into non-existence before the enchanting delights which thou haft prepared for thy votaries. To prove our claim to thy protection, we have diffeminated thy principles by every means which wit could fuggeft or genius promote. We have written Poems, Romances, and Novels, for this purpose, and tranflated every work that we conceived would tend to inflame the heart and corrupt the morals of others, and we have been fuccefsful beyond our moft fanguine hopes. It remains for thee, O beloved Philofophy, to reward us according to our refpective merits; and when each claimant has detailed her labours in thy fervice, there is little doubt but that thou wilt at least place us upon an equality with the other fex, and realize our long wifhed for love of power."

When this fair orator concluded her fpeech, another female advanced with a moft graceful and theatric air; but fhe was prevented from the exertion of her eloquence by the Goddefs, who expreffed her approbation of the party with fmiles of triumph. "Glo rious æra!" the exclaimed, "when Woman has affumed her natural equality, and deinonstrated that the love of pleasure and the love of fway predominates in every exalted female mind. Yes, my beautiful votaries, you, fhall be placed upon an equality with your admirers, who fit at my right hand. There is no neceflity for each of you to mention her claims; for, though I have long been convinced of the eloquence; of the fex, and doubt not that your orations on this occafion would fill a folio volume, I would recommend it to you to referve your rhetoric to perfuade your hufbands, lovers, and mankind at large, of my fuperior title to their devotion."

Although the Ladies feemed difappointed at not being permitted to speak fucceffively, yet, when Sophiftry conducted them to a feat equally elevated with that of the Male Philofophers, and when they fur

veyed the fuperb canopy above their heads, I could obferve their eyes fparkle with pleafure.

Thefe diftinguished Female Philofophers being feated, Sophiftry addreffed the motley throng which filled the area before the throne, and whom I difcovered, by their difcourfe, to be Pamphleteers, who had written in favour of the Goddess.

"Beloved auxiliaries!" cried Sophiftry, " none of you fhall go unrewarded. Philofophy is ever beneficent to her adorers. You fhall

Here. fhe was interrupted by a confufed noise from without, and a female called Terror, rufhed into the Temple,. vociferating, with frantic geftures, "The enemy is coming! The enemy is coming!" Thefe dreadful founds produced difmay throughout the affembly.. Even the Goddefs trembled on her throne, and all her worfhippers feemed thunderstruck. A vivid fplendournow illumined the portico, and the next moment RELIGION entered. Her ftature was tall, her countenance majeftic and ferene; a diadem of the three hues of the rainbow furrounded her head, and her robe was light azure of the most delicate tint of the celestial regions, whence the had defcended; on her right appeared her faithful attendant Truth, who held a burning-glafs in her left hand, and a fiery fword in her right. The other attendant of Religion was Morality, who appeared on her left, clothed in white, and holding in her left hand a Bible, into which she looked with reverential love.

Religion now approached the throne of her enemy,. and, with a voice at once melodious and impreffive, thus addreffed the affembly:" Unhappy beings,, your enmity against me has effected your own deftruction. By embracing the delufive pleafures of Senfuality, whom you mifnamed Philofophy, your minds are incapacitated for the enjoyment of my fimple but permanent delights; it only remains, in obedience to the

2

dictates

dictates of immutable Juftice, that you fhould be, punished for your impious writings, which have mifled fuch numbers of your fellow-creatures. Advance, O Truth my faithful attendant, and with thy refift-, lefs fword deftroy thefe foul-flayers, and let their influence cease from this moment.'

Truth inftantly touched the throne of the NEW PHILOSOPHY with her fiery fword, and a wonderful metamorphofis took place throughout the Temple. Philofophy fell from her throne, and was changed into a viper; the metaphyfician was transformed into a mole; the dramatift into a goat; and the other fages into monkies of different kinds. The female philofophers were changed into parrots, and the pamphleteers who furrounded me fhrunk into the form of toads.

My heart fainted with horror as I gazed on thefe prodigies, and I every moment expected fome dreadful change would befal myself for my temerity in vifiting this odious place. While I flood fpeechlefs and trembling, Truth touched the floor with her fword, and a fudden concuffion overturned the Temple from its foundation. The throne vanished in a thin vapour; the vitreous wall difappeared; and beyond, where it had expanded its deceptive medium, inftead of a rich, landscape, I beheld a blafted heath overgrown with thorns and thiftles.

At this fcene of defolation my fears increafed: I turned towards Religion, and was going to proftrate, myfelf before her; when Morality prevented me, and putting the Bible into my hand, whispered, "You are now fafe; that book will direct you to the Temple of Religion, which is on the road to Salvation." fpirits were revived, and a new hope animated my heart as I clafped the treasure of divine knowledge in my hands. Religion turned upon me her majestic eyes, beaming with philanthropy. "Fear

My:

not,

not, Oman!" faid fhe, "I will ever be thy guardian while thou purfueft the path pointed out by revelation. Go, feeble mortal, reform thy manners; correct thy paffions by the vigilance and authority of reason; remember that Chriftianity is the true philofophy; and that happinefs confifts in piety to thy Creator, and univerfal benevolence.".

While Religion was fpeaking, I found unufual tranfport animate my heart, infomuch that I awoke, and beheld the fun juft rifing. The vifion of the night. enlightened and purified my foul, and incited me to that activity in the performance of the focial virtues, which alone can render the life of man valuable to himself, and beneficial to his fellow-creatures.

A SERVANT OUT OF PLACE.

[From the Morning Chronicle.],

MR. EDITOR,

J. C.

AS you are frequently fo kind as to admit advertifements from perfons wanting places, I fhall efteem it a great favour if you will infert my cafe.

I was originally born and bred in this country, and held a good place, which I was allowed to fill with credit, until a few years ago, when I obeyed an invitation to go abroad, and take the management of a gentleman's houfe in France, who did not, however, keep me long. Liking however the country and people, to whom I vainly thought my fervices would not be unacceptable, I got into feveral other places; but my mafters proved to be of fuch fickle difpofitions, that I never could remain for any great length of time.. They required me to drefs in fuch fantastic shapes, and

be

be fubject to fuch whims and vagaries, that I became heartily tired of ferving people who did not know what they would be at. Nay, Sir, you will fcarcely believe me, but I affure you it is matter of fact, that they even committed horrid acts of cruelty, and laid them at my door.

You may be fure I was happy to escape from fuch. a people, and return to my native country: but, alas! I found that my character had been fo blasted here by the foul reports fpread of me abroad, that I could get in no where; all refpect for me was gone. I was eyed with fufpicion, and haunted with jealoufy; my oldest friends had given me up. I may fay, without vanity, that there was a time when my very name had a charm in it, and when my true character was fo cherished and adored, that men would have died to promote my intereft. Now they will fcarcely hear me mentioned with patience, and my name is a bugbear even among the illiterate. Indeed I am fo disfigured by report, that if it were not for inward confciouinefs, I fhould not know myself. Yet I fhould not have minded what my open enemies chofe to do, if I had not been ill-treated by my pretended friends, who have even gone fo far as to lock me up in clofe confinement, by way of preferving me, as if I were not as able to preferve myself as ever I was.-Spreading a report that I was become a lunatic, they have taken from me the conveyances of my little freehold, which has been in the family fince the year 1688, and have made fo many alterations in the claufes, that I vow and declare I am no better than a tenant at will. You may fuppofe I feel all this, but complain I dare not; they will fcarcely let me open my mouth, and have even lately refused me the ufe of pen and ink, unless I will confent to write, not what I think, but what they please. In a word, Sir, from being a maid of

all