 
 " the
 
 <c the Fraudulent, and bring a Curfe 
 " on his Ways. They are calculated 
 <{ for Good, and by Nature fitted for 
 " it only ; yet they may be turned a- 
 c< fide from the direct Purfuit of that 
 c< End, and made to co-operate with 
 " evil Caufes in perpretating Works of 
 " Darknefs. They are by Nature the 
 " Vehicles of Truth, although Daemons 
 " may array themfelves in Robes of 
 " Light, in order to deceive. 
 
 ALLUSION 
 
 The Seventh. 
 
 NO City was more commodioufly 
 fituated, governed by wifer Laws, 
 nor inhabited by a more virtuous and 
 courageous People than Hierapolis. 
 The Confequences of this were, that, 
 in the Space of about three hundred 
 
 Years,
 
 (86) 
 
 Years, it became Miflrefs of many 
 Nations, and gained Ground a-pace , 
 in all the other Parts of the known 
 World. It did not long enjoy this 
 Power, until it began to abufe it. 
 Luxury, that fubdues even Conquerors, 
 fupported by Wealth and Eafe-, fpread 
 a-pace among the Hierapolitans t banim- 
 ed the original Simplicity of their Man- 
 ners, and fubftituted Foppery and Va- 
 nity in the Place of it. This Corrup- 
 tion of Manners was foon followed by 
 an Affectation of ufelefs Niceties and 
 Novelties in Knowledge, and by falfe 
 Politicks. Hence it came to pafs, that, 
 in a little Time, the Laws, although 
 as intelligible as common Senfe itfelf, 
 and as determinate as the utmoft Cau- 
 tion could make them, began to be va- 
 rioufly interpreted ; infomuch that they 
 were forced, by an Infinity of Glofles, 
 to fpeak the Language of Artifice and 
 Faction ; nay , and of Contradiction 
 too, oftener than that of Truth and 
 Juflice. This clogged the Wheels of 
 3 the
 
 ( 8 7 ) 
 
 the Government, and, what was worfe, 
 turned them afide from the right Way. 
 Different Parties founded themfelves on 
 different Interpretations. Folly , En- 
 thuliafm, and Fraud had each its own 
 Interpreters, to extra<5l fuch Opinions 
 from the Laws, while they were forced 
 to pafs through bad Heads, and worfe 
 Hearts, as threw all into Confufion, 
 and flopped the Progrefs of their Arms 
 abroad, and {hed their Blood within the 
 Walls, in mutual Slaughter and Der 
 ftrudtion. 
 
 AT length one Party, growing more 
 powerful than the reft, engroffed the 
 Revenues of the City, new-modelled 
 the Body of the Laws, adding, or tak- 
 ing away what they thought proper, 
 impoflng their own Senfe of what re- 
 mained, and prohibiting, under fevere 
 Penalties, the popular Perufal of the 
 Laws themfelves. This Party chofe an 
 Head, whom they called Dictator, 
 and on him conferred an unlimited 
 Power, to impofe fuch Interpretations 
 
 of
 
 ( 88 ) 
 
 of the Laws < as he pleafed on the Hie- 
 ropolitans, and to govern them at his 
 own Difcretion. 
 
 THIS Tyrant, thus inverted with 
 the fupreme Authority, changed the 
 Name of the City, and called it after 
 his own, Dictator ia: He alfo contriv- 
 ed a very horrible kind of Dungeon, 
 to which he confined all fuch Perfons 
 as prefumed either to read the ancient 
 Laws, or difpute his abfolute Authority 
 in any Cafe. There was a kind of Prefs 
 in this Dungeon, in which the Party 
 offending being placed, his Fortune, 
 his Confcience, or his Life, were fqueez- 
 ed out of him. He ere<fted publick 
 Stews, from whence he drew confide- 
 rable Revenues. To conclude, he made 
 rniferable Slaves of the poor Difttfto- 
 rians, who were fo enervated by Luxu- 
 ry and Vice of every kind, and fo en- 
 tirely broken by the Power of this Ty- 
 rant, that they had no Strength nor 
 Inclination to refift him. 
 
 3 AT
 
 (89 ) 
 
 AT length his Folly, his Infolence, 
 and his Exactions, becoming intolerable, 
 the few, who remained ftill uncor- 
 rupted and uninilaved, agreed to quit 
 the City, and commit themfelves to 
 the Sea, in quell of fome new Country, 
 where they might fettle and govern 
 themfelves by the ancient Hieropolitan 
 Laws, purged from all Abufes, and 
 laid open to every Member of the 
 Community. There were no more of 
 thefe found, than three or four Ships 
 were fufficient to receive. Thefe Vef- 
 fels had fcarcely provided themfelves 
 with Neceflaries, and put from Shore, 
 when the Alarm of their Departure 
 was given j upon which the Tyrant 
 ordered out to the Purfuit, as many 
 Dictator i an Gallies as could be got 
 ready. But a Storm arifing, and they 
 being ill provided, as putting out in 
 hafte y and little acquainted with the 
 Service, were all loft but a few;, 
 which, being for feveral Days toffed 
 about by the Storm, happened to meet, 
 I and
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 and come to an Engagement with the 
 Adventurers, who eafily defeated them, 
 tor they had none but Diftatorian Slaves 
 on board. The Adventurers, rejoicing 
 in this Victory, as an happy Prefage 
 of their future Fortunes, purfued their 
 Courfe, as well as the Storm, which 
 was now lels violent, would permit. 
 Their Captains knew well how to 
 govern, and their Pilots to fteer. Their 
 Sailors plied upon Deck with Diligence, 
 and were eager to affift and relieve each 
 other. However, as there was not a 
 fufficient Number of experienced Sea- 
 men to man all the Veffels, fome of 
 them were wrought by Paffengers and 
 Sailors in Conjunction, which occafion- 
 ed great Difordersj for the Paflengers, 
 not being acquainted with the Buftnefs, 
 and yet very defirous to labour for the 
 common Safety, did but embarrafs one 
 another, and hinder the Work they 
 endeavoured to advance. Some, who 
 thought they could never do too much, 
 pulled the Ropes with fuch- Violence, 
 
 'that
 
 ( 9' ) 
 
 that they frequently broke them. Others, 
 by tugging contrary Ways, deftroyed 
 the Effects of each other's Strength. 
 The Decks were fo crouded by People, 
 who knew only how to make Confu- 
 fion, that the Sailors had not Room to 
 ftir; and there was fuch a loud and di- 
 ffracted Clamour of fome roaring one 
 thing, and fome another, that neither 
 the Captain nor the Pilot could be 
 heard. Whenever the Ship heeled, they 
 cried out, We are all loft ! And tumbled 
 over one another in Heaps, fome being 
 forely bruifed, and others falling over- 
 board into the Sea. 
 
 B y thefe Means, and the Darknefs 
 of the Nights, the Ships loft Sight of 
 one another, and fell off to different 
 Courfes. The largeft of them, which 
 was alfo the beft manned, made towards 
 a certain Ifland, which was at a fufli- 
 cient Diftance from the Port of D/- 
 tfatoria; and yet fo near, that it might 
 be reached, without expofing the Vef- 
 
 I 2 fcl
 
 (92 ) 
 
 fel to the many Dangers incident to too 
 long a Voyage. 
 
 THERE was a Pafienger on board 
 this Veflel, who by the Time it had 
 been a Week at Sea, had gained a 
 fmattering of the Sailors Art, and, being 
 very whimfical and overbearing, thought 
 himfelf capable of giving Law to the 
 Matter, and all the Crew. He pretend- 
 ed great Diflike to the Ship, and the 
 Government of it, and, praclifing fe- 
 cretly with the fimpler Sort, in which 
 he was affifted by certain Diffatorians, 
 who, making a Shew of Abhorrence to 
 the Tyrant, came on board purely to 
 raifeDifturbances; he gained over fome 
 to his Party, and made them ferious 
 Converts to his feigned Difcontents. 
 Thefe he affembled one Day privately 
 in the Hold, aud harangued them in 
 the following Manner : 
 
 * I CANNOT but lament, my Fellow- 
 1 Sailors, that, after all our Endeavours 
 to fly from the Wickednefs of Ditta- 
 1 fon'a, and the divine Judgments due 
 
 to
 
 ( 93 } 
 
 to it, we are ftill deeply infected 
 with the nrft, and confequently have 
 
 * but too much Reafon to dread the 
 latter. In the firft Place, we left a 
 Tyranny in order to put ourfelves 
 under the kinder Influence of a free 
 1 Government. But what have we 
 4 gained by our Attempt ? Are we not 
 
 * ftill under the Government of one ? 
 
 * What Security can we have, that he 
 will not tyrannize like him ofX)J8a- 
 
 * toria? Nay, I can aflure you, his 
 ' Principles are perfectly Di&atorian, 
 
 * and you yourfelves may perceive it;, 
 for he goes habited like the Difia- 
 1 torians, he cocks his Hat,- and laughs 
 like one of the Prophane* He cannot 
 ' fink a Dungeon, in the Ship - 3 but, as 
 ' foon as we come afhore, you may ex- 
 
 * pedt it, for he talks much of Difci- 
 
 * line and Government j and it is but 
 1 two Days fince, as you all can witnefs, 
 4 he confined me to this Hold, for fay- 
 
 * ing, that we ought not to fuffer our- 
 ^ felves to be guided by a Pilot,/ but 
 
 commit
 
 ( 94) 
 
 ' commit ourfelves to the Steerage of 
 Providence. Now the Hold is but 
 c another kind of Dungeon ; and, fince 
 4 he hath fo foon begun to play the 
 < Governor, we may be fure he will, 
 in a little Time, aft the Tyrant. 
 4 Truft him not, O my Fellow- Tailors ; 
 4 for he is an haughty Lord, and a 
 
 * proud Tyrant. He is a Diflatoriaq in 
 4 his Heart. Again, we left Diffato- 
 4 ria in order to purge ourfelves of the 
 4 Luxury, and ftrip ourfelves of the 
 
 * Pomps and Vanities of that wicked 
 
 Place ; and yet, behold, we are ftill 
 c polluted with the fame Corruptions. 
 4 How odious to my Eyes is that daz- 
 ling Paint that adorns the Side of the 
 4 Ship! How deteftable thofe graven 
 { Figures that glitter on the Stern in 
 various Colours, and mine in all the 
 Splendour of Gold, the Author of all 
 c Corruption ! How imperiouily does 
 
 the Flag of Pride wave from the 
 1 Bolt-fprit in the Wind! But above 
 c all, O my dear Fellows! How can you 
 
 * endure
 
 '( 95 ) 
 endure that Wooden Idol, that paint- 
 
 ed Whore, that ftands naked from 
 
 * the Waift upwards at the Prow ? To 
 
 * what Fortunes, think you, can you 
 
 * follow fuch a Whore? But further, do 
 1 we not {hew the moft unworthy Dif- 
 f truft of Providence, in committing 
 c ourielves to the Guidance of an hu- 
 { man Pilot, and the Government of a 
 ' Mortal's Wifdom ? To what End the 
 < Rudder, the Maft, and the Tackle, 
 
 * thofe Relicks of our former Abomi- 
 4 nations ? To what purpofe the Sails, 
 4 thofe Rags of Diffatorian Profanation ? 
 Is there the fmalleft Mention made 
 4 of them? Is there any Command for 
 1 them in our ancient Laws? If there 
 1 be not, with what Aflurance can we 
 
 * fuffer fuch unwarranted Innovations? 
 
 * O how my Soul abhors fuch human, 
 ' fuch carnal, fuch profane Inventions ? 
 
 * Let us fly, my dear Companions, let 
 
 * us quickly fly from this damnable 
 c Machine, whofe Keel I know to be 
 
 * rotten, and let us throw ourfelves in- 
 
 c to
 
 (06) 
 
 to the Cock-boat, a VefTel that has 
 nothing of Diftatorian Art or Pride 
 ' about it, and, with a firm Faith, com- 
 < mit ourfelves to the Protection of Pro- 
 f vidence.' 
 
 THIS Speech made a ftrong Impref- 
 lion on his unwary Hearers, and the 
 more, becaufe of that vehement Aver- 
 fion they had to the Dittatorian Abufes. 
 So they, one and all, protefted againft 
 every Thing that looked like Diftato- 
 rian, and, with one Confent, refolved 
 to feize the Cock-boat, and attempt a 
 Voyage in it through the wide Sea. 
 
 THI s Refolution they put in practice 
 the very next Day, and committed them- 
 felves to the Ocean without Oars, with- 
 out Rudder, and without Victual- 
 ling. They were no fooner got to Sea 
 in their little Barque, than they per- 
 ceived that it did not flir, and that they 
 were in danger of being left motionlefs 
 in the midft of the Ocean, to flarve for 
 want of F0od, or perifli by the next 
 violent blaft of Wind. It was then 
 
 firft
 
 ( 97 ) 
 
 firit that they. had recourfe to human 
 Help, and feized a Rope that dragged 
 after the Ship in the Water; fo that 
 they made a (hift to keep up with the 
 VelTel. The reft of the Crew, know- 
 ing nothing of their Intention, threw 
 out fome other Ropes to relieve them 
 from the Diftrefs they were in, and 
 hawl them to again. But, inftead of 
 thanking them for their brotherly Con- 
 cern, they railed aloud at them, calling 
 them vile and prophane Wretches, 
 proud Di&atorians , and when ever 
 they faw any of them mounting the 
 Shrowds to order the Tackle, or Sails, 
 they called them Tyrants and High- 
 flyers j and bid them beware of the 
 Hold and the Dungeon, to humble 
 their Pride. In this Mood they fol- 
 lowed the Ship, till at length they began 
 to feel the Want of Victualling grew 
 faft upon them, which made them call 
 aloud for Food to the Ship : but their 
 extravagant Madnefs made them do it 
 in fuch difobliging Terms, that they 
 K on
 
 ( 9 8 ) 
 
 on Deck thought proper to refufe them 
 for fome Time, till Pity, and a Ten- 
 dernefs for their Lives, moved them 
 to hand down fome moldy Bifket, and 
 fome coarfe Beef to them. This, al- 
 though their Hunger forced them to 
 devour it, did not fatisfy them. They 
 infifted that they were intitled to an e- 
 qual Share of the Ship's Provifion, and 
 curfed the Crew for refilling it. Their 
 male-content Spirit was ftill more en- 
 flamed ; when the under Sailors taunted 
 them from the Stern, and derided, with 
 great Sharpnefs, their mad Project:, 
 and the abfurd Defence they made for 
 themfelves. At laft the Captain, hav- 
 ing found what was the Matter, ap- 
 peared at the Cabin Window, and 
 fpoke to this Effect: : 
 
 I AM much troubled, my dear 
 < Friends, for the extravagant Spirit, 
 with which I find you are pofTeffed. 
 Be aflured I have not the fmalleft 
 c Intentions to tyrannize. I only took 
 the Office I hold at the Requefl of 
 
 you
 
 ( 99 ) 
 
 * you all; I am ready to lay it down 
 again, if my Adminiflration has been 
 < faulty. But then you muft elect an- 
 
 * other, Order and Government nece- 
 
 * farily requiring it, and our Laws giv* 
 
 * ing fufficient Warrant thereunto. We 
 
 * all abhor the flagitious Lives, and mi* 
 
 * ferable Degeneracy of the Diftato- 
 
 * rians as much as you ; but the Rig- 
 '* ging and Ornaments of our Ship were 
 none of their Crimes, being harmlefs 
 
 * and indifferent Things. Without our 
 
 * Rudder, our Sails, &c. we cannot make 
 c the Voyage; we muft therefore retain 
 c them as neceflary to our Prefervation, 
 
 * Nor do we (hew, by fo doing, any 
 
 * Diftruft of divine Providence, which 
 
 * we can only hope to affift us, where 
 
 * human Means fail. You yourfelves 
 ( perceive, that your Hopes that Provi- 
 4 dence would do that for you, which 
 c you can do for yourfelves, were idle, 
 
 * becaufe it has deferted you, and left 
 1 you to depend on that Rope for your 
 
 * Way, and on us for your Victual s* 
 
 K 2 'I
 
 < I do not, like the reft of our Crew, 
 4 deride your Folly j but I pity theun- 
 ' happy Refolution you have taken, 
 * which cnuft inevitably end in your 
 ' Ruin, if not fpeedily laid afide. Re- 
 c _ turn, let me earneftly befeech you, to 
 c your Friends and Fellow-Sailors, and, 
 ' inftead of deftroying your felves, help 
 < forward the common Good of the 
 'Community, you embarked in, at our 
 ' Departure from Di&afon'a. In purg- 
 ( ing ourfelves of Abufes, we have not 
 fo much regarded what was Diftato- 
 c rian t as what was contrary to our 
 ancient Laws. Joined with us you 
 e may live and profper j but, if you fe- 
 ' parate, you muft perim. 
 
 UPON hearing this, one or two re- 
 turned to a better Mind , and were 
 hawled up into the Ship. The Boat 
 being driven againft the Ship by one 
 Wave, and overfet by another, the refl 
 were all loft. 
 
 ALLUSION
 
 ALLUSION 
 
 The Eighth. 
 
 A Bout one thoufand feven hundred 
 Years ago there was a Temple 
 built, no matter where j but its Foun- 
 dations were lank deep in a Rock of 
 Adamant, and its Dome pierced the 
 Clouds: The Materials were too hard 
 for Time to impair, and the Work- 
 manfliip too firm for the mofl furious 
 Storms to injure: The Plan was drawn 
 by the greateft Architect in the World, 
 and the Deiign was proportionable to 
 the immenfe *and exalted Genius of its 
 Author: It was built in a plain Style, 
 fo that, if it were viewed by one of a 
 corrupt Tafte, it had little that he 
 could admire ; for there was nothing 
 extravagant or enormous in it; nay, its 
 Height and Platform were fo judicioufly 
 K 3 adjufted,
 
 ( 10-2 ') 
 
 adjufted, that although both were very 
 great, yet neither feemed prodigious. 
 To one of any Judgment the whole 
 Figure feemed wonderfully majeftick 
 and ftately. It had two Excellencies 
 peculiar to it; one, that, if you mould 
 furvey it for fome time attentively, it 
 would feem to grow in Size and Gran- 
 deur, till, without either training the 
 Eye, or {hocking the Imagination, it 
 had infenfibly inlarged both, and taught 
 the Beholder a certain Capacity of fee- 
 ing and conceiving, which he was un- 
 acquainted with before; the other, that 
 the inftant you entered it, you were 
 jftruck with a facred kind of Awe, 
 which came fo irrefiftibly upon you, 
 that were you of never fo gay or loofe 
 a Difpolition, you could not help be- 
 ing grave. But then this was attended 
 with no Uneafmefs or Fear; for the 
 Beauty and Chearfulnefs of all you faw 
 was fuch, and the Light, which enter- 
 ed by a thoufand fpacious Windows, 
 was fo great, that you were as much 
 
 delighted
 
 delighted as awed. Every thing was dif- 
 pofed in fo fimple and natural an Or- 
 der, and yet with fuch Magnificence, 
 as could not but fill a judicious Beholder 
 with a ferious and folemn kind of Joy, 
 accompanied with that profound Reve- 
 rence which ought to be felt, when a 
 divine Nature is fuppofed to be prefent. 
 Some were more taken with one thing, 
 and fome with another j but all agreed, 
 that the Architect had {hewn uncom- 
 mon Skill, in giving it fuch abundance 
 of Light, which ferved to difcover the 
 Symmetry, the Beauty, and mafterly 
 Contrivance of all within. There was 
 no Utenfil that was not ornamental ; 
 no Decoration that was not ufeful. To 
 fay no more of it, it infinitely furpafled 
 the Ephefan Temple of Diana, and 
 even eclipfed the Glory of Solomons 
 Temple at Jerufakm. 
 
