This has fuch an effect, that the whole council being difmayed, are unwilling to pass the Straits, and venture into the great Ocean; pleading the example of Hercules for not advancing farther, and urging the prefumption of going beyond a God. To which Brutus, rifing with emotion, answers, that Hercules was but a mortal like them; and that if their virtue was fuperior to his, they would have the fame claim to divinity: for that the path of virtue was the only way which lay open to Heaven.

At length he refolves to go in a fingle fhip, and to reject all fuch daftards, as dared not accompany

him.

Upon this, Orontes takes fire, declares he will attend him through any dangers; that he wants no oracle, but his own courage and the love of glory; that it was for merchants like the Tyrians, not for heroes like them, to make trading fettlements in a country for the fake of its wealth.

All the younger part of the council agree to the fentiments of Orontes; and, for the love they bear to Brutus, determine to be the companions of his enterprise; and it is refolved to fet fail the next day. That night, Hercules appears to him in a vifion, applauding and confirming the fentiments he had that day delivered in council, and encouraging him to persevere in the pursuit of the intended enterprife.

The

The Second Book opens with a picture of the Supreme God in all his majefty, fitting on his throne in the highest Heaven. The fuperintending Angel of the Trojans empire (the Regnum Priami vetus) falls down before the throne, and confeffes his justice in having overturned that kingdom, for the fins of the princes, and of the people themselves. But adds, that after having chaftifed and humbled them, it would now be agreeable to his mercy and goodness, to raise up a new ftate from their ruins, and form a people who might ferve him better; that, in Brutus, his providence had a fit inftrument for fuch a gracious defign.

This proftrate Angel is raised by the Almighty, and permitted to attend upon Brutus in his voyage to Britain, in order to affift him in the reduction of of that Island.

The Guardian Angel, in purfuance of this commiffion, flies from Heaven to the high Mountain of Calpe; and from thence caufes an eaft wind to blow, which carries the fleet out of the Streights westward to the Canary Islands, where he lands.

Here was to have been a defcription of Teneriff, and of the Volcanos, as likewise of a most delicious Ifland, which is defcribed to be without inhabitants. A great part of his followers are difpofed to fettle here. What more, fay they, can we wish for our. felves, than fuch a pleafing end of all our labours?

In an inhabited country we must, perhaps, be forced to fight and destroy the natives; here, without en croaching upon others, without the guilt of a con queft, we may have a land that will fupply us with all the neceffaries of life. Why then fhould we go farther? Let us thank the Gods, and reft here in peace. This affords room for a beautiful description of the land of Laziness.

Brutus, however, rejects the narrow and felfifh propofition, as incompatible with his generous plan of extending benevolence, by inftructing and polishing uncultivated minds. He defpifes the mean thought of providing for the happiness of themfelves alone, and fets the great profpect of Heaven before them.

His perfuafions, being feconded by good omens, prevail; nevertheless they leave behind them the old man and the woman, together with fuch as are timid and unfit for service, to enjoy their ease there, and to erect a city. Over this colony, confifting however of about three thousand perfons, he propofes to make Pifander, King, under fuch limitations as appear to him wifest and best.

To this propofal they all affent with great fatif faction; only Pifander abfolutely refuses to be King, and begs, notwithstanding his age, that he may attend Brutus in his enterprife. He urges that his experience and councils may be of use, though his ftrength

ftrength is gone; and that he fhall die unhappy, if he does not die in the arms of his friend.

Brutus accepts his with company, great expreffions of gratitude; and having left his colony a form of pure worship, and a fhort and fimple body of laws, orders them to choose a government for themselves, and then fets fail with none but refolute and noble affociates.

Here the Poet, by way of episode, meant to have introduced the paffion of some friend, or the fondness of fome female, who refused to stay behind, and determined to brave all hardships and perils, rather than quit the object of their affections.

Providence is now supposed to send his spirit to raise the wind, and direct it to the northward. The veffel at length touched at Lisbon or Ulyffipont, where he meets with the fon of a Trojan, captive of Ulyffes. This gives occafion for an episode; and, among other things, furnishes an account of Ulyffes fettling there, and building of Lisbon; with a detail of the wicked principles of policy and superstition he had established, and of his being at length driven away by the discontented people he had enslaved.

Brutus is afterwards driven by a ftorm, raised by an evil spirit, as far as Norway. He prays to the Supreme God. His Guardian Angel calms the feas, and conducts the fleet safe into a port; but the evil fpirit excites the barbarian people to attack them at their landing.

Brutus,

Brutus, however, repulfes them, lands, and encamps on the fea-fhore. In the night an aurora borealis aftonishes his men, fuch a phenomenon having never been seen by them before.

He endeavours to keep up their fpirits, by telling them that what they look upon as a prodigy, may be a phenomenon of nature ufual in thofe countries, though unknown to them and him; but that if it be any thing fupernatural, they ought to interpret it in their own favour, because Heaven never works miracles but for the good.

About midnight they are attacked again by the barbarians, and the light of the aurora is of great ufe to them for their defence.

Brutus kills their chief leader, and Orontes the three next in command. This discourages them, and they fly up into the country. He makes prifoners of fome of the natives, who had been used to thofe feas and inquires of them concerning a great ifland to the fouth-weft of their country; they tell him they had been in fuch an island upon piratical voyages, and had carried fome of the natives into captivity. He obtains fome of those captives, whom he finds to be Britons; they defcribe their country to him, and undertake to pilot him.

In the next Book, Brutus touches at the Orcades, and a picture is given of the manner of the Savages. The North Britons he brought with him from Norway relate strange stories concerning one of the greatest

of