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nefs of Judgment, to diftinguish between Things and Conceptions, which at firft fight, or upon fhort Glance, feem alike; to chufe among infinite Productions of Wit and Fancy, which are worth preferving and cultivating, and which are better ftifled in the Birth, or thrown away when they are born, as not worth bringing up.

Without the Forces of Wit, all Poetry is flat and languishing; without the Succours of Judgment, 'tis wild and extravagant. The true Wonder of Poefy is, that fuch Contraries must meet to compofe it; a Genius both penetrating and folid; in Expreffion both Delicacy and Force; and the Frame or Fabric of a true Poem, muft have fomething both fublime and juft, amazing and agreeable. There must be a great Agitation of Mind to invent, a great Calm to judge and correct; there must be upon the fame Tree and at the fame Time, both Flower and Fruit. To work up this Metal into exquifite Figure, there must be employed the Fire, the Chiffel, and the File. There must be a general Knowledge both of Nature and of Arts; and to go the lowest that can be, there are required Genius, Judgment, and Application ; for without this laft, all the reft will not serve Turn, and none ever was a great Poet that applied himself much to any thing elfe.

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LESSON VI.

A VISION.

THATEVER Induftry and Eagerness the modern Discoverers have fhewn for the Knowledge of new Countries, there yet remains an ample Field in the Creation, to which they are utter Strangers, and which all the Methods of Travelling hitherto invented, will never bring them acquainted with. Of this I can give a very particular Inftance, in an Accident which lately happened to me. As I was on the 6th of this Inftant, walking with my Eyes caft upwards, I fell into a Reflection on the vaft Tracts of Air which appeared before me as uninhabited. And wherefore, faid I to myfelf, fhould all this Space be created? Can it only be for an odd Bird to fly through, as now and then a Man paffes a Defart? Or are there alfo Kingdoms, with their particular Polities and

People,

People, of a Species which we know nothing of, ordain'd to live in it?-It was in this manner I continued my Thought, when my Feet forfook the Level, and I was infenfibly mounted in the Air, till I arrived at a Footing as firm and level as what I had left. But with what Surprize did I find myself among Creatures diftinct from us in Shape and Cuftoms! The Inhabitants are of a small Stature, below those which History defcribes for Pigmies; the talleft of them exceed not fourteen or fifteen Inches, and the leaft are hardly three. This Difference proceeds only from their Growth before they are brought to Light; for after, we never observe them to grow, unless it please their Parents, who have this uncommon Method of enabling them: They recall them to the Womb, where having been for fome time, they receive an Addition to their Bulk, then go back to their Houses, and continue at a Stand as they did before. The Experiment has been often tried with Succefs, but fome have fuffered extremely by undergoing it.

Their Skins are like the antient Britons, all drawn over with Variety of Figures; the Colour made ufe of for this End is generally black. I have indeed obferved in fome of the Religious and Lawyers of this Country, Red here and there intermingled, though not fo commonly of late. They tell me too, they often used to paint with all Colours; and I vifited two or three of the old Inhabitants, who were adorned in that Fashion: But this is now difufed, fince the new Inventions, by which the Ufe of a black Fountain that belongs to that Country, is rendered more useful and ferviceable.

The Cloaths in which they go clad are the Skins of Beafts, worn by fome plain, by others with Figures wrought upon them. Gold is alfo made ufe of by fome to beautify their Apparel; but very feldom Silver, unless as Buckles are by us, for faftening the Garments before. I have seen some of them go like Seamen in thin blue Shirts; others like Indians, in a party-colour'd loose kind of Apparel; and others, who they told me were the Politicians of the Country, go about stark naked.

The Manner of dreffing them is this: At first when they come into the World they have a Suit given them, which if it do not fit exactly, is not as with us, fitted up again, but the Children are in a cruel Manner cut and squeez'd to bring them to its Proportion. Yet this they feem not much to regard, provided their principal Parts are not affected. When the Drefs is thus fettled on them, they are clad for Life, it

