all the parts of government with his own eyes; but he could never fix the limits of his dominion, and was always adding to the number of his fubjects.

Imlac and the aftronomer were contented to be driven along the ftream of life, without directing their course to any particular port.

Of these wishes that they had formed they well knew that none could be obtained. They deliberated awhile what was to be done, and refolved, when the inundation fhould ceafe, to return to Abiffinia.

THE

VISION OF THEODORE,

The HERMIT of TENERIFFE,

FOUND IN HIS CELL.

ON of Perfeverance, whoever thou art, whose

curiofity has led thee hither, read and be wife. He that now calls upon thee is Theodore, the Hermit of Teneriffe, who in the fifty-feventh year of his retreat left this inftruction to mankind, left his folitary hours should be spent in vain.

I was once what thou art now, a groveller on the earth, and a gazer at the fky; I trafficked and heaped wealth together, I loved and was favoured, I wore the robe of honour and heard the mufick of adulation; I was ambitious, and rofe to greatness; I was unhappy, and retired. I fought for fome time what I at length found here, a place where all real wants might be eafily fupplied, and where I might not be under the neceflity of purchafing the affiftance of men by the toleration of their follies. Here I faw fruits and herbs and water, and here determined to wait the hand of death, which I hope, when at last it comes, will fall lightly upon me.

Forty-eight years had I now paffed in forgetfulnefs of all mortal cares, and without any inclination VOL. XI.

L

to

to wander farther than the neceffity of procuring fuftenance required; but as I ftood one day beholding the rock that overhangs my cell, I found in myfelf a defire to climb it; and when I was on its top, was in the fame manner determined to fcale the next, till by degrees I conceived a wifh to view the fummit of the mountain, at the foot of which I had fo long refided. This motion of my thoughts I endeavoured to fupprefs, not because it appeared criminal, but becaufe it was new; and all change, not evidently for the better, alarms a mind taught by experience to diftruft itfelf. I was often afraid that my heart was deceiving me, that my impatience of confinement rofe from fome earthly paffion, and that my ardour to furvey the works of nature was only a hidden longing to mingle once again in the fcenes of life. I therefore endeavoured to fettle my thoughts into their former ftate, but found their diftraction every day greater. I was always reproaching myfelf with the want of happiness within my reach, and at laft began to question whether it was not lazinefs rather than caution that reftrained me from climbing to the fummit of Teneriffe.

I rofe therefore before the day, and began my journey up the fleep of the mountain; but I had not advanced far, old as I was and burthened with provifions, when the day began to fhine upon me; the declivities grew more precipitous, and the fand flided from beneath my feet; at laft, fainting with labour, I arrived at a fall plain almost inclosed by rocks, and open only to the eaft. I fat down to reft awhile, in full perfuafion that when I had recovered my ftrength I fhould proceed on my defign;

but when once I had tafted eafe, I found many reafons against disturbing it. The branches fpread a fhade over my head, and the gales of fpring wafted odours to my bofom.

As I fat thus, forming alternately excufes for delay, and refolutions to go forward, an irrefiftible heaviness suddenly surprised me; I laid my head upon the bank, and refigned myself to fleep: when methought I heard the found as of the flight of eagles, and a being of more than human dignity stood before me. While I was deliberating how to addrefs him, he took me by the hand with an air of kindness, and asked me folemnly, but without feverity, "Theodore, whither art thou going?" "I "am climbing, anfwered I, to the top of the "mountain, to enjoy a more extensive profpect of "the works of nature." "Attend first, said he, to "the profpect which this place affords, and what "thou doft not understand I will explain. I am one " of the benevolent beings who watch over the chil"dren of the duft, to preferve them from thofe evils "which will not ultimately terminate in good, and "which they do not, by their own faults, bring upon "themselves. Look round therefore without fear: "obferve, contemplate, and be inftructed."

Encouraged by this affurance, I looked and beheld a mountain higher than Teneriffe, to the fummit of which the human eye could never reach; when I had tired myself with gazing upon its height, I turned my eyes towards its foot, which I could eafily discover, but was amazed to find it without foundation, and placed inconceivably in emptiness and darkness. Thus I ftood terrified and confufed;

above were tracks infcrutable, and below was total vacuity. But my protector, with a voice of admonition, cried out, Theodore, be not affrighted, but raife thy eyes again; the Mountain of Exiftence is before thee, furvey it and be wife.

I then looked with more deliberate attention, and obferved the bottom of the mountain to be a gentle rife, and overfpread with flowers; the middle to be more fleep, embarraffed with crags, and interrupted by precipices, over which hung branches loaded with fruits, and among which were fcattered palaces and bowers. The tracts which my eye could reach neareft the top were generally barren; but there were among the clefts of the rocks a few hardy evergreens, which, though they did not give much pleafure to the fight or fmell, yet feemed to cheer the labour and facilitate the fteps of thofe who were clambering among them.

Then, beginning to examine more minutely the different parts, I obferved at a great distance a multitude of both fexes iffuing into view from the bottom of the mountain. Their firft actions I could not accurately difcern; but, as they every moment approached nearer, I found that they amufed theinfelves with gathering flowers under the fuperintendence of a modeft virgin in a white robe, who seemed not over-folicitous to confine them to any fettled pace or certain track; for fhe knew that the whole ground was fimooth and folid, and that they could not easily be hurt or bewildered. When, as it often happened, they plucked a thiftle for a flower, Innocence, fo was the called, would fimile at the mistake. Happy, faid I, are they who are under fo gentle