There is fome danger, left our neglect of Agriculture should haften its departure. Our industry has for many ages been employed in deftroying the woods which our ancestors have planted. It is well known that commerce is carried on by fhips, and that ships are built out of trees; and therefore, when I travel over naked plains, to which tradition has preferved the name of forests, or fee hills arifing on either hand, barren and useless, I cannot forbear to wonder, how that commerce, of which we promife ourselves the perpetuity, fhall be continued by our defcendants; nor can reftrain a figh, when I think on the time, a time at no great diftance, when our neighbours may deprive us of our naval inAuence, by refufing us their timber.

By Agriculture only can commerce be perpetuated; and by Agriculture alone can we live in plenty without intercourfe with other nations. This, therefore, is the great art, which every government ought to protect, every proprietor of lands to practife, and every inquirer into nature to improve.

THE

VISION OF THEODORE,

The HERMIT of TENERIFFE,

FOUND IN HIS CELL.

Printed in the Preceptor, 1748.

SON

of Perfeverance, whoever thou art, whofe curiofity has led thee hither, read and be wife, He that now calls upon thee is Theodore, the Hermit of Teneriffe, who in the fifty-seventh year of his retreat left this inftruction to mankind, left his folitary hours fhould be spent in vain.

1 was once what thou art now, a groveller on the earth, and a gazer at the fky; I trafficked and heaped wealth together, I loved and was favoured, I wore the robe of honour and heard the mufick of adulation; I was ambitious, and rofe to greatnefs; I was unhappy, and retired. I fought for fome time what I at length found here, a place where all real wants might be easily supplied, and where I might not be under the neceffity of purchasing the affift, ance of men by the toleration of their follies. Here I faw fruits and herbs and water, and here deter mined to wait the hand of death, which I hope, when at last it comes, will fall lightly upon me. Forty-eight years had I now paffed in forgetfulnefs of all mortal cares, and without any inclination

tą

to wander farther than the neceffity of procuring fuftenance required; but as I ftood one day beholding the rock that overhangs my cell, I found in myfelf a defire to climb it; and when I was on its top, was in the fame manner determined to fcale the next, till by degrees I conceived a wish to view the fummit of the mountain, at the foot of which I had fo long refided. This motion of my thoughts I endeavoured to fupprefs, not because it appeared criminal, but because it was new; and all change, not evidently for the better, alarms a mind taught by experience to diftruft itself. I was often afraid that my heart was deceiving me, that my impatience of confinement arofe from fome earthly paffion, and that my ardour to furvey the works of nature was only a hidden longing to mingle once again in the scenes of life. I therefore endeavoured to settle my thoughts into their former ftate, but found their diftraction every day greater. I was always reproaching myself with the want of happinefs within my reach, and at last began to question whether it was not lazinefs rather than caution that restrained me from climbing to the fummit of Teneriffe.

I rofe therefore before the day, and began my journey up the steep of the mountain; but I had not advanced far, old as I was and burthened with provifions, when the day began to fhine upon me; the declivities grew more precipitous, and the fand flided from beneath my feet; at laft, fainting with labour, I arrived at a small plain almost inclosed by rocks, and open only to the east. I fat down to reft awhile, in full perfuafion, that when I had recovered

GG 4

covered my ftrength I fhould proceed on my defign; but when once I had tafted eafe, I found many reasons against disturbing it. The branches spread a fade over my head, and the gales of fpring wafted odours to my bofom.

As I fat thus, forming alternately excufes for delay, and refolutions to go forward, an irresistible heavinefs fuddenly furprifed me; I laid my head upon the bank, and refigned myself to fleep: when methought I heard the found as of the flight of eagles, and a being of more than human dignity ftood before me. While I was deliberating how to addrefs him, he took me by the hand with an air of kindness, and asked me folemnly but without feverity, "Theodore, whither art thou going?" "I am climbing, anfwered I, to the top of the "mountain, to enjoy a more extenfive prospect of "the works of nature." "Attend firft, faid he, to "the profpect which this place affords, and what "thou doft not understand I will explain. I am "one of the benevolent beings who watch over the "children of the duft, to preferve them from those "evils which will not ultimately terminate in good, "and which they do not, by their own faults, bring upon themselves. Look round therefore without "fear: obferve, contemplate, and be instructed."

Encouraged by this affurance, I looked and beheld a mountain higher than Teneriffe, to the fummit of which the human eye could never reach; when I had tired myfelf with gazing upon its height; I turned my eyes towards its foot, which I could eafily difcover, but was amazed to find it without foundation, and placed inconceivably in

emptiness

emptiness and darknefs. Thus I ftood terrified and confufed; above were tracks infcrutable, and below was total vacuity. But my protector, with a voice of admonition, cried out, Theodore, be not affrighted, but raife thy eyes again; the Mountain of Existence is before thee, furvey it and be wife.

I then looked with more deliberate attention, and obferved the bottom of the mountain to be a gentle rife, and overfpread with flowers; the middle to be more steep, émbarraffed with crags, and interrupted by precipices, over which hung branches loaded with fruits, and among which were fcattered palaces and bowers. The tracts which my eye could reach nearest the top were generally barren; but there were among the clefts of the rocks a few hardy ever-greens, which though they did not give much pleasure to the fight or fmell, yet feemed to cheer the labour and facilitate the fteps of those who were clambering among them.

Then, beginning to examine more minutely the different parts, I obferved at a great distance a multitude of both fexes iffuing into view from the bottom of the mountain. Their firft actions I could not accurately difcern; but, as they every moment approached nearer, I found that they amused themfelves with gathering flowers under the fuperintendence of a modeft virgin in a white robe, who seemed not over folicitous to confine them to any fettled place or certain track; for the knew that the whole ground was smooth and folid, and that they could not eafily be hurt or bewildered. When, as it often happened, they plucked a thistle for a flower, Inno

cence,