 THE Architect, who had built it at 
 his own Expence,"when he died, left, 
 in his laft Will and Teftament, an En- 
 dowment fufficient to keep it clean, and 
 K 4 in
 
 ( 104 ) 
 
 in Repair; and nominated fuch Tra- 
 ftees for the purpofe as he could con- 
 fide in, both on account of their Ho- 
 nefty, and the great Skill in Architec- 
 ture, which he had communicated to 
 them. He left them alfo a fair Copy 
 of the Plan, with ftricl: Orders never to 
 touch any. Part of the Work without 
 confulting it ; and to appoint fuch o- 
 thers as mould either aflift, or fucceed 
 them in this Charge. For three or 
 four hundred Years thefe Perfons dif- 
 charged their Truft fo fufficiently, and 
 the general Tafte continued fo pure, 
 that the Edifice was admired for the 
 fame Beauty and Majefly that recom- 
 mended it at firfr. They came from 
 all Parts of the World to fee it, and 
 worfliip in it. It is true the Admirers 
 of other renowned Temples, bigotted 
 to their own favourite Notions of Ar- 
 chitecture, and envious of the Honours 
 that were paid to this, often battered 
 it with Rams, and other warlike En- 
 gines, but to no purpofe : So firm were 
 
 its
 
 its Walls, that they could make no 
 Imprefiion on it; and fo honeft was 
 the Corporation of Truftees , and fo 
 zealous for its Glory, that there was 
 fcarce a Man of them who was not 
 ready to receive the Shocks of the bat- 
 tering Rams on his own Head, rather 
 than fufFer them to touch the Temple. 
 There were, from time to time, feve- 
 ral among the Truftees, who either not 
 rightly underftanding the Rules of Ar- 
 chitecture, or elfe ambitious of getting 
 a Name by Innovations, pretended to 
 find Faults in the Structure, which they 
 faid had been put in by unfkilful Ma- 
 nagers, in the feveral Ages, fince the 
 Death of the Architect. They endea- 
 voured, but in vain, to make this ap- 
 pear by the Plan ; and had their Opi- 
 nions condemned in feveral Boards held 
 by the Truftees, on purpofe to confider 
 of thefe Matters. At length one of 
 the Truftees, a covetous and intriguing 
 Man, what by caballing and practif- 
 ing with feme of the moft fhort- 
 
 fighted,
 
 ( 106 ) 
 
 lighted, or ill-principled of the Board j 
 and what by calling in the Affiftance 
 and Intereft of a great Lord in the 
 Neighbourhood, acquired fuch an In- 
 fluence over the Truftees, that he might 
 do what he pleafed; and it was never 
 in his Nature or Intention to do any- 
 thing, that was not for his own private 
 Intereft. He endeavoured to prove 
 himfelf vefted with a Right to this Su- 
 periority over his Brethren, from the 
 Teftament of the Architect; becaufe 
 the original Truftee, under whom he 
 derived, happened to be firft in the 
 Lift of Truftees, and mentioned there- 
 in both by Name and Surname : With 
 the fame Principles with which he had 
 ufurped, he alfo abufed this Power. He 
 took the Keys of the Temple into 
 bis own Hand, and would let no body 
 in, either to view the Building, or to 
 adore the Deity td whom it was dedi- 
 cated, without paying a very conlider- 
 able Tax to him, of which he put the 
 greater Part in his own Pockets, diftri- 
 
 buting
 
 bating the reft among the other Tru* 
 flees, who, by that means, and others 
 as difhoneft and flavifh, were kept obe- 
 dient to him. This was directly againfl 
 the Intention of the Architect, who had 
 wrote over the Entrance of the great 
 Gate thefe Words: Let this Gate 
 jland open to all People. By which- 
 plain People thought a free Entrance 
 was ordered for all: But he infifted,. 
 that the Architect had given him the 
 fble Right of interpreting that Sentence,, 
 and judging of the Plan j to this Right 
 he pleaded common Senfe, and Reafon, 
 and Grammar ought to fubmit. He 
 interpreted the Sentence thus: Let this 
 Gate Jland open to all, who pay for 
 Entrance-, the laft Words he faid were 
 omitted for Brevity's fake; and fwore 
 a terrible Oath, that he would never 
 let any Mortal in, who queftioned his 
 Authority. However, being confcious 
 to himfelf that this Interpretation was 
 ftrained, he covered the Sentence with 
 a, brazen Plate ^ fo People even gave 
 
 him.
 
 him his Demand ( for what other could 
 they do?) thinking it better to pay, 
 than be kept out. In Procefs of Time 
 Mankind, who are always upon the 
 Change, degenerated into a vitiated and 
 barbarous Tafte; nothing, that was not 
 extravagant and monftrous, could pleafe. 
 In Architecture particularly, the wild 
 and the vafl, the odd and the whimfi- 
 fical alone were held in Admiration. 
 The Uftirper, in Compliance with the 
 Age ( for he that would fill his Pockets, 
 ought to ferve the Times) covered the 
 Walls both without and within, with 
 a thoufand finical and gothick Orna- 
 ments, that were fo well fitted to the 
 ill Tafte of the Times, that they drew 
 an infinite Rabble of Gapers to the 
 Temple, who, coming out of mere 
 Curiofity, and with little or no Tafte 
 in Architecture, did greatly encreafe 
 his Tax. He cut large Niches in the 
 Walls, in which he placed Images, 
 many of them of a very mean kind 
 of Workmanfhipj and yet they were 
 
 worshipped
 
 worfhipped by moft that came in, and 
 admired by all. The Niches were fo 
 frequent, and fo near the Foundation, 
 that they could not but greatly impair 
 the Strength of the Building : He dug 
 a huge Vault under it, by which alfo 
 the Foundations were much weakened ; 
 there he flung the Carcafes of thofe 
 dead Perfons, whofe Friends paid him 
 for the Liberty of entering there, out 
 of a fond Notion, that they would never 
 rot in that Place. 
 
 ALTHO' it was eafy to perceive the 
 Abfurdity of this Conceit, by the noi- 
 fome Stench that iflued from that Pit 
 of Rottenefs, and had the moft un- 
 wholefome Effedls on all who came in- 
 to the Temple; yet the Practice (fuch 
 is the Credulity of thofe who have 
 given up their Reafon) went on. He 
 glazed the Windows with a kind of 
 painted Glafs, thro' which a dim and 
 livid Light entered the Temple, and 
 brought with it a great Variety of odd 
 
 and
 
 and fuperftitious Figures, that feemed 
 to place themfelves in the Windows for 
 no other Purpofe, but to intercept the 
 Rays of the Sun. This, which at Noon 
 was no better than a Twi-light, was 
 reduced to abfolute Darknefs by the 
 Smut, which the Smoak of Tapers, 
 that were burnt there Day and Night, 
 had left upon the Walls and the Ceil- 
 ing. Two Ends very advantageous to 
 the Ufurper were anfwered by this ar- 
 tificial Obfcurity, Firft, the idle and 
 ridiculous Ornaments he had added be- 
 ing ieen by Candle-light, were in lefs 
 danger of having their Deformity or 
 counterfeit Beauty difcovered j again, 
 the Temple being dark of itfelf, it was 
 neceflary that he mould furnifh Lights 
 to thofe who went in, and as neceflary 
 that they mould pay him roundly for 
 his Service. 
 
 THE upright and firm Pillars of the 
 Doric k and Ionic k Order, which fup- 
 ported the Work above with a natural 
 Air of Grandeur and Strength, he cut 
 
 into
 
 ( III ) 
 
 into feeble Tortilles, enameled their 
 Surfaces with a thoufand barbarous and 
 crawling Figures, and loaded their Ca- 
 pitals with fuch extravagant Foliages, 
 as were a fufficient Weight for the Shaft, 
 had there been nothing elfe. 
 
 AT length he added to it another 
 Building, or rather an Heap of almoft 
 an equal Size with itfelf, but on a quite 
 different Plan ; by which means the 
 Uniformity of the Figure was intirely 
 taken away. This new Erection had 
 falfe Windows on the Out-fide that 
 were glazed, as if intended for the Re- 
 ception of Light, but the Wall was 
 continued at thofe Places on the Infide, 
 fo that the Light was intirely (hut out. 
 It was fo crouded every where with 
 little quaint Images, and Pictures, and 
 grotefque Figures, flarting out from 
 the Walls, that it feemed a Burlefque 
 on the old Temple. He was continually 
 adding feme new Device, which 
 brought Gazers to it, and Money into 
 his Pocket. The Front of the old 
 3 Temple
 
 ( I" ) 
 
 Temple was fliut up, and thofe, who 
 wanted to fee either, were introduced 
 by that of the new, which flood the 
 direct contrary Way, and fo were con- 
 ducted thro' a private dark PafTage, by 
 which means it was pretty difficult to 
 know, when one was in the ancient 
 and when in the modern Structure. 
 His Reafon for this incoherent Situation 
 was, to make his own Edifice feem 
 more magnificent, than that of the an- 
 cient Architect; for as you approached 
 them in this Manner, you had the 
 Front of his Pile, and only the Back 
 of the old Temple in View at once; 
 which he imagined could not but fet 
 off his Erection in the moft advantage- 
 ous Light ; but good Judges fay it hap- 
 pened quite otherwife, and that the 
 worft View of the one, was incompa- 
 rably finer than the moft elaborate Prof- 
 pect of the other. -The Mi flakes in this 
 latter Addition were fo grofs and fo nu- 
 merous, that many, even in thofe 
 Times, perceived it was no great Mi- 
 racle
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 racle of Art, and were fo free as to call 
 
 it a new-fangled and modern Perfor- 
 mance. To this, the Ufurper, with 
 his Fellow Truftees had the AfTurance 
 to anfwer, that it was no new nor late 
 Erection, but of the fame Antiquity 
 with what they called the old Temple, 
 and built by the fame Architect ; who, 
 if you would believe them, told their 
 Corporation fo, and left them a verbal 
 Licence to make what Additions or 
 Alterations they (hould think proper ; 
 but for this they had no authentick Re- 
 cord to (hew. It was eafy to fee the 
 Falmood of all their Afiertions on that 
 Subject, by a bare View of this latter 
 Edifice, in which there were an hun- 
 dred Extravagancies altogether un- 
 known to the Age in which the old 
 Temple was built. However, to make 
 what they maintained the more pro- 
 bable, the Ufurper pofitively aflerted 
 in the Teeth of common Senfe, and 
 againft the Teilimony of every ones 
 Eyes, that the whole Pile, as they 
 L then
 
 then faw It, was raifed together, that 
 It was impoffible for either to (land 
 without the other, and that if it were 
 not fo, there ought to have been an. 
 Entrance to that Part which they 
 called the Old Temple ; whereas you 
 may obferve, faid be, that you are all 
 obliged to enter by the Gate of that 
 Structure which you call an Addition, 
 and fo to pafs on thro' the whole Build- 
 ing. Some of them told him, that it 
 was. plain enough to any one's Eyes, 
 $h,af there was an Entrance in the Front 
 $f the Old Temple, and at the fame 
 Time pointed to the Gate. To this 
 he anfwered, that what they miftook 
 for an Entrance was quite another 
 Thing ; that if they underftood Archi- 
 tecture, they would be of his Mind: 
 that as they were ignorant of that Art, 
 they ought to give him Leave to judge 
 for them ; and modeftly fubrnit their 
 Senfes and Reafon to his Skill; and 
 that they were not to fuppofe any Ana- 
 logy between a Temple and a dwelling 
 
 Houfe..
 
 f "5 J 
 
 Houfe. Upon this they defired to fee 
 
 a Plan ; but he told them that was 
 only permitted by the Architect to the 
 Board of Truftees. We hope then, 
 faid they, we may fee his Will at leaft. 
 No, replied he, I am fole Executor, 
 and (hall fee it fulfilled. You have 
 nothing to do with thele Matters, but 
 are a Parcel of Blockheads and impu- 
 dent Puppies. You do not underhand 
 Architecture, and therefore can make 
 nothing of the Plan. You are igno- 
 rant of the Language, in which the 
 Will was wrote, and therefore can 
 make as little of that, Tho' there was 
 fcarce any Thing in which the old and 
 new Structure agreed, altho' the Front 
 of each was turned a different Way, al- 
 tho' their very Clocks pointed the Time, 
 and their Weathercocks the Wind dif- 
 ferently, yet the People thro' Ignorance 
 or Fear, fuffered themfelves to be over- 
 ruled, and were fatisfied to {hut their 
 own, and be directed by his Eyes- 
 
 L z HAYING.
 
 ( "6 ) 
 
 HAVING thus quieted the People, 
 he governed all Things by his own Will 
 for a long Time, and many a fair Pen- 
 ny he made by keeping the Keys. As 
 for the other Truftees, they turned 
 Empiricks and Quacks, and pretend- 
 ing that the Bones, or Teeth, or Hair 
 of fuch as had died in the Defence of 
 the Temple, when it was befieged, 
 could cure all Difeafes, they fold them 
 publickly in the Temple -, and when 
 they were exhaufted, brought more 
 from the Magazine of Rottennefs in 
 the Vault. By this means the Temple 
 was converted into a kind of Shop, or 
 Exchange, in which all Manner of Arts 
 were ufed that .Knaves are wont to 
 praclife on Fools. 
 
 BUT, at laft, fome difpleafed with 
 his intolerable Avarice and Pride, to 
 which he fet no Bounds, and the Pro- 
 ftitution of fo facred a Building to Mer- 
 chandize and Gain, broke into the old 
 Temple, by the Entrance that had 
 been fo long fhut up j which they had 
 
 the
 
 ( "7 ) 
 
 the better Right to do, that the greater 
 Number of them were Truftees. The 
 firfl Thing they did was to fearch for 
 the original Plan, which they found 
 wrapt in an old worm-eaten Covering, 
 and thrown into a dark Corner. Ha- 
 ving opened it, they immediately fet 
 themfelves to 'make fuch Alterations, 
 as might reduce the Building to its an- 
 tient Plainnefs, They prun'd the Walls 
 of all the unnatural Ornaments with 
 which their Beauty had been conceal- 
 ed, and their Regularity defaced. They 
 brumed off the Cobwebs, and the 
 Smut. They demolished the Images, 
 and filled up the Niches with the fame 
 Materials that had been taken out of 
 them before. In order to forward and 
 direct their Work, they broke down 
 the painted Glafs, that darkened the 
 Windows j and put the moil tranfpa- 
 rent Glafs they could get in the Room 
 on't. 
 
 Two- Things put a Stop to this 
 
 Work, which, at firft, went on very 
 
 I brifkly.
 
 ( II* ) 
 
 brifkly. The Ufurper, with thofe of 
 his Party, which was by far the moft 
 numerous, fet upon them while they 
 were thus employed, and killing a great 
 many of them on the Spot, drove the 
 reft into one End of the Temple, 
 where, by the Afliftance of others, 
 who came in to their Relief, they found 
 means to barricade and fortify them- 
 felves. Thefe Fortifications made an 
 ill Figure in the Temple, but there 
 was no Help for it. The Ufurper did 
 not think it fufficient to put a Stop to 
 the Reftoration of antient Architecture 
 by Force, but he ufed a thoufand Slights 
 and Stratagems to miflead and embroil 
 the Reftorers, the chief of which was 
 this: He fent many of his own Gang, 
 to take on them the Appearance of Re^ 
 ftorers, who, having artfully infinu- 
 ated themfelves into their Efteem and 
 Affection, put on the Shew of more 
 than ordinary Zeal, finding fault with 
 the Cowardice and Coldnefs of thofe 
 who had begun the Work ; and pul- 
 ling
 
 f 119 ) 
 
 ling all down before them, without 
 DiftincYion of good or bad, ancient or 
 modern. Numbers of well -meaning,, 
 fimple People were carried away with 
 this Appearance, and fet themfelves to 
 demolifii with the fame Ignorance and 
 the fame Fury. Away went the facred 
 Furniture of the Temple, pilfered by 
 iacrilegious Hands! Down went every 
 thing that was ornamental, though it 
 was never fo ufeful ! The Windows 
 were ftript of their tranfparent Glafs 
 by pretended Haters of painted Glafs, 
 and pretended Lovers of Light ; by 
 which means the infide of the Tem- 
 ple was expofed to the Weather; and 
 the wild Devaftation they had made, 
 lay open to the Eyes and Scoffs of their 
 Enemies. Thefe barbarous and Got hick 
 Ruiners were not a little affifted in their 
 impious Pranks by Crouds of Thieves 
 and Robbers, who, under Pretence of 
 reforming Abufes in Architecture, broke 
 into the Temple, and made Plunder of 
 all they laid their Hands on. In vain 
 
 did
 
 ( 120 ) 
 
 did the fober and honeft, who confult- 
 ed the Plan and the Will of the Archi- 
 tect in all they did, labour to hinder 
 thefe Abufes. But the Ufurper did 
 not inveigh againft this Havock and 
 thefe Bickerings, which he himfelf had 
 been fecretly the Author of, in vain. 
 He found it no difficult Matter to in- 
 fufe a flrong Prejudice into People's 
 Minds, againft fuch impious and out- 
 rageous Practices, having, by his clan- 
 deftine EmifTaries, firft rendered them 
 fuch, for that very Purpofe. The Con- 
 fequence of this was, that People ge- 
 nerally thought it fafer to continue in 
 that Party, and join themfelves to thofe 
 who had added to, and corrupted the 
 Temple, than to afTociate with fuch as 
 feemed in a fair Way to pull it down 
 upon their own Heads, not confidering 
 that the Firmnefs of the Work made 
 this impoffible. 
 
 IN this Condition ftands the nobleft 
 Edifice fn the World -, diftorted in its 
 Figure, by a rude and Got hick Addi- 
 tion;
 
 tion; difgraced, by idle and fantaftick 
 Ornaments ; and fpoiled of its antient 
 Glories, by pretended or ignorant Re- 
 formers : So unhappily are its Beauty, 
 its Majefty, and Grandeur impaired ; 
 that many prefer the Temples of China, 
 or the Mofques of Turkey, to it; and 
 fome had rather worfhip in the open Air. 
 
 ALLUSION 
 
 The Ninth. 
 
 FOR many Ages, the Good of 
 Mankind had excited fome -, and 
 Curiofity and Avarice, Numbers, to 
 fearch for an univerfal Remedy, that 
 might cure all Diftempers incident to 
 the human Species. To this they were 
 encouraged by an old Opinion handed 
 down, from Time immemorial, and 
 generally fpread among the People, 
 M that
 
 ( 122 ) 
 
 that there was really fuch a Thing in 
 Nature, though very hard to be found 
 out. Phyiick was narrowly fearched, 
 Philofophy was fiddly examined, and 
 even Magick fuperftitioufly confulred; 
 but all to no Purpofe, the fugitive Mi- 
 racle eluded all their Enquiries. Some 
 were fo weak as to think, and others 
 fo difingenuous as to pretend they had 
 difcovered it 5 but a little Time and 
 Experience fully demonftrated the 
 Falfhood of the one, and the Folly of 
 the other. Some were of Opinion, 
 that there was no fuch Thing, but they 
 were miftaken ; for, in the Garden of 
 TJranion, a wife and mighty Prince, 
 grew a Tree of excellent Beauty, and 
 wonderful Size, whofe Fruit, with 
 which it was continually loaded, were 
 a prefent Remedy againft all Kinds of 
 Maladies. The Subjects of this Prince 
 had once the Privilege of walking and 
 diverting themfelves in his Gardens^ 
 the Air of which, whether it was owe- 
 ing to the admirable Qualities of cer- 
 tain
 
 ( 12 3 ) 
 
 tain Simples, particularly this Tree, or 
 to ibme peculiar Influence of the Hea- 
 vens, was of fuch a benign Nature, 
 that it was impoffible to feel any Ail- 
 ment of Body, or Grievance of Mind, 
 from the Time one entered the Gate, 
 till one went out again. But fo foolifh 
 and ungrateful were the People, that 
 they abufed the Bounty of their Prince, 
 ftealing his Fruit, and breaking dowft 
 his Trees, in fuch a rude and unfightly 
 manner, that he was obliged to {hut 
 them out of it, and place a flrong Por- 
 ter to defend the Door. However, as 
 Uranion was the moft gracious and mer- 
 ciful of all Princes, he pitied the un- 
 happy Condition of his Subjects, who 
 laboured under a thoufand Diforders, 
 without any Remedy j and died fo faft, 
 that feveral Parts of his once fair and 
 populous Dominions were left deflitute 
 of Inhabitants. 
 
 WHILE he was reflecting, with great 
 Compaffion, on the Miferies of his Peo- 
 ple, and confidering how he might bed 
 M 2 affift
 
 ( 124 ) 
 
 afiift them, without debafing the Ma- 
 jefty of his Perfon and Laws ; his Son, 
 who had all his Father's Goodnefs in 
 him, and was, moreover, related to 
 the People, by his Mother, generoufly 
 offered to quit, for a Time, the Glories 
 and Delights of the Royal Palace, with 
 the fined Gardens in the Univerfe, and 
 expofe himfelf to the contagious Air, 
 and all the Miferies that afflicted the 
 unhappy People, in order to make them 
 fenfible of their Ingratitude, and reduce 
 them to a more reverend and obedient 
 Difpofition. 
 
 Go then, faid the good Uranion ; 
 and as many as will follow your Rules, 
 and live in Sobriety and Temperance, 
 without which, you know, the uni- 
 verfal Remedy is of no Effect, mail, 
 on your Interceffion, and Recommen- 
 dation, receive a Portion of that Fruit 
 that cures all Diftempers. 
 
 CHARGED with this gracious Com- 
 miflion the young Prince left the Pa- 
 lace, and living among the loweft and 
 
 moil
 
 ( 
 
 rhoft miferable of the People, laboured 
 to recommend Submiffion and Obedi- 
 ence to them, declaring the glad Tid- 
 ings he had from his Father, propofing 
 the infallible Remedy to them, and 
 teaching them how to live, in order to 
 profit by it. Some liftened and obey- 
 ed ; others, wedded to their old Me- 
 thods of Cure, rejected the Tender of 
 his. The Pretenders to Phyfick, who 
 made a Livelihood by their imperfect 
 Skill ; or the Impoftures, with which 
 they abufed the People, fearing the 
 Ruin of their Craft, and envying the 
 wonderful Cures he performed, en- 
 deavoured to perfuade the People, 
 that his Fruit would poifon them; 
 but when this did not take Effect, they 
 perfecuted him with the greatefl Cruel- 
 ty, driving him from Place to Place, 
 blackening his Character, and at length 
 feizing on his Perfon, and putting him 
 to Death, in the moft '. ignominious 
 Manner, and with the fharpefl Tor- 
 tures they could invent. 
 
 M THE
 
 ( 126 ) 
 
 - THE young Prince, forefeeing that 
 this would be the Cafe, had chofen 
 out, fome Time before his Death, cer- 
 tain trufty Perfons, whom he veiled 
 with a Power, to teach in his Name, 
 and diftribute the univerfal Remedy, 
 to as many as were difpofed to receive 
 it. To thefe he confirmed their Com- 
 miflion, after his Father had raifed him 
 up to Life again, and procured them, 
 iiich a continual Supply of the healing 
 Fruit, as was necefTary to the Profe- 
 cution of the happy Work they had in 
 Hand. Thofe who had confpired the 
 Death of his Son, the jufl Uranion dif- 
 perfed and deftroyed, in a Manner fu it- 
 able to his abfolute Power, and their mon- 
 ftrous Crime. After this, Uranion right- 
 ly judging, that it was beneath him to 
 interfere perfonally with fo ungrateful 
 and fo degenerate a People, constituted 
 his Son fole Minifter, devolving on him 
 the Power of tranfadting all Affairs 
 whatfoever, throughout his Dominions. 
 All Application was to be made, either 
 
 to
 
 ( I2 7 ) 
 
 to him, or, thro' his Recommendation 
 and Affiftance. No Petition was to 
 be preferred, whether it were for the 
 univerfal Remedy, or any other Grant 
 or Favour, but fuch as the Prince mould 
 authorize and forward by his Seal. 
 
