"that of Reafon. Survey their wanderings, and be « wife.”

I looked then upon the road of Reason, which was indeed, fo far as it reached, the fame with that of Religion, nor had Reafon discovered it but by her instruction. Yet when he had once been taught it, he clearly faw that it was right; and Pride had fometimes incited her to declare that The difcovered it herself, and perfuaded her to offer herself as a guide to Religion; whom after many vain experiments fhe found it her higheft privilege to follow. Reafon was however at laft well inftructed in part of the way, and appeared to teach it with fome fuccefs, when her precepts were not mifreprefented by Paffion, or her influence overborne by Appetite. But neither of these enemies was fhe able to refift. When Paffion feized upon her votaries, fhe feldom attempted oppofition: fhe feemed indeed to contend with more vigour against Appetite, but was generally overwearied in the conteft; and if either of her opponents had confederated with Habit, her authority was wholly at an end. When Habit endeavoured to captivate the votaries of Religion, fhe grew by flow degrees, and gave time to escape; but in feizing the unhappy followers of Reafon, fhe proceeded as one that had nothing to fear, and enlarged her fize, and doubled her chains without intermiffion, and without reserve.

Of those who forfook the directions of Reafon, fome were led afide by the whispers of Ambition, who was perpetually pointing to ftately palaces, fituated

fituated on eminences on either fide, recounting the delights of affluence, and boafting the fecurity of power. They were eafily perfuaded to follow her, and Habit quickly threw her chains upon them; they were foon convinced of the folly of their choice, but few of them attempted to return. Ambition led them forward from precipice to precipice, where many fell and were feen no more. Thofe that escaped were, after a long feries of hazards, generally delivered over to Avarice, and enlifted by her in the fervice of Tyranny, where they continued to heap up gold till their patrons or their heirs pushed them headlong at laft into the caverns of Despair.

Others were inticed by Intemperance to ramble in fearch of thofe fruits that hung over the rocks, and filled the air with their fragrance. I obferved, that the Habits which hovered about these foon grew to an enormous fize, nor were there any who le's attempted to return to Reafon, or fooner funk into the gulphs that lay before them. When these firft quitted the road, Reafon looked after them with a frown of contempt, but had little expectations of being able to reclaim them; for the bowl of intoxication was of fuch qualities as to make them lofe all regard but for the prefent moment; neither Hope nor Fear could enter their retreats; and Habit had fo abfolute a power, that even Confcience, if Religion had employed her in their favour, would not have been able to force an entrance.

There were others whofe crime it was rather to neglect Reason than to difobey her; and who retreated

treated from the heat and tumult of the way, not to the bowers of Intemperance, but to the maze of Indolence. They had this peculiarity in their condition, that they were always in fight of the road of Reason, always wifhing for her prefence, and always refolving to return to-morrow. In thefe was most eminently confpicuous the fubtlety of Habit, who hung imperceptible fhackles upon them, and was every moment leading them farther from the road, which they always imagined that they had the power of reaching. They wandered on from one double of the labyrinth to another with the chains of Habit hanging fecretly upon them, till, as they advanced, the flowers grew paler, and the scents fainter; they proceeded in their dreary march without pleasure in their progrefs, yet without power to return; and had this aggravation above all others, that they were criminal but not delighted. The drunkard for a time laughed over his wine; the ambitious man triumphed in the mifcarriage of his rival; but the captives of Indolence had neither fuperiority nor merriment. Difcontent lowered in their looks, and Sadness hovered round their fhades; yet they crawled on reluctant and gloomy, till they arrived at the depth of the recefs, varied only with poppies and nightshade, where the dominion of Indolence terminates, and the hopeless wanderer is delivered up to Melancholy: the chains of Habit are riveted for ever; and Melancholy, having tortured her prifoner for a time, conûgns him at laft to the cruelty of Despair.

VOL. XI.

M

While

While I was mufing on this miferable fcene, my protector called out to me, "Remember, Theo"dore, and be wife, and let not Habit prevail against thee." I started, and beheld myself surrounded by the rocks of Teneriffe; the birds of light were finging in the trees, and the glances of the morning darted upon me.

THE

APOTHEOSIS OF MILTON,

A VISION.

THOUGH

HOUGH no leffons are more inftructive than

those we learn from the view of the awful monuments erected to the memory of the great, the good, the wife, and the witty; yet the fubject has been fo much exhausted, that an author who can find any thing to say on that head, must have an imagination more fertile than mine: for this reafon I fhall not entertain you with any of the reflections that occurred to my mind laft week, when curiofity led me to fee the monuments lately erected in Weftminster-abbey. I fhall only acquaint you, that I was fo deeply engaged in them, that night fell ere I was aware; and when I awaked from my reverie, I found the gate of the abbey fhut. I own, Sir, that notwithstanding the natural courage that I am mafter of, the folemn afpect of the fabrick, together with the melancholy gloom that darted through the windows, and tinged the fnowy marble with a death-like palenefs, gave me fome emotions, which, perhaps, it would appear weakness in me to confefs. I however refolved to pafs the night in the most proper manner both for expelling these dismal ideas from my mind, and for preventing any injury to