Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

and commonly against her endeavours. But I obferved, when they approached to the barren top, that few were able to proceed without fome fupport from Habit; and that they, whose Habits were ftrong, advanced towards the mifts with little emotion, and entered them at last with calmness and confidence; after which, they were feen only by the eye of Religion; and though Reason looked after them with the most earnest curiofity, fhe could only obtain a faint glimpse, when her mistress, to enlarge her profpect, raised her from the ground Reafon, however, difcerned that they were fafe, but Religion faw that they were happy. 'Now, Theodore, laid my protector, withdraw thy view from the regions of obfcurity, and fee the fate of those who, when they were difmiffed by Education, would admit no direction but that of Reafon. Survey their wanderings, and be wife'

I looked then upon the road of Reason, which was in deed, fo far as it reached, the fame with that of Religion, nor had Reafon discovered it but by her inftruction. Yet when the had once been taught it, fhe clearly faw that it was right; and Pride had fometimes incited her to declare that she discovered it herself, and perfuaded her to offer herself as a guide to Religion, whom after many vain experiments, the found it her highest privilege to follow. Reason, was however at last well inftructed in part of the way, and appeared to teach it with fome fuccefs, when her precepts were not mifrepresented by Paffion, or her influence overborne by Appetite But neither of these enemies was the able to refiit. When Paffion feized upon her votaries, fhe feldom attempted oppofition. She feemed indeed to contend with more vigour against Appetite, but was generally overwearied in the conteft; and if either of her opponents had confederated with Habit, her authority was wholly at an end. When Habit endeavoured to cap tivate the votaries of Religion, fhe grew, by flow degrees, and gave time to efcape; but in fejzing the unhappy followers of Reafon, fhe proceeded as one that had nothing to fear, and enlarged her fize, and doubled her chains without intermiffion and without referve.

Of thofe who forfook the directions of Reafon, fome were led afide by the whispers of Ambition, who was perpetually pointing to ftately palaces, fituated on eminences on either fide, recounting the delights of affluence, and boafting the fecurity of power. They were easily perfuad

ed to follow her, and Habit quickly threw her chains upon them; they were foon convinced of the folly of their choice, but few of them attempted to return. Ambition led them forward from precipice to precipice, where many fell and were feen no more. Thofe that escaped were, after a long feries of hazards, generally delivered over to Avarice, and enlifted by her in the fervice of Tyranny, where they continued to heap up gold, till their patrons or their heirs pnfhed them headlong at laft into the caverns of Despair. Others were enticed by Intemperance to ramble in search of those fruits that hung over the rocks, and filled the air with their fragrance. I obferved, that the Habits which hovered about thefe foon grew to an enormous size, nor were there any who lefs attempted to return to Reason, or fooner funk into the gulfs that lay before them. When thefe first quitted the road, Reafon looked after them with a frown of contempt, but had little expectation of being able to reclaim them; for the bowl of intoxication was of fuch qualities as to make them lofe all regard but for the préfent moment. Neither Hope nor Fear could enter their retreats; and Habit had fo abfolute a power, that even Confcience, if Religion had employed her in their favour, would not have been able to force an entrance.

There were others whofe crime it was rather to neglect Reason than to difobey her; and who retreated from the heat and tumult of the way, not to the bowers of Intemperance, but to the maze of Indolence. They had this peculiarity in their condition, that they were always in fight of the road of Reason, always wishing for her prefence, and always refolving to return to-morrow In thefe, was most eminently confpicuous the fubtlety of Habit, who hung imperceptible fhackles upon them, and was every moment leading them farther from the road,which they always imagined that they had the power of reaching. They wandered on, from one double of the labyrinth to another, with the chains of Hab. it hanging fecretly upon them, till, as they advanced, the flowers grew paler, and the fcents fainter they proceeded in their dreary march without pleasure in their progress, yet without power to return; and had this aggravation above all others, that they were criminal,but not delighted. The drunkard for a time laughed over his wine the ambitious man triumphed in the miscarriage of his rival; but the captives of Indolence had neither fuperiority nor mer

