had heard, I fell down at his feet, I looked more attentively, I saw and wept. The genius smiled upon several of the passengers dropping me with a look of compassion and through the bridge into the great tide affability that familiarized him to my that flowed underneath it; and upon imagination, and at once dispelled further examination, perceived there. all the fears and apprehensions with were innumerable trap-doors that lay which I approached him. He lifted concealed in the bridge, which the me from the ground, and taking me passengers no sooner trod upon, but by the hand, Mirza, said he, I have they fell through them into the tide, heard thee in thy soliloquies; follow and immediately disappeared. These hidden pit-falls were set very thick at

me.

He then led me to the highest pin- the entrance of the bridge, so that nacle of the rock, and placing me on throngs of people no sooner broke the top of it, Cast thy eyes eastward, through the cloud, but many of them said he, and tell me what thou seest. fell into them. They grew thinner I see, said I, a huge valley, and towards the middle, but multiplied a prodigious tide of water rolling and lay closer together towards the through it. The valley that thou end of the arches that were entire. seest, said he, is the vale of misery; There were indeed some persons, and the tide of water that thou seest, but their number was very small, that is part of the great tide of eternity. continued a kind of hobbling march What is the reason, said I, that the on the broken arches, but fell through tide I see rises out of a thick mist at one after another, being quite tired one end, and again loses itself in a and spent with so long a walk. thick mist at the other? What thou I passed some time in the contemseest, said he, is that portion of eter- plation of this wonderful structure, nity which is called Time, measured and the great variety of objects which out by the sun, and reaching from it presented. My heart was filled the beginning of the world to its with a deep melancholy, to see seveconsummation. Examine now, said ral dropping unexpectedly in the he, this sea, that is bounded with midst of mirth and jollity, and catchdarkness at both ends, and tell me ing at every thing that stood by them, what thou discoverest in it. I see a to save themselves. Some were lookbridge, said I, standing in the midst ing up towards the heavens in a of the tide. The bridge thou seest, thoughtful posture, and, in the midst said he, is human life; consider it of a speculation, stumbled and fell attentively. Upon a more leisurely out of sight. Multitudes were very survey of it, I found that it consisted busy in the pursuit of bubbles, that of threescore and ten entire arches, glittered in their eyes, and danced with several broken arches, which, before them; but often, when they added to those that were entire, made thought themselves within the reach up the number about an hundred. As of them, their footing failed, and down I was counting the arches, the genius they sunk. In this confusion of obtold me that this bridge consisted at jects, I observed some with scimitars first of a thousand arches; but that in their hands, who ran to and fro a great flood swept away the rest, and upon, the bridge, thrusting several left the bridge in the ruinous con- persons on trap-doors which did not dition I now beheld it; but tell me seem to lie in their way, and which further, said he, what thou discover- they might have escaped had they est on it. I see multitudes of people not been thus forced upon them. passing over it, said I, and a black The genius seeing me indulge cloud hanging on each end of it. As myself in this melancholy prospect

told me I had dwelt long enough upon sides of fountains, or resting on beds it: Take thine eyes off the bridge, of flowers; and could hear a consaid he, and tell me if thou seest any fused harmony of singing birds, fallthing thou dost not comprehend. ing waters, human voices, and muUpon looking up, What mean, said I, sical instruments. Gladness grew in those great flights of birds that are me at the discovery of so delightful perpetually hovering about the bridge, a scene. I wished for the wings of and settling upon it from time to an eagle, that I might fly away to time? I see vultures, harpies, ravens, those happy seats; but the genius cormorants, and, among many other told me there was no passage to them, feathered creatures, several little except through the gates of death winged boys, that perch in great that I saw opening every moment numbers upon the middle arches. upon the bridge. The islands, said These, said the genius, are envy, ava- he, that lie so fresh and green before rice, superstition, despair, love, with thee, and with which the whole face the like cares and passions that infest of the ocean appears spotted as far human life. as thou canst see, are more in num