 THE Perfons, to whom the Prince 
 committed the Work of reclaiming 
 the People, and difpenfing the univer- 
 fal Remedy, acquitted themfelves of 
 that Duty with great Integrity for a 
 long Time, during which the Kingdom 
 vifibly recovered, both as to the Num- 
 ber and Health of the Subjects : But, 
 at length, many covetous and ambitious 
 Perfons, getting in among them, began 
 to make Merchandize of the falutiferous 
 Fruit. One of the moft confiderable, 
 who dwelt in. a Town very com- 
 modioufly lituated for Trade, creeled 
 a Monopoly of this kind of Traffick, 
 and claimed, for himfelf and Company, 
 the fole Right of vending the univerfai 
 Remedy. Not fatisfied with this in- 
 tolerable
 
 tolerable Piece of Impudence, they 
 fqueezed th& Juice out of the Fruit, 
 alledging, that it was not intended 
 for common Ufe, and that the People 
 muflbe fatisfied with the Rind ; which, 
 to make it go down the better, they 
 fteeped in a compound Kind of Pickle, 
 that gave it quite another Tafte, 
 and fuch a one, as none but a very 
 depraved Palate could relifli. The 
 Fruit thus drained of its own fimple 
 and wholefome Juice, thus bloated 
 and adulterated with many Ingredients 
 of evil or oppofite Qualities, poifoned 
 the Blood of thofe who took it, and 
 brought Sicknefs and Death, inftead 
 of Health. 
 
 To this ill Effect, the carelefs Man- 
 ner, in which it was adminiftred, con- 
 tributed greatly ; for thefe mercenary 
 Managers, contrary to the Directions 
 of the young Prince, who had ordered 
 it to be difpenfed gratis, and taken by 
 the Temperate only, at their extreme 
 
 Peril,
 
 Peril, both fold it, and with ft a 
 Licence, to take it even in the Midft 
 of a Debauch; fo that, notwithftand- 
 ing this Precaution, they both took it 
 themfelves, becaufe it was of a very 
 agreeable Flavour, and gave it to the 
 People, becaufe it fold at double Value, 
 where the Licence was tacked to it 
 without obferving the neceflary Rules j 
 by which Means, they and the People 
 were infected with innumerable Difor- 
 ders, many of which were never heard 
 of before, and proved all mortal in the 
 End. By this Means, they reduced 
 the Nation to a worfe State of Health, 
 than it had laboured under, before the 
 Ufe of the univerfal Remedy; and not 
 only that, but rendered them alfo- 
 more Regardlefs of the Honour and 
 Obedience they owed their Sovereign. 
 This latter they brought about, by pre- 
 tending, that the Fruit was of no Ufe, 
 except they cooked and prepared it ; 
 by affecting to receive and prefer thofe 
 Petitions for it, which ought to have 
 
 been
 
 been preferred to Uranion, by his Son 
 only, and by perfuading the People, 
 that the King would receive no Peti- 
 tions, but fuch as were penned in a 
 myfterious Jargon of their own, in 
 order that they might make a Penny, 
 by drawing them with their own Hands. 
 By thefe Means, they held the People 
 in fuch a Slavery to themfelves, that 
 they forgot their true and real Depen- 
 dance, on the Bounty of their King, 
 and the Interceffion of his Son. Some 
 of them turned Publick-Notaries, and 
 earned unrighteous Bread, by ingroffing 
 thefe Petitions, which rendered them, 
 and the poor Petitioners, odious to 
 U rani on. Others, commenced Cooks, 
 and made Money, by dreffing out the 
 univerfal Medicine, fo, as to make it 
 pleafe the vitiated Tafte, and fit eafy 
 on the fqueamim Stomach of fuch, as 
 could reward them handfomely for their 
 Pains. Others again went about from 
 Place to Place, creeling Stages in the 
 Country-Towns, on which they fet 
 
 the
 
 the Royal Bounty to Sale. Thefe im- 
 pudent Empi ricks and Quacks allured 
 the People, that the Medicine which 
 they had to fell, as they had managed 
 it, could infalliby cure all Diftempers, 
 without the Trouble and Confinement 
 of a Regimen ; by which Artifice, 
 they drew in the Generality of the 
 People, to exchange their Sterling for 
 fuch counterfeit or fophiflicated Stuff> 
 as ruined their Health, and mortened 
 their Days, inflead of refloring to them 
 found Conftitutions, and fecuring their 
 Lives. They fold their pretended Re- 
 medies at Random, among the poorer 
 Sort j but undertook the Conftitutions 
 of the Rich, like the Repair of Build- 
 ings, for a certain Salary by the Year. 
 Uranion faw thefe Abufes, with all 
 the Concern and Indignation, that a 
 gracious and juft King can feel, upon 
 feeing his Subjeds puflied on to all 
 Manner of Wickednefs, and even Re* 
 bellion, and with their Eyes opened to 
 apparent Definition, by thofe whom 
 
 he
 
 C 13* ) 
 
 lie had appointed to preferve them in 
 their Duty, and their Health. To 
 appear in Perfon, and make Ufe of the 
 Royal Authority, to put a Stop to thefe 
 monftrous Practices and Corruptions, 
 had been fuch a reverfing of his former, 
 wife and righteous Methods, as was 
 beneath him to ftoop to. To withdraw 
 the Fruit, and difcontinue the Supplies 
 ftipulated for between his Son and 
 the People, was dishonouring the young 
 Prince, and infringing the Covenant 
 made thro' him. To fend the Prince 
 again amongfl thofe, who had treated 
 him fo ungratefully and barbaroufly 
 already, and who were as likely now 
 as formerly, to be guilty of the fame 
 Cruelty (for the Modern Quacks were 
 greater Gainers by their Impoftore, than 
 the former, and every whit as covetous 
 and malicious) feemed fuch an Abufe 
 of Goodnefs, in Favour of Wretches 
 fb altogether unworthy, that he did 
 not entertain the leaft Thoughts of it. 
 The Prince, who always endeavoured 
 
 to
 
 ( J 33 ) 
 
 to make as favourable a Reprefentation 
 of the People as he could, interceded 
 with his Father, to let Matters ftand 
 as they were; alledging, that no better 
 Method could be thought of, than 
 that which the Managers had fo grofsly 
 perverted; that there were ftill fome, 
 who not only diftributed the Fruit pure 
 and without a Price, but alfo protefted 
 againft the impudent Traffick, which 
 their Brethren made of it; that the 
 Impofture was too grofs, and its ill 
 Effects too grievous and too fenfible, 
 to be long patiently endured, and that 
 the People, having their Senfes ftill 
 open, would at length take the Courage 
 to hear with their Ears, and fee with 
 their Eyes, the miferable Havock that 
 was made among them. Uranion, in- 
 finitely patient, and averfe to precipitate 
 Refolutions, yielded to the Importu- 
 nities and Interceffion of his Son : But 
 the Quacks, fearing left the People 
 mould one Day fee through an Impo- 
 fture, that at once picked their Pockets, 
 
 ruined
 
 ( 134) 
 
 mined their Constitutions, and fvvept 
 them out of the World, fet themfelves 
 to contrive how they might moft effe- 
 ctually prevent their ever ufing their 
 Senfes. To accomplifh this they took 
 feveral Ways, one was to tincture the 
 Pickle, in which the Fruit was fleeped 
 for vulgar Ufe, in a certain Opiate that 
 occafioned Madnefs. The Generality 
 of thofe who fwallowed this, loft all 
 Ufe of their Reafon, and were reduced 
 to a Condition little better than that 
 of Brutes ; after which, as they were 
 not fenfible of any Diforders under 
 which they laboured, fo they made no 
 Complaints : But on others , whofe 
 Brains were ftronger, this Drug had 
 not fo entire an Effect. To thefe the 
 Quacks pretended, that the Univerfal 
 Remedy could work no Cure on them, 
 unlefs they underwent certain chirurgi- 
 cal Operations, that were necefTary to 
 prepare them for the Fruit. As foon 
 as they got Leave to ufe their Lancets, 
 they pierced the Drums of their Ears, 
 
 broke
 
 broke the Coats of their Eyes, cut out 
 their Palates, maimed the olfactory 
 Nerves, and fo mangled the fenfible 
 Parts on the Ends of their Fingers, 
 that they could pafs a Cucumber, or 
 a Pumpkin on them, for the all-healing 
 Fruit. 
 
 I N fhort, fo little Good and fuch a 
 World of Mifchief was done by thefe 
 Empiricks, that many began to think 
 the univerfal Remedy a Cheat, and to 
 doubt, whether there was any fuch 
 thing or not, But the People at length 
 opened their Eyes ; and feveral of thofe, 
 who had been driven to Deftruction, 
 recovering their Underftandings, went 
 about declaiming againft, and detecting 
 the Impofture of the Empiricks ; in- 
 fomuch that many, taking their Con- 
 ftitutions out of their Hands, betook 
 themfelves to Temperance, and the 
 Affiftance of fuch as gave the Fruit 
 gratis ; by which Means they , in a 
 fhort time, recovered their Health, and 
 returned, like good Subjects, to their 
 
 Allegiance.
 
 Allegiance. They petitioned the King 
 in their own Mother Tongue, and had 
 their Submiffion fo warmly recommend- 
 ed by the Prince, that they were imme- 
 diately received into Favour, and fuch 
 plentiful Portions of the univerfal Re- 
 medy were conferred upon them, that 
 they had not only fufficient for their 
 own Ufe j but alfo for as many of their 
 Friends as would confent to return to a 
 like Mind with themfelves. 
 
 ALLUSION 
 
 The Tenth. 
 
 THIS World we live on is a new 
 thing in the Univerfe, and but 
 of late Creation. The Inhabitants of 
 our neighbouring Planets have fcarcely 
 yet got over their Wonder at the ftrange 
 Revolution that happened in our Sy- 
 ftem about fix thoufand Years ago, 
 when there was Room made for this, 
 i by
 
 ('37) 
 
 by the Departure of an old World, 
 that revolved in the fame Orbit which 
 we now defcribe about the Sun. This 
 PredecerTor of our Earth had a Moon 
 or Satellit, of a Magnitude much more 
 confiderable than ours, which, in like 
 Manner , reflected a borrowed and 
 changeable Light upon its Inhabitants. 
 It happened that a Comet of unufual 
 Size came within the Orbit of the old 
 World, and approached fo near it, as 
 to abforb its Moon in her Perigee, or 
 greateft Approximation to the primary- 
 Planet, by which its attractive Force 
 became fo powerful, that it drew in that 
 alfo, being then in its Aphelium^ or 
 greateft Diftance from the Sun, and 
 carried both away with it from the 
 Center of our Syftem, into thofe cold 
 and dark Regions that lie between the 
 Orbit of Saturn and the fixed Stars. 
 There (whether it was that the Attracti- 
 on of the Comet decreafed with its 
 Heat, or from what other Caufe, is not 
 known) they were again difengaged 
 N from
 
 from it, and left fo equally fufpended 
 between the Attractions of the furround- 
 ing Syftems, that they have remained 
 ever fince in the fame Point of the 
 Heavens, fixed and immoveable. The 
 Inhabitants of this old World muft 
 have been of a Nature very different 
 from ours, or they had all perifhed long 
 ago at fueh a Diftance from the Source 
 of Light and Heat, fuppofing it poflible 
 for them to have furvived the fiery Em- 
 braces of the Comet. Many and un- 
 fpeakable were the Miferies that attend- 
 ed this melancholy Situation into which 
 they fell. They endeavoured to relieve 
 themfelves from the Cold by Fires, 
 and from the Darknefs by Tapers made 
 of the moft combuftible kinds of Wood 
 that could be found. Thefe, we may 
 be fure, fupplied the Abfence, and an- 
 fwered the Ends of a Sun, but very im- 
 perfectly. It required fo great and fo 
 continual Labour to prepare and feed 
 them, that few could provide themfelves 
 with them 3 and even to thefe they af- 
 forded
 
 ( '39 ) 
 
 forded fuch a niggardly degree of Heat 
 and Light, with fuch glimmering and 
 contracted Views of things, that, had 
 there not been an abfolute Neceffity for 
 fome fuch Expedient, they had been in- 
 tirely laid afide. 
 
 AFTER feveral Ages fpent in this 
 uncomfortable State of Cold and Dark- 
 nefs, there arofe one, who, from the 
 extraordinary degree of Wifdom and 
 Power with which he was endued, 
 feemed to be fent by the Author of 
 Nature, for the Relief of the Pyran- 
 drlam ( for fo are the Inhabitants of the 
 old World called from their bearing 
 Torches) and to remedy, as much as 
 the Nature of things would admit of, 
 the Miferies of living at fuch an im- 
 menfe Diftance from any Sun. This 
 extraordinary Perfon, who was wonder- 
 fully Ikilled in the Secrets of Nature, 
 took a great deal of Pains to teach them 
 the Art of making a kind of portable 
 Lamps, which infpired thofe who bore 
 them with a kindly and agreeable 
 N 2 Warmth,
 
 Warmth, and diffufed fuch a plentiful 
 Light about them, that they could fee 
 clearly all round, and particularly if 
 they held them right, to a prodigious 
 Diftance before them. The Pyran- 
 driam exprefled a World of Gratitude 
 to their Benefactor for the admirable 
 and ufeful Invention j they erected 
 Temples to him after his Departure; 
 and wrote the Hiftory of his Life and 
 Tranfactions in Terms full of Refpect, 
 in which they dwelt copioufly on the 
 Rules and Precepts that he gave them, 
 about the Method of making and ma- 
 naging their Lamps. This Book was 
 kept at the publick Expence, with in- 
 finite Care and Exadtnefs ; and that 
 the Art contained in it might be ren- 
 dered univerfally beneficial, Copies of 
 it were taken by as many as defired 
 them, which certain Officers, appoint- 
 ed for that purpofe, took Care to cor- 
 rect faithfully and fcrupuloufly by the 
 Original. There was one thing in the 
 Art of preparing thefe Lamps, which 
 
 made
 
 ( 14* ) 
 
 made it neceffary for the Pyrandrian-s- 
 to erect themfelves into particular So- 
 cieties or Corporations, and have fre- 
 quent Meetings 5 and it was founded 
 on this Obfervaticn in Natural Philo- 
 fophy, that Fire is preferved by the 
 Union, and extinguifhed by the Sepa- 
 ration of that combuftible Matter on 
 which it fubfifts. When therefore a 
 new Lamp was to be lighted up, or 
 one that had been extinguifhed to be 
 rekindled, or fuch as were declining in 
 Warmth or Luftre wanted to be re- 
 newed, the Method was to call an Af- 
 fembly, where every one was to repair 
 with his Lamp trimmed. When they 
 were met, all the Tapers were fet to- 
 gether, and not only the dark one 
 took Fire, but all -the reft were ob- 
 ferved to coalefce and return from thefe 
 Meetings with frem Brightnefs and Vi- 
 gour. 
 
 As the Precepts on which this Art 
 was founded, lay fcattered here and 
 there through the Hiflory of its Au- 
 thor,
 
 ( 142 ) 
 
 thor, it required fome Judgment to put 
 them together ; and the Unfkilful fome- 
 times miftook in preparing their Lamps, 
 fo that while one could not get his 
 Gompofition to take Fire at all, ano- 
 ther had mixed his fo unhappily, that 
 it blew up the whole AfTembly that 
 came together to kindle it. To reme- 
 dy thefe Inconveniencies, and prevent 
 the Contempt into which the Art by 
 this Means might fall, the moft noted 
 for Skill and Succefs in making Lamps 
 and for the extraordinary Brightnefs of 
 their own^ met, and made an AbftracT: 
 of the Rules in which the whole Art 
 was contained. This they publifhed for 
 vulgar Ufej and it was found by the" 
 Experience of many Ages, to be of ex- 
 cellent EfFeft in directing the Judgments 
 of the Pyrandrians, fo various in them- 
 felves to the one great Point intended 
 by the Author > to wit, the making a 
 good Lamp. 
 
 ALTHOUGH the Benefit of thefe 
 Lamps, and the Certainty with which, 
 
 by
 
 ( '43 ) 
 
 by the Help of the Abftract, they vvere- 
 prepared, was too manifeft to be denied ; 
 yet there wanted not thofe, who not 
 only fpoke contemptuoufly of the Au- 
 thor, but endeavoured to oppofe the 
 Progrefs of the Invention. It cannot 
 rationally be fuppofed, that they had 
 any other Motive for fo doing, than the 
 Fear of having their Lives, which, 
 they fay, were none of the beft, ex- 
 pofed by the Light: But, although this 
 was the fole Motive of all who oppof- 
 ed the Art, yet they {hewed their Op- 
 pofition in different Ways; fome o- 
 penly endeavoured to blow out the 
 Lamps, but were mortified to find, 
 that, by fo doing, they only difperfed 
 the Snuff and Ames ; infomuch that 
 they burnt with double Brifknefs and 
 Luftre. Others tried to depreciate 
 them, by making others of their own 
 Invention, which, they pretended, an- 
 fwered the End much better; but the 
 contrary was manifeft ; for they were 
 foon difcovered to be only the old 
 
 wooden
 
 ( H4 ) 
 
 wooden Torches, a little better dried 
 than formerly by the Pleat of the 
 Lamps. 
 
 THERE were a third kind, more 
 artful than the former, who pretended 
 to be true Pyrandrians> and, with a fort 
 of counterfeit Lamps, which, for an 
 Hour or two, burnt extremely like the 
 right ones, entered into their Aflemblies, 
 and there, in a kind of plaufible Ha- 
 rangues, laboured to difluade the Py- 
 randrians from the Ufe of the Abftracl. 
 This they did to make way for the Op- 
 polition they intended againft the Hi- 
 ftory itfelf; but covered their Defign 
 under -the higheft Encomiums on the 
 Excellence of the Lamps, the Wifdom 
 of the Invention, and the Goodnefs of 
 its Author. It is true, at firft they 
 made a new Abftract of their own, 
 which took prodigioufly for fome time j 
 for the Inhabitants of the old Pyran- 
 drian World were, like ours, and all 
 other planetary People, extremely fond 
 of Novelty and Change. But it was 
 
 not
 
 ( '45 ) 
 
 not long 'ere this Abftradt fell into 
 Contempt upon comparing it with the 
 original Hiftory, and finding it widely 
 different from -that, and very defective 
 in Practice. The pretended Pyran- 
 drians^ finding this Artifice detected, 
 with an Aflbrance peculiar to their Seel, 
 fet themfelves to rail at all Abftradts, 
 denying their own, and condemning 
 that, and the old one, as equally fpuri- 
 ous and pernicious. They infifted that, 
 feeing the Invention, as it lay in the 
 ancient Hiftory, was both perfect and 
 intelligible, all Abftracls or Explana- 
 tions muft be either vain or prejudicial ; 
 that, if the Author had thought other- 
 wife, he had furnimed the Pyrandrians 
 with fuch of his own Contrivance, and 
 not left his Art to be mangled, under 
 a Notion of mending it, by Bunglers 
 and Pretenders j and that there was juft 
 Caufe of Fear, left, in procefs of time, 
 the Hiftory fhould be quite laid afide, 
 the Abftradt only ufed, and by that 
 Means the Art, in a long Succeffion of 
 O Ages,
 
 ( '46 ) 
 
 Ages, t>e entirely loft. Although the 
 true Pyrandrians declared, they laid no 
 other Strefs on the Abftraft, but as it 
 was authorized by a ftric"r. Conformity 
 with the Hiftory, as it gave an entire 
 and concife View of the neceftary In- 
 gredients in a good Lamp, and as the 
 Expedient had been found eminently 
 ferviceable in fo entirely removing thofe 
 Inconveniencies mentioned before, that 
 proceeded from a lax, unguarded, and 
 undirected Perufal of the Hiftory, that 
 they were now generally forgot j al- 
 though they referred every one to the 
 Hiftory, and took all poflible Pains to 
 preferve it genuine, and in full Autho- 
 rity ; yet thofe, who oppofed the Ab- 
 ftrac"l, went on, and, with a World of 
 popular Sophiftry and Declamation, 
 purfued this firft neceffary Step to that 
 primitive Darknefs, which their real 
 Principles and fecret Practices required. 
 They ufed fo much Art and Caution, 
 that they, at firft, made many Profelytes 
 to their way of thinking, whom they 
 
 afterwards
 
 ( 147 ) 
 
 afterwards further initiated into their 
 dark Defigns, as they found Means to 
 wean them from the Love of Light, and 
 polTefs them with a Fondnefs for fuch 
 abfurd and abominable Practices as 
 could not bear the Lamp. 
 
