pofe nothing of ourselves, but with a referve 1725. that fupreme wisdom permits it; welcoming every event with chearfulness and magnanimity, as beft upon the whole, because ordained of infinite reafon; and acquiefcing in every obstruction, as ultimately refervable to divine providence. This (continued reflection), in refpect of this life, were there no other, is preferable to the castle of wishes, if we could find it at the end of this avenue (17).

But if another life is taken into the queftion, the argument grows ftronger againít a power of enjoying all we could wish for.-As we are accountable creatures, and are pouring faft out of time into eternity, reli gion undoubtedly ought to be the main bufinefs of mortals;- -that religion, which is a living principle, fpring, or root of ac

(17) In the 2d volume of Familiar Letters between the characters in David Simple, the reader will find an excellent ftory in relation to wishing, which the ingenious female writer calls a fragment of a Fairy Tale, P. 225-275 and concludes it in the following fenfible manner. The good Fairy came often to vifit me, and confirmed me in my refolution, never again to be fo unreasonable, as to defire to have all my wifhes compleated; for fhe convinced me, that the fhort-fighted eyes of mortals were not formed to fee, whether the event of any of their own wifhes would produce most happiness or mifery: and that our greatest felicity, often arifes from the very difappointment of thofe defires, the gratification of which, at the first view, feems to be neceflary to our welfare.

tions in the foul; wrought there by the hand of him that made us; and which requireth us to honour and fear God as the fupreme Lord, to esteem him as the chief good; and to exercise and express that honour, that fear, and that esteem, by all the means, and in all the ways, which reafon and revelation appoint for fuch exercise and expreffion; that we may gain the love of the Almighty, and obtain the established feat of happiness above: but fuch force hath the objects of fenfe upon the mind, that it is more than probable they would outweigh the distant hopes of religion, if wishing could bring in even a tenth part of what the vanity of man and his fenfes would call for. It would be fo far from being an advantage to mankind, if they could with and have vaft fortunes, all the pleasures, the pomps and honours of the world, that they would thereby be deprived of the rational joys of life, and be influenced to think no more of the excellency and beauty of religion, and the good confequences of ferving God truly. They would not even divide themselves between this world and the other. The Idol Gods of this ftate would have all their fervice. The wish then fhould be for daily bread, and that the kingdom of God come his will be done in our fouls. In these are comprised the greatest and most valuable bleffings, and we are fure we can ob

may

tain them, if we will add to afking an induftry and prudence in acquiring, and take care by culture, to bring up the feeds of virtue and holiness. This is enough to make us as happy here as reason can defire. We have a fufficiency to go through this world to that other where we are to be ftationed for ever, and against the accidents of the way, we have the fupports which innocence and virtue to the good adminifter. Peace and tranquillity of mind here, and hopes full of comfort with refpect to hereafter, are the ingredients of our happiness; a happiness the greatest! and we are certain that he, upon whose mercy and goodness we confess we exist, will, in regard to our confidence and trust, our faith and religion, when this fleeting scene is over, make us glorious and ever bleffed in the kingdom he has prepared for those that rely on the Divine Goodness, and do their best to advance the state of true virtue in the world. Let us not regret, then, the want of a castle of wishes. Let us not have a defire of that wealth, dominion, and fplendor, which lives in contempt of the prophets, and riots in the heinous pleasures of irreligion.

Let our great Mafter's Will be made the rule of all our actions, and let his intereft be regarded, as our intereft. Let us confult his honour, as our own honour; and having food and raiment,

P 3

A defeription of a natural

one of the

of Stanemore.

1725.

raiment, be content, as we are hasting away with a never ceafing pace to the realms of eternity and unmixed blits. This is reafon and light. This only deferves our care. There is nothing worth wishing for, but the happiness of God's prefence in our hearts; and the more immediate communications of his love and favour in the regions of day.

43. Thus did reflection entertain me, as I rid up this grand fhady walk, which looked grotto in like the avenue I had read of in the Tales of mountains the Fairies, and brought me to a natural grotto, more beautiful than Elian's defcription of Atalanta's, or that in Homer, where June 14, Calypfos lived.It was a large cavern at the bottom of a marble mountain, and without, was covered round with ivy, that clung about fome aged oaks, (on either fide the entrance) that feemed coeval with the earth on. which they grew. Abundance of large laurel trees, in clumps, adorned an extenfive area before the door; and faffron, and hyacinths, and flowers of many colours, covered in confufed fpots the carpet green. The beautiful ground refreshed the fight, and purified the air: and to enhance the beauties of the spot, a clear and cold ftream gufhed from a neighbouring rock which watered the trees and plants, and feemed to combat with the earth, whether of them moft contributed to their growth and prefervation. It was a sweet ru

ral

ral fcene. For charms and folitude the place was equally to be admired.

The infide of this grotto was a beautiful green marble, extremely bright, and even approaching to the appearance of the emerald. It was thick fet with fhells, and thofe not fmall ones, but fome of the largest and fineft kinds: many of them feemed, as it were, fqueezed together by the marble, fo as to fhew the edges only; but more were to be feen at large, and filled with the purest spar. The whole had à fine effect, and as the cave had been divided by art into fix fine apartments, and had doors and chimnies moft ingeniously contrived, both the manfion and its fituation charmed me in a high degree. It was a beautiful habitation indeed. On either fide of it were many cottages, pretty and clean, and as fheep were feeding on the field, fome cows grazing, and various kinds of tame fowl before the doors, I concluded it was an inhabited place, before I faw any

one.

ry of Azo

ra.

44. The first human being I beheld, was The histoan old woman, who appeared at the grotto door, and I requested her to inform me, who lived in this delightful place;-and which was my best way to Cumberland or Bishoprick? Sir, (replied the good old woman) you are welcome to Burcott-Lodge. Women only are the inhabitants of this fpot: and over the P 4

hills

41