*** No. 3. Monday, April 2, 1770. Qualis apes, æftate nova, per florea rura Aut onera accipiunt venientum, aut, Agmine facto, Fervet opus, redolentque thymo fragrantia mella. I VIRG. Had lately occafion to go to the Exchange, in order to procure a bill on London. It happened to be a very full day, and my attention was fo ftrongly caught, that I withdrew to the ftair-cafe, the more conveniently to indulge my contemplation on the bufy fcene around me. My nature is of that focial and fympathetic kind, that it always takes a fhare in any thing that occurs, and peculiarly in what relates to the interefts of a city to which I am fo fingularly obliged. I could not therefore but feel unspeakable fatisfaction from obferving, in the faces of my fellow citizens, the ftrong impreffions of that calm content, and infelt fecurity, which arife from an honeft, fuccessful, improving commerce; and tracing, in every tranfaction, the fimplicity, brevity and candour, which form the honourable characteristic of a trader. With much pleasure I faw thousands negó gociated, in an inftant, on the generous footing of mutual B mutual confidence and credit, and property tranfferred with an eafe and dispatch, which threw fhame on the tedious perplexities and forms of law. The banker, the merchant, the manufacturer, and the countryinan, were reciprocally exchanging their fuperfluities; each individual was accommodating others, by ferving himself, and all, through different paths, were infenfibly concurring to promote the general welfare. This fpeculation raised me at last, to a pieafing kind of enthufiafm. Every man appeared to me to be employed like the builders of a rising Carthage, as described by Virgil; and laying the foundation of the future riches and dignity of a city, on which Providence has been indulgently pleafed to beftow fo happy a fituation. This train of thought took fuch poffeffion of my fancy, that when I came to take my evening's nap by the fire-fide, it continued fill to operate, and produced a kind of confused dream, which I hall endeavour to methodize, and prefent to my readers. I fancied myself replaced in my former ftation on the Exchange, with the fame objects ftill before me. When, on a fudden, the whole croud, with a prodigious noife, burft forward like a torrent, and rushed out at the Western-door. I found myfelf hurried with them. The town on that fide had totally dif appeared, and the fine landscape up the river was laid open to the view. At a confiderable distance before us, arofe a magnificent ftructure, The walls feemed to be of filver, and, by an infcription in golden characters on the cupola, we found it to be the PALACE OF COMMERCE. To gain this inviting manfion feemed to be the wish of all, The di rect rect and natural avenue to it was wide and finooth, but the entrance was guarded by a Being of a formidable appearance. A grim lion attended him as a companion. He brandifhed in one hand a dreadful fword, and in the other a pair of maffy fetters. Under his feet lay a broken harp; and, from the crest of his helmet, waved a roll of parchment, infcribed THE LAWS OF NAVIGATION. Being unable to aifpute with fo terrible a phantom, we were glad to turn to the left, in fearch of a fafer road. Here we were met by a figure of great ftrength and flature who offered himself as our conductor. He was habited like a Hollander. His perfon was robust and coarfe; his visage rough and fun-burned, and his aspect generous tho' auftere. In one hand he held a plough, and, in the other, the top-maft of a fhip. This proved to be the GENIUS OF INDUSTRY. He led us into a road fufficiently wide, but the affent was difficult and the way covered with impediments. Broken rocks, brambles, and fallen trees, interrupted every step, and a number of holes and pitfalls made the paffage very perilous. It was however, our only path, and we endeavoured to proceed. But the conduct of my companions furprized me. Inftead of uniting their ftrength to remove the obitacles before them, every man feemed refolved to shift for himfelf, and either fqueeze through, or climb over them, as well as he could. Some were too weak for this task, and fainted in the attempt. The ftronger pushed on, rifing on their fallen comrades; yet with fo much labour, and through fo many painful accidents, that very few made any confiderable progrefs. Advancing under all thefe difcouragements, we perceived another road, at the entrance of which B 2 ftood ftood a fantastical figure, named SPECULATION. He held up a large glafs to the crowd, through which the palace appeared much nearer than the reality. A confiderable detachment were foon tempt ed to trike off this way, and ran with precepitant fpeed, down an eafy declivity covered with the finest fod. AVIDITY flew before, chinking an enormous purfe; and IMPATIENCE, with an iron goad, hung upon their rear, and impelled them to proceed. Their, motion once begun, was too impetuous to be checked, and the whole body plunged headlong into a river which ran almoft unseen, at the foot of the descent. Many funk for ever. Some of greater ftrength fwani through, and gained the oppofite bank, from whence they found means to return to their former road, and weary, weak, and wounded, began again their toil, at the place where they had left off Sull more delufive were three Phantoms, who danced at the opening of a delightful glade, all planted with myrtles. VANITY, with a p'ume of coloured feathers in her hair, tottering under a glaring French habit, of fuperb expence. Bloated Luxu RY, crowned with rofes, and extending a goblet of gold; and confumptive EMULATION, with a fluthed cheek and hoftile eye. They pointed out to us a kind of elyfium. The fun fhone there with unusual luftre. The turf was covered with flowers. At every turn were to be feen tables fpread with all the delicacies of earth, air, and fea. Groupes of perfons of both fexes, clad in the richest veftments, lay at eafe on fumptuous fofas, quaffing the most delicious wines, and nothing was heard but the jocund voice of musick, love, and revelling. Great was the defertion from our body. Seduced by this contraft to their toil, numbers flew to meet enjoyment. They hurried through the scene, with a diffipation which precluded real pleasure. They ftill urged on. EMULATION would admit no retreat. The walks becaine mariower; the light more obfcure; the cpany gradually difappeared. A total darkness at enfued. The greater part fell into the waters blivion; and the few who contrived to steal through fècret paths, returned naked and emaed to their original station, But a dæmon, ftill more dangerous, now apAared. His habit was magnificent, and his affpect inviting. One hand was filled with little pieces of fpotted pafte-board, and in the other he thook with vehemence, a magical kind of implement, not unlike a dice-box. Clofe behind him lay a fpacious hall, in which all the riches of the earth femed to be collected, and offered themfelves to the hand. To this he pointed. The bait was too alluring. Some of our number rushed in, each anticipating the other's grafp. A deep and dreadful abyfs lay just before them, into which the tall, and the low, the ftrong and the weak, all equally and irretrievably funk, never more to rife. They funk into the unfathomable regions of POVERTY, CONTEMPT, and DESPAIR, where hope can never come, that comes to all. Surrounded thus with evils, and depreffed by toil, we began at length to defpond; when a black and gloomy Being appeared, and hovered over us in the air. His name was NECESSITY. He brandifhed a dreadful iron mace, and menaced inftant and general deftruction, if we did not unite our efforts, and move together with unanimity B 3 and |