 H o w E v E R , notwithstanding the 
 thick Veil under which they concealed 
 their Defigns, the Pyrandrian World 
 was then too plentifully illuminated, 
 for fuch an Impofition to pafs long up- 
 on it. Several things affifled the Dif- 
 covery : Firft, their counterfeit Lamps, 
 with which they had found Admit- 
 tance into the Pyrandrian AfTemblies 
 were found out, and fo fufficiently ex- 
 ploded, that they were obliged to lay 
 them afide. Secondly, they could not 
 be prevailed on to draw together thofe 
 Precepts on which the Art was found- 
 ed ; nor make Lamps even by the Hi- 
 ftory itfelf, left, truly, they fhould im- 
 pofe a particular Senfe on any Part of 
 it, or introduce novel Explications. 
 This gave great Caufe of Sufpicion, that 
 O a they
 
 ( 148 ) 
 
 they were not true Friends to the In- 
 vention. Thirdly, they affected the 
 fame way of Reafoning, and the fame 
 Latitude of Thought with thofe who 
 openly oppofed the Art, and were ever 
 ready to cry them up as Patterns of 
 good Senfe and found Judgment. 
 Fourthly, they appeared to have no 
 Light about them , and when they 
 were queftioned with on that Article, 
 they fhewed a dark Lanthorn in which, 
 they faid, was inclofed a moft glorious 
 Lamp, made by a new Receipt, from 
 whence they vain-glorioufly afTumed , 
 and the Pyrandrians, in Derifion, gave 
 them the Name of Augenei, or New- 
 lights. They could not be prevailed 
 on to open thefe Lanthorns, although 
 they had nothing to fear, but merely 
 the being convicted of Impofture ; for 
 the Pyrandnans ufed no Violence or 
 Perfecution, thinking every one punim- 
 ed himfelf fufficiently, who refufed the 
 Ufe of the Lamps. The bare Ufe of 
 an Abflract, that confeffedly contained 
 
 nothing 
 
 *
 
 ( H9 ) 
 
 nothing different from the Hiftory , 
 feemed to be too flight a Foundation 
 for the Divifions that were broached , 
 and the Debates that were fet on Foot. 
 Since little or no Inconvenience could 
 rationally be feared from thence, it was 
 to be prefumed the Augenei had fome- 
 thing of more Moment at the bottom, 
 and that they were Enemies to the 
 Lamps themfelves. At leafl if this 
 was not the Cafe, fome other Principle 
 or Delign, as detrimental to the Pub- 
 lick Welfare, muft be fuppofed from 
 the Induftry and Art ufed to conceal, 
 not only thofe Lamps they pretended to 
 carry about, but the Secret by which 
 they were made, and the whole Plan 
 of their Defigns. If the Lamps of the 
 Pyrandrians were falfe Lights, or their 
 Inventor a Deceiver, why did not the 
 Augend^ who fet up for more than or- 
 dinary Degrees of Benevolence, open- 
 ly expofe the Impofture? If their own 
 were the only true ones, why did they 
 not produce them, and publifh the Re- 
 O 3 ceipt
 
 ceipt by which they were made ? Why 
 were all things to be managed covert- 
 ly, and in the dark, by one Party, in a 
 Difpute about Light, whilft the other 
 dealt openly in every thing, and taughfc 
 the World what they knew? Why 
 were the Principles of the Augenei ib 
 impenetrable and opake, while thofe- 
 of the Pyrandrians were altogether 
 tranfparent? Was it not a molt pre- 
 pofterous thing while the Augenei rail- 
 ed at the Pyrandrians for the Ufe of 
 an Abftract for which they could not 
 affign natural Reafons, becaufe the Co- 
 operation of the feveral Ingredients was 
 in itfelf myflerious and inexplicable, 
 that they mould make a Secret of what, 
 if you believed their own Words, they 
 could very eafily explain? All thefe, 
 and a thoufand other Queries of the 
 fame kind , are no other Way to be 
 anfwered, but by faying that the Ange- 
 mi flood up in Defence of a pretended 
 Light, in order to eftablifh a real Dark- 
 
 nefs,
 
 nefs, becaufe Darknefs was the only 
 Defence for their Deeds. 
 
 THIS Controverfy is likely never to 
 have an End j becaufe Light and Dark- 
 nefs are incompatible, till one or other 
 Party be deflroyed. 
 
 BUT there is little Room to expe<5l 
 this; lince if, on the one Hand, the 
 real and manifefl Ufe of the Lamps 
 muft always preferve the Art of making 
 them, and the Hiftory in which it is 
 contained; fo the Augend have many 
 Helps to fupport them on the other. 
 In all Controverfies Obfcurity has great- 
 ly the Advantage of Perfpicuity. All 
 the Defigns of the Pyrandriam are no 
 fooner laid, than difcovered and ob- 
 viated, while thofe of the Augend are 
 impenetrable. The Pyrandrians lie o- 
 pen to a thoufand Shots from the dark, 
 expofed by their own Light, while the 
 Augend are invifible, and only to be 
 attacked at random. If there be the 
 leaft Flaw in an Argument that is 
 thoroughly underflood, it is immediate- 
 
 O 4 ly
 
 ( '52 ) 
 
 ly widened to a DifTolution of the 
 whole : or, if there be none, it is eafy 
 feeing where a pretended one may moft 
 artfully and feafibly be fixed. 
 
 BUT, on the other Side, be there 
 never fo many real Defects, Obfcurity 
 can hide them all ; and, as there is no 
 diflinguifhing right from wrong, there 
 is neither Safety nor Certainty in op- 
 pofing any thing. What, faid the Py- 
 randrians, is the Ufe of Light but to be 
 diffufed about us, and to prefent us with 
 a View of the Perfons or Things we 
 are concerned with? The beneficent 
 Inventor of our Lamps forbid us to 
 hide them, but rather to let them mine 
 before all the Pyrandrians , that all 
 might fee and enjoy the Benefit of 
 them, and provide themfelves with 
 Lamps of their own; but thefe Augenei^ 
 either envying us a Share of their new 
 Light, or elfe fearing it mould be found 
 to be no better than Darknefs, conceal 
 both their Art and Lamps; and, by their 
 {tumbling and irregular Motions, give 
 
 fhrewd
 
 ( '53 ) 
 
 fhrewd Signs that they had no Light; 
 and, by their pilfering, and other dark 
 Practices, that they defire none. 
 
 A THOUSAND other Circumstances 
 too tedious here to mention, concurred 
 to confirm this Sufpicion j but at length 
 an Accident happened that put it out 
 of Queftion. One of the Augenei was 
 caught afleep, after a Debauch,, by a 
 Company of the Pyrandriam^ with his 
 Lanthorn lying by him. They carried 
 off both with them, and, in a full Af- 
 fembly of their own People, examined 
 him about the Nature of his new 
 Light : But there was fuch a world of 
 Shuffling and Ambiguity in all his An- 
 fwers, that it was impoffible to make 
 any thing of him, only this, that fuch 
 equivocal and double-dealing plainly 
 argued him an Impoftor ; befides, upon 
 his being firfl roufed, which was ,in 
 the midft of the AfTembly, he was in 
 vaft Confufion to find himfelf furprized, 
 his Eyes could not bear the Brightnefs 
 ef the Lamps, and he demanded his 
 
 Lanthorn
 
 ( i54 J 
 
 Lanthorn with the greateft Marks o? 
 Fear and Anxiety, in both his Voice 
 and Looks. This was all the Helps 
 they had to form his Character , or 
 that of his Companions, from any Ob- 
 fervations they could make on himfelf; 
 for his Impudence foon recovered him 
 from his Surprife, infomuch that he 
 anfwered all their Queflions with an 
 innocent Face and an affured Look- 
 The Pyrandrians, finding it impoffible 
 to draw him out from the intricate Re- 
 cefTes and dark lurking Places, which 
 his manifold Hypocrify and Impudence 
 afforded him, ordered his Lanthorn to 
 be opened, in Hopes of making a full 
 Difcovery from thence : But they fpent 
 a great deal of Time, to no purpofe, in 
 fearching for a Door. After handing it 
 about, and examining it one after an- 
 other, they were obliged to ufe Violence 
 to it. 
 
 UPON breaking it open fuch a pefti- 
 lential Vapour iffued from the Fradure, 
 as made the Lamps, for a Moment or 
 
 two,
 
 ( '55 ) 
 
 two, burn blue, and feized the Heads 
 of all that were prefent with an unac- 
 countable Giddinefs: But, upon its go- 
 ing off immediately, they could obferve 
 no Light in the Lanthorn, nor any 
 room for a Lamp or Candle: for the 
 whole was fluffed with Implements of 
 various kinds, which they drew out 
 and examined one after another. Firft 
 came forth a large Packet, with the 
 Word NEtr-LIGHTwotQ upon it 
 in capital Letters, and round the Word 
 the Figures of the Sun, Moon, Stars, 
 and other luminous Bodies, with Rays,, 
 and large Encomiums interfperfed upoa 
 the Nature and Excellence of Light. 
 Upon breaking this open, it appeared 
 to be only the covering of feveral other. 
 Packets contained within it, and was 
 all painted with Clouds on the infide. 
 The firft of the leffer Packets, had 
 TRUTH wrote on it, and underneath a. 
 naked Woman held a Balance, one 
 Scale of which was immerfed in a 
 Cloud, while the Sun (hone brightly 
 
 on,
 
 ( '56) 
 
 on the other; upon opening this, there 
 was found another with SOPHISTRY 
 wrote upon it, and a Figure with two 
 Faces peeping from behind a Curtain 5 
 and this again being open, was found 
 full of fine Duft , which , by the leaft 
 Breath of the By-flanders , arofe like 
 Smoke, and, for fome Time, fo far 
 prevailed upon the Lamps, as to render 
 what paft almoft invifible. The next 
 Packet that was difplayed, had NATURE 
 wrote upon it, and underneath the Fi- 
 gure or a favage Pyrandrian frifking. 
 on his Hands and Feet, and haftening 
 with Pleafure and Eagernefs in his 
 Countenance, towards an Herd of four- 
 footed Animals , that appeared at a 
 Diftance. Within it was daubed with 
 obfcene and drunken Figures, and rude 
 Battles of naked Pyrandrians, tearing 
 each other with their Teeth. It con- 
 tained another that had PLEASURE wrote 
 on the out-lide, and VICE within, and 
 was filled with Dung. 
 
 THE
 
 THE laft Packet, had LIBERTY wrote 
 upon it, with the Picture of a War- 
 Horfe bounding over a Wall, while 
 his Rider grovelled at fome Diftance be- 
 hind him, with the Saddle, Bridle, 
 and other Furniture lying in Confufion 
 round him. On the Inlide appeared the 
 Figure of an Hydra, whofe hundred 
 Heads, . armed with Fire and Stings, 
 waged furious War with each other, 
 and in the void Spaces among the Heads 
 was wrote, LIBERTINISM and ANARCHY. 
 It contained only a Medley of fmall 
 Books, and warlike Weapons, cut in 
 Wood, that looked like an Arfenal 
 and a Library huddled together. It 
 was obferved, that on one of the 
 Books, thefe Words were carved, DARK- 
 NESS TO BE FELT. Such were the Con- 
 tents of the Packets. The reft of the 
 Lanthorn was filled with Daggers, Poi- 
 fons, Pick-locks, Rope-ladders, and 
 all the various Inftruments, with which 
 Night Enterprizes, and dark Defigns 
 are wont to be carried on. By the 
 
 Anatomy
 
 ( '58 ) 
 
 Anatomy of this Lanthorn, as it was 
 called, it appeared what Kind of Peo- 
 ple the Augenei were, and an Edict 
 was forthwith publifhed by the Pyran- 
 drians, forbiding all Manner of Com- 
 merce of Converfation with them, un- 
 der this Penalty, That whofoever mould 
 trangrefs the Edict, fhould have his 
 Lamp forthwith quenched, and be for 
 ver expelled the Luminous AfTembly, 
 
 ALLUSION 
 
 The Eleventh. 
 
 AMONG the Numbers of weal- 
 thy Romans who in the Julian 
 and Augujlan Ages retired to the ftatcly 
 Villa's they had built in Campania for 
 their Pleafure, there was one, who be- 
 taking himfelf to a Philofophical Life, 
 exchanged all he was worth at Rome 
 
 for 
 I
 
 ( 159) 
 
 for a moderate Parcel of Ground not 
 far from Baia. The Improvements 
 he made on this Spot, which was one 
 of the moft fertile in the World, were 
 rather defigned for Ufe than Ornament, 
 and had fome Refemblance to thofe he 
 made in his Mind, which were alto- 
 gether in order to Virtue. He believed 
 that human Happinefs was to be ob- 
 tained by keeping both the Mind and 
 Body clofe to Nature and Reafon, and 
 that we make ourfelves miferable in 
 Proportion to the fuperfluous Nicety of 
 Houfes, Tables and Drefs, with which 
 we treat our Bodies, and the curious 
 Refinements in Knowledge, to which 
 the more learned accuftom their Minds. 
 He was an Enemy to Luxury of all 
 Kinds, as well that which confifts in 
 fuperfluous Learning, as unnecefiary 
 Riches. It was for this Reafon that he 
 laid it down to himfelf as a Law never 
 to be difpenfed with, that he and his 
 Family fliould by their Induftry in the 
 Summer provide only what was necef- 
 
 fary
 
 fary during the enfuing Year, with 
 fome little Overplus in Cafe of Acci- 
 dents or Difappointments in the next 
 fucceeding Crop. By this Means being 
 kept always bufy, he avoided all the 
 Mifchiefs that are incident to an idle 
 Life, together with the Perplexities 
 and Errors that naturally arife from 
 Study and Speculation. This Method, 
 however fingular it may feem, gave 
 him Health and Contentment, and 
 thofe a long Life. But finding at laft 
 that he muft yield to the common Lot 
 of all Men, he called his two Sons 
 Syngenes and T'ycherus to him, and fpoke 
 to them in the following Manner. 
 
 My Sons, hear the laft Commands of 
 your dying Father, and remember them 
 as an hereditary Secret, from whence 
 you may draw Health of Body, Peace 
 of Mind, and Length of Days, as I 
 have done. As I perceive all Things 
 in this great Body of the Roman Em- 
 pire degenerating apace, and tending 
 headlong to that State of Luxury and 
 
 Corruption
 
 Corruption that never fails to ruin the 
 Happinefs of Individuals, as well as 
 the Strength of Common- wealths, fo 
 I have lived myfelf, and out of my 
 tender Regard to my dear Children, 
 would have you live by other Maxims 
 than thofe of your contemporary Ro- 
 mans. I have left my Eftate fo equally 
 divided between you, that one will 
 have no Reafon to envy the other, ei- 
 ther for the greater Quantity or Ferti- 
 lity of his Portion. Each with proper 
 Induftry will have enough to fupport a 
 numerous Family in Plenty. Beware 
 therefore of ever endeavouring to en- 
 large your Patrimonies, for that may 
 be attended with Injuftice and Violence,, 
 and it would be Folly to expofe your- 
 felves to Temptations, lince I have left 
 you a Competency. I have designedly 
 made you Polleffors only of what is 
 fufficient, altho' I might have amafTed 
 a much ampler Fortune, that your 
 Suftenance may depend upon Induftry r 
 the Mother of Virtue and Happinefs. 
 P Since
 
 Since you have only enough, take Care 
 therefore to k^ep it entire. With my 
 Will I leave you a written Summary 
 of my Oeconomy, in which you will 
 find the beft Rules that can pofilbly be 
 kid down for the Cultivation of this 
 particular Piece of Ground. If you 
 bferve them carefully, you {hall a- 
 kound, and be happy ; if you neglect 
 them, you fliall be poor and miferable. 
 Remember what a long and happy Life 
 they have given me ; and obferve how 
 wretched and fhort lived the reft of Man- 
 kind are generally rendered, by following 
 Maxims of a contrary Nature. 
 
 SOON after the deceafe of their Fa- 
 ther, Syngenes and 'Tycberus took Pof- 
 feffion of their feveral Eftates. While 
 lycberus, full of his Father's Example, 
 and directed by his Rules of Agricul- 
 ture, gave the necefTary Application to 
 the Provifion of Food for his Family j 
 he obferved that his Brother Syngenes 
 fuffered his Land to lye wholly untilled. 
 Their Conduct was as different, as if 
 
 they
 
 they had not been educated in the fame 
 Family, or, as if their Father had 
 brought them up in, and bequeathed 
 to them at his Death, the Obfervation 
 of quite contrary Maxims. Tycherus 
 was always employed either in repair- 
 ing his Houfe, or cultivating his 
 Grounds ; and was never feen abroad 
 in the Fields, without an Hatchet, a 
 Rake, a Scickle, or fome other Inftru- 
 ment of Huibandry j whereas, Synge- 
 nes feldom ftirred Abroad -, and when 
 he did, was obferved to faunter about 
 with his Arms ftuck idly in his Bofom, 
 or with a crooked Stick in his Hand, 
 gathering the wild Fruit that this 
 Hedge or that Coppice afforded. They 
 happened to meet one Day, and Tyche- 
 rus afked his Brother, why he did not 
 plough his Ground, nor repair his Fen- 
 ces, as his Father had done before him ? 
 putting him in Mind that the Seafon 
 was pretty far advanced, and that 
 Seed Time would foon be over; and, I 
 care not, faid Syngenes> if Harvefl were 
 P 2 at
 
 at hand, I fhould then gather in my 
 Crop. 
 
 TTCHERUS. I am afraid you will 
 find it a very fcanty one, unlefs you 
 plow and fow for it. 
 
 STNGENES. It is Prejudice of 
 Education that makes you think fo. 
 
 frCHERUS. And pray what is it 
 makes you think that you can pofTibly 
 reap without fowing ? I am fure our 
 Father, who was the beft Farmer in 
 the Neighbourhood, did not think as 
 you do. 
 
 SrNGENES. But I am no more 
 tied down to his Way of Thinking, 
 now that I am at Liberty to act for my- 
 felf, than fye was to that of his Father, 
 who fpent his Life under Arms. 
 
 TTCHERUS. I don't fay you are, 
 any farther than his Maxims and Ex- 
 ample appear expedient and beneficial 
 to yourfelf. But I imagine you will 
 find his Way of cultivating and fowing 
 his Grounds, as neceflary as Eating and 
 Drinking, and wearing of Cloaths. 
 
 STNGENES.
 
 ( 165 ) 
 
 STNGENES. Perhaps not. 1 
 think fome of my Father's Principles 
 very right, and others as wrong } and of 
 thofe again that are right, fome may 
 do very well for one Man's Purpofe-, 
 that would ruin another. This firil 
 Maxim indeed, that we mould follow 
 Nature and Reafon in order to be happy, 
 I greatly approve of ; as for the reft, they 
 feem to be either foreign or falfe. 
 
 TTCHERUS. Falfe! Pray give an 
 Inftance. 
 
 STNGENES. Why, can any 
 Thing be more abfurd than to fuppofCj 
 as he he did, that Labour is neceflary to 
 Happinefs, and Pains-taking to the En- 
 joyment of Pleafure ; by which he 
 makes a Drudge and a Slave of Man, 
 who is the Lord of the Creation. Our 
 Vaffals, the inferior Animals, who 
 keep nearer to Nature, are to live at 
 Large truly, and to be fed and cloathed 
 without Care or Trouble, while their 
 Sovereign muft moil and muddle in the 
 Earth, and ftooping down from his 
 
 ere<fl
 
 ( 166 ) 
 
 and regal Pofture, pay the Sweat 
 of his majefterial Brow for every Mor- 
 fel he is to put into his Mouth. How 
 confiils this with the Harmony and 
 good Order of Things ? 
 ' frCHERUS. Ay, I was afraid 
 it would come to this. Brother! Bro- 
 ther ! you do very ill to read thofe 
 Books of vain Philofophy that fill your 
 Head with thefe Whims. Our wife 
 Father ufed to obferve to us, that there 
 is as great Madnefs in the Refinements 
 of Philofophy, as Folly in the Ways 
 and Fafliions of the World, and that 
 they are alike far from Nature and Rea- 
 fon. He was wont to tell us, that 
 with refpedt to the Ends and Purpofes 
 of Life, he that is commonly fly led a 
 very learned Man, is the greateft Fool 
 in the World. This we (hall fee veri- 
 fied in you, before the Year's End; 
 and notwithftanding you are fo great 
 a Lord, and fuch a profound Man, you 
 and your Family will be in want of 
 NecefTaries, while J, who can fcarce 
 
 keep
 
 keep my own Accounts, have "a fair: 
 Profpect of liyj-tig warm and in Plenty. - 
 Our Father owed his Happinefs and 
 length of Life, to his being a plain 
 downright Man ; if you followed his 
 Example, you would prefer moderate 
 Labour, tho' it were not necefTary, to 
 the Support of your Family, merely 
 becaufe it is wholefome to the Body, and 
 amufing to the Mind. 
 
 STNGENES. Brother, if you-; 
 had Learningj you would never con- 
 found Toil and Pleafure together, nor 
 talk fo weakly as you do, about the 
 Wholefomenefs of {training and har- 
 raffing your Body, and the Amufements 
 of working. If Reft is both wholefome 
 and pleafant, how can its oppolite, 
 Toil, be fo too ? But, it is in vain to 
 argue with one, who knows not the. 
 firft Rules of Difputation. 
 
 TrCHERUS. I know no Oc- 
 cafion for difputing, and therefore I do 
 not trouble my Head, either about the 
 fir ft or fecond Rules of it , but this I 
 
 know
 
 ( 168) 
 
 know by Obfervations made on others, 
 that all your idle Folks are the mofl 
 fplenetick and uneafy Wretches in the 
 World, while thofe who take Pains, 
 and are bufy, appear to be chearful and 
 healthful. I find by myfelf too, that 
 I have great Pleafure, in the Work of 
 my own Hands; and that I am not eafy 
 when I have nothing to do ; nay, I 
 perceive that, unlefs I fatigue myfelf 
 a little, I can have no Pleafure in Reft> 
 that Condition in which you place your 
 Happinefs. I mould think, as all Men 
 partake of the fame Nature, that you 
 muft perceive the fame Thing in your- 
 felf : But, perhaps it may be otherwife. 
 I am unlearned, and cannot difpute. 
 All my Knowledge, dear Brother, con~ 
 fifts in a little Experience and Common 
 Senfe. 
 
 SrNGENES. Yes, both the 
 Kind and Degree of your Senfe is very 
 common, your Amufements are thofe 
 of the Vulgar, which, I fancy, neither 
 j nor the reft of them would care 
 
 to
 
 ( 169 ) 
 
 to divert yourfelves withal, if you 
 thought you could help it. 
 
 TTCHERUS. It is no Matter 
 whether we would or not; but, believe 
 me, the folid and rational Entertain- 
 ment, or Engagement, they give my 
 Thoughts, is what I could never find 
 in the little idle Games, with which 
 polite People commonly amufe them- 
 felves. The latter feem to be fit only 
 for Children, and indeed your fine Folks, 
 at leaft in this Part of the World, feem 
 to be as little in earneft about this Life; 
 while the Entertainments of me and 
 my Neighbouring Farmers are ferious 
 and manly. We fupport and enjoy 
 Life at once, while thofe, who call 
 themfelves our Betters, feem only to 
 adt a Part, and pleafe themfelves with a 
 very chiidim Refprefentation of Reality, 
 that is found by none, but fuch as are 
 induftrious about Things neceflary. Is 
 it not very abfurd, Brother, to fhun 
 the true Bufmefs of Life out of Sloth, 
 
 and
 
 and then feek for forced invented Bufi- 
 nefs, for want of fomething to do? 
 
