Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

benevolence, and difpofe it for contemplation, I was ́ wandering in a beautiful and romantic country, till curiofity began to give way to wearinefs; and I fat down on the fragment of a rock overgrown with moís; where the ruffling of the falling leaves, the dafhing of waters, and the hum of the diftant city, foothed my mind into the most perfect tranquillity; and sleep infenfibly ftole upon me, as I was indulging the agreeable reveries, which the objects around me naturally infpired.

I immediately found myself in a vast extended plain, in the middle of which arose a mountain higher than I had before any conception of. It was covered with a multitude of people, chiefly youth; many of whom prefsed forwards with the livelieft exprefsion of ardour in their countenance, though the way was in many places fteep and difficult. I obferved, that those who had but just begun to climb the hill, thought themselves not far from the top; but as they proceeded, new hills were continually rifing to their view; and the fummit. of the highest they could before difcern feemed but the foot of another, till the mountain at length appeared to lose itself in the clouds. As I was gazing on these things with astonishment, a friendly inftructer fuddenly appeared: "The mountain before thee," faid he, "is the Hill of Science. On the top is the temple of Truth, whofe head is above the clouds, and a veil of pure

light covers her face.

Obferve the progrefs of her votaries; be filent and attentive."

After I had noticed a variety of objects, I turned my eye towards the multitudes who were climbing the fteep afcent; and obferved amongst them a youth of a' lively look, a piercing eye, and fomething fiery and

[ocr errors]

irregular in all his motions. His name was Genius. He darted like an eagle up the mountain; and left his companions gazing after him with envy and admiration: but his progrefs was unequal, and interrupted by a thousand caprices. When Pleasure warbled in the valley, he mingled in her train. When Pride beckoned towards the precipice, he ventured to the tottering edge. He delighted in devious and untried paths; and made fo many excurfions from the road, that his feebler companions often outftripped him. I obferved that the Mufes beheld him with partiality; but Truth often frowned, and turned afide her face. While Genius was thus wafting his ftrength in eccentric flights, I faw a perfon of a very different appearance, named Application. He crept along with a flow and unremitting pace, his eyes fixed on the top of the mountain, patiently removing every ftone that obftructed his way, till he saw most of thofe below him, who had at first derided his flow and toilfome progrefs. Indeed, there were few who afcended the hill with equal, and uninterrupted steadiness; for, befide the difficulties of the way, they were continually folicited to turn afide, by a numerous crowd of Appetites, Pafsions, and Pleafures, whofe importunity, when once complied with, they became lefs and lefs able to refist: and though they often returned to the path, the afperities of the road were more feverely felt; the hill appeared more fteep and rugged; the fruits which were wholesome and refreshing, seemed harsh and illtafted; their fight grew dim; and their feet tript at every little obftruction.

I faw, with fome furprife, that the Mufes, whofe bufinefs was to cheer and encourage those who were

toiling up the afcent, would often fing in the bowers of Pleasure, and accompany those who were enticed away at the call of the Pafsions. They accompanied them, however, but a little way; and always forfook them when they loft fight of the hill. The tyrants then doubled their chains upon the unhappy captives; and led them away, without refiftance, to the cells of Ignorance, or the manfions of Mifery. Amongst the innumerable feducers, who were endeavouring to draw away the votaries of Truth from the path of Science, there was one, fo little formidable in her appearance, and fo gentle and languid in her attempts, that I should scarcely have taken notice of her, but for the numbers she had imperceptibly loaded with her chains. Indolence, (for fo fhe was called,) far from proceeding to open hoftilities, did not attempt to turn their feet out of the path, but contented herself with retarding their progrefs; and the purpose she could not force them to abandon, fhe perfuaded them to delay. Her touch had a power like that of the torpedo, which withered the ftrength of those who came within its influence. Her unhappy captives ftill turned their faces towards the temple, and always hoped to arrive there; but the ground feemed to flide from beneath their feet, and they found themselves at the bottom, before they fufpected they had changed their place. The placid ferenity, which at first appeared in their countenance, changed by degrees into a melancholy languor, which was tinged with deeper and deeper gloom, as they glided down the stream of Infignificance; a dark and fluggish water, which is curled by no breeze, and enlivened by no murmur, till it falls into a dead fea, where startled passengers are awakened by the shock, and the next moment buried in the gulph of Oblivion.

Of all the unhappy deserters from the paths of Science, none seemed lefs able to return than the followers of Indolence. The captives of Appetite and Paffion could often feize the moment when their tyrants were languid or afleep, to escape from their enchantment; but the dominion of Indolence was conftant and unremitted; and feldom refifted, till refiftance was in vain.

After contemplating these things, I turned my eyes towards the top of the mountain, where the air was always pure and exhilarating, the path fhaded with laurels and other ever-greens, and the effulgence which beamed from the face of Science feemed to fhed a glory round her votaries. Happy, faid I, are they who are permitted to afcend the mountain!-But while I was pronouncing this exclamation, with uncommon ardour, I saw, standing beside me, a form of diviner features, and a more benign radiance. "Happier," said she, "are they whom Virtue conducts to the manfions of Content!" "What," faid I, "does Virtue then refide in the vale?" "I am found," faid he, "in the vale, and I illuminate the mountain. I cheer the cottager at his toil, and infpire the fage at his meditation. I mingle in the crowd of cities, and bless the hermit in his cell. I have a temple in every heart that owns my influence; and to him that wishes for me, I am already prefent. Science may raise thee to eminence, but I alone can guide thee to felicity!"—While Virtue was thus fpeaking, I ftretched out my arms towards her, with a vehemence which broke my flumber. The chill dews were falling around me, and the fhades of evening ftretched over the landscape. I haftened homeward; and refigned the night. to filence and meditation.

AIKIN

SECTION VII.

The Journey of a day; a Picture of Human Life.

OBIDAH, the fon of Abenfina, left the caravanfera early in the morning, and pursued his journey through the plains of Indoftan. He was fresh and vigorous with reft; he was animated with hope; he was incited by defire; he walked swiftly forward over the vallies, and faw the hills gradually rifing before him. As he pafsed along, his ears were delighted with the morning song of the bird of paradife; he was fanned by the last flutters of the finking breeze, and fprinkled with dew by groves of spices. He fometimes contemplated the towering height of the oak, monarch of the hills; and fometimes caught the gentle fragrance of the primrose, eldest daughter of the spring: all his fenfes were gratified, and all care was banished from his heart.

Thus he went on, till the fun approached his meridian, and the increafing heat preyed upon his ftrength; he then looked round about him for fome more commodious path. He faw, on his right hand, a grove that feemed to wave its fhades as a fign of invitation he entered it, and found the coolness and verdure irrefiftibly pleafant. He did not, however, forget whither he was travelling; but found a narrow way bordered with flowers, which appeared to have the fame direction with the main road; and was pleased, that, by this happy experiment, he had found means to unite pleasure with bufinefs, and to gain the rewards of diligence without fuffering its fatigues. He, therefore, ftill continued to walk for a time, without the least remifsion of his ardour, except that he was fome

« ElőzőTovább »