being feldom their Cuftom to alter it, or put it off: In fhort, they live in it Night and Day, and wear it to Rags rather thanpart with it, being fure of the fame Torture, and a greater Danger if they should be dreffed a fecond time. I have farther taken notice, that they delight to go open-breasted, most of them fhewing their Bofoms fpeckled. Some Lawyers indeed wear them quite white, perhaps for Diftinction fake, or to be known at a Distance; but the fineft Shew is among the Beaux and Ladies, who mightily affect fomething of Gold both before and behind them. Food I never faw them eat, they being a People, who, as I have obferved, live in Air: Their Houfes are all fingle and high, having no back Rooms, but frequently seven or eight Stories, which are all feparate Houses above one another. They have one Gate to their City, and generally no Doors to their Houses; tho' I have fometimes feen them have particular Doors, and even made of Glafs, where the Inhabitants have been obferved to ftand many Days, that their fine Apparel may be feen through them. If at any time they lie down, which they do when they come from their Habitations, as if coming abroad were their greatest Fatigue, they will lie together in Heaps without receiving Hurt; tho' the foundeft Sleep they get, is when they can have Duft enough to cover them over. The Females amongst them are but few, nothing being there produced by a Marriage of Sexes. The Males are of a different Strength or Endowment of Parts, some having Knowledge in an extreme Degree, and others none at all, yet at the fame time they are mighty willing to inftruct others. Their Names (for as many as would difcover_them to me) I obferved to be the very fame as ours are upon Earth; I met a few who made theirs a Mystery, but why I am yet to learn. They are so communicative, that they will tell all the Knowledge they boaft, if a Stranger apply himself to their Converfation: And this may be worth his while, if he confiders that all Languages, Arts, and Sciences, are profeffed amongst them. I think I may fay it without Vanity, that I knew a certain Talifman, with proper Figures and Characters infcribed, whereby their greatest People may be charmed, brought to refide with a Man, and ferve him like a Familiar in the Conduct of Life.

There is no fuch thing as Fighting amongst them, but their Controverfies are determined by Words, wherein they feldom own themselves conquered, yet proceed no farther than two or three Replies: Perhaps indeed two others take up their Neighbour's Quarrel, but then they defit too after the fame manner; fometimes, however, Blows have enfued

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upon their Account, tho' not amongst them: In fuch a Cafe they have defcended to inspire Mankind with their Sentiments, and chofen Champions from among us, in order to decide it.

The time of their Life is very different; fome die as foon as born, and others in their Youth; fome get a new Leafe, by their entering into the Womb again; and if any weather out to a hundred Years, they generally live on to an extreme Age: After which it is remarkable, that inftead of growing weaker as we do by Time, they increase in Strength, and become at laft fo confirmed in Health, that it is the Opinion of their Country, they never can perish while the World remains.

The Sickneffes which may take them off, befides what happens from their natural Weakness of Body, are of different Sorts. One is Over-moisture, which affecting their Manfions, makes them lose their Complexions, become deformed, and rot away infenfibly: This is often obviated by their not keeping too much within Doors. Another is the Worms, which prey upon their Bowels. If they be maimed by Accidents, they become like us, fo far useless, and that will some time or other be the Occafion of their Ruin. However, they perish by these means only in appearance, and like Spirits who vanish in one Place, to be feen in another. But as Men die of Paffions, fo Difesteem is what the most nearly touches them; then they withdraw into Holes and Corners, and confume away in Darkness. Or if they are kept alive a few Days by the Force of Spices, it is but a fhort Reprieve from their perifhing to Eternity without any Honour; but that inftead of a Burial, a fmall Pyre of Paste should be erected over them, while they, like the ancient Romans, are reduced to Ashes.

LESSON

LESSON VII.

The Picture of a GOOD MAN.

HE the Interet

E makes the Intereft of Mankind, in a manner, his own; and has a tender and affectionate Concern for their Welfare. He cannot think himself happy, whatever his Poffeffions and Enjoyments are, while he fees others miserable. His Wealth and Affluence delight him chiefly as the Poor and Indigent are the better for it; and the greatest Charm of Profperity is the Opportunity it affords of relieving his FellowCreatures, and of being more extenfively useful. He thinks he has difcharged but the leaft Part of his Duty, when he has done ftrict Justice to all; and therefore the communicating Advice and Comfort, Affistance and Support, according to the various Exigencies of those with whom he converfes, is his conftant Endeavour, and moft pleafing Entertainment. In the strong and elegant Language of Job, He is Eyes to the Blind, and Feet to the Lame; he delivereth the Poor that cry, and the Fatherlefs, and him that hath none to help him; the Bleffing of him that is ready to perish cometh upon him, and he caufeth the Widow's Heart to fing for foy. And that he may practise the more large and generous Charity, he retrenches useless Pomp and Extravagance; and by a regular and prudent Management, conftantly provides for the Relief of the Neceffitous; efteeming this a much more fublime and noble Gratification, than the idle Amusements and Gallantries of a vain and luxurious Age.

He not only takes all Occafions that present themselves of doing Good, but feeks for Opportunities to be useful; it'is part of the flated Employment and Bufinefs of his Life. He contrives and ftudies which way he may be most serviceable to his Fellow-Creatures, and what that particular Talent is, with which he is entrusted for the Good of Mankind. If it be Power, he protects and encourages Virtue by his Authority and Influence, is the Patron of Liberty, and vindicates the Caufe of oppreffed Innocence. If Riches, he is rich in good Works, ready to diftribute, willing to communicate. If Knowledge, he counts it his higheft Pleasure to inftruct the Ignorant, and administer proper Direction and Comfort in perplexing and difficult Circumftances; and to defend the Caufe of Religion, and represent it in a just and amiable Light. And to nothing VOLI,

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