 S TN GENES. Yes, but it is not 
 at all abfurd, to fpare unneceflary Pains, 
 and fuch are the Labours of Mankind, 
 which are fo much the more ridiculous 
 than their mere Diverfions, as they are 
 more ferious. 
 
 rrCHERUS. How! are all the 
 Labours of Mankind, abfurd and ridi- 
 culous ? Not excepting even thofe that 
 are necefiary for our Support ? 
 
 STNGENES. Ay, but there are 
 none fuch. They are all Inventions of 
 our own, to plague ourfelves, who 
 live as it were in a miferable World of 
 our own contriving, and fubjeft to in- 
 numerable Wants of our own making, 
 for which we muft alfo make artificial 
 Supplies. Our natural Wants are few, 
 and thofe Nature it felf, without any 
 other Help, can fufficiently provide for. 
 
 -TrCHERUS. For Inftance now, 
 mould you neglect to plow and fow 
 thofe Fields before us, would you ex- 
 peel:
 
 peel: to have the Neceflaries of Life, 
 fpring fpontaneoufly out of them ? 
 
 STNGENES. Yes. 
 
 rrCHERUS. What, Corn, Wine, 
 and Oil ? 
 
 STNGENES. Yes, why not? 
 Do you imagine thofe are lefs natural 
 to the Earth than Grafs and Weeds, 
 and a thoufand other Things, not fo 
 ufeful, that grow unbid ? Nay, that 
 are produced in greateft Abundance, 
 where the Ground is lefs difturbed, or a 
 in your Way of fpeaking, manured ? 
 
 TTCHERUS. I do not know; 
 this Doctrine is new to me, and I am 
 lure, it is very different, not only from 
 the Practice of our Father j but from 
 that of Mankind in general. 
 
 STNGENES. Why fo it is ; and 
 what then ? 
 
 rrCHERUS. Nothing, only I 
 thought, that in Cafes of this Kind, 
 the Experience of the oldeft Hufband- 
 men, and indeed of all Men, might 
 
 afford
 
 afford fome Foundation for an Argu- 
 ment. 
 
 S TNG E NE S. This is an Expe- 
 rience that the World buys very dear. 
 
 rrCHERUS. I do not; for 
 my Father gave it to me for nothing, 
 and I needed only to open my Eye- 
 lids, and confirm it to myfelf by con- 
 tinual Obfervations. 
 
 STNGENES. You had a little 
 more Trouble with it, than barely 
 lifting up your Eye-lid. It has coft 
 you all thofe Labours, that raife you fo 
 foon in the Morning, and keep you fo 
 late up at Night; and, believe me, that 
 is no fmall Purchafe. Had you known 
 that our bountiful Mother Earth, be- 
 llows all Things, needful for our Sup- 
 port, without afking or prefTmg, I be- 
 lieve you would have fpared the con- 
 tinual and earneft Solicitation of the 
 Plough and Harrow. 
 
 ITCHERUS. Yes, that I fhould, 
 and have found fomething elfe to em- 
 ploy me. But I would gladly know, 
 
 what
 
 ( '73 ) 
 
 what Arguments you can have for an 
 Opinion fo fingular and furprizing ? 
 
 STNGENES. The Argu ments 
 are very good, but I won't fay, they 
 will convince you. That Tree is a 
 very large and plain one, and yet I do 
 not think a blind Man could fee it at 
 Noon-day. 
 
 TTCHERUS. Well, but I will 
 rub away the Prejudices from my Rea- 
 fon, as well as I can, and try to appre- 
 hend you. 
 
 STNGENES. Tell me then, 
 do you think the Works of Nature, 
 difcover a perfect Wifdom in their Con T 
 trivance ? 
 
 TTCHERUS. I do, 
 
 S TNG E NE S. And that in them 
 there is unftinted Goodnefs (hewn to 
 us, by their Author ? 
 
 TTCHERUS. I do. 
 
 STNGENES. Since then the 
 whole World is fo full of the Wifdom 
 and Goodnefs of its Author, why (hould 
 you accufe him of providing fo ill for 
 
 0.3 the
 
 the Happinefs of Man, on whofe Ac- 
 count the Whole was made, that Man 
 is obliged to provide for himfelf, and 
 that in the mofl laborious and painful 
 Manner. If thofe Materials, that are 
 neceflary for the Nouriihment of the 
 human Body, and the Support of Life, 
 require fo much Pains to produce and 
 prepare them, then our Maker, inflead 
 of beftowing freely, has, along with his 
 Gifts, impofed fuch hard Conditions, 
 that I really think Man, who by his 
 Reafon is Lord, by his Wants and La- 
 bours is rendered the very Slave of the 
 whole Creation ; and yet this muft 
 be the Cafe, if the Earth does not 
 fend forth our Food, as it does that of 
 all other Creatures, unlefs by mere 
 dint of Labour : But, our Creator has 
 not dealt fo with us-; Corn, and Olives, 
 and Vines, are no more Aliens to the 
 Earth, than other Plants lefs ufeful. 
 The Ground is the common Parent of 
 them all, and as they muft have fprung 
 from thence at firft, fo they muft ba 
 
 fuppofed.
 
 ( '75 ) 
 iuppofed as much the Favourites of 
 
 their mild Mother, and on as good a 
 footing with her, as the reft of her 
 Offspring j unlefs indeed you think her 
 like thofe foolim Mothers, that indulge 
 the moft froward of their Children ; 
 while they treat the good-natured with 
 Severity. Do you think me is partial 
 to Thorns and Brambles ? 
 
 rrCHERUS. I know nothing of 
 her Sentiments, with refpecl to her 
 Children, but as they are difcoverable 
 by Matter of Fact. It is certain that 
 Thorns, and Brambles, and other noxi- 
 ous Weeds, grow apace in my Grounds, 
 in fpight of all I can do to hinder them ; 
 and were it not for a great deal of 
 plowing, fowing, digging, planting, 
 pruning, hedging, &t\ 1 find I and my 
 Family might ftarve, for any Thing the 
 Earth would afford us gratis. 
 
 STNGENES. How do you find 
 that ? Did you ever make the Experi- 
 ment ?
 
 ( 176 ) 
 
 TTC CHE R US. No, nor do I in- 
 tend it in your Way; but thofe Fields 
 that have lain fince Hannibal foraged 
 in thefe Parts, without affording one 
 Morfel of Bread, or one Drop of Wine 
 or Oil j but, on the contrary, abundance 
 of wild Shrubs, and ufelefs Plants of all 
 kinds, give me Reafon enough to fear 
 thefe would let me ftarve, if I did not 
 cultivate them. 
 
 STNGENES. All Parts of the 
 World do not produce all kinds of 
 Plants, though every Country or Climate 
 is naturally fruitful in fuch things as are 
 neceflary for the Support of its own 
 Inhabitants. Plants grow fpontaneous 
 in their own native Soil, and not with- 
 out Cultivation in others. Corn, and 
 Vines, and fuch like, are not Natives 
 of our Climate, or elfe they would 
 grow as familiarly here as thofe Bram- 
 bles you complain of. 
 
 TrC HE R US. How then are we 
 of this barren Country to be fupported, 
 if we do not cultivate the Ground ?
 
 SrNGENES.Ky feeding on fuch 
 things as our Soil affords us, without 
 mangling it with Ploughs and Spades. 
 
 rrCHERUS. Obferve thofe Fields 
 over-run with Briers and Thorns: Do 
 you think you could live comfortably 
 on what they produce in their prefent 
 natural Condition ? 
 
 STNGENES. Why not? It is 
 only Prejudice makes us defpife their 
 Fruits, and Difufe that renders them 
 difagreeable or unwholefome to us. Be- 
 fides, they furnifh Shelter for wild Beads, 
 whofe Flem is excellent Food. 
 
 frCHERUS. But not to be had 
 without the Labour of hunting them, 
 which fo great a Lord as you could 
 never ftoop to. Again, the killing them 
 is attended with great Danger, and 
 that, I believe, you would care as little 
 for as the Labour. As for Corn, and 
 Olives, and Vines, I take them to be 
 Natives of no Country in your Senfe; 
 for fince they do not grow here without 
 Labour and Manure, where can they 
 
 grow?
 
 grow? There is not a more fruitful 
 Spot of Ground on Earth than this we 
 inhabit. Its Produce is brought to 
 Maturity by the united Influence of 
 both folar and fubterraneous Heat, ope- 
 rating on a Soil ftrongly impregnated 
 with Oil, and Sulphur, and Niter > 
 which you Naturalifts allow to be 
 Principles of Fertility; and accordingly 
 onr Fruits are equal at lead to thofe of 
 any other Country the Roman Eagle 
 has yet viiited. 
 
 STN GENES. Why, you talk as 
 if the Seed of thefe more ufeful Plants 
 had been dropped down like the Ancile 
 out of Heaven, and not produced by 
 the Earth ? Whence do you fuppofe we 
 had them ? 
 
 rrC HERUS. I think it is plain 
 the Earth does not produce them of it- 
 felf, even when kept clear of other 
 Plants that might obftrucl their Growth ; 
 and therefore I conclude they were 
 formed by the Hand of our Maker at 
 the fame Time with ourfelves, and de- 
 livered
 
 livered to us, as both the Support of 
 our Lives, and the Pledges of our In- 
 duftry. To this agrees the Story of 
 the Goddefs Ccres's teaching Triptole- 
 lemiis the Art of Agriculture, and fend- 
 ing him from Nation to Nation to pro- 
 pagate that Art, and difpenfe the Seed 
 fhe had given him. Perhaps there may 
 be fomething of Fable and Allegory in 
 this Story j but, if there is any thing 
 to be gathered from it at all (and there 
 is none of thofe ancient Tales without a 
 Meaning) it is, that the World neither 
 knew the Seed, nor the Method of pro- 
 pagating it, until they had both from 
 the Divine Being. 
 
 STNGENES. So that we have 
 Corn, &c. only by Tradition, without 
 any natural Faculty in the Earth to 
 produce it ? By this Means it may come 
 at laft to be loft ; and then what will 
 become of Mankind, who, according 
 to you, cannot fubfift without it? 
 
 TTCHE R. Fear not : It is fo necef- 
 fary, that I'll engage the World will 
 never fuffer it to run out.
 
 STNGENES. That is more than 
 you can tell : For though I grant you, 
 that 'tis very good j yet there are other 
 things on which Mankind might fub- 
 fift. You ufed the Word Weed fome 
 time ago, by which is commonly meant 
 an ufelefs or a noxious Plant ; but the 
 Application of fuch a Term mews 
 great Ignorance in thofe who ufe it, 
 and does no lefs Difhonour to the Ma- 
 ker of the World. Is there any thing 
 ufelefs or hurtful in the Creation? Did 
 God make thofe Plants to vaunt his 
 own Power, or to incommode Man- 
 kind ? Has he made any thing in this 
 World for any other Reafbn, but our 
 Accommodation ? Forbear fuch Ex- 
 preffions therefore, and confider, that 
 as all his Works are good, we might, 
 if Prejudice and Cuftom did not hinder 
 us, , feed as well on one thing as an- 
 other. 
 
 TTCHER. Could you make a 
 Meal out of that great Stone that lies 
 before you I 
 
 STN-
 
 STNGENES. Out of that Stone ? 
 No. Who ever thought of eating 
 Stones? 
 
 TTCHER. All things therefore 
 are not fit for Food ; no, nor all Plants. 
 They were intended for various Ufes; 
 and many of them not for the imme- 
 diate Ufe of Man. Nay, fome of them 
 are undoubtedly hurtful in one refpeft, 
 though they may be ufeful in another 5 
 and the Mifchief they do, is no more 
 inconfiftent with the Goodnefs of God, 
 than the reft of the Evil that is in the 
 World. Whether God made all things 
 for Man, I know not, no more than I 
 do how to account for many things in 
 the Creation. I was not by, when the 
 World was made, nor have I been let 
 into the fecret Caufes of things fincej 
 all I can fay is, that there are many 
 Evils incident to this Life, among which 
 we Hufbandmen cannot but reckon 
 Briers and Thorns ; fo far are we from 
 thinking a Thicket as good as a Vine- 
 yard -j or a Field overgrown with Bram- 
 bles
 
 bles, as beneficial as one enriched with 
 a Crop of Wheat. Jf we might guefs 
 at the Defigns of our Maker , thefe 
 Thorns, and Brambles, and Weeds of 
 all kinds might have been intended 
 partly as a Punifliment for the Wicked- 
 nefs of Mankind, and partly to keep us 
 bufy; who, if we had not that to do, 
 might employ ourfelves in fomething 
 worfe. But as we can neither trace 
 the Originals, nor account for the Na- 
 tures of all things, it is a lurer Way 
 to Reafon from undeniable Fads. The 
 hurtful, or, if you will have it fo, the 
 lefs ufeful Plants grow of themfelves, 
 while thofe, which we fland in more 
 continual need of, are not to be obtain- 
 ed of the Earth, without a good deal 
 of Pains; but which, I think, it is 
 worth one's while to take, on account 
 of the Support and Pleafure they re- 
 ward our Toil with. Thefe are Truths 
 which it is Madnefs to deny; and thofe 
 who will argue otherwife, I refer them 
 to Hunger for an Anfwer. 
 
 i S HV-
 
 ( 183 ) 
 
 STNGENES. It is plain, that 
 Tillage is Nonfenfe and Impertinence, 
 from the infinite Difagreement there is 
 about the manner of doing it : Were 
 fuch a thing necefTary, it would have 
 been made fo plain to all Men, that all 
 v/ould have known it as naturally as 
 they do, that opening one's Eyes is ne- 
 ceflary to Sight. Shall that, on which 
 Life depends, be left to the Corruption 
 of human Inftitution and Tradition ? 
 There is an infinite Variety of Opi- 
 nions about the Cultivation of Ground. 
 Perhaps none of them is right; or, if 
 one of them be, how ftiall we find it 
 out, and diftinguifh it from the reft ? 
 It is impoffible to try them all ; and it 
 is in vain to fet about the Work, un- 
 lefs one knew how to do it fo as to be 
 fure of not mifcarrying. 
 
 TTCHERUS. You may put as 
 many fubtil Queftions, and perplex 
 yourfelf with as many Difficulties as 
 you pleafe, I am obliged to give no 
 other Anfwer to them than this, that I 
 
 cannot
 
 cannot live without Food ; that Food is 
 not to be had without cultivating the 
 Earth; and that the Methods of Til- 
 lage, which my Father practifed him- 
 felf , and recommended to us , have 
 always proved fuccefsful , and been 
 crowned with plentiful Harvefts. This 
 is enough for me, and I think myfelf 
 concerned no further. As to the Jufti- 
 fication of our Maker's Meafures, in 
 creating us under fuch or fuch Circum- 
 ilances , perhaps refined and curious 
 Speculations will rather hinder than 
 help us to do it properly. If things 
 themfelves be candidly confulted, we 
 fhall find them fpeaking the Wifdom 
 and Goodnefs of their Creator in plainer 
 and ftronger Terms, than thofe in Ufe 
 among the Philofophers : If Perfons, I 
 know no kind of Men fo well difpofed 
 to honour and love the Father of the 
 World, as thofe who earn a plentiful 
 Subfiftence for themfelves and Fami- 
 lies by the honeft Sweat of their Brows. 
 They have Health, and Peace, and Con- 
 tentment,
 
 tentment, the greater Part of which 
 they owe to the Neceffity they are un- 
 der of labouring for their Subfiftence, 
 as appears from the more unhappy Con- 
 dition of thofe who are fupported by 
 the Indufiry of others in a Life of Idle- 
 nefs. Had Providence given us all our 
 Food without Labour, I am apt to 
 think, we had all been as unhealthful 
 and as unhappy as they, 
 
 STNGENES. The Subftance of 
 what you have advanced on this Sub- 
 ject, if I have rightly underitood you, 
 amounts to this ; that Thorns and 
 Brambles, and what you call Weeds> 
 fpring naturally and plentifully from 
 
 the Earth; but that Corn, and other 
 Vegetables neceflary to our Support, 
 mufl be had eliewhere, and planted in 
 the Ground, where it is impomble for 
 them -to thrive or flourim, uhlefs the 
 Soil be prepared and kept clear for 
 them with infinite Labour. Pray, now, 
 reconcile this with the Wifdom and 
 Coodneis of the firft Caufe r 
 
 R
 
 186 ) 
 
 This I could do, 
 were my Underftanding able to keep 
 pace with the Wifdom of our Maker.- 
 But there are a few Things, which 
 even you , with all your philofophical 
 Sagacity, will never be able thorough- 
 ly to apprehend. I have already en- 
 deavoured to juilify this Difpofition of 
 Things from the Ufefulnefs of Labour 
 and Induftry to the Mind, as well rs- 
 Body. But whether human* Nature 
 did always require this- Exerciie , or 
 whether the Earth was always under 
 the- fame Indifpofition to afford us 
 Nourishment without Labour, is what 
 none of us can te^. Perhaps when 
 the World was firfl made, the Ghara- 
 ters of its Maker's Wifdom were more 
 legible in it than now. I have often 
 apprehended a Degeneracy in Nature, 
 to which I have been encouraged by 
 the ancient Fable of the Sons of 
 and the Earth warring with the 
 and bringing a Curfe upon the Earth, 
 as a Punifhment for their Rebellion, 
 
 Thefe,
 
 Thefe, however, are Conjectures, and 
 fuch as I think it both Vanity and Pre- 
 fumption to indulge. If the divine 
 Wifdom has referved thefe things as a 
 Secret, why mould we impertinently 
 pry into them ? Let us take the World 
 as we find it, and not trouble our Heads 
 with Points that are too high for our 
 Capacity, and no ways ufeful to us in 
 our prefent Condition. 
 
 STNGENES. It is very weak to 
 found your Defence on Fables and Old- 
 wives Tales. 
 
 TrCHERUS. I do not take the 
 Fable I fpoke of literally, nor do I lay 
 a pofitive Strefs on it in any Senfe : 
 But I take Matters of Fact as I find 
 them ; and, if my way of accounting 
 for them be weak or abfurd, it is be- 
 caufe I have always been converfant in 
 Fads and Things, and, for the moft 
 part, little taken up in enquiring about 
 their Caufes. If I have Plenty of Pro- 
 viiion for my Family, a Sow to facri- 
 fice to Ceres, and wherewithal to cu- 
 ll 2 tertain-
 
 ( '88 ) 
 
 tertain my rural Neighbours now and 
 then of an Holiday, I think myfelf be- 
 holden to the Gods, and no way con- 
 cerned to examine their Conduct, or 
 cenfure their Providence. But I forget 
 that I have fomething elfe to do than to 
 fland here all Day fpeculating and pra- 
 ting with one, who, it feems, has more 
 Intereft with the Earth than me, and 
 can have his Food from thence without 
 Labour. 
 
 TrCHERUS following Experience, 
 and Syngenes relying on his Speculations, 
 purfued their firfl Refolutions j by which 
 the one was, in a little time, reduced to 
 Extremity of Want; and had the Mor- 
 tification to fee his Grounds over-run 
 with Weeds, Brambles, and Thorns, and 
 far better qualified to feed an Herd of 
 Swine or flicker wild Beafts, than fup- 
 port a Family : While the Lands of the 
 other were covered with Olive-yards, 
 Vineyards, and Crops of Corn, from 
 whence he drew a comfortable Subfift- 
 ence for himfelf, his Children, and other 
 Dependents* AL( LU :
 
 ALLUSION 
 
 The Twelfth. 
 
 N C E on a Time the Earth com- 
 plained to the Ocean, concern- 
 ing certain great Diforders committed 
 by divers Rivers and Brooks, who, in- 
 jftead of confining themfelves to their 
 own Channel, and haftening to pay 
 their Tribute to the Sea, did nothing 
 elfe but ramble about the Fields, break 
 down Ditches and Mearings, fweep a- 
 way Corn, Hay, Cattle, and even 
 Houfes, form {linking Pools and filthy 
 MoraiTes, and, with infinite AfTurance r 
 attack the very Capitals of potent Em- 
 pires, driving the Inhabitants from 
 their Dwellings, and fpoiling their 
 Goods. This Complaint, which had 
 but too much Truth in it, was heard 
 
 with
 
 { I 9 J 
 
 with great Attention by the Ocean, and' 
 believed the more readily, becaufe he 
 himfelf had, of a long Time, obferved, 
 that many Bodies of Water, both great 
 and fmall, having been permitted to 
 leave him for a Space, contracted a 
 Fondnefs for the Earth, and (hewed 
 plainly they cared not, if they never re- 
 turned to him again. His Difpleafure 
 at thefe things being made known, an 
 Aflembly of the Rivers was called, from 
 which no Stream, from the greateft to 
 the fmallefr, was abfent. 
 
 THE Euphrates, being the oldeft of 
 Rivers, prefided in this Aflembly, and 
 opened it with a Speech, in which he 
 fet forth the Caufes of their being con- 
 vened, namely, the Cry of the Earth 
 againft the Rivers, and the Difpleafure 
 of the Ocean at the Revolters and Ab- 
 fentees. At the Conclufion he gave it 
 to them in Charge, to confider mature- 
 ly of thefe Matters, and provide fuch 
 Remedies as to their Wifdoms mould 
 feem moft proper and effectual. 
 
