this the detected Sorcereffes endeavoured to escape in a cloud which I faw began to thicken about them, but it was foon difperfed, their charms being controuled and prevailed over by the fuperior Divinity. For my part, I was exceedingly glad to fee it fo, and began to confider what punishments she would inflict upon them. I fancied it would be proper to cut off Curiofity's ears, and fix them to the eaves of houses, to nail the tongue of Talkativeness to Indian tables, and to put out the eyes of Cenforioufness with a flash of her light. In respect of Credulity I had indeed fome little pity, and had I been judge, fhe might perhaps, have escaped with a hearty reproof.

But I foon found that the difcerning Judge had other designs; she knew them for fuch as will not be destroyed intirely, while mankind is in being, and yet ought to have a brand and punishment affixed to them, that they may be avoided. Wherefore she took a seat for judgment, and had the criminals brought forward by Shame, ever blushing, and Trouble with a whip of many lafhes, two phantoms who had dogged the proceffion in difguife, and waited till they had an authority from Truth to lay hands upon them. Immediately then fhe ordered Curiofity and Talkativeness to be fettered together, that the one fhould never fuffer the other to reft, nor the other ever let her remain undiscovered. Light Credulity fhe linked to Shame at the Tormenter's own requeft, who was pleased to be thus

fecure

fecure that her prifoner should not escape; and this was done partly for her punishment, and partly for her amendment. Cenforiousness was alfo in like manner begged by Trouble, and had her affigned for an eternal companion. After they were thus chained with one another, by the judge's order, fhe drove them from the presence to wander for ever through the world, with Novelty stalking before them.

The cause being now over, fhe retreated from fight within the fplendor of her own glory, which leaving the house it had brightened, the founds that were proper to the place began to be as loud and confused as when we entered, and there being no longer a clear diftinguished appearance of any objects reprefented to me, I returned from the excurfion 1 had made in fancy.

VISION

VISION V.

W

HATEVER industry and eagerness the modern difcoverers have fhewn for the knowledge of new countries, there yet remains an ample field in the creation to which they are utter ftrangers, and which all the methods of travelling hitherto invented, will never bring them acquainted with. Of this I can give a very particular instance in an accident which lately happened to me.

As I was on the 6th of this inftant, being Feb. 1715, walking with my eyes caft upward, I fell into a reflection on the vaft tracts of air which appeared before me as uninhabited. And wherefore, faid I to myself, should all this space be created? Can it only be for an odd bird to fly through, as now and then a man may pass a defart? Or are there also kingdoms with their particular polities, and people, of a species which we know nothing of, ordained 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 furprize did I find myself among creatures diftinct from us in fhape and customs?

The

The inhabitants are of a fmall ftature, below those which history defcribes for pigmies. The talleft of them exceed not fourteen or fifteen inches, and the least 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 recal 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 ftand as they did before. The experiment has been often tried with fuccefs, but fome have suffered extremely by undergoing it.

Their fkins are like the antient Britains, all drawn over with a variety of figures. The colour made use of for this end is generally black. I have indeed obferved in fome of the religious, and lawyers of the 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 difused, fince the new inventions, by which the use of a black fountain that belongs to that country, is rendered more useful and ferviceable.

The clothes in which they go clad, are the fkins of beafts, worn by fome plain, by others with figures wrought upon them. Gold is alfo made use of by fome, to beautify their apparel; but very feldom

filver,

filver, unlefs, as bucklers are by us, for faftening the garment before. I have feen fome of them go like feamen in thin blue fkirts, others like Indians in a party-coloured loofe kind of apparel, and others, who they told me were the politicians of the country, go about ftark naked.

The manner of dreffing them is this: At first when they come into the world, they have a fuit 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 squeezed to bring them to its proportion. Yet this they seem 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 custom to alter it, or put it off: In fhort, they live in it night and day, and wear it to rags rather than part with it, being fure of the fame torture, and a greater danger, if they fhould be dreffed a fecond time. I have further taken notice, that they delight to go open-breafted, most of them fhewing their bofoms fpeckled. Some lawyers indeed wear them quite white, perhaps for distinction fake, or to be known at a distance. But the finest fhew 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 obferved, live in air: Their houfes are all fingle and high, having no back rooms, but fre quently feven or eight stories, which are all separate

K

houfes