I here fetched a deep sigh: Alas, ber than the sands on the sea-shore; said I, man was made in vain! how there are myriads of islands behind is he given away to misery and mor- those which thou here discoverest, tality tortured in life, and swallow-reaching further than thine eye, or ed up in death! The genius being even thine imagination, can extend moved with compassion towards me, itself. These are the mansions of bid me quit so uncomfortable a pros- good men after death, who, according pect. Look no more, said he, on man to the degree and kinds of virtue in in the first stage of his existence, in which they excelled, are distributed his setting out for eternity; but cast among these several islands, which thine eye on that thick mist into abound with pleasures of different which the tide bears the several ge- kinds and degrees, suitable to the nerations of mortals that fall into it. relishes and perfections of those who I directed my sight as I was ordered, are settled in them; every island is and (whether or no the good genius a paradise accommodated to its restrengthened it with any supernatural spective inhabitants. Are not these, force, or dissipated part of the mist Ó Mirza, habitations worth contendthat was before too thick for the eye ing for? Does life appear miserable, to penetrate) I saw the valley open- that gives thee opportunities of earning at the further end, and spreading ing such a reward? Is death to be forth into an immense ocean, that feared, that will convey thee to so had a huge rock of adamant running happy an existence? Think not man through the midst of it, and dividing was made in vain, who has such an it into two equal parts. The clouds eternity reserved for him.-I gazed still rested on one half of it, insomuch with inexpressible pleasure on these that I could discover nothing in it: happy islands. At length, said I, but the other appeared to me a vast Show me now, I beseech thee, the ocean, planted with innumerable secrets that lie hid under those dark islands, that were covered with fruits clouds, which cover the ocean on the and flowers, and interwoven with a other side of the rock of adamant. thousand little shining seas that ran The genius making me no answer, among them. I could see persons I turned about to address myself to dressed in glorious habits, with gar-him a second time, but I found that lands upon their heads, passing he had left me: I then turned again among the trees, lying down by the to the vision which I had been so

long contemplating; but instead of eagerness; and, first turning my eyes the rolling tide, the arched bridge, behind me, saw a stream flowing and the happy islands, I saw nothing through flowery islands, which every but the long hollow valley of Bagdat, one that sailed along seemed to bewith oxen, sheep, and camels, grazing hold with pleasure; but no sooner upon the sides of it. Spectator. touched, than the current, which, though not noisy or turbulent, was

gory.

$2. The Voyage of Life; an Alle- yet irresistible, bore him away. Beyond these islands, all was darkness; nor could any of the passengers de'Life," says Seneca, "is a voyage, scribe the shore at which he first in the progress of which we are per- embarked. petually changing our scenes: wel Before me, and on either side, was first leave childhood behind us, then an expanse of waters violently agiyouth, then the years of ripened man- tated, and covered with so thick a hood, then the better or more pleasing mist, that the most perspicacious eyes part of old age."-The perusal of this could see but a little way. It appearpassage having excited in me a trained to be full of rocks and whirlpools, of reflections on the state of man, the for many sunk unexpectedly while incessant fluctuation of his wishes, they were courting the gale with full the gradual change of his disposition sails, and insulting those whom they to all external objects, and the thought- had left behind. So numerous, indeed, lessness with which he floats along were the dangers, and so thick the the stream of time, I sunk into a darkness, that no caution could conslumber amidst my meditations, and, fer security. Yet there were many, on a sudden, found my ears filled who, by false intelligence, betrayed with the tumult of labour, the shouts their followers into whirlpools, or by of alacrity, the shrieks of alarm, the violence pushed those whom they whistle of winds, and the dash of found in their way against the rocks. The current was invariable and

waters.

My astonishment for a time re-insurmountable; but though it was pressed my curiosity; but soon re-impossible to sail against it, or to recovering myself so far as to inquire turn to the place that was once passwhither we were going, and what ed, yet it was not so violent as to was the cause of such clamour and allow no opportunities for dexterity confusion; I was told that they or courage, since, though none could were launching out into the ocean of retreat back from danger, yet they Life; that we had already passed the might often avoid it by oblique direcstraits of Infancy, in which multi-tion.

tudes had perished, some by the It was, however, not very common weakness and fragility of their ves- to steer with much care or prudence; sels, and more by the folly, perverse- for, by some universal infatuation, ness, or negligence of those who every man appeared to think himself undertook to steer them; and that safe, though he saw his consorts every we were now on the main sea, aban- moment sinking round him; and no doned to the winds and billows, with- sooner had the waves closed over out any other means of security than them, than their fate and their misthe care of the pilot, whom it was al- conduct were forgotten; the voyage ways in our power to choose, among was pursued with the same jocund great numbers that offered their di- confidence; every man congratulated rection and assistance. himself upon the soundness of his I then looked round with anxious vessel, and believed himself able to

stem the whirlpool in which his friend who was the constant associate of was swallowed, or glide over the the voyage of Life.

rocks on which he was dashed: nor Yet all that Hope ventured to prowas it often observed that the sight mise, even to those whom she favourof a wreck made any man change his ed most, was, not that they should course; if he turned aside for a mo- escape, but that they should sink ment, he soon forgot the rudder, and last; and with this promise every left himself again to the disposal of one was satisfied, though he laughed chance. at the rest for seeming to believe it. This negligence did not proceed Hope, indeed, apparently mocked the from indifference, or from weariness credulity of her companions; for, in of their present condition; for not proportion as their vessels grew leaky, one of those who thus rushed upon she redoubled her assurances of safedestruction failed, when he was sink-ty; and none were more busy in ing, to call loudly upon his associates making provisions for a long voyfor that help which could not now be age, than they whom all but themgiven him and many spent their last selves saw likely to perish soon by moments in cautioning others against irreparable decay.