 TH-B
 
 THE Brooks, Rivulets, and Sewers* 
 who, in order to make a Figure in this 
 Affembly, had the Day before, bor- 
 rowed of the Clouds long-flowing 
 Cloaks and full bottomed Perriwigs, 
 perceiving that a fevere Inquiry waa 
 forthwith to be made into their Irregu- 
 larities, followed the Speech of the 
 Preiident with an hoarfe difcontented 
 Growl, which they foon raifed to fo 
 loud a Roar, that the Cataracts of 
 Mount Ararat or the Nile did but gent- 
 ly murmur in Comparifon of them. 
 However, upon the Entry of the Sun 
 and Saturn y who came to fee what was 
 a doing, this hideous Clamour ceafed 
 all at once, and thofe who made it 
 were compelled, one after another, to 
 lay afide their borrowed Perriwigs and 
 Cloaks ; and a foul and pitiful Figure 
 moil of them made, when ftripped of 
 thofe adventitious Ornaments. Yet, 
 notwithstanding this Difgrace, which 
 might have humbled more confiderable 
 Streams, the Brooks, depending on 
 
 their
 
 their Numbers, and the Subtility and 
 Tergiverfation natural to mean and 
 little Rivulets, entered upon their De- 
 fence with great AfTurance. One among 
 the Croud flood forth in Behalf of the 
 reft, and delivered himfelf thus: 
 . ' THE Charge brought again ft us r 
 e is no lefs furprizing than it is unrea- 
 fonable. That the Earth from whom 
 we and all other Rivers fpring, which 
 we love and refrefh, and that the Ocean 
 which we often replenish, without re- 
 ' ceiving one Drop of Water from him, 
 fhould pretend a Right to what 
 we have always freely given, and join 
 ' in fuch fevere Reprefentations, as have 
 
 * been exhibited againft us this Day, is 
 ' matter of great Amazement. As to 
 the Articles, whereof we are accufed, 
 
 * I muft plainly tell you, we look up- 
 on them to be neither Trefpailes nor 
 4 Crimes ; but on the contrary, great 
 
 * and ineftimable Benefits j for, what 
 
 * tho' fome particular Places may fuf- 
 
 * fer ? are thefe private and trivial Suf- 
 
 3 * ferings
 
 ( J 93 ) 
 
 < ferings to be put in Competition with 
 * the general and extenfive Service we 
 c yield the Publick ? As to the Right, 
 which the Ocean pretends to our Of- 
 c ferings, we utterly difclaim it, being 
 ' at the fame Time fully convinced, he 
 ftands in no need of our Waters, as 
 
 < having an inexhauftible Abundance 
 of his own. Be that however as it 
 ' will, we are determined to maintain 
 the Privileges and Liberties of Rivers 
 c to the laft, againft all Mounds, Banks, 
 and Ramparts whatever, that ihall be 
 
 < oppofed to them/ 
 
 THIS Harangue was applauded by 
 an univerfal Murmur from all the Ri- 
 vulets 3 and feveral confiderable Rivers, 
 confcious of their common Guilt, fpoke 
 to the fame Effect. At length the Da- 
 nube, arifing with an Air of Modefty 
 and Dignity, faid, 
 
 * ALTHOUGH I will readily acknow- 
 
 1 ledge, that, the Rivulets are very fer- 
 
 4 viceable to the Earth, and in order to 
 
 * their being fo, ought to flow freely 
 
 S in
 
 ( 194 ) 
 
 in their feveral Channels, yet I muft 
 infift on it, that the wild Sallies they 
 make from thence, and the manifold 
 Damages done by their Licentioufnefs, 
 call aloud for Reftraint. It is their 
 Duty to water the Soil, not their Pri- 
 vilege to drown its Produce. Let 
 them not hope to excufe the Ravages 
 they voluntarily commit, by the Good 
 they undefignedly occafion. The lat- 
 ter, which is a Debt they owe to Na- 
 ture, and which, in fome Sort, they 
 cannot help paying, merits but flen- 
 der Thanks ; whereas the former is 
 an Excefs, by all Means to be correct- 
 ed. Are they not fent down from 
 the Hills, to flow gently among the 
 Vallies, and there refre(h the Soil and 
 its Inhabitants with pure and limpid 
 Streams ? With what Affurance can 
 they deviate from this excellent Pur- 
 pofe, fwelling with muddy Waters, 
 pouring over all around them, turning 
 fpacious Plains, once fertile and po- 
 pulous, into noifome Pools and putrid 
 
 Fens,
 
 ( '95 ) 
 
 * Fens, that deface the Beauty F Na- 
 
 * ture, and poifon the Air of whole 
 ' Climates ? It is true, I believe they 
 
 * have but too great an Affeftion for the 
 
 * Earth, or they would not labour to 
 
 * engrofs fo much of it. But is it thus 
 
 * they mew their Love ? Is Violence a 
 Mark of Tendernefs? Is Outrage a Te- 
 ' ftimony of Regard ? Surely they give 
 4 a very unjuft Demonft ration of their 
 
 * Love to the Earth, at the Expence of 
 ' the Duty they owe the Ocean. He 
 ' is the Source of Water. It is from 
 ' him we all derive, and to him we 
 c mould all return. Thofe, who take 
 ' a Pleafure in Stagnation, and love to 
 mix with Filth and Putrifaction, lit-, 
 
 * tie know, and, it feems, lefs relifli, 
 c the Happinefs of mixing with the 
 < mighty Ocean, and becoming Sharers 
 of his Purity and Power. For my 
 
 * own Part, I look upon myfelf, as an 
 1 Alien, and a Sojourner here on the 
 1 Earth, and it is with great Impatience 
 that I purfue my Way towards the 
 
 S z fruitful
 
 * fruitful Fountain of me, and all I 
 f enjoy, and with inexpreffible Delight, 
 
 * that I refund myfclf into his capacious 
 ' Bofom. Altho' he wants not my 
 Oblations, yet doth it not follow, that 
 c he hath no Right to them. In Jufti- 
 
 < fication of his Property in, and Claim 
 c to all our Streams, I appeal to the 
 ' Sun, who by his continual Solicitati- 
 c ons, obtains of the Ocean all our Sup- 
 c plies. 
 
 THUS ended the Danube, and thus 
 the Nile began. 
 
 * I A M not much furprized to hear 
 an European River fpeak thus. I 
 4 know full well from whence thofe 
 ' Prejudices fpring, which the Rivers 
 of that Quarter of the World have 
 
 * imbibed. The pretended Partizans 
 e of the Ocean have eftablimed their 
 
 < Authority there, and inftil what No- 
 tions they pleafe. This I know, and 
 * this let every one who hears me, take 
 c my Word for, that the Bowels of the 
 
 * Earth and Mountains are full of Wa- 
 
 ters,
 
 ( '97 ) 
 
 ters, which they pour out inceflantly 
 thro' a thoufand Springs, and thefe, con- 
 tributing their refpeclive Funds, form 
 all the Rivers of the Earth. I draw 
 whatever I enrich the Egyptian 
 Plains, and fwell the Ocean with, 
 from the Mountains of the Moon. 
 The Po borrows^ its Water from the 
 Alps -, the River of the Amazons , and 
 Reio de la Plata from the Andes ; the 
 little Rivers of Greece from Lycaus, 
 Ha mus, P Indus, Parnajjus j the 
 Euphrates from the Mountains of Ar- 
 menia ; the Indus, the Ganges, and the 
 other Rivers of AJiti from Taurus and 
 Caucafus. This, I think, is obvious j 
 and therefore, we need look no far- 
 ther for the Origin of our Waters. I 
 am beholden to the Ocean for no 
 part of my Flood, and fo (hall take 
 the Liberty to expatiate on the fruit- 
 ful Flats of Egypt, as freely and as 
 long as I think proper. Let the Da- 
 nube be tranfported with the Pleafure 
 of lofing himfelf in the Sea. As I 
 83 * have
 
 ( i 9 8 ) 
 
 4 have no Notion of that Pleafure, I 
 
 * fhall keep from thence and be inde- 
 
 * pendent, till that unwelcome Seafon 
 ' arrives, in which I muft of Neceffity 
 
 * quit the Earth, and be blended with 
 c the common Receptacle of Rivers. 
 ' If the Brooks are wife, they will fol- 
 
 * low my Example, and make the moft 
 ' of Being, while they have it. Let 
 ' them vifit the Meadows, and the 
 ' Flowers. Let them tafle the Sweets 
 c of the Spring, while they may. If 
 they once fall into the Ocean, they 
 ' are loft to themfelves for ever. As to 
 ' what hath been faid concerning the 
 c Sun, I think it plainly repugnant to 
 common Obfervation and Experience. 
 
 * He hath dried up many Rivers ; and 
 V fince his Appearance in this Aflembly, 
 . all the Brooks, excepting a few, have 
 
 * dwindled away to nothing ; whether 
 
 * he will ever replenifh them again, Sa- 
 ' turn will (hew. But I mould think 
 ' it very extraordinary if he does, inaf- 
 < much as he hath often declared him- 
 
 felf
 
 ( 199 ) 
 
 c felf againft our Waters, and endea- 
 ' voured all he could to rob us of them 
 by the Violence of his Beams.' 
 
 THIS Speech was highly extolled by 
 the whole Faction of libertine Streams, 
 who thought themfelves very happy, in 
 having fo great a River as the Njle to 
 countenance their violent and extrava- 
 gant Difpolitions. It would be too te- 
 dious to recapitulate here the many 
 Speeches on both Sides, that followed 
 that of the Nile. Some Rivers fpoke 
 with great Mildnefs and Moderation ; 
 others, with Abundance of Art and 
 Subtilty; and others again, with pro- 
 digious Rapidity and Noife, according 
 to their various Humours. The Speech 
 of the Maunder^ who is a great Sophi- 
 fler and Perplexer, was too remarkable 
 to be omitted. 
 
 4 FOR my Part, faid that infinuat- 
 ing River, I do not think the Matter 
 ' in Difpute of equal Confequence 
 4 with the Peace and Harmony of this 
 < Affembly. I hope I mall be indulged 
 S 4 a little
 
 ( 200 ) 
 
 < a little, if I endeavour to afluage the 
 ' unnatural Heats, that have been 
 ' kindled among us, by the too forward 
 
 * Zeal of my Brother Rivers, and re- 
 ' duce the Points in Controverfv, to 
 1 fome Mean, in which we may ail 
 ' agree. I have as much Refpect for 
 
 * the Ocean, on the one Hand, and 
 
 * as firm an Attachment to Liberty on 
 
 * the other, as any in this Affembly j 
 
 * yet I cannot, without great Concern, 
 
 * behold an Affair of this Nature, 
 
 * managed with fuch Animofity, and 
 ' fuch a World of needlefs or pernicious 
 
 * Punctilio, employed in a Controverfy 
 
 * about which there is no Occafion for 
 c being fo violently moved. Is Heat 
 ' the Way to Truth ? Is Partiality an 
 c Help to Juftice ? The Ocean had ra- 
 ' ther forego our Tribute for ever, 
 1 than fee us thus embroiled. I am 
 c utterly againft all Irregularities com- 
 f mitted by Rivers. As to thofe com- 
 plained of, we are obliged by the 
 
 * eternal Ties of Benevolence, to hope 
 
 * they
 
 ( 201 ) 
 
 ' they have not been altogether fo en- 
 
 * ormous, as hath been reprefented. 
 4 Some Rivers have a very ill-natured 
 1 and cruel Propenfity to cenfure. For- 
 1 bid it, Charity; forbid it. Benevolence, 
 4 that fo unamiable a Difpofition fhould 
 
 * become general; or, that we fhould 
 ' too readily believe fuch Things of 
 ' our Neighbours. If I may judge of 
 other Rivers by myfelf, there is in 
 
 * them all an eternal and irrefiftible 
 ' Delire of doing Good, and Abbor- 
 ' rence of Evil. To this inward Re- 
 
 < ftraint, thefe innate Banks and 
 
 * Mounds , I fhould rather chnfe to 
 truft their Conduct, and the Safety 
 ' of their Neighbours, than to the 
 
 * firmed Works of Earth and Stone; 
 ' which (not to mention the Tyranny 
 of erecting them, and the Slavery of 
 ' being confined by them) ferve only, 
 ' in my Opinion, to collecl: a Stream 
 ' too much, and by that Means, force 
 
 < it to burft out with the greater Vio- 
 lence. I am therefore clearly for leav-
 
 ( 202 ) 
 
 * ing them tothemfelves, and to that na- 
 ' tive Freedom, which their Waters are 
 ' eternally dictating to them. Water is a 
 
 * free Element; and we cannot lay itun- 
 4 der outward Reftraints, without doing 
 
 * Violence to the eternal and indefeafable 
 
 * Constitution of Nature, which, in my 
 1 Apprehenfion, is more feniibly to be 
 ' dreaded, more cautioufly to be avoided 
 ' and prevented, than the trivial Incon- 
 c veniencies, that have fo unnecerTarily 
 
 * convened us to Day. As to the Ob- 
 c lations of Water, with which we 
 
 * prefent the Ocean, with all imagina- 
 1 ble Submiffion to the Danube, I think 
 
 * he puts the Matter on a wrong Foot- 
 ing. Let no one miftake me. I 
 ' am by all Means for the Continuance 
 ' of thofe Oblations, and do constantly 
 tender them myfelf ; but I humbly 
 < apprehend, they will be more ac- 
 c ceptable, if they are given freely, 
 
 * than if they appear to flow from an 
 c acknowledged Debt and Obligation ; 
 a Debt, which to my Judgment, 
 
 { feems
 
 f feems to have no Foundation in ths 
 
 ' Nature of Things. To fupport the 
 
 Belief of it however, a very chime- 
 
 ' rical Argument hath been employed: 
 
 We have been told, that all our 
 
 Waters have been lent us by the 
 
 ' Ocean, at the Inftance of the Sun j 
 
 c and for Proof of this, the Sun him- 
 
 * felf, a Foreigner to this AfTembly, 
 
 * hath been unnaturally appealed to. 
 ' Have we not fufficient Means of In- 
 ' formation among ourfelves ? Why 
 
 * are preternatural Lights called in ? 
 
 * Every River prefent can confute this 
 ' incredible Hypothefis, by only re- 
 
 * fledting that he holds Commerce with 
 ' the Sea, at his Mouth alone. But, 
 
 * if Fact and Experience are hot fuffi- 
 c cient to convince us, let this Demon- 
 ' ftration remove all our Doubts. It is 
 ' impofiible to form an Idea of a River 
 c without Water ; Water therefore is 
 
 * efTential to a River ; and of Confe- 
 ' quence every River mud be fuppofed 
 to have Water in itfelf, if we will 
 
 < be
 
 ( 204 ) 
 
 * be fo candid as to allow that nothing 
 
 * can fubfift without its Effence.' 
 THUS fpoke the Mceander, and had 
 
 his Vanity fed by a Roar of Applaufe. 
 The Ni/e, and all other overflowing 
 Streams, were infinitely pleafed with 
 this Speech. They faw plainly enough, 
 that it tended to eftabliili their Right 
 to Inundations -, at the fame Time, that 
 a profound Refpect for the Ocean, and 
 an utter Abhorrence of all Irregularities, 
 were artfully thrown out, as a Net, to 
 entangle and draw in the ignorant and 
 well-meaning, who could not be 
 brought over by a more explicit way 
 of arguing. They were ftill further 
 pleafed to find, that this Artifice had 
 been fuccefsful, even beyond their 
 Hopes, and had made a prodigious Al- 
 teration in the Aflembly. Rivers are 
 fond of Liberty, and willing enough to 
 be convinced, by any Reafonings, that 
 compliment them with a Right to it, 
 and the Difcretion to ufe and enjoy it, 
 properly, in its full Extent. They do 
 
 net
 
 not relifli fuch Diftindlions between 
 that and Licentioufnefs, as may abridge 
 it in the leaft. Hence it comes to pafs, 
 that many, who thought the mofl per- 
 fect Difcharge of Duty, and the utmofl 
 Degree of Licence confident, were 
 caught by the Subtilties of the Meander ; 
 who, having pa fled a Compliment on 
 them, inftead of an Argument, leemed 
 to have reconciled the Nature of Li- 
 berty and Duty better than either the 
 Danube or the Nile. By thefe Means 
 it happened, that they were unwitting- 
 ly wafted over on the Sophiftry of the 
 Mtzander to the Sentiments of the 
 Nile. 
 
 AFTER fome Time fpent in fubtile 
 and metaphyfical Fooleries, to which 
 the Maander's Way of arguing had 
 ftrangely turned their Heads, the Eu- 
 phrates with an awful kind of Indig- 
 nation in his Countenance, arofe, and 
 fpoke as follows : 
 
 * I OWN it was with fome Impa- 
 tience and much Concern, that I 
 
 liftened
 
 ( 206 ) 
 
 f liftened to what hath paffed in this 
 AfTembly. I have heard the turbu- 
 lent Harangue of the Brook, the 
 
 * muddy Oration of the Nile, and the 
 
 < difingenuous Speech of the Mteafidtr. 
 As to the firft, it hath been more than 
 s fufficiently anfwered, by the wife and 
 
 * good Danube, who abounds with 
 
 * \Vifdom, like Phifon and Tigris, in 
 
 < the Time of the new Fruits. I fee 
 
 * here a thoufand namelefs Rivulets and 
 Sewers, who, becaufe they cannot 
 difcern their own Bottoms, through 
 c Waters foul with the OfT-fcourings of 
 Bogs, and yet dirtier Places, take 
 themfelves to be very profound ; and, 
 
 < with the ufual Vanity of mallow Wa- 
 ters, are for arrogating mighty Mat- 
 ' ters to themfelves. But their occa- 
 c iional Grandeur, which is nothing 
 ' elfe but Froth at the top, Mud in 
 c - the middle, and Filth at the bottom, 
 was not Yefterday, and {hall not be 
 c To-morrow. Let them enjoy their 
 Day, Let them, with an extempo- 
 
 rary
 
 ( 20; ) 
 
 rary Licentioufnefs, pour their liber- 
 4 tine and erratick Waters over the 
 t neighbouring Grounds ; and delay, as 
 long as they can, the Payment of 
 
 their Tribute to the Ocean. They 
 ' muft foon be compelled to come into 
 ' us, and be loft in larger Streams, long 
 c before we mix with the Source of 
 *. Water. It is hoped, however, that 
 ' they will think proper to purge them- 
 ' felves before they approach the greater 
 c Rivers j and that thofe Rivers will not 
 c fuffer themfelves to be tinctured with 
 
 their Pollutions. As to thofe Brooks 
 ' and Sinks, that dive under Ground, 
 < not being able to bear the Light, as 
 
 * I am afraid they go to water the in- 
 c fernal Regions, fo I entertain no Hopes 
 of ever feeing them again in the way 
 
 * of their Duty. 
 
 c As to the Sentiments of the Nile, 
 I think no other could rationally be 
 c expected from him ; and I underftood 
 ( his Flood of Words to be, indeed, 
 rather as an Apology for his own H- 
 
 c centious
 
 ( 208 ) 
 
 centious Conduit, than as a Series of 
 
 < Reafonings fitted to effeft the Point 
 
 < in Queftion. He, you all know, is 
 but a greater Brook ; is ftrongly im- 
 
 * pregnated with Mud ; and is remark- 
 able for his annual Inundations, in 
 which he at once covers and pollutes 
 a large Region of the Earth ; infeft- 
 ing it alfo with ten thoufand Specie^s 
 
 < of noxious Vermin and Flies j and 
 
 < with Crocodiles, the moft deceitful 
 
 < and formidable of Animals, Let the 
 
 * Egyptians, who feem to be little bet- 
 ter than the Maggots of his Mud, 
 
 < pleafe themfelves with wallowing 
 
 < therein, and hail the polluted Plenty, 
 ' which he fweeps away from other 
 
 * Nations to beftow on them : This, I 
 c hope, will neither be allowed to plead 
 for his Practices, nor to recommend 
 c his Principles on this Occafion. I 
 can fcarcely forbear laughing at the 
 odd fort of AfTu ranee he (hews, when 
 
 * he gravely takes upon him to inftrucl: 
 
 * us all concerning the Origin of our 
 
 1 Waters ;
 
 ( 209 ) 
 
 Waters; although he, of all Rivers, 
 is moft ignorant of his own. He fays 
 he draws his Waters from the Moun- 
 tains of the Moon. Does he mean 
 the Mountains of that Planet, which 
 inlightens us by Night? Or are they 
 certain imaginary Hills fuppofed to be 
 in Africa^ and fabuloufly fo called? 
 It is among the Mountains and Val- 
 leys of Abyjjinia that he collects his 
 Waters; from which Mountains, 
 however, he could not borrow a fingle 
 Drop, were they not fupplied them- 
 felves by the continual Rains that 
 fall between the Tropicks during cer- 
 tain Months of the Year. Let the 
 Niger , who takes his Rife in the fame 
 Region, fet him Right in that Matter. 
 The Truth is, we all have our Waters 
 from above. They are raifed from the 
 Ocean by the Sun, and conveyed to 
 us through that magnificent Aqueduft 
 that lies over us. He is pleafed to 
 fay, at the Clofe of his Oration, that 
 the Sun, inftead of being inftrumental 
 T in>
 
 ( 210 ) 
 
 * in obtaining any Supplies of Water 
 
 * for us, is perpetually exhaufting what 
 
 * we have. For my own Part, inftead 
 
 * of thinking this an Hardship, I think 
 * myfelf obliged to be thankful to him 
 
 * for railing me from the Earth, where 
 
 * I am not over-ftudious of being con- 
 
 * fiderable; for mixing me fo intimately 
 
 * with his Raysj for exalting me to 
 * Heaven, where, glorioufly arrayed by 
 *- his Bounty in Gold and Purple, I 
 1 make the grand Tour of the Skies, 
 
 * form the Pavilions and Chariots of the 
 6 celeftial Powers, and give the Thun^ 
 4 der its Voice and Wings,, when it is 
 * levelled at Vice or Plagues. 
 
