clude, that nothing but an exceflive and most paffionate defire for the joys of Hell could ever lead creatures, who call themselves rational, into fuch ex ceffes of inhumanity.

THIS was the conclufion which the famous Sir Thomas More ‡, high-chancellor of England, a perfon much less renowned by his dignities, to which his merit alone raised him, than by his great wit, profound wisdom, and confummate understanding, drew from a like examination. This great man ha

ving

He was born at London, in the year 1480. His merit acquired him so great a reputation, that Henry VIII. then king of England, employed him in many embaffies, exalted him to the highest dignities, and at laft made him high-chancellor of that kingdom.

He filled this laft poft but two years and a half; at the expiration of which, being well acquainted with the violent temper of that prince, and forefeeing the confequences of his love for Anna Bullen, he gave up his place, and retired into the country, where he lived with his family in a, frugal manner ;his whole income being no more than a small estate of fifteen hundred pounds a year: fo little folicitous had he been of enriching himself in the high stations he had poffeffed! Yet his retreat could not preserve him from thofe misfortunes which he had forefeen,. and hoped to avoid thereby; Providence having decreed, that he fhould fall a martyr to his religion; which he did a fhort time after..

ving one day been prefent at the toilet of a young lady, and having feen all the care and trouble which it coft her to put herself in order, "Truly, Madam," faid he to her laughing, but with an air and tone full of wisdom and good fenfe," if, after what I "have seen you fuffer, God does not reward you "with one of the best places in hell for all your "trouble, he will certainly do you very great ins "" juftice."

LET us add to this fally of wit, which is but one of many thousands that came from the mouth. of this excellent man, who was very fruitful in jefts, and in fayings full of wit and wisdom, the following: Aory, which he relates in one of his works, about an holy hermit, called Pambe. This pious man, having been fent for by his bishop, whofe name was Athanafe, and having prefently begun his journey, met on his road a lady moft magnificently dreffed, and who, by her beauty, drew the attention of every bo dy. The faint having looked upon her, like the reft, was ftruck with astonishment, and immediately burst out into tears. Those who were near him feeing him in this manner, asked what was the occasion of his fadnefs?"Two reafons," replied he to them, "make me fhed the tears which furprize you; the

firft is, the fatal impreffion which this woman "makes upon all who look upon her; and the se"cond, the grief which penetrates me when I think

that I have not yet taken, for my fanctification,

"and

and for to please God, half the trouble which this "woman gives herself to please men.”

O good Pambe, but you were mistaken when you talked in this manner! You, as well as that woman, and all who looked upon her, were grofsly deceived. If she had taken all that pains to deck and adjust herself, it was not certainly to please her admirers, who perhaps were quite unknown to her. No; it was to pleafe Lord Lucifer, whofe habitation fhe greatly wished to dwell in; an ardent defire, to fa tisfy which all the troubles and fufferings which her dreffing cost her were but trifles, as they are indeed but a pure amufement to all the women who refemble her, and whofe number is fo great in the world. But let us proceed,

CHA P. X.

The fifth place in Hell is occupied by the military,

N

TEXT to the ladies, there are no creatures more paffionate for Hell, nor more devoted to it, than the foldiery. Nothing troubles them, when the fervice of their good lord and mafter Lucifer is in queftion, and when they can prove their perfect devotion to him. Captivity and fetters, prifons and lofs of limbs, are looked upon as fo many badges of

honous.

honour. Only examine their faces and their figures; both will declare to you the master whom they serve, and to whom they belong. Their pale complexions, their tawny countenances, their tanned skins, their bodies, which have more the air of carcafes or skeletons than human figures; their bodies, I fay, loaded. with wounds, exhaufted by the labours which they have undergone, with diftempers, which consume them, with vermin, which gnaw them while alive; with hunger, which devours them, with the exceffive heats which they have been juft roasted with, the rigorous cold by which they have been frozen, not being covered with any thing but rags: in short, the comfortless remainder of a life, which, to the latest moment, they are ftill ready to facrifice, for a poor and wretched ftipend. Thefe miferies, which. we fee them not only bear with courage, but with delight, plainly fhew, that the most powerful, the moft predominant of all their paflions, is their defire for the infernal regions. Nay, farther to confirm it,, hear them but fpeak three fentences; to each of them they add fome ardent exclamation, by which they, with the utmost energy, declare the defire they have to go thither; fuch as, "The devil take me! the "devil feize me! the devil choak me! the devil fly "away with me!" and many such ejaculatory prayers, in the fame tafte, which very naturally exprefs their earnest wish to go as foon as poffible to him

they

they thus fo heartily invoke, and almost every in. ftant.

NOR are these exclamations words of courfe, defires in fpeculation, or a mere wishing, unaccompanied with an intention of performance. No; on the contrary, they are attended with actions which are highly meritorious, and very efficacious before Lord Lucifer, to whom it is their only care to make their court. It is to please him we fee them carrying on a continual war with honour, piety, religion, with the inhabitants of Heaven, as well as earth; in fhort, with God himself. It is from these motives that we every day behold them robbing poor peasants. of their goods and money, carrying away their cattle, burning their houses, their stables, and their barns, with all that they contain; tearing their children from them without mercy; and violating, even in their very fight, their wives, their daughters, and their fervants. With the fame view it is they exercise all kinds of inhumanities, putting to fire and fword, without distinction, the poor defenceless cities, who have no other connexion with the war than that of undergoing thefe difafters.

How many delightful countries, flourishing cities, rich towns, lands (before they came thither) flowing with milk and honey, have we seen changed, by their fhocking rapines and exceffes, fome into folitudes and defarts, and others into heaps of afhes and ruins! How many of thefe furies have we feen aiming their

facri