e he craftily lurked near them, and overheard at he might better learn which of them was the

of great penetration, he soon found, that the only the weakest but the youngest; and what ed his hope, was, that the man loved the woman ender affection, a circumstance very painful for Peace being now a stranger to his own bosom, for him to see the felicity of the human pair. In these discoveries, he made no attempts upon the t all his endeavours to seduce the woman, not f that could be effected, the man would come of gly was he attached to his yokefellow.

you the whole now, cousin, but I must go and Gaiety to dress; for she is to dine with my Lord About four o'clock I'll meet you here.

DIALOGUE V.

DELIS IMPIATOR, AND DISCORDANS.

d Avaro had not been long gone, before I saw Infipiator, walking up to the rendezvous, and as they conversing;

is it possible, sir, that the papists should ascribe an greater glory, to the blessed virgin, than to the

› not only possible, but certain, and as a proof of at to you one of their prayers to her; a prayer no means be offensive to any of our people. "O r of the sea, the haven of health, the learned adilty; the only hope of the desperate; the saviour ou callest thyself the handmaid of Jesus Christ, for right and reason willeth, that, the mother pray him, and command him from above, kingdom, at the world's end." Here you was believed by his apostles to be ve found out a way to put him 'n mother. Not only so, but they of St. Ann, reputed by them may be seen in that famous the doctors of the Sorborne,

or even five times the number of popish priests. You may take this as a general maxim, that the most enlarged soul must be the most tormented, if not saved.

AVAR. One may see by your learning, sir, what it is to be born among spirits. Why, you can converse as freely, and fluently about the nature of angels and men as I can do about gold and silver coin: great, great, sir, is your merit.

FAST. How should it be otherwise, Avaro, when you consider the subtilty of my nature? I am the very soul of Belzebub, and all his vassals. Petty spirits may boast of their conquests one to another, but they must all be silent when courtly Fastosus opens his mouth. You, Avaro, Impiator, Discordans, &c. have all of you made as great inroads upon mankind as can possibly be expected from such unseemly spirits as you be; but as for me, you see I am a spirit of a comely deportment, and caressed by all. Indeed many people are now a-days of opinion, that a spice of my nature is absolutely necessary, in order to make them respectable in the world, and prevent the injuries which otherwise might be offered to them. Nor is there any who can discern the fatal consequences of being under my direction, except those who are enlightened from above, by him who was given for a light to the Gentiles. I lodge securely in the secret caverns of the heart, and from thence I convey my influence so imperceptibly through all the words of the mouth, and actions of the life, that you rarely meet with a man or woman, who will own that they have the least acquaintance with me; though with many of them, the judicious beholder, will easily perceive, that I am deeply concerned in all they do or say.

AVAR. Indeed I have often heard people declare, that they never saw the devil Fastosus, nor had the least acquaintance with pride. Yet, they said, a little spirit ought to be shewn, that every one might know his proper place. But I perceive now, that pride itself is that same spirit which they deem so necessary, notwithstanding their supposed freedom from it, and aversion to it.

FAST. The very same spirit, Avaro, though they do not know it, for I deceive them at every turn, being capable of transforming myself into so many different shapes, and bearing a name so suitable to each, that even when I lord it over them with the greatest power, they remain utterly ignorant of their subjection to me. Sometimes I assume the appearance and bear the name of my avowed enemy, Humility; then you will see people of fashion descending lower than their station, for no other reason than to get good name. At another time you may see me transformed into the likeness of Charity, and I prompt my slaves to bestow their alms, in order to be esteemed benevolent and generous. I have seen a man of wealth and industry perform such actions with this and no other view, and he has made his poor belly to suffer for it many days to come, when at the same

Then I take upon me

time he had his thousands out at use. the name of Decency, and am greatly employed in regulating domestic affairs, descending even so low, as to take cognizance of meat and drink, dress and company; then you may see madam, extremely diligent in persuading Miss Prim and Miss Stiff not to be seen in the company of those of an inferior station. Ere you are aware, I have got the name of Good-breeding, and oh! what wonders of fashionable civilities I work, and forward the great designs of hell. At this time you'll see my lady, who having forgotten the fashions prevailing above twenty years ago, when she was under forty, is as careful as possible not to deviate in the least from the customs of them who were born since she was a wife and mother. Sometimes I bear the name of a spirit of honour; under this name I prevailed in ancient Rome, and now reign over many of our European cavaliers; in this character I do great execution among the British gods at the west end of London, where the greatest enormities are deemed excusable, but the putting up with an affront, an unpardonable evil. AVAR. There would be nothing done in comparison of what there is among mankind, if we appeared in our own likeness, and went by our proper names: for there are thousands that love us extremely while in disguise, who would be ashamed of us, if we went by our proper names of Covetousness and Pride. As for my part, I am fain to perform all my works in disguise; bearing the feigned names of Industry, Frugality, &c. But, sir, will it please you to give me some account how you first made your entrance good amongst mankind.

