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long as the world fhould laft. Of thofe which were employed in the great Crusades; thofe holy expeditions which, underneath the fanction of religion, coft the lives of fo many millions of men: of that of Mahomet I. and II. and of Tamerlane. In short, let us gather together, if poffible, in our memories, the unaccountable number of troops which have been employed by fea and land, fince there first rofe up empires and republics, kingdoms and fovereigns: let us, from all thefe various troops joined together, whereof fcarce one poor centinel has efcaped the infernal regions, compose, in our imaginations, one fingle army, and make from thence fome kind of idea of the redoubtable power of lord Lucifer; a power which never any fovereign on earth ere bad, or ever will come near. With forces thus formi dable, and which he could double and treble, or even multiply an hundred fold, fhould he, in any cafe of neceffity, oblige all his subjects to take arms, we may easily conceive, without any difficulty, that this monarch, at every minute, is more than in a posture to defend himself against whosoever should have the rafhnefs, or rather folly, to attack him. If age and experience had not made him wifer than he was formerly, what might he not have undertaken with fuch unheard of and innumerable armies?

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CHA P. VIII.

Of the feveral virtues and excellencies that prevail

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in Hell.

ET us now endeavour to conclude: for however

interefting, however curious our subject may be in itself, I cannot help being afraid of wearying my readers by so great a number of objects, of reflexions, and of confiderations. Let us then, I fay, finith with a detail which will be no lefs amazing, no less useful than all the rest of these which I have already offered, viz that of the many virtues which reign, and are produced, in the infernal regions; greatly fuperior to those which we fee at prefent, though in fo fmall a number, in the world.

***

**

CHA P.

IX.

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of Justice.

USTICE is the firft of thefe properties, which, finding no longer an afylum on earth, and being useless in heaven, which is not inhabited but by

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just perfons, is now retired into hell, where the exercifes her fupreme authority, with a degree of impartiality and integrity worthy of herfelf; and which fhe could not do upon earth. In fhort, although we have here upon earth a great number, and perhaps too many, laws, nevertheless, there is nothing more rare to be found amongst us, than judges, who caufe them exactly to be observed, or even themselves ftrictly to follow them to the utmoft rigour. Even the moft heinous crimes, buried in darkness, are often committed unnoticed by the eye of Justice, and far from her tribunal; or if by chance the fhould fufpect, or even take cognizance of them, how often do offenders, by dint of hardinefs and bold denial, efcape the punishment they deferve for them? Others, by the irresistible aid of gold, bribe their judges, procure impunity, and fometimes even pardon. Nay more, often amongst them we find, that the blood of the innocent pays for that of the guilty.

In hell you never meet with this, nor any thing in the leaft like it. Every thing there is done according to the laws of the moft exact and fecure justice, and chastisement there treads upon the heels of guilt. These are such judges as it is impoffible to impofe on; judges who cannot be corrupted, either by gold or filver, much lefs win over by folicitations. Beelzebub, Belial, and Afhtaroth, are perfonages incorruptible, and not poffible to be deceived. With

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