 ' THOUGH it is beneath the Digni^- 
 
 * ty of the Place I hold in this Af- 
 ;* fembly ; nay, beneath that of com*- 
 
 * mon Senfe and Reafon, fericufly. to 
 * anfwer Sophifms and Cavils; yet, as 
 *> the Speech of the Meander feems to 
 - have made fome Impreflion, I mail 
 
 * not pafs it by without making a few 
 
 * Qbfervations on it. That infinuating 
 
 3. ' and
 
 (2.1 ) 
 
 e and ferpentine River, who fometirnes 
 
 * bends to the Danube, and anon again 
 
 * winds about to the Nile, fets out 
 c with plaufibleProfeffions of his Regard 
 ' for Peace and Charity, to which he 
 
 * would have us poftpone the Repre- 
 ' fentations of the Ocean , and the 
 ' Earth, as Matters of no great Confe- 
 f fequence. It is the trite Expedient of 
 
 * all, who would deceive, to cover their 
 
 * evil Defigns under fpecious Appear- 
 1 ances. But this Speaker, as if Du- 
 ' ties and Virtues were at Variance a- 
 
 * mong themfelves, taking Advantage 
 of the Warmth {hewn in this Debate, 
 4 though moftly by Partifansof hisovvr^ 
 4 would needs have us believe, that all 
 1 Zeal is culpable; that becaufe our 
 Deliberations are not carried on with 
 ' fufficient Temper, they ought to be 
 
 * layed entirely alide; and that not only 
 4 the well-ordering of our Behaviour 
 ' towards the Earth, and one another, 
 6 but alfo our Gratitude and Duty to 
 
 * the Ocean , are mere indifferent 
 
 T 2 Thin::
 
 (212), 
 
 * Things. Thefe I take to be very 
 ' dangerous Sentiments. Is our Duty 
 c to the great Source from whence we 
 c derive all our Waters, a Thing of no 
 
 * Confequence? Is it an improper Time 
 ' for the Heart of an honeft River to 
 c boil, when he hears fuch deteftable 
 
 * Principles clandeftinely infmuated by 
 
 * fome, and openly avowed by others ? 
 ' How low is our Allegiance fallen in 
 ' the Opinion of the Nt/e 9 when he 
 f dare fo publickly renounce all Duty 
 ' to the Ocean ? How is our Under- 
 
 * landings vilified by the Meander, 
 
 * when he hopes to pafs fuch Tenets 
 
 * upon us as rational, by Arguments fo 
 
 * fallacious and unfound ? I believe e- 
 
 * very judicious and candid River, who 
 c hears me, will readily agree, that 
 e were we all but half as fenfible of our 
 ' Duty as we ihould be, there could 
 have been no Difpute here To-day. 
 It is true, fhould we once divert our- 
 felves of all Duty and Allegiance, we 
 fhould then be in no Danger of Vio- 
 
 lating
 
 1 lating Charity for the fake of the O- 
 ' cean, to whom we are accountable; 
 ' or of the Earth, where we are to act. 
 c But would not this be paying too 
 c great a Price, even for Charity ? And 
 
 * is it to be imagine^, that when we 
 ' (hall have flript ourfelves of all Duty, 
 
 * all Obligation, and Obedience, we {hall 
 c then find nothing to contend about ? 
 ' Is Peace very likely to be preferved 
 in an Abfence of all other Ties than 
 < fuch as we may pretend to have with- 
 in ourfelves? I exped: little lefs than 
 a Chaos, if every River is left, as the 
 ' Meander would have him, intirely to 
 ' himfelf, without Channels to contain 
 
 * him, or Banks to confine his wild 
 c ExcefTes, of which we fee fuch fla- 
 1 grant and fuch repeated Inftances 
 every Day, as no eternal nor ftupid 
 Ties of Charity can fhut our Eyes to. 
 ' I have not, on any Occafion, obferv- 
 i ed fo extraordinary an Inftance of 
 Modefty, as the Meander hath fhewn 
 in arguing on this Head. Inftead of 
 
 3 handing
 
 < handing it down to us as Demon ilra.- 
 
 * tion, he only fays, it is his Opinion, 
 c that, were the Banks entirely removed, 
 
 * the Waters would flow more regular- 
 ' ly, and more within Bounds, than 
 
 * they do at prefent. He might have 
 ' delivered this with much greater Af- 
 
 * furance ; for I fuppofe you are all 
 
 * fully fatisfied about the Reality and 
 Strength of thofe inward Reftraints, 
 ' thofe innate Banks and Mounds he 
 mentions. You know very well, 
 
 < that Water hath, in its own Nature, 
 ' an eternal and abfolute Power to conr 
 tain and direct itfelf j. and that one of 
 ' thefe Banks, within a Stream, is 
 
 < worth a thoufand Ramparts of Ada~ 
 4 mant without. It is not with altoge- 
 
 * ther fo much Diffidence in himfelf, 
 and Refpect for this Aflembly, that 
 he propofes his Argument about the 
 ' Eflence of Rivers :. He calls it a De- 
 
 * monftration, and bids all our Doubts 
 fr vanifli before it; and yet, I know 
 
 * not how it is, mine Hill keep their 
 
 ' Ground.
 
 * Ground, This borrowed EfTence of 
 
 * ours,, that is perpetually flowing in at 
 c one End of us, and out at the other, 
 
 * puzzles me ftrangely. Being but mo- 
 ' derately fkilled in Metaphylicks, I 
 c cannot anfwer his Argument fcienti- 
 fically ; but this I am pretty fore of, 
 
 * that, had the Heavens with-held their 
 1 Showers, and the Springs been entirely 
 
 * flopped up, one might as reafonably 
 ' have alked for Water from the Deferta 
 4 of Barka, as from either the Nile, 
 
 * or me ; or, I may fay, from any of 
 c us. This Argument, I think, comes 
 ' home to the Point, and proves, that 
 Rivers are not altogether fo felf-origi- 
 
 * nated as the Meander would have us 
 c think. If, however, this Argument 
 ' of his be allowed to pafs for a good 
 c one, I am fure fo muft the one I am 
 about to oifer. There is no forming 
 1 an Idea of a River without Banks> 
 
 * and thofe on the outfide too. Take 
 them away from your Idea of a River, 
 
 * and you fufe and difperfe its Effencs 
 
 into.
 
 (216) 
 
 c into nothing. But not to teize you 
 any longer with this Jargon of Ideas 
 and Effences, I muft own, in fpite of 
 ' that Vanity, too natural to me as well 
 ' as other Rivers > that, were it not for 
 
 * the high Banks that fhut me in on the 
 
 * Right Hand and the Left, I mould 
 
 * drown all Mefopotamia and Babylonia, 
 and lofe myfelf in a huge unpayable 
 ' Morafs. This vagrant Difpofition, 
 
 < which I, with Shame and Concern, ac- 
 c knowledge, hath difcovered itfelf on 
 ' many Occafions. As often as my Banks 
 ' fall off to any confiderable Diftance 
 
 * from each other, I feize all the Flats 
 between, and fometimes fwell fo high 
 f as to overflow even the Banks them- 
 
 < felves, and flood the Fields to a confi- 
 
 * derable Diftance round me. When 
 
 * Cyrus laid Siege to Babylon, he took 
 ' Occafion, from this Weaknefs of 
 
 * mine, to feduce me from the Defence 
 
 * of my Children the Babylonians ; and, 
 
 * by removing my Banks, led me into 
 an artificial Pond contrived for that 
 
 < purpofe ;
 
 Purpofe : where I was detained,, till 
 my Waters became putrid, and the 
 City, with its inhabitants, were made 
 the Prey of the Sword. Thus was I 
 made, by means of this Tendency in 
 me to Evil, the Slave of another's Am- 
 bition. This Tendency, however, if 
 I miftake not, is, by no Means, pe- 
 culiar to me. All other Rivers, ex- 
 cepting the good Meander alone, have 
 reafon to complain of the fame in 
 themfelves; and might poffibly enough 
 be made capable of the fame Practices, 
 were they not reftrained by higher 
 and ftronger Banks than mine. I 
 mall readily grant the Meander, that 
 Rivers are free Beings j but do at the 
 fame Time infift on it, that this Free- 
 dom is limitted. There are fome 
 Things we cannot do j for Inftance, 
 we cannot flow up the Side of a Moun- 
 tain. Again, there are other Things 
 we ought not to do. We ought not 
 to deftroy the Fruits of the Earth, 
 nor render the Earth itfelf ufelefs, by 
 U e turning
 
 (218 ) 
 
 * turning huge Trails of it into Bogs. 
 c A Liberty to do fuch Things as this, 
 c is only a Licence to enflave ourfelves. 
 e Is not that River enflaved, to all In- 
 tents and Purpofes, which, having 
 quitted its own Channel, and poured 
 c itfelf into a low and hollow Valley, 
 c is there confined for ever, and blend- 
 ed with Mud and Filth ? But many 
 ' Streams are milled by Pride ; and 
 e think it more glorious to become 
 ' Lakes, or little independent Seas, as 
 
 * they affect to be ftyled, than make a 
 
 * Part of the great Ocean. The Caf- 
 pian y who apes andoppofes the Ocean, 
 
 * hath drawn in many, and very confi- 
 
 * derable Rivers, by this blind Paffion 
 
 < for Independency. How groily do 
 
 * the laxartes, the Wolga t the Oxus, 
 c and many others, miftake the Nature 
 f of Grandeur and Independency, when 
 
 < they rob the Ocean of his Right, and 
 c give up, forever, the ineftimable Pri- 
 yilege of incorporating with him, to 
 
 4 become
 
 ( 2I 9 ) 
 
 become the defpicable Tributaries and 
 
 < Vaffals of the Cafplan ! 
 
 c I SHALL conclude, on this import- 
 
 * ant Occasion, with reminding you, 
 once more, that, if you have any 
 c Senfe of either Duty or Gratitude, you 
 
 < will not feparate, till you have fuffi- 
 
 * ciently provided againft the Enormities 
 
 < represented to you at the Opening of 
 ' this Ailembly: I muft alfo tell you, 
 
 * that it is your greater! Intereft to do 
 this ; becaufe if you do not, it is but 
 4 reafonable to fear, the Ocean, or the 
 ' Sun, will foon interpofe, and, by an. 
 c "univerfal Deluge, or Conflagration, 
 totally deflroy all the Rivers.' 
 
 THUS ended the Euphrates. After a 
 long Jangle about the Origin of Waters, 
 and the Nature and Extent of Liberty, 
 ,the Aflembly broke up, in a very tumul- 
 tuous Manner, without coming to any 
 Refolution ; and the Day being far ad- 
 vanced, the Sun retired towards the O- 
 cean, to confer with him about what 
 
 had pafTed^ 
 
 Uz ALLUSION
 
 ALLUSION 
 
 The Thirteenth. 
 
 THE Parents of Mifs Veridet left 
 this World when fhe was but 
 an Infant. Her Father, who was the 
 beft of Men, was engaged, during his 
 whole Life, in a Law Suit for an im- 
 nienfe Eftate, to which he had a mod 
 unqueftionable Right ; but thofe, who 
 had poflefled themfelves of it, relying 
 on great Art and Power, kept him out 
 for a long Time ; yet finding at length 
 that he began to gain Ground, fub- 
 borned Witnefles againft him, who 
 accufed him of high Crimes, for which, 
 altho' his Innocence fully appeared on 
 the Trial, he was put to Death in the 
 moft publick and ignominious Manner. 
 Mifs Veridet was recommended by her 
 Father, a little before his Death, to the 
 the Juftice of her Caufe, and the Care 
 
 of
 
 ( 221 ) 
 
 of Mrs. Le Clerk, her Nurfe, who was 
 a very good Woman, and had an infi- 
 nite Affedtion for the Child. Such 
 early and extraordinary Indications of 
 Undemanding, Goodnefs, and Beauty 
 never appeared in any Child, as in this. 
 At the Age, when other Children can 
 fcarcely fpeak, her Knowledge was fu- 
 perior to that of the wifeft Men ; fhe 
 was the Arbitrefs of all Difputes, and 
 the Reconciler of Differences through- 
 out the whole Neighbourhood. Her 
 faithful Nurfe took Care always to fet 
 her in the moft favourable Point of 
 Light, and to fhew her to the greateft 
 Advantage. By thefe Means they 
 gained many Friends, who contribu- 
 ted what they could fpare towards their 
 Support, and revived the Suit for the 
 great Eflate, which Mifs was entitled 
 to by the Death of her Father. The 
 Ufurpers, alarmed at this, tried all 
 Ways and Means firft to alienate their 
 Friends from them, and then to take 
 away the Life of the Child. But Nurfe, 
 U 3 by
 
 222 ) 
 
 by her extreme Vigilance and Prudence, 
 fo managed Matters, that they were 
 defeated in all their Schemes. Upon 
 this, for want of better Means, they 
 betook themfelves to open Force. Here 
 Nurfe aded her Part inimitably well, 
 for which me fuffered the moft inex- 
 preffible Hardmips. As fhe fled from 
 Place to Place with the Child, fome- 
 times hiding her, and at other Times 
 calling their Friends to her Affiftance, 
 fhe was frequently feized, imprifoned 
 and fcourged in the moft cruel Manner 
 for her Fidelity. Many alfo of thofe, 
 who were refolute enough to fhew 
 themfelves in the Defence of Nurfe 
 and the Child, were put to Death with 
 unheard of Barbarity, their Perfecutors 
 fhewing themfelves very ingenious in 
 the Contrivance of Cruelties to torture 
 and deftroy them with. This how- 
 ever, did only ferve to encreafe both 
 their Zeal and Numbers, infomuch, 
 that in a little Time a great Part of 
 Mifs Veridet's Tenants declared openly 
 
 for
 
 ( 223 ) 
 
 for her, and one or other of the great 
 Ones began every Day to augment her 
 Party. Thefe Worthies made her 
 Caufe their own, and gave Nurfe fuch 
 liberal Contributions for the Mainte- 
 nance of the Child and herfelf, that 
 the Law-Suit was carried on with great 
 Vigour ; and, as Nurfe was a moft ex- 
 cellent Manager, and prodigioufly fpar- 
 ing in her own Expences, Mifs was 
 nobly fupported, and enabled to grati- 
 fy the boundlefs Goodnefs of her Na-. 
 ture in the Relief of the Diftreffed, 
 who flocked to her from all Parts for 
 Meat, Medicine, and Cloaths, which 
 Nurfe, by her Direct ions, fupplied them 
 with in great Abundance. About this 
 Time Nurfe began to be afflicted with 
 Hyfterick Fits, in which, altho' not 
 very violent at firll;, fhe was fometimes 
 flightly convulfed, and feemed to be 
 threatned with an Encreafe of the Di- 
 order. However, Mifs no fooner en- 
 tered the Room, than her Fits vanimed, 
 and me was perfectly well, After.this 
 U 4 * falutary
 
 ( 224 ) 
 
 falutary Experiment had been feveral 
 Times tried, {he determined never to 
 truft herfelf again to the irregular Mo- 
 tions of her own Spirits, but always to 
 keep Mifs fo near her, that her Diftem- 
 per might be checked in its firft Attacks. 
 NURSE being now no longer looked 
 upon as a poor Woman in Diftrefs, a 
 certain great Lord in the Neighbour- 
 hood, who kept a very fplendid Court, 
 fell deeply in Love with her, and fhe 
 being not altogether diverted of the 
 Ambition fo natural to her Sex, enter- 
 tained his Paflion with a very favour- 
 able Ear. He, for his Part, made his 
 Court with all imaginable Civilities and 
 Services both to her and Mifs. And 
 Nurfe, on her Part, began to drefs a 
 little more genteely, and affeft the Airs 
 of a Perfon of Quality. At firft they 
 contented themfelves with repeated 
 Vifits ; but Nurfe having tailed the 
 Sweets of Grandeur, after fome Time, 
 removed with Mifs to his Lordmip's 
 Houfe, and there took up her Abode. 
 
 From
 
 From thenceforward me fet no Bounds 
 to her Gaieties: She was always foremoft 
 and higheft in the Fafhion. When high 
 Heads were the Mode, her's overtopt all 
 the Head's at Court. When Furbeloes 
 came up, fhe was nothing but Furbelo 
 from Top to Toe. At other Times fhe 
 was all Lace and Fringe. As fhe was 
 naturally of an humble Stature, fhe fup- 
 plied that Defedt with high Heels, which 
 at firft coft her fome indecent Falls, nor 
 did fhe fcruple now and then to lay on 
 a little Paint to difguife the too venera- 
 ble Lines of her Countenance, and 
 brighten it with a frefh Bloom. 
 
 THESE Arts drew in many Admirers, 
 who fhared with his Lordfhip in her 
 good Graces and Encouragements, of 
 which me was by no Means over-fpar- 
 ing. Thefe Gentlemen, who from a 
 depraved Notion of Grandeur, became 
 her Lovers, were her's only j Mifs had 
 no Share in their Friendmip, altho' in- 
 deed they all treated her with great Com- 
 plaifance and good Manners. 
 
 A*
 
 ( 224 ) 
 
 As for the plainer Sort of People, 
 they thought her lefs agreeable in the 
 midfl of fo much Drefs and Equipage, 
 than formerly, when fhe fhewed her- 
 felf every Day with an Air of good 
 Humour and Familiarity in a decent 
 Home-fpun Gown. They faid flie made 
 but a ftiff and awkward Appearance, 
 fqueezed up in her new Stays, and 
 ftuck about with Pendants, and Brace- 
 lets, and Rings, in which her Fingers, 
 grown hard and inflexible with Induftry 
 in her more fober Days, looked ungain- 
 ly enough. In their Opinion, the good 
 Woman made a very ftrange ungraceful 
 Figure in a Palace, in a gilt Coach, and 
 among People, who from their Infancy 
 had been trained up to little elfe than a 
 fine Addrefs and Mein. 
 
 THE wifer Peeople were apprehen five 
 of very ill Confequences from this flrange 
 Turn in her Head, and began to fear 
 left Mifs too might fuffer by it in the 
 End. As for Mifs herfelf, me faw 
 plainly what would come on't, and did 
 
 not
 
 ( 22 7 ) 
 not fail, from Time to Time, to hint 
 
 her Sentiments to Nurfe in. very intel- 
 ligible Terms, which, they fay, oc- 
 caiioned a little Coolnefs and Mifunder- 
 ftanding between them. Mifs, who 
 quickly found herfelf no fit I*erfon for 
 a Court, by the mere Compliments that 
 were made her, under which {he could 
 eafily difcover a fettled Diftafte, fpent 
 mod of her Time, either in her Clofet, 
 or walking abroad all alone among the 
 Fields, and now and then ftepping in 
 to chat for half an Hour with a Coun- 
 try Acquaintance. During thefe Intervals 
 of Abfence, Nurfe had m any and griev- 
 ous Fits of her Diforder, in which fhe 
 was all over torn wirh Convulfions, her 
 Hands beating one another, her Feet 
 claming together, and kicking with 
 exceffive Violence, and her Face fo 
 fliockingly diitorted, that many of her 
 delicate Admirers were mightily cooled 
 in their Affections, and fome of them 
 even conceived an utter Diilike to her. 
 On fuch Occafions Mifs was fometimes 
 
 called
 
 ( 228 ) 
 
 Called in, to the great Relief of her 
 Nude ; although, as the poor Gentle- 
 woman's Diforder encreafed, Mifs's Pre- 
 fence had ftill lefs and lefs Effect upon 
 her. She was fo happy as to be re- 
 lieved out of one very outrageous Fit, 
 by his Lordfhip's coming into the 
 Room, the vaft Refpect me had for 
 him, recalling her tumultuous Spirits 
 to Order in a very furprizing Manner. 
 After this (he never fent for Mifs when 
 Ihe was ill, but always had Recourfe to 
 his Lordmip, whofe Prefence in fome 
 time was obferved to ftupify her Dif- 
 order, and to change it into another, 
 more continual and lafting, but ftill of 
 the hyfterick kind. 
 
 Miss finding me was no longer re- 
 garded by her Nurfe, as a Perfon either 
 ufeful or agreeable, retired among her 
 own Tenants, where {he met with a 
 kind Welcome from fome, although the 
 greater Part were fo enflaved to Nurfe 
 and his Lordfhip, that they treated poor 
 Mifs with great Neglect, and the more, 
 
 becaufe
 
 becaiife fhe came unattended, and had 
 fo little of Grandeur or Quality about 
 her. 
 
 AFTER this, Nurfe and fhe feldom 
 faw each other, and, when they did, it 
 was by no Means to the Satisfaction of 
 either. Nurfe told her fhe was too in- 
 flexible in her Temper, and too rough 
 in her Behaviour ; that the Succefs of 
 her Affairs depended abfolutely on an 
 oppofite Way of carrying herfelf ; that 
 the great Folks, who had already fhewn 
 themfelves fo favourably difpofed to- 
 wards her, were highly difgufted at her 
 fevere and difobliging Deportment ; and 
 that the Recovery of her Fortune depend- 
 ed abfolutely on ferving the Times, and 
 being well with the great ones. To 
 thefe Allegations Mifs retorted, that 
 Nurfe's Behaviour was vain and unbe- 
 coming her Years ; that fhe was acting 
 altogether out of Character j that Dif- 
 fimulation, and Flattery, and Pomp, 
 neither became her as a good Woman, 
 nor as her Nurfe 5 and concluded a 
 
 little
 
 little tartly, that though Nurfe Le Clerk's 
 feparate Interefl might depend abfolute- 
 ly on the Favour of the Great, yet 
 Mifs Veridet's neither did, nor ever 
 fhould. Nurfe, who was grown ex- 
 ceffi vely proud , could not bear this 
 Reply, but flung away with great In- 
 dignation, and fhook off her Chagrin in 
 her Coach, which hurried her home to 
 the Card-table, and a Company of very 
 fafhionable Vifitors. 
 
 ALTHOUGH Nurfe took no further 
 Care of her Charge, yet me continued 
 .to receive Mifs's Rents, which me ex- 
 pended in Articles of Luxury, and Pre- 
 fents to her Admirers, and Men of 
 Power, to fecure their Intereft. And 
 all this was for Mifs's Sake. Receipts 
 were given in her Name, and a grand 
 Oeconomy kept up for Mifs, who lived 
 at a Diftance in a poor neglected Con- 
 dition, and abhorred, from her Soul, the 
 Practices of Nurfe, and all her Aflb- 
 ciates. Mifs, in fhort, received not a 
 Penny of her own 'Fortune, but was 
 
 fupported
 
 ( 23 1 ) 
 
 fupported by the voluntary Contribu- 
 tions of a few poor People, who, after 
 being forced by his Lordfliip to pay in 
 Mifs's Rents to her Nurfe, were fo good 
 as to relieve Mifs's Neceflities out of their 
 own Pockets, for which they thought 
 themfelves nobly payed by her Compa- 
 ny and Converfation. 
 