:

riment. Difcontent lowered in their looks, and Sadness hovered round their fhades; yet they crawled on reluctant and gloomy, till they arrived at the depth of the recefs, varied only with poppies and nightshade, where the domin ion of Indolence terminates, and the hopeless wanderer is delivered up to Melancholy the chains of Habit are rivetted forever; and Melancholy, having tortured her prifoner for a time, consigns him at laft to the cruelty of Despair. While I was mufing on this miferable fcene, my protec or called out to me, "Remember, Theodore, and be wife, and let not Habit prevail against thee." I started, and beheld myself furrounded by the rocks of Teneriffe; the birds of light were finging in the trees, and the glances of the morning darted upon me.

DR. JOHNSON.

PIECES IN POETRY.

CHAPTER I.

NARRATIVE PIECES

SECTION 1.

The cameleon; or pertinacity expofed.

OFT has it been my lot to mark
A proud, conceited, talking spark,
With eyes that hardly ferv'd at most
To guard their mafter 'gainst a post;
Yet round the world the blade has been,
To fee whatever could be seen :
Returning from his finifh'd tour,
Grown ten times perter than before ;
Whatever word you chance to drop,
The travell'd fool your mouth will stop:
"But, if my judgment you'll allow-
I've feen-and fare I ought to know"-
So begs you'd pay a due fubmiffion,
And acquiefce in his decifion.

Two travellers of fuch a cast,
As o'er Arabia's wilds they pafs'd,
And on their way, in friendly chat,
Now talk'd of this, and then of that,
Difcours'd a while, 'mongst other matter,
Of the cameleon's form and nature.
"A ftranger animal," cries one,
"Sure never liv'd beneath the fun!
A lizard's body, lean and long,
A fish's head, a ferpent's tongue,
Its foot with triple claw disjoin'd;
And what a length of tail behind!
How flow its pace! and then its hue-
Who ever faw fo fine a blue ?"

"Hold there," the other quick replies, "Tis green-I saw it with thefe eyes, As late with open mouth it lay, And warm'd it in the funny ray; Stretch'd at its eafe the beaft I view'd, And faw it eat the air for food."

"I've seen it, friend, as well as you,
And must again affirm it blue.
At leifure I the beaft furvey'd,
Extended in the cooling fhade."

"'Tis green, 'tis green, I can affure ye."--
"Green" cries the other in a fury—
"Why, do you think I've loft my eyes?"
""Twere no great lofs," the friend replies,
"For, if they always ferve you thus,
You'll find them but of little ufe."
So high at last the contest rofe,
From words they almost came to blows?
When luckily came by a third-
To him the question they referr'd;
And begg'd he'd tell' em, if he knew,
Whether the thing was green or blue.
"Come," cries the umpire," ceafe your pother,
The creature's neither one nor t'other:
I caught the animal last night,
And view'd it o'er by candle light:
1 mark'd it well-'twas black as jet-
You ftare-but I have got it yet,
And can produce it." "Pray then do:
For I am fure the thing is blue."

"And I'll engage that when you've seen
The reptile, you'll pronounce him green."
"Well then, at once to eafe the doubt,"
Replies the man, “I'll turn him out :
And when before your eyes I've fet him,
If you don't find him black, l'll eat him.”
He faid; then full before their fight
Produc'd the beast, and lo,-'twas white !
Both tar'd; the man look'd wondrous wife
My children," the cameleon cries,

[ocr errors]

(Then first the creature found a tongue,)
"You all are right, and all are wrong:
When next you talk of what you view,
Think others fee as well as you;
Nor wonder, if you find that none
Prefers your eye-fight to his own."

SECTION II.

The hare and many friends.

RIENDSHIP, in truth, is but a name, Unlefs to few we fint the flame.

MERRICK,

« FöregåendeFortsätt »