FAST. Indeed, Avaro, I am not such an half-wit as to tell my lord, that his riches and grandeur, if not duly improved, will sink him lower in the bottomless abyss, than the rustic plebeian; nor am I such an inconsiderate devil, as to tell him that his hunting, hawking, horse-coursing, cock-fighting, card-playing, drinking, swearing, whoring, &c. are the broad ways to never-ending torment. Neither do I foolishly tell my lady, that balls, assemblies, plays, &c. are the rose paths which lead most infallibly to ruin. No, no, let me alone for that; I warrant me I can keep my counsel well enough; and as for them they will find all out at last, without any instruction.

AVAR. If I remember right, Fastosus, when we parted last, you were relating the manner in which you made your entrance good amongst men; I should be glad, sir, if you will be so obliging as to finish that account.

FAST. I purpose it, Avaro. You may remember I told you, that great Belzebub, having discovered the woman to be the weaker vessel, he made no attempts upon the virtue of the man, but resolved, by all means to seduce the woman, not doubting but she would bring over her husband to our interest along with her. It happened one night that Adam had a dream, ominous of her conquest, which made him very fearful, lest any part of his or his wife's conduct should promote the dire event; therefore he reasoned with her, concerning their duty to their Creator, gave her the strictest charge, to keep out of the way of temptation, and withal informed her, that he was not without his fears, even upon her account. But she for her part, just as the devil would have it, resolved to separate herself from her husband that day, which she had never done before. Whether she thought to endear herself more to him, by letting him see how well she would resist temptation, if any should offer, or take it rather ill, to be under his tutorage, I pretend not to say; but maugre all his intreaties, she would go forth, by herself, into a distant walk, to gather some delicious berries, for an innocent repast for her and her lord, at noon.

This was an opportunity, just to Belzebub's wish, and he took care to improve it to advantage. I told you before, that previous to this, he had possessed the body of a beautiful snake, in those days man's familiar domestic; and now finding Eve at a distance from her husband, the serpent discovered himself to her, and with more than animai gestures attracted her eye. Captivated with its unusual motion, she stood ravished with its beauties and admiring its agility. As it drew near to her, she put forth her gentie hand, stroked its skin, and the subtle animal, after its manner, returned the compliment by laying its shining head on her lap. Their station was near to the tree of knowledge of good and evil, upon which the forbidden fruit luxuriously hung. To this tree the serpent frequently looked with all the languishment

of ardent desire, till once he made sure that the woman observed it. "Lie still thou pretty creature," said she, (stroking it) "what makes thee look so earnestly at that prohibited fruit?"--" Ah! thou fair goddess," returned the serpent, "I have good reason to admire the sovereign virtue of that delicious tree: for I was created only in a brutal station, without consciousness of mind, or the use of my tongue; till being on my thoughtless ramble yesterday, I chanced to espy this amazing tree, whose fruit hangs in such luxuriance. After a short pause, such as a brute may be capable of, I climbed up the tree, and began to feast on the most delicious fruit that ever was eaten. Joyful at my happy fate, I soon became sensible of a self-conscious mind, capable of discerning between good and evil. Soon my tongue, which hefore cleaved to the roof of my mouth was untied, and I could express sentiments of joy in the most rational manner. And now when I met with you, I was going to renew my repast on the fruit of that sovereign tree."

AVAR. Oh! Fastosus. The most subtle scheme that ever was heard of! Well, this may be spoken to the honour of Belzebub, when I am dead and gone.

FAST. Well, but Satan did not then know of the happy consequences that have since arisen from this affair, to some part of the human race. However, having laid his snare with all the subtilty he was master of, he thought it well to assault the pure mind of Eve with unbelief.* He asked her, if the reason why she was so divinely beautiful, was not her feeding often upon the fruit of that so sovereign a tree? The woman answered, "No, we have never so much as once tasted of it, but invariably observed the command of our great Creator, who hath put us - into this garden, and said unto us," Of every tree of the garden ye may freely eat, but the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, ye may not eat, for in the day ye eat thereof ye shall surely die." To which the serpent replied, "Indeed! Did he really say so? Are you not mistaken think you? Die too! why am not I dead then, I who have eaten of it so plenteously? No, no, you shall not die. That is only an empty threatening to keep you in subjection to him; for he very well knows, that the mo ment you eat thereof, you shall be like himself, knowing good and evil; no longer be man and woman, but become gods."

The woman replied, " Aye, but my pretty creature, ho

--

I know that I shall be a goddess, if I should venture to cut of that desirable fruit.". -"Know!" said the serpent, "you may easily know it, if you consider that if I, who was created only a brute beast, am by eating the fruit of this tree, exalted to huma nity, you, who are more than half a God already, shall certainly by so doing be exalted to real divinity." With these words he injected into her bosom some seeds of my nature, which fermented

* See page 44.

to that degree, that nothing would now serve her turn but to be deified. Sagacious Belzebub, perceiving the uproar I had made in her mind, introduced all the train of real vices, which now infect the human species; subjected her wholly to his sway, and she as his instrument, could have no rest till she got her husband's eck also fast in Belzebub's yoke.

Thus was pride first introduced into the terrene creation, and thus was man subjected to my powerful sway. Being brought forth in the heart of man, I arrived instantly at full growth, involved them in sorrow, enveloped them in blindness and ignorance; and instead of that happiness and dignity which Belzebub had promised them, of becoming gods, I brought forth in them, trusty Shame, the elder born of my earthly family; and he, as a spirit of great power, made Adam and Eve fly to a thicket, to hide themselves from the presence of an offended God. Instead of becoming gods, I transformed them into the image and likeness of father Belzebub, in which image they begat and brought forth their children. It was now that I begat the lovely Discordans; to us the more lovely, because he is antinatural. No sooner was he born, but he sounded a trumpet, and cried, "To arms, to arms." Then you might have seen the rhinoceros and elephant, the eagle and dragon, the lion, panther, and wolf, appear in all the fury of martial spirit, and proclaimed an eternal war against one another: nor were Adam and Eve exempted from domestic uneasiness themselves.

AVAR. All this worked just as the devil would have it; and greatly enlarged the territories of hell, by annexing earth to the infernal crown. Well, uncle, I perceive by your account, that you are the father of sin, in the mind of both angels and men.

FAST. True, Avaro, I am, and so well is my power established, that I am the very last that shall be subdued, and rooted out of the hearts, even of those that hate me, and who at last shall be delivered from my yoke. This is true, cousin, whether you believe it or not, and I assure you, that I have the pleasure of giving many a painful heart-pang, even to those who curse my name and nature. But to my story, cousin; I manifested my powerful sway over man, in the case of my faithful servant Cain, not only in his bloody revenge against his brother Abel, who had from our government, but in making him despair under ishment.

I triumphed gloriously over the inhabitants of the antideluvian world, who for my sake, scorned to submit to the commandments of God, resolving to be guided by the thoughts of their own hearts, all of which were inspired by me, therefore every thought and imagination of the heart was only evil contiually. I wrought them up to such a degree of rebellion, that the Almighty resolved to bear with them no longer, but to sweep them away with the besom of destruction; yet he would not do