in the revolution of ages, when the great society. of the human race will be unable to derive farther improvement from residing in this world. From this world, therefore, men will one day be removed. Individual minds, if permitted to visit other worlds, and to become citizens of the universe, will never arrive at a period when they will be incapable of knowing more, or of acquiring higher energy of character: but it is not to every individual that this capacity or this destiny belongs. Some minds are too undiscerning to perceive the value of intellectual improvement. Other minds become so deeply enamoured of certain pursuits peculiar to their present state, that they will be unable to burst through the fetters of habit, and to engage in the study of what is good and excellent in the works of their Maker. These minds, having no employment in which to occupy themselves, would exist hereafter in vain; and such is the constitution of mind, that if it is not employed it sinks into thoughtlessness, and loses its intelligent character. But those minds that engage in the pursuit of intellectual improvement, or in the study and diffusion of science, when they remove from this world, will find themselves only placed in a better situation for advancing successfully in their career. Their employment cannot come to an end, for it is infinite; and their minds will continue for ever, to become

still more active, more discerning, and more enlarged.

It is no mean prize, then, that awaits the lovers of Wisdom. She is lovely in herself, and worthy of all regard and pursuit ; but she is not given to man as a bride without a dowery. The possession of her communicates no less than immortal life. This is the highest prize in the great lottery of existence. Compared to this, every other acquisition is as a blank or a cheat. From his success or his failure, in attaining to this great object, the fortune of a man ought to be accounted prosperous or adverse. If he is successful in this, the other events of his history are of little importance. He may be disappointed and baffled in every other pursuit ; the world may call him unfortunate, and may even pity the calamities which it has been his fate to endure; but it is because they foresee not the result of the progress in which he is engaged; they know not his rank in the universe, or the high destiny which awaits him.-Let it never be forgotten, then, for whom it is that immortality is reserved. It is appointed as the portion of those who are worthy of it; and they shall enjoy it as a natural consequence of their worth. This is a part of the plan according to which the mighty Artist has formed the universe. Whatever is defective or imperfect, and has no tendency to improvement, will gradually pass away, and dis

appear forever; but the minds that shoot forth vigorously towards excellence will be cherished, and endure and flourish without end. Thus shall the creation proceed through unbounded ages, becoming still more fair, and more obviously worthy of its Author.-This is all that can be said, with any tolerable degree of certainty, upon so obscure a subject. We have no means of tracing the particular events which will occur in the future destiny of man. We see the general purpose of the Creator of the universe. It is beneficent and wise; and there is no doubt that the plan will be executed in detail in a manner suitable to its grand outline. In whatever situation we are placed, it will be a state of improvement in wisdom, and of increasing energy to our intellectual powers.

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER SEVENTH.

THE VISION OF HYSTASPES.

I HYSTASPES, son of Arsaces the Persian, travelled in my youth into the regions of the East, and became learned in all the hidden wisdom of the Brachmans; and I returned to mine own land, and was made chief captain of the host of Cyrus the king. And I fought many battles, and overcame great nations in war. After many days I was appointed also to be the chief ruler of all the wise men of Babylon; and I was second in honour and in power only to the great king. And I laboured in all my ways to do justly, and men said that I was wise; but I knew that I was foolish, and that the knowledge of the sons of men is only vanity; for they know not whence they came, nor whither they are going after this life; neither have they conceived for what end they labour and toil, and see much evil during all their days. And behold I went down into my garden to meditate alone, by the side of the great river Euphrates. I thought on

all the wisdom of the Chaldeans, who foretel what is to come to pass, and interpret dreams and visions and I said surely even this also is folly; for why should men learn the evil things from which they cannot be delivered by their sword, or their bow, or by the strength of swift horses. And if the labour of the wise be foolishness, other men must wander in very thick darkness. And mine heart smote me sore when I thought of the multitudes of men that inhabit the great city Babylon, and all the nations and cities of the earth, who rise up early and labour in the heat of the day, and to the going down of the sun, and see no rest during the days of their lives, but eagerly pursue after vanity and riches, and speedily lie down in the dust, and are remembered no more forever. And I said, surely the generations of men are of no value, seeing they perish like the bulrushes by the brink of the great river; for their labours are in vain, and they shall be blotted out as if they had never been. And while I meditated thus, I said within my heart, truly it were better that I had never been born, or that I had never sought after wisdom, for then I should not have sorrowed because of the approach of everlasting dark

ness.

While I considered these things, methought I beheld as it were a pillar of white mist rising out of the midst of the great river;