FAST. I have already told you, that as soon as I was born, I obtained full dominion over the adherents of Belzebub; this taught the angels of the deep, that the only way to seduce innocent beings was to inject my nature into them; and that the seeds of pride being once sown, they could not fail of most abun dant fruitfulness. Man was originally created in a holy and happy estate, a perfect stanger to those evils which now prevail over, and reign predominant in the natural and moral world. You could not have seen so much as one symptom of pride or covetousness, or other vice, either in Adam or Eve, in their primitive state. They loved without unchastity, and enjoyed without uncleanness; nor were they in the least acquainted with the racking torments of jealousy. No anxious thoughts, perplexing fears, nor distracting cares, disturbed their peaceful hearts. Envy, anger, shame, and resentment, were strangers to the new created pair, and never set foot in paradise before my arrival there. Their sole delight was to contemplate the beneficence of their God.

Our eagle-eyed angels when they saw the noble deportment of man, soon perceived that he was of the same nature, which the Son of God was predestinated to assume, (for as some think,

he might, out of love to the human nature, appear occasionally to the heavenly hosts ir. the form of man*) for the resisting of which decree, they were damned to the depths of ever-burning hell. The first discovery Belzebub made of the blessed situation in which man was created, filled his noble mind with such violent agitations of rage, envy, malice, and pride, that his fury burst beyond all bounds. He stamped and raged in a most tempestuous manner; insomuch that he shook the sable firmament u hell, and brought his confederates to inquire the cause of his anguish. A council thus convened, after the prince had a little recovered from the first shock of transporting rage, he related t> them what he had discovered concerning the inhabitants of Eden, Asked advice of his senators, who, to a devil vowed speedy destruction to man. Some demur there was respecting the plan of their operations; for the impolitic part of the assembly finding the smallness of their number, were for having man assaulted by storm; but the more sage politicians voted for craft, as the likeliest method to seduce them. At last the august assembly came to this unanimous resolution, "That the great Belzebub should, by certain means, by him to be devised, inspire them with my nature, nothing doubting, but if that could be done, they would soon declare in favour of the devil's government."

After he had well weighed every circumstance, the arch-apostate undertook the enterprise; but did not judge it proper to exercise force against them, knowing well, that if their resistance proved equal to their power, all his destructive measures must unavoidably be broken, and the enterprise miscarry. Therefore like a wise hero and consummate politician, he resolved to accomplish by craft and subtilty, what was not to be done by open assault, nor did he think it advisable to address them in his own form, lest he should frighten them at his first appearance, and by that means render their seduction for ever after impracticable. He judiciously concluded that the most promising method was, to assume the body of one of their familiar domestic animals, which were daily under their observation. Accordingly, after long consultation with himself, and strictly examining the brutal tribes, he possessed a beauteous serpent, perceiving that it was head of the reptile world, and best fitted for converse with man, with whom also it was more familiar, than all the beasts beside. Thus equipped for executing the deep projected scheme, he still acted with caution becoming the most consummate experience. He cared not to attack them both at once, lest by any means they should see through his disguise, and he should occasion his own

Some may think that this parenthesis is an impeachment of the knowledge of Fastosus, supposing that himself was ignorant, whether the Son of God did or did not assume the form of a man in his intercourse with the heavenly legions. But it ought to be observed that this judiciou: devil is relating transactions which were antecedent to the time, when he professes to have beer, born.

repulse; therefore he craftily lurked near them, and overheard their discourse, that he might better learn which of them was the weaker vessel.

Being a spirit of great penetration, he soon found, that the woman was not only the weakest but the youngest; and what greatly encouraged his hope, was, that the man loved the woman with the most tender affection, a circumstance very painful for him to behold. Peace being now a stranger to his own bosom, it was grievous for him to see the felicity of the human pair. In consequence of these discoveries, he made no attempts upon the man; but bent all his endeavours to seduce the woman, not doubting, but if that could be effected, the man would come of course, so strongly was he attached to his yokefellow.

I would tell you the whole now, cousin, but I must go and assist my lady Gaiety to dress; for she is to dine with my Lord Frolic to-day. About four o'clock I'll meet you here.

DIALOGUE V.

INFIDELIS IMPIATOR, AND DISCORDANS.

FASTOSUS and Avaro had not been long gone, before I saw Infidelis and Impiator, walking up to the rendezvous, and as they walked thus conversing;

IMP. But is it possible, sir, that the papists should ascribe an equal, if not a greater glory, to the blessed virgin, than to the Son of God?

INFID. It is not only possible, but certain, and as a proof of it, I shall repeat to you one of their prayers to her; a prayer which can by no means be offensive to any of our people. "O Mary! The star of the sea, the haven of health, the learned advocate of the guilty; the only hope of the desperate; the saviour of sinners. Thou callest thyself the handmaid of Jesus Christ, but art his lady; for right and reason willeth, that, the mother be above the son: pray him, and command him from above, that he lead us to his kingdom, at the world's end." Here you see, child, that although he was believed by his apostles to be God over all; the papists have found out a way to put him under the command of his virgin mother. Not only so, but they have put him under the command of St. Ann, reputed by them to have been his grandmother, as may be seen in that famous prayer, approved and authorised by the doctors of the Sorborne, in Paris; I'll repeat the passage, being the fourth paragraph in the prayer, "In homage of the right and power (of mother) which you had over your daughter, (Mary) and of grandmother