interrupted pursuit around the ring. Those who rode in coaches, chariots, and landaus, went foremost in the mad procession; those who strode the martial horse were next unto them; and the poorer sort, who tramped on foot, hied after as fast as they could. When I beheld the ardour of the crowd, I could not help admiring what valuable prize it might be, which prompted them to run with such alacrity, and that even within the views of danger; till at length I espied what are commonly called the pleasures of the flesh, transformed into immaterial butterflies, a cloud of which cut their uneven flight around the above-named circle, and danced as wantons within a very small distance of the first rank of the pursuers; and many of them as straggling flies, mixed themselves with the various ranks of the fag-end of the multitude; and all the crowd, as I thought, were intent on catching the giddy flies, ever hoping and ever disappointed.

Sometimes the pursuers got within arm's-length of the leading flies; then they snatched with eager grasp, nothing doubting but the long-sought prize at last was won. But, O the power of deceit ! as soon as the enthusiast opened his hand, he saw with grief that the fly had eluded his diligence, however often it fluttered near him. Thus disappointed, they doubled their efforts, and increased their speed, in order to accomplish the desired end; but this, notwithstanding all their endeavours, I conceived to be impracti cable; for although the butterflies always kept in view, so subtle were they, they never could be caught; and yet so alluring was their mazy dance, that the mad pursuers, prompted with hope of attaining, could not be prevailed with to desert the chase, although at every turn one or more of the company fell into the pit, from whence there is no redemption. But as the volcano in the centre received those whose race was run, others from the outside joined the ranks, and filled up the place of the persons lost. And thus it was at every turn, for they were always drawing nearer and nearer to the pit, and thus they continued as long as I beheld them.

In the third place, I saw, in a spacious field, a prodigious number of people, mostly old, or middle-aged, extremely busy, and working upon their hands and knees, for whom I was touched with the tenderest emotions of pity, looking upon them to be in a state of the most abject slavery, but could not for a time comprehend the nature of their servitude, being altogether unacquainted with so strange a sort of labour. Their actions seemed much to resemble those of a mole, for their hands and feet, and every other organ, were closely employed; but their heads, their plodding heads, were principally concerned in the work; and what before I took to be such servile drudgery, I soon learned to be their chief, if not their only pleasure. O with what alacrity did they rout with their heads, mole-like, in the earth, in quest of somewhat, but what it was I could not at first comprehend, till after lending a close attention for some time to their motions, I perceived them to pick up certain particles of yellow dust, with somewhat of a brilliant gloss; which, as soon as found, they kissed and hid in a cavern very near the heart. Many of those diligent gentry I saw fall prostrate before the refulgent heap, and thus addressed it: "Gold! adorable gold, thou blessed effect of mine own industry, be thou ever preserved safe in my possession, and I desire no other good, no other blessing but thee. Increase, O increase upon me! for thou answerest all things, and I can be happy only in the possession of thee. Avaunt, every pilfering rogue; ye poor and needy, keep for ever at a distance from my dwelling, and reap the reward of your slothfulness. And, O my gold! continue to rest in these blessed coffers, blessed only by thy presence. Instead of roving, ever here take up thy abode: for I vow, that my morning homage, and evening adoration, shall be paid to none but thee." I saw, as I thought, some of them rout a whole summer's day, and prove very unsuccessful, finding few or none of those shining particles of dust: others were more successful, and, every time they dived into the earth, brought forth, some less, others more of

