ness we confess we exift, will, in regard to our confidence and trust, our faith and religion, when this fleeting fcene 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 de fire of that wealth, dominion, and splendor 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, be content, as we are hasting away with a never ceafing pace to the realms of eternity and unmixed blifs. 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 enter up this grand tain me, as I rid of the moun tains of Stanemore. the avenue I had read of in the Tales of the Fairies, and brought me to a natural grotto, more beautiful than Ælian's defcription of Atalanta's, or that in Homer, where Calypfos lived. June 14, 1725. 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 extensive 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 gushed from a neighbouring rock which watered the trees and plants, and feemed to combat with the earth, whether of them most contributed to their growth and prefervation. It was a sweet rural 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 thofe not small ones, but fome of the largest and finest 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 pureft fpar. The whole had a fine effect, and as the cave had been divided by art into fix fine apartments, and had doors and chimnies most ingenioufly 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 sheep 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. of Azora. 44. The first human being The history I beheld, was an 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 hills before you, you muft go, to get to the countries you mention. We are an hundred fouls in all that that live here, and our mistress, fuperior and head, is a young woman. Her name is Azora. Yonder fhe comes, goodness itfelf, and as it is now feven in the evening, too late to proceed any farther in this part of the world, you had better walk up to her, and pay her your refpects. Great was my furprize at what I heard. A little female republic among thofe hills was news indeed: and when I came near Azora, my astonishment increased. She was attended by ten young women, straight, clean, handfome girls, and furpaffed them in tallness. Her countenance was maf The picture of Azora. culine, but not auftere: her fine blue eyes discovered an excellence of temper, while they fhewed the penetration of her mind. Her hair was brown, bright and charming; and nature had stamped upon her cheeks a colour that exceeded the most beautiful red of the finest flower. It was continually as the maiden blush of a modeft innocence. She was dreft in a fine woollen ftuff, made in the manner fhepherdeffes are painted, and on her head had a band or fillet like what the ladies now wear, with a bunch of artificial flowers in her hair. She had a very small straw hat on.---In her hand, fhe held a long and pretty crook: and as her coats coats were short, her feet were seen, in -black filk fhoes, and the finest white stockings, and appeared vaftly pretty. She ftruck me greatly. She was a charming, and uncommon figure. When I came up to Azora, I could hardly forbear addreffing her, as the fon of Ulyffes did the fupernal, O vous, qui que vous foiez, mortelle ou deeffe (quoiqu'a vous voir on ne puiffe vous prendre que pour une divinité) feriezvous infenfible au malheur d'un fils, qui -Whoever you are, a mortal or a goddefs, though fure your afpect speaks you all divine, can you, unmoved, behold a hapless fon, by fate expelled, and urged by unrelenting rage, to wander through the world, exposed to winds and feas, and all the strokes of adverse fortune, till he arrived in this land of felicity and peace? But on better thoughts, I only faid, I am your most humble fervant, Madam, and told her I believed I had loft my way, and knew not where to go :--To which the replied, You are welcome, Sir, to our hamlet, and to the best entertainment it affords: only tell me, she added with a smile, what could induce you to travel this unbeaten road-and how did you pass the precipices and rivers you must have met with in the way?-Curiofity, Madam, (I anfwered) was one caufe |