 NURSE, in the mean time, went 
 on, heaping up Riches, endowing her 
 Relations with great Eilates, wallowing 
 in Luxury, and aping the Magnificence 
 and Grandeur of a Princefs. She ex- 
 changed her Levee of Beggars for one 
 of Beaux , and took more Pleafure in 
 the Compliments and Addreffes of the 
 latter, than in the Bleffings of -the for- 
 mer. Her Intrigues with his Lordmip, 
 which were of more kinds than one, 
 became notorious and fcandalous. How- 
 ever, as is ufual in Correfpondences of 
 that Nature, they led but an^uneafy 
 Life together. Each would needs have 
 lived at the other's Expence; and be- 
 j there was no End of their Jealou- 
 
 fies.
 
 fies. His Lordmip would fometimes 
 carefs, and at other times kick herj and 
 yet (he had fo far gained Ground, that 
 he was often forced to attone for his 
 Infults, with very flavim Submiflions: 
 Nay, {he had fo eftablifhed herfelf 
 with his Domefticks, that they lent her 
 an Hand, on one or two Occafions, to 
 turn him out of his own Houfe; and, 
 if he attempted to re-enter by Force, 
 {he armed herfelf, and, heading her own 
 Partizans, fought him with amazing 
 Virulence and Fury. If, in any of thefe 
 Rencounters, {he happened to be worft- 
 ed, me then made grievous Complaints 
 to the Neighbours, and afked them 
 how they could patiently ftand by, 
 and fee fo good a Woman, who was 
 Nurfe and Guardian to Mifs Veridet, 
 fo barbaroufly treated. Help! Help! 
 ihe would cry, it is for Mifs Verldet I 
 fuffer; help me againft this Tyrant, 
 who perfecutes me for my Fidelity to 
 her. Although fome were carried away 
 with this impudent Pretence, yet Peo- 
 ple
 
 ( 233 ) 
 
 pie generally faw through it, and knew 
 very well it was not about Mifs herfelf, 
 but about her Fortune, that all thefe 
 Bickerings arofe. It was a common 
 Obfervation, that, when Mrs. Le Clerk 
 had the better of his Lordmip, (he ftyl- 
 ed herfelf Princefs, Emprefs, and what 
 not ; but when ever {he came by the 
 worfe, then (he was only Nurfe to poor 
 Mifs Feridet. 
 
 AT length, what through Idlenefs 
 and Luxury , and continual Stuffing 
 (for fhe had a great Appetite) Nurfe 
 became exceflively fat, and her hyfte- 
 rical Diforder degenerated into a kind 
 of Lethargy. During the Continuance 
 of this Diftemper, {he was infenfible 
 of every thing. She not only forgot 
 Mifs, but herfelf too; infomuch that 
 {he, and every thing about her, were 
 continually bedaubed with huge invo- 
 luntary Difcharges of Filth, which 
 fmelled fo ftrong, that few People 
 could endure to go nigh her. There 
 arofe alfo an huge Bile on her Head, 
 X which
 
 C 
 
 which feemed to threaten a Mortifi- 
 cation. Mifs Veridet, who had great 
 Pity for her, made her a Vifit while 
 Ihe was in this Condition j and, obferv- 
 ing that her Bile was ripe, and that fhe 
 had no Chirurgeon to attend her, (he 
 took a Lancet, and ventured to dilate 
 the Tumour; but had like to have 
 payed: dearly for her Good - nature :. 
 Such a Torrent of fetid Corruption 
 iflued from the Orifice, as had infalli- 
 bly fufFocated her, had me not been 
 armed vljjth a very powerful aromatick 
 Antidote ;, and Nurfe , roufed by the 
 Fain, fell on her in a Fit of Diffraction 
 and Fury, as if me would have torn 
 her to Pieces. Her Habit of Body 
 was fo bad, and the Humours fo very 
 ill difpofed, that her Bile turned to a 
 foul and obftinate Ulcer. Her lethar- 
 gick. Diforder ftill continuing, without 
 any vifible Abatement, certain Quacks, 
 who had formerly prefcribed to her, 
 and; who were famous for anodyne 
 Noffrums, the only Medicines ufed in 
 
 thofs
 
 ( 2 35 ) 
 thofc Days were called in , and con- 
 
 fulted with. After a long Debate con- 
 cerning Particles, Effluviums, animal 
 Spirits, Sympathies, Antipathies, Pro- 
 gnoflicks, Diagnofticks, occult Quali- 
 ties, and an huge Jargon of other my- 
 fterious Terms, they agreed to ply her 
 with Fomentations and Opiates ; but 
 with fo ill Succefs were thefe Prefcrip- 
 tions adminiftered, that her Diforder 
 was greatly encreafed, and fhe feemed 
 to be little better than dead. Mifs, 
 who ftill gratefully remembered heV 
 former Services, did not defert her in 
 this Extremity. She fent for three or 
 four very able Phyficians, who, ob- 
 ferving that her Diforder was chiefly 
 owing to a Plethory and a Cacochy- 
 my , gave her ftrong Purgatives ; 
 by the Ufe of which , and of alexi- 
 pharmick Volatiles, the Symptoms of 
 Putrifaction began to abate, and her 
 Stupor gave way much fafter than the 
 Phyficians expected; which indicated 
 a very ftrong Texture of the Solids, 
 X 2 an
 
 and an excellent natural Conftitutiorr. 
 However, the utmoft they could do , 
 by perfevering in this only poflible Me- 
 thod of Cure, was to roufe her into a 
 moft violent hyfterick Fit, in which (he 
 raved, foamed at the Month, and layed 
 about her fo outrageoufly, both with 
 Hands and Feet, that thofe who held 
 her being well boxed and fcratched 
 for their Pains, were obliged to ufe 
 fome Violence with her. Mifs, who 
 was very affiduous on this Occalion-, 
 fuffered moft, and had like to have loft 
 one of her Eyes in the Scuffle. The 
 Quacks, in the mean time, railed at 
 what was a doing in the bittereft 
 Terms , and publickly infilled on it, 
 that the Patient, by the immoderate 
 Application of Volatiles , was thrown 
 into a Phrenfy, although it was well 
 enough known, that Ihe had, of a long 
 time, been greatly afflicted with Hy- 
 ftericks} and that her prefent Fit pro- 
 ceeded entirely from her Habit of Body, 
 and by no means from the Medicines. 
 
 The
 
 ( 2 37 ) 
 
 The Phyficians were very well pleafed 
 
 with having thrown off that Load of 
 corrupted Humours, which of late had 
 fo opprefTed the nervous Syftem, that, 
 not having Strength enough to work 
 itfelf up to a Fit, it had funk into a 
 ftupid and profound Lethargy. This, 
 they faid, was gaining a very confider- 
 able Point, and promifed fair for a Re- 
 covery. Mifs Veridet y not at all dif- 
 couraged by the rough Treatment {he 
 had received, fo plied her poor Nurfe, 
 with Antihyflericks,, and, as her Under- 
 flanding began to return, with mild, 
 and yet powerful Reafonings, that (he 
 at length prevailed, in a good meafure, 
 over the prefent Tumult of her Spirits. 
 Her Underflanding, however, appeared 
 to be fomewhat impaired, and the Tor- 
 por of her Diforder feemed to lag be- 
 hind in her left Side, and (hew itfelf in 
 the Shape of a Palfy, which, as it was 
 not attended with a total Deprivation of 
 Senfe and Motion, the Phyficians had 
 fome Hopes of removing. For that 
 
 purpofc
 
 ( 238 ) 
 
 pnrpofe they recommended to her the 
 ftricT: Obfervation of a Regimen, which 
 confirmed in nothing more than a thin 
 Diet, great Regularity in her Manner 
 of living, and the conflant Ufe of a few 
 well-chofen Alteratives. 
 
 SHE had no fooner received thefe 
 Directions, than Mifs Veridet interpofed 
 a little feafonable Advice. You fee, 
 dear Nurfe, faid fhe, what an idle and 
 luxurious Life hath coft you ; your 
 Health is, in a great meafure, deftroyed, 
 and the Prefer vation of your very Life 
 is next to a Miracle. All this had 
 been prevented, had you continued in 
 that plain induftrious Way of living, 
 whicb r at your firfl being employed a-, 
 bout me, brought you fo much real 
 Honour and Health j and all your 
 prefent Maladies and Miferies may be 
 removed by a Return to the fame wife 
 and happy Manner of fpending your 
 Days* You heard, and I hope will 
 confider, what the Phylicians faid to 
 you. But furely nothing can be more 
 
 wild
 
 ( 239 ) 
 
 wild, than to think of following Rules, 
 and living on a thin Diet, in fuch a 
 Family as this. Befides, his Eordmip 
 hates you from his very Soul, and me 
 too. Nay, he gave me the Lie, this 
 very Morning, and fwore the World 
 would be well rid of you, if you were 
 dead, merely becaufe I faid your Life 
 was ft ill worth the preferving. He 
 and all his famionable Vifitors entertain 
 themfelves with dirty Stories of Acci- 
 dents that happened to you in your late 
 infenfible Condition. Your afluming 
 the Titles and Airs of a Princefs af- 
 fords them Matter of infinite Merry- 
 ment. They call you the hoyden Prin- 
 cefs, and Nurfe's Highnefs, and Queen 
 Goody, with a thoufand other honorary 
 Appellations of the like Nature. They 
 talk alfo of feizing on all your Money 
 and Furniture, and his Lordfhip hath 
 already fecured your Jewels, for your 
 Ufe, as he fays, but others fay, for 
 his own.. Would you rather live here, 
 infulted, plundered, ridiculed, than 
 j. with
 
 ( 24 ) 
 
 with me in Peace, Chearfulnefs, and 
 real Honour ? Recoiled: the Pleafures 
 of a natural, innocent, and active Life. 
 Be impartial ; did you ever, fmce you 
 entered into this riotous Way of Life, 
 tafte fuch Tranfports of Joy, as for- 
 merly, when the Relief of fome very 
 miferable Object, or an high Act of 
 Devotion, called up the Angel within 
 you ? How I have feen the Tears run 
 down thofe Cheeks on fuch Occafions! 
 How have I feen a Rapture of that 
 Kind rifmg within you, and rendering 
 your Body perfectly infenfible to the 
 red-hot Pincers, that were tearing your 
 Flefh from your Bones, while you flood 
 up like a ftrong Tower in my Defence! 
 Yes, dear Nurfe, I have a lively Me. 
 mory of your Goodnefs j I wifh you 
 could as well remember your own 
 Happinefs ; you would then renounce 
 this falfe Sort of Grandeur, and go 
 with me to be truly great and happy. 
 Tell me not of the Services done by, 
 or to be expected from,, the Great. 
 
 When
 
 When they were all again ft us, the 
 Juftice of my Caufe, and your un- 
 conquerable Virtue, gave us a complete 
 Victory. Since you began to employ 
 other Meafures, fince you courted the 
 Perfons, and flattered the Vices of Men 
 in Power, with what Contempt and 
 Deteftation have you been looked upon 
 by the thinking Part of the World! 
 As for my Sufferings, I (hould here 
 make a lively Reprefentation of them, 
 did I not too plainly perceive fuch a 
 fettled Alienation of your Heart from, 
 me, as precludes all Hopes of moving, 
 you on that Topick. Reprefent there- 
 fore your own Sufferings to yourfelf, 
 and let a lively Senie of them awaken 
 you to a prudent Concern for your own 
 real Intereft. 
 
 NURSE, altho' me was moft bitterly 
 railed at behind her Back, yet had not 
 of a long Time, been treated with (a 
 much Freedom to her Face. To ex- 
 poftulate with fo great and wife a Per r 
 fon as her, was a downright In fait. 
 Y Yet,
 
 ( 242 ) 
 
 Yet, notwithflanding that fhe refented 
 the greater Part of Mifs Veridtt's Dif- 
 courfe, flic had ftill fome Refpeft for 
 her, and Felt the Force of her Reafonings 
 as fenfibly, as a Mind fo enfeebled could 
 be well expected to do. 
 
 WHAT you have put me in Mind 
 of, faid {he to Mifs, is moftly true. I 
 was happier with you in a neat little 
 convenient Dwelling, than in this Pa- 
 lace. Honeft Men, I find, are better 
 Friends and Neighbours than great 
 Men. As for my Diforders, there 
 mull be fome Care taken of them ; but 
 I neither think them at all fo grievous 
 or dangerous, as the phyfical Gentlemen 
 were pleafed to intimate, nor am I by 
 any Means convinced, that dieting my- 
 felf on Drugs will much conduce to 
 my greater Health. As to the Article 
 of my quitting this Houfe, and retiring 
 with you, excufe me, dear Mifs, I can 
 never think of it. I am no longer 
 capable of thofe Pleafures, I formerly 
 found, in being Caterer and Apothecary 
 
 for
 
 ( 243 ) 
 
 for the Poor. If, for your Credit, it is 
 neceflary that fuch menial Offices mould 
 be performed by fome Body, we will 
 hire a few Servants, who (hall attend 
 on that very Bufinefs, My Tiifte and 
 Notions of Things, are now a little too 
 refined for thefe pious 'antiquated Sort 
 of Practices. I cannot go Abroad with- 
 out a Coach, and there is no v in* ting 
 Beggars and Lazars in a Coach you 
 know. At firft, it is true, my Chanty 
 and Piety procured us many Friends, 
 But the Times are changed. Thofe 
 Qualities are now little regarded, and 
 we mufl have Recourfe to other Means. 
 You and I had long ago been ftripped 
 of all we have, had I not taken Care 
 to keep in with his Lordmip, and other 
 Perfons of Confequence. You may talk 
 as you will concerning the. Juftice of 
 your Caufe, and the Triumphs to be 
 expected from thence j but commend 
 me to a little feafonable Prudence and 
 Policy. You, dear Mifs, are for new- 
 modelling the World (which is im- 
 Y 2 poffible)
 
 ( 244 ) 
 
 pofiible) in order to cut it out for your 
 own Friendship. Now I am for taking 
 an eafier Way, and conforming our- 
 felves to the World, that we may the 
 better recommend ourfelves to its Fa- 
 vour. Thefe, I grant you, are very 
 oppofite Maxims ; but Experience vou- 
 ches for the Utility of mine. 
 
 Miss Veridet, perceiving by this 
 and other Trials, that it was impoiTible 
 all at once to wean her from Luxury 
 and Grandeur, took a Lodging near 
 his Lordfhip's, that (lie might be ready 
 to lay hold on every new Opportunity 
 that fhould favour the friendly Defigns 
 &e had on her Nurfe. In this Situa- 
 tion they fometimes vifited, and at o- 
 ther Times did not fo much as traflick 
 in How-do-yous. This Juftice how^ 
 ever muft be done to his Lordfhip, that 
 be generally carried towards Mifs Veri- 
 det with Civility at leaft ; nay, and 
 fhewed a greater Defire for Nurfe's Re- 
 covery, and the Reformation of their 
 * than Nurfe herfelf. He fre- 
 quently
 
 ( 245 ) 
 
 qaently joined with Mifs Veridet in 
 preffing the NecefTity of greater Fru- 
 gality in Entertainments, of more Com- 
 panion towards the Poor, of eftabiim- 
 ing a Uriel Difcipline among the Ser- 
 vants, and particularly infifted on it, 
 that Nurfe herfelf mould conform to 
 the Rules prefcribed her by the Phy- 
 fician?. As to the regulating of Ser- 
 vants, fhe in Part confented to it, and 
 accordingly fome Sets of them, fuch as 
 thofe who had care of the Stables and 
 the Gardens, were brought under a 
 Method ; but fhe could never be per- 
 fuaded to fubmit entirely to Rules her- 
 felf. A great Table, and a magnifi- 
 cent Equipage, were dearer to her 
 than Health and Life, which {he was 
 willing to facrifice to her Palate and 
 her Vanity ; altha after all (lie pro- 
 vided but ill for either ; for, as to the 
 firft, flie had little or no Pleafure in 
 what (he eat or drank, being generally 
 gorged and cloyed with greater Quan- 
 tities than Nature required, or could- 
 
 difpenfe
 
 ( 246) 
 
 difpenfe with ; and as to the latter, me 
 did but purchafe Contempt from fome, 
 and Envy from others, with all her 
 vaft Expences. Her moft favourite 
 Guefts, having their Bellies filled with 
 her Delicacies, would get into Corners, 
 laugh at her Folly ,, and rail at her Pride 
 and Luxury in ,the moft reproachful 
 Terms ; nay, fome of them would 
 puke up her Victuals, accompanied 
 with no fmall Virulence, in her very 
 Face. She was little beloved by any 
 Sort of People j but none hated her fo- 
 muehy or talked fo hardly of her, as 
 thofe whom (he entertained with the 
 greateft Preparations, and thofe who 
 owed their Rife and Fortunes entirely 
 to her Partiality. Various Curfes, in 
 fliort, feemed to fall upon her, accord- 
 ing to her various Ways of betraying 
 the Confidence repofed in her, a& 
 Truftee to Mifs Verldefs Fortune, 
 That, which me laid out in Articles of 
 Luxury, turned to Diflempers j and 
 that which fhe expended on her Vanity* 
 
 became
 
 ( 247 ) 
 
 became the Occafion of Shame and Re- 
 proach to her. In the mean Time poor 
 Mifs Veridefs Affairs were very ill ma- 
 oaged, Counfellor Clod-pate, and Skin- 
 flint the Attorney, both Nephews to 
 Nurfe Le Clerk, were entrufled with 
 the Care of Mifs's Law-Suit. After 
 they had received immenfe Sums by 
 that Bufinefs, they actually betrayed 
 the Caufe they were feed for, and a 
 Decree had certainly gone againft their 
 Client, had {he not, to the utter A- 
 mazement of all Weftminjler, appeared 
 in Court, and pleaded her own Caufe; 
 for which, however, fhe was imme- 
 diately faddled with a feparate Action of 
 Damage by every Lawyer at the Bar, 
 and with a Trefpafs by the Court, for 
 prefuming to act as a Lawyer, with- 
 out being regularly bred to the Bufi- 
 nefs, or qualified according to Form ; 
 and, what was worfe, for interrupting 
 the Bufinefs of all the Courts, inaf- 
 much as nothing could be done while 
 fhe was within the Walls. With the 
 
 like
 
 (248 ) 
 
 like Skill and Fidelity was me generally 
 ferved in other Matters. Nurfe's own 
 Relations, or the younger Sons of great 
 Men, who were often fit for no other 
 Purpofe, and altogether ignorant of 
 Bufmefs, were, for the moft Part, em- 
 ployed, and had large Salaries for mif- 
 managing the Affairs of this injured 
 young Lady. Of a good Number of 
 Servants, who were paid for attending 
 on Mifs's own Perfon, few or none ever 
 went near her ; fo that me fcarcely 
 knew any of them, nor were they bet- 
 ter acquainted with her* 
 
 THERE were . fome indeed , who 
 {hewed an honeft Zeal for the Service 
 of their young Miftrefs ; but the World 
 being generally averfe to her, hated 
 alfo thofe who efpoufed her, and, in 
 fome 3\/teafure, did them the Honour 
 to perfecute them for their Fidelity. 
 Nurfe, in the mean Time, who could 
 have protected thefe Perfons, and ought 
 to have enabled them to render a more 
 effectual Service, looked on them with 
 
 a jealous
 
 ( 249 ) 
 
 a jealous Eye, as reproaching her ow n 
 unaccountable Conduct by their Zeal 
 and Care. For thefe, and other the 
 like Reafons, {he took Care to keep 
 them down, and to reftrain the too 
 petulant Warmth of the Men by all 
 manner of Difcouragements. Thofe, 
 faid me, who have a real Friendmip for 
 Mils, will ferve her to the uttermoft of 
 their Power for her own fake, although 
 I mew them no Countenance ; and fo- 
 as her Caufe and mine areftill, in fome 
 meafure, one,, I ihall mare in their Ser- 
 vices for nothing^ while I purchafe, 
 with all the Favours I can confer, the 
 Interefl and Affiflance of thofe, who 
 care not a Straw for either of us, but as 
 we are ufeful to themfelves. 
 
 NURSE took Care to be as pubiick 
 as poffible in- her Vifits to Mifs, and to 
 fpeak of her on all Occafions, as her 
 belt Friend, and only Confident; though 
 perhaps their Hearts were never farther 
 afunder than, at that very inftant. By 
 this Means fhe. hoped to fupport her 
 Z CredU
 
 f 250 ) 
 
 Credit, as if her Conduct was approved 
 of by Mifs Veridet; and, for a time, it 
 had this Effect. But when Nurfe's 
 Practices were once feen through, this 
 Appearance of Friendfhip and Conful- 
 tation between the two Ladies, fervcd 
 only to render Mifs Veridet fufpeded, 
 and afterwards hated by thofe, who 
 were perfectly indifferent to her before. 
 Hence it came to pafs, that the Party 
 of thofe, who difputed her Patrimony 
 with her, was greatly encreafed. Some 
 queflioned her Legitimacy, others that 
 of her Father j and the generality of 
 them infifted, that all (he had fo im- 
 pudently called her own, and Nurfe 
 had fo infamoufly abufed, was confer- 
 red on her by voluntary Contribution, 
 and might be withdrawn again at Plea- 
 fure. They are now preparing to pro- 
 ceed dh this way of Reafoning to a 
 forcible Refumption, as they call it, of 
 all the Eftate j while Nurfe, in the mean 
 Time, as if the whole World were ei- 
 ther her fall Friends, or abfolute Slaves, 
 $ perfeveres
 
 perfeveres in every Practice that can 
 help to inflame the univerfal Odium a- 
 gainfl herfelf, and increafe the growing 
 Prejudices fo unjuftly entertained againft 
 Mifs. Her Conduct: is made up of two 
 Things, the moft incompatible in Na- 
 ture, a Defence of Mifs Veridefs 
 Rights, and a Dependence on mere Po- 
 licy and worldly Power. With her 
 Right Hand fhe holds by thefe; and 
 with her Left, which is paralytick, me 
 feebly attempts to manage that. 'Till 
 {he is reftored to a founder Mind, and- 
 a better State of Health, the Affairs- 
 of this injured Heirefs are not likely 
 to be put on an advantageous Foot- 
 ing. 
 
 FINIS,
 
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 1991
 
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