the fulgent clay, and disposed of it so as to endue it with such a generative quality, as annually to beget and bring forth more of its own species. Others I saw who routed long and sore; but no increase ensuing, they fell into a visible discontent, and cursed the partial earth, which bestowed her favours on others, as they thought, less worthy than themselves. Some there were who toiled long, and were very successful in the routing way, having heaped much of that precious dust together; but to their lasting mortification, some cunning neighbour, by a most masterly artifice, got beyond and robbed them of the adored metal Others diligently routed both night and day in the earth, and with the utmost care disposed of their increase in some place of safety; but in despite of all their industry and care, they were mortified to the last degree, when they perceived their own children, who played about their knees, and whom they loved above all things,next to their gold, had been more dex terrous in scattering the heaps abroad, than they themselves in collecting them. Likewise some were there, who by long and incessant fatigue, had the pleasure of gathering much of this yellow dust together; but ere they were aware, whilst standing in an adoring posture before it, suddenly sunk into the earth, and I saw them no more; but where they went to take their abode, I do not at present determine; only this I saw, their memory was soon forgotten, and the next heir reaped the fruit of their industry. Others there were who with indefatigable diligence had got almost enough of this brilliant dust; but ere the fool considered that it was perishable, he had the unspeakable grief of seeing it all swept away by some shower, or burned up by some flash of lightning, sent on purpose by the angry Heavens; on which disaster some of them became quite disconsolate, and went mourning even to the grave. Others, of more heroic fortitude, having sustained loss, immediately clapped down on their hands and knees, and went to work with their heads in the earth, and routed with double diligence, resolved by all means, just, or unjust to re

pair their ruined heaps. Having had a full view of this routed brotherhood, I could not forbear thinking, that a people so very near resembling the mole in its dispositions and actions, might with a good deal of propriety, be named Human Moles.

But tired with beholding the paltry actions of this grovelling society, I thought I bent my course to another domain, where I saw a lofty tower, the top of which transcended the hoary clouds, for ought I know, as far as they are higher than the earth, perhaps many times as far. The tower was built in a pyramidical form, divided into great variety of stories, with a kind of winding way on the outside, which led from one story to another; and you must think that a very dangerous way it seemed, seeing it had no battlements to guard its ascendants. On every story were built certain pinnacles, or small towers, beautifully adorned with garlands of flowers, plumes of feathers, titles of state, names of honour, &c. and on the top of the tower was a figure of clay, overlaid with the appearance of gold. This image was formed in the shape of a woman, beautiful at first sight, but whose features appeared grosser the longer you looked at her. She seemed to be crowned with gold, adorned with sparkling diamonds, and a zone studded with precious stones begirt her swelling loins; over her head was raised an azure canopy, embroidered with the finest gold. In one hand she held titles and names, in the other a regal sceptre, and in an inviting posture she stood on a marble pedestal, with this alluring motto wrote on her escutcheon: "The valiant hero who hath courage enough to climb up to me, shall enjoy me." O what bustle was here amongst people of all ranks, striving who shall soonest ascend the sides of the tower, each striving to possess himself of some place of eminence, without considering the dangers to which they were exposed by their aspiration! Often have I seen the contention of the turf, but never did I see such jockeying as was here; scarcely any thing but jostling and crossing the way was to be seen amongst them. When one was ascended a few steps

above the vulgar level, and fancied himself secure of a place of eminence, another, prompted thereto by envy, or some other principle equally vicious, came up to him, tripped up his heels, and precipitated him. into the moat which surrounded the tower: for it ought to be observed, that this tower was surrounded by a horrible puddle, into which many of those who sought to ascend, were plunged with violence, before they knew themselves, to be in danger, either by the jockeying of their opponents, or even when seated upon the long-desired pinnacle, by some eddy gust bursting from the bosom of the tower, and precipitating them lower than they had been before. However, some few there were, who with indefatigable diligence attained almost the top of the tower, and on the spiral point of the pinacles they swaggered with waving arms, and in a contemptuous manner looked on the gazing croud who stood below, eager beyond measure to obtain a smile of their lordships: herein, however, I thought the crowd was greatly disappointed; for no sooner were any of these gentry put in possession of a pinacle, but instantly they drank of the obliviating waters of Lethe, and totally forgot the men upon whose shoulders they climbed to those seats of eminence. Nevertheless, so deeply infatuated were those who stood below, that they not only worshipped the grandeur which they themselves had put upon them, but stretched their expectation beyond imagination, of receiving some convincing proof of their gratitude. But former depressions utterly forgot, the worthy gentlemen dwelt in their secure pomp, till, in an unhappy hour, a ruffling blast burst swiftly upon them, and furiously whirled them from their seats of honour.

Some two or three ascended even to the marble pedestal, where they sat, adorned with plumes of feathers, but could hardly be seen of the populace below. One thing concerned them I could not but think remarkable: sometimes they appeared like a lamb, then like a lion or a bear; and if at any time the wind beat high upon them, they transformed