up, I am glad, says she, calling me by my name, to meet you at this time, ftay close by me, and take a strict observation of all that paffes. Her voice was fweet and commanding, I thought I had fomewhere heard it; and from her, as I went along, I learned the meaning of every thing which offered.

We now marched forward thro' the Rookery of Rumours, which flew thick and with a terrible din all around us. At length we arrived at the house of Common Fame, where a hecatomb of Reputations was that day to fall for her pleafure. The house ftood upon an eminence, having a thousand paffages to it, and a thousand whispering holes for the conveyance of found. The hall we entered was formed with the art of a mufic-chamber for the improvement of noifes. Reft and Silence are banished the place. Stories of different natures wander in light flocks all about, fometimes truths and lies, or fometimes lies themselves clashing against one another. In the middle stood a table painted after the manner of the remotest Afiatic countries, upon which the lamp, the filver veffel, and cups of a white earth, were planted in order. Then dried herbs were brought, collected for the folemnity in moon-fhine, and water being put to them, there was a greenish liquor made, to which they added the flower of milk, and an extraction from the canes of America, for performing a libation to the infernal Powers of Mifchief. After this, Curiofity, retiring to a withdrawing-room, brought forth the

Victims,

Victims, being to appearance a set of small waxen images, which she laid upon the table one after another. Immediately Talkativeness gave each of them the name of fome one, whom for the time they were to reprefent; and Cenforioufnefs fuck them all about with black pins, ftill pronouncing at every one she stuck, fomething to the prejudice of the perfons reprefented. No fooner were thefe rites performed, and incantations uttered, but the found of a speaking trumpet was heard in the air, by which they knew the Deity of the place was propitiated and affifting. Upon this the fky grew darker, a ftorm arofe, and murmurs, fighs, groans, cries, andthe words of grief or refentment were heard within it. Thus the three Sorcereffes difcovered, that they, whofe names they had given to the images, were. already affected with what was done to them in effigy. The knowledge of this was received with the loudest laughter, and in many congratulatory words they applauded one another's wit and power.

As matters were at this high point of disorder, the muffled lady, whom I attended on, being no longer able to endure fuch barbarous proceedings, threw off her upper garment of referve, and appeared to be Truth. As foon as she had confeffed herfelf prefent, the speaking-trumpet ceafed to found,. the fky cleared up, the storm abated, the noises which were heard in it ended, the laughter of the company was over, and a ferene light, 'till then unknown to the place, was diffused around it. At

this the detected Sorcereffes endeavoured to escape in a cloud which I faw began to thicken about them, but it was soon difperfed, their charms being controuled and prevailed over by the fuperior Divinity. For my part, I was exceedingly glad to see it fo, and began to confider what punishments fhe 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 defigns; fhe 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 feat 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 disguise, and waited till they had an authority from Truth to lay hands upon them. Immediately then she ordered Curiosity 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 fhould not efcape; and this was done partly for her punishment, and partly for her amendment. Cenforioufnefs 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 prefence to wander for ever through the world, with Novelty stalking before them.

The caufe being now over,.fhe retreated from fight within the splendor 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 V.

WHATEVER industry 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 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