THE

practifed in hell, is moderation and frugality. See the wicked rich man who, while he was on earth, must have upon his table every thing which the earth produced nice and delicate, and even those would fcarcely fuffice him; he muft alfo have the best cock that was to be had in the country, and the most beautiful lackeys to ferve him at his table; choice fpirits, and jovial companions, to amufe him; and those of the highest rank for his companions; but the first meal he made in hell wrought a total

change in him. Temperance, moderation, and frugality became immediately his favourite virtues ; he no longer required thofe delicacies that he had above; plain water fuffices, and of that not in goblets filled to the brim, as the most excellent wines were while on earth, but a fingle drop only; and that drop to be ferved him by a beggar, a miserable object covered with fores; this he begs as a favour, but it is refused to his most carnest supplications. What

acknowledgment,

acknowledgment, what thanks are not due from the damned to Lucifer, who forms fo well, in fo short a time, his fubjects to the practice of virtues which are at present so uncommon in the world?

*********

*******

CHA P.

XVII.

And incomparable charity.

OR charity, and the love of our neighbour, we

FOR

may feek in vain throughout all the univerfe for a place where these two virtues fhine forth so much as in hell. What can the earth offer to us worthy to be compared to them? On the contrary, what heinous crimes does there not reign on earth, where the love of our neighbour feems to be quite unknown? Do not we see barbarous mothers murdering the fweet innocent creatures they have given birth to; unnatural fathers bathing their criminal hands in the blood of their own children; children turning parricides, and killing the authors of their being; husbands and wives attempting the life of each other? Is the voice of Nature or blood heard amongst these wretches? much less do they practise the love they owe their neighbour: alas! they never once think of it on the contrary, they every day become irreconcileable and implacable enemies to each

other,

other, for the leaft trifle, or the fmalleft debate that may happen to arise.

IN hell these monfters of nature are entirely unknown; there charity reigns throughout, and though the damned are fenfible, that all the good they can do, will be of no ufe, yet they feem, from that very reason, to be the more ardent to do good to their neighbours: nor do they confine their charity to hell alone; they extend it even to thofe on earth, to their relations, friends, and acquaintance, for whofe falvation they are fo much interested, that they offer themselves to return to earth again, if they might be allowed, in order to affift them in working it out. We fee this again in the wicked rich man we have so often mentioned (who, in this point, as in many others, may serve as a model,) while he lived on earth, he was as indifferent about the falvation of his brethren as of his own, and thought of nothing but sharing pleafüres and diverfions with them, and agreeably enjoying the riches he poffeffed, and which he was to leave them after his death; as being perfuaded they would make the fame ufe of them as he had done before. But no fooner had he fetched the laft gafp, and en-, tered the borders of the infernal regions, than brotherly love and charity, for the first time, took poffeffion of his breast; and interesting himself fincerely in their converfion, he begs in the most urging manner, that he might be permitted to return once more to the world, to warn them to lead a better life, and to

labour

labour feriously in the great work of their falvationi In fhort, the charity of hell is fo great, that they have established a priest for ever, who does nothing day and night, but preach morality to the damned, that, though they neither loved nor practifed it, whilft on earth, they may nevertheless after their deaths do it.

CHA P. XVIII.

Excellent union and concord kept in Hell.

'N fhort, the laft virtue, which compleats all the

others, and which makes an abode in hell preferable to that upon earth, is, the peace and concord> which reigns there. How amazing! how ftrangeis the difference! On earth we fee, we hear nothings talked of, but troubles, difcords, feditions, revolutions. and wars. Man, inftead of living with his equals in harmony and union, as if they were his brethren, acts with them like the wolf amongst the lambs, fhewing every act of cruelty and fiercenefs. In hell there is nothing like this; the damned are never feen to be angry with one another, or to fight and kill one another, about trifles, like men on earth: all, on the contrary, feem to have one fame and only will; and all conspire, each on his feparate

part

part, to every thing which may maintain that good union which reigns amongst them.

INDEED without this good understanding, this wonderful harmony, this precious peace and concord, the empire of Lucifer could never have supported itself as it has done during so many ages, in the brilliant ftate in which it is in at prefent, and which it fhall eternally fubfift in: for thou well knoweft, gentle reader, nay, it was the Saviour of the world who told us fo himself, that "if a kingdom be divided "against itself it cannot ftand" for which reason, had there ever reigned the leaft divifion in hell, it muft long before this have been intirely annihilated. Nay further still, fo natural to the very conftitution of the place is this fpirit of peace and union, that even those great and famous perfonages, who, while they lived, fet the world in a tumult, are there no fooner entered, than they immediately begin to breathe an air of perfect union and tranquillity. There you fee Hannibal and Scipio, Romans and Carthaginians, Cæfar and Pompey, Marius and Sylla, Antony and Auguftus, Cicero and Cataline, living together in the beft underftanding and friendship in the world; which they could never do whilst upon earth,

TITUS Livy remarks, and admires in one part of his Roman history, that Hannibal's good fortune was equal to his courage and valour, in that, although his army was fo very numerous, and confifted of

troops