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 farther 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 Diftinction fake, or to be known at a Distance; but the finest 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 feven 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 observed 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 greateft Fatigue, they will lie together in Heaps without receiving Hurt; tho the foundest 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, fome having Knowledge in an extreme Degree, and others none at all, yet at the fame time they are mighty willing to instruct 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 Myftery, but why I am yet to learn. They are fo communicative, that they will tell all the Knowledge they boaft, if a Stranger apply himfelf 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 greateft 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 defift too after the fame manner; fometimes, however, Blows have enfued

upon

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 soon as born, and others in their Youth; fome get a new Lease, 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 instead 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 ufelefs, and that will fome 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 perishing to Eternity without any Honour; but that inftead of a Burial, a fmall Pyre of Pafte fhould be erected over them, while they, like the ancient Romans, are reduced to Ashes.

LESSON

HE

LESSON VII.

The Picture of a GOOD MAN.

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 miferable. His Wealth and Afluence delight him chiefly as the Poor and Indigent are the better for it; and the greateft Charm of Profperity is the Opportunity it affords of reheving his FellowCreatures, and of being more extensively useful. He thinks he has discharged but the leaft Part of his Duty, when he has done Arict Justice to all; and therefore the communicating Advice and Comfort, Affiftance and Support, according to the various Exigencies of those with whom he converfes, is his conftant Endeavour, and moft pleafing Entertainment. In the ftrong 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 Blef fing of him that is ready to perish cometh upon him, and he caufeib the Widow's Heart to fing for Joy. And that he may practife the more large and generous Charity, he retrenches ufelefs 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 prefent themselves of doing Good, but feeks for Opportunities to be useful; it is part of the stated Employment and Bufinefs of his Life. He contrives and ftudies which way he may be moft ferviceable 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 highest Pleasure to inftruct the Ignorant, and adminifter proper Direction and Comfort in perplexing and difficult Circumftances; and to defend the Caufe of Religion, and reprefent it in a juft and amiable Light. And to nothing VOL. I.

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of

of this does he want to be folicited, but his generous Heart is always ready, and ftrongly difpofed for beneficent Designs and Actions. You cannot lay a greater Obligation upon him, than by propofing Ways in which he may be useful, or enlarge his Sphere of Usefulness; for this is the Point in which all his Views, all his Satisfactions center.

Add to this, that he is inclin'd to abate of his Right, when infifting too ftrictly upon it may have the Appearance of Harshnefs and Severity; and has fuch a ftrong Senfe of Benevolence, fuch an exalted Spirit of Humanity and Compaffion, that no Confiderations of private Intereft, no Difference of Nation or religious Profeffion, can reftrain; and which the greatest Injuries cannot bear down and extinguish. He aims that his Goodnefs may be as diffufive as poffible, and as much like that of the univerfal Parent, the eternal Fountain of Good, who supports, enlivens, and recreates the whole Creation; and therefore, as he is generous in all his Defigns, he is very fearful of difobliging any, either by Word or Action; and endeavours in his whole Conduct, to be agreeable as well as ufeful to all: Being candid in his Cenfures, practifing to his Inferiors the most endearing Condefcenfion, and carefully avoiding Morosenefs, and every thing that has the Appearance of Infolence or Contempt. Finally, to conclude the Sketch of this moft beautiful and honourable Character, the good Man is unwearied in his Endeavours to promote the Happinefs of others; the Ardor of his Benevolence is not cool'd, tho' he meets with ungrateful Returns; the Trouble and Expence of the Service do not difcourage him; nay, he is ready to give up all private Confiderations for the fake of the public Welfare, and even to facrifice Life itfelf, when the Good of the World requires it.

LESSON

LESSON VIII.

The Duty of endeavouring to obtain WISDOM, and the Ufe and Importance of it.

W

It

ISDOM is of itself delectable and fatisfactory. It is like Light, pleafant to behold, cafting a sprightly Luftre, and diffufing a benign Influence all about; difplaying Objects in their due Shapes, Poftures, Magnitudes and Colours; difpelling the Darkness of Ignorance, fcattering the Mifts of Doubt, and driving away the Spectres of delufive Fancy; difcovering Obftacles, fecuring the Progrefs, and making the Paffages of Life clear, open and pleafant. Wisdom begets in us a Hope of Succefs in our Actions, and is ufually attended therewith. Now what is more delicious than Hope? What more fatisfactory than Succefs? And he that aims at a good End, and knows he ufes proper Means to attain it, why fhould he defpair of Suc cels, fince Effects naturally follow their Caufes, and the Divine Providence is wont to afford its Concurrence to fuch Proceedings? Wisdom makes all the Troubles, Griefs, and Pains incident to Life, whether cafual Adverfities, or natural Afflictions, eafy and fupportable; by rightly valuing the Importance, and moderating the Influences of them. fuffers not bufy Fancy to alter the Nature, amplify the Degree, or extend the Duration of them, by reprefenting them more fad, heavy, and remedilefs than they truly are. Befides that it confers a Felicity and Dexterity in Action, which is a very pleafant and commodious Quality. To do things with Difficulty and Struggling, difheartens a Man, quells his Courage, blunts the Edge of his Refolution, renders him fluggifh and averfe from Bufinefs, tho' apprehended never fo neceffary and of great Moment. Thefe Obftructions Wifdom removes, facilitating Operations, by directing the Intention to Ends poffible and attainable, by fuggefting fit Means and Inftruments to work by, by contriving right Methods and Courfes of Procefs; the Mind by it being ftor'd with Variety of good Principles, fure Rules, and happy Expedients, repofed in the Memory, and ready upon all Occafions to be produced and employed in Practice. Wisdom begets a found, healthful and harmonious Complexion of the Soul, difpofing us with Judgment to diftinguish, and with

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Pleasure