the folly by which they were inter- In the midst of the current of cepted in the midst of their course. Life, was the gulf of Intemperance, a Their benevolence was sometimes dreadful whirlpool, interspersed with praised, but their admonitions were rocks, of which the pointed crags unregarded. were concealed under water, and the

The vessels in which we had em- tops covered with herbage, on which barked, being confessedly unequal to Ease spread couches of repose; and the turbulence of the stream of life, with shades, where Pleasure warbled were visibly impaired in the course the song of invitation. Within sight of the voyage, so that every passenger of these rocks, all who sailed on the was certain, that how long soever he ocean of Life must necessarily pass. might, by favourable accidents, or by Reason indeed was always at hand incessant vigilance, be preserved, he to steer the passengers through a must sink at last. narrow outlet, by which they might This necessity of perishing night escape; but very few could, by her have been expected to sadden the entreaties or remonstrances, be ingay, and intimidate the daring, at duced to put the rudder into her least to keep the melancholy and hand, without stipulating that she timorous in perpetual torments, and should approach so near unto the hinder them from any enjoyment of rocks of Pleasure, that they might the varieties and gratifications which solace themselves with a short enjoynature offered them as the solace of ment of that delicious region, after their labours; yet in effect none which they always determined to purseemed less to expect destruction sue their course without any other than those to whom it was most deviation.

dreadful; they all had the art of con- Reason was too often prevailed cealing their danger from them- upon so far by these promises, as to selves; and those who knew their venture her charge within the eddy inability to bear the sight of the ter- of the gulf of Intemperance, where, rors that embarrassed their way, took indeed, the circumvolution was weak, care never to look forward, but found but yet interrupted the course of the some amusement of the present vessel, and drew it, by insensible moment, and generally entertained rotations, towards the centre. She themselves by playing with Hope, then repented her temerity, and with

all her force endeavoured to retreat; labours that scarce Hope herself but the draught of the gulf was ge- could flatter with success. nerally too strong to be overcome ; As I was looking upon the various and the passenger, having danced in fate of the multitude about me, I was circles with a pleasing and giddy suddenly alarmed with an admonition. velocity, was at last overwhelmed from some unknown power, “Gaze and lost. Those few whom Reason not idly upon others when thou thywas able to extricate, generally suf- self art sinking. Whence is this fered so many shocks upon the points thoughtless tranquillity, when thou which shot out from the rocks of and they are equally endangered?" Pleasure, that they were unable to I looked, and seeing the gulf of Incontinue their course with the same temperance before me, started and strength and facility as before, but awaked. Rambler. floated along timorously and feebly, endangered by every breeze, and shattered by every ruffle of the water, till they sunk, by slow degrees, after long struggles and innumerable expedients, always repining at their Obidah, the son of Abensina, left own folly, and warning others against the caravansera early in the morning, the first approach of the gulf of In- and pursued his journey through the temperance. plains of Indostan. He was fresh

§3. The Journey of a Day, a Picture of Human Life; the Story of Obidah.

There were artists who professed and vigorous with rest; he was anito repair the breaches and stop the mated with hope; he was incited by leaks of the vessels which had been desire; he walked swiftly forward shattered on the rocks of Pleasure. over the valleys, and saw the hills Many appeared to have great confi- gradually rising before him. As dence in their skill, and some, indeed, he passed along, his ears were dewere preserved by it from sinking, lighted with the morning song of the who had received only a single blow; bird of paradise, he was fanned by but I remarked, that few vessels last- the last flutters of the sinking breeze, ed long which had been much re- and sprinkled with dew by groves of paired, nor was it found that the spices; he sometimes contemplated artists themselves continued afloat the towering height of the oak, molonger than those who had least of narch of the hills; and sometimes their assistance. caught the gentle fragrance of the

The only advantage which, in the primrose, eldest daughter of the voyage of Life, the cautious had spring: all his senses were gratified, above the negligent, was, that they and all care was banished from the sunk later, and more suddenly; for heart.

they passed forward till they had Thus he went on till the sun apsometimes seen all those in whose proached his meridian, and the incompany they had issued from the creasing heat preyed upon his straits of Infancy, perish in the strength; he then looked round way, and at last were overset by a about him for some more commocross breeze, without the toil of re- dious path. He saw, on his right sistance, or the anguish of expecta- hand, a grove that seemed to wave tion. But such as had often fallen its shades as a sign of invitation; he against the rocks of Pleasure, com- entered it, and found the coolness monly subsided by sensible degrees, and verdure irresistibly pleasant. He contended long with the encroaching did not, however, forget whither he waters, and harassed themselves by was travelling, but found a narrow