for my reappearance. As to Affliction, I am far from regarding her as an enemy: she is, in fact, but a faithful ally. You observed the vast numbers that flocked to the palace of Pleasure; it is always thus that she succeeds in leading off a large majority. And although comparatively few ever make their escape from her halls, yet, for that few, I am almost entirely indebted to the address of Affliction. Of all the messengers I despatch with invitations to my abode, none are so successful as she. You would be surprised to hear how many of the inhabitants of this place have been first driven by her from the palace of Pleasure, and then led by Devotion to our quiet valley.”

The last suit of rooms I visited, was on the upper story; and they presented a very interesting and busy scene. A benignant personage, called Benevolence, presided here. The moment we ascended, I observed that a fresh glow overspread the face of Happiness, and her eyes beamed with more than their wonted effulgence. She met Benevolence with a cordial salutation, though it was but a hasty one; for he declared he had so much business on his hands, that he could not stay even to talk with Happiness. We followed him, however, through several different rooms, where there was much to gratify my curiosity. In one of these, I saw too or three solitary individuals, hard at work in breaking the chains, and unloosing the

fetters, from thousands of black men; and warding from their bleeding backs the strokes of the lash, which a whole band of gentleman-ruffians were attempting to inflict. In another room, there was a small circle of females, surrounded with a crowd of widows and orphans, to whom they distributed coats and garments. In one long apartment I saw thousands of children, of all colors and countries, receiving instruction. And while some were engaged in their tuition, others were running to and fro along the gallery, and up and down the staircase, with piles of Bibles under their arms, which they distributed to every creature that passed.

Here," said I, "I should presume no evil powers dare intrude." At that, Benevolence shook his head: "In time," said he, we hope to expel them entirely; but I assure you, that if I do but fall asleep for a few minutes, there are two officious beings, called Ostentation and Party-spirit, who have the impudence to wear my dress; however," said he, "it must be confessed, that these impertinent fellows work very hard, and do a great deal of business for me, so that I should sometimes scarcely know how to get on without them; and till I have more of my own family grown up, I am obliged to wink at their intrusion: sometimes, indeed, I am quite ashamed to see how much more they can accomplish than I do myself."

I had now visited all the great divisions of the building; and Happiness said it would be endless.

to conduct me through every secret passage, and into every retired closet, to which no one had access but herself. When she ceased to speak, I gazed at her and sighed: "Alas!" said I, "and is it so, that even your sanctuary is thus liable to invasion, and that those who come to reside under your protection, cannot insure your presence for an hour: whither then shall I go?" "Forbear these murmurings," said she, "and follow me." I did so; and she led me once more to the temple of Devotion. We found the priestess employed in trimming the flame on her altar, which during the light and bustle of day, was, she said, very apt to languish. Happiness told her my complaint, and she thus addressed me:

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“Know you not, poor mortal," she said, that although Happiness has been permitted to erect a temporary residence in this valley, it is not her hereditary estate-and that she reigns here only by a limited and precarious right? Her paternal mansion is in a higher region: there her reign will be absolute, and her presence perpetual; and there the inhabitants of the valley will eventually accompany her. From the upper windows of this temple," continued she, "the golden towers of that palace are occasionally visible: when the sky is clear and the air serene, I can always distinguish them. Do but look steadily, for a time, and you also may perceive them." I turned my tearful eyes towards the quarter where Devotion

pointed; but a gross vapor, rising from the earth, prevented my discerning a single turret. Devotion, however, assured me that they were there; and I believed her.

X.

REVELATION XX. 12.

"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God."

READER-you will be there!

This awful scene

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it

which the apostle John saw in prophetic vision, will be realized; and not the most obscure individual that exists shall be then forgotten: for is appointed unto all men once to die, and after death the judgment." Is it not a strange thing that they who have once heard this, should ever be indifferent to it?-that days and weeks should pass without a thought being given to that day!— that many who hear and read of the judgment to come, have never, perhaps, in their lives, allowed themselves seriously to reflect upon it, and to recollect how deeply and intimately it concerns themselves! If some important event relating to the present life, could be foretold, such as our entering into the possession of a great estate, our going to reside in a foreign country, or that some great misfortune would befall us; if we could

know beyond a doubt that some such thing would happen, would it not become the subject of our continual thought-the first idea that occurred when we awoke in the morning, the last before we fell asleep at night? And although we might frequently be diverted from it by the necessary engagements of life, still, there would remain a consciousness of it upon our minds, and at every leisure moment it would be the constantly returning recollection.

But it is not necessary to suppose an impossible case. Are we not conscious that affairs of far inferior importance to any that have been mentioned-some expected pleasure that perhaps is to last but a day, has engrossed, for the time, all our thoughts and attention? and this, although every thing connected with our worldly affairs is attended with so much uncertainty, that we cannot be sure that the pleasure we plan for tomorrow will ever be realized; or, that to-morrow may not deprive us of the enjoyment we possess to-day. Now the great event to which we have alluded, has none of these uncertainties to lessen its importance:" it will surely come:" and every one of us must be awakened by that tremendous blast, when "the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised;" the reader and the writer will hear it.

There is no possible way in which this subject can be regarded, but shows it to be one of the