them. The equality which fubfifts among thefe fifters of obfcurity, the fimilarity of their fate, the peace, the leisure they enjoy, give rife to the most endearing friendships. Their innocence is fhielded by the fimplicity of their life from even the idea of ill; and they are flattered by the notion of a voluntary renunciation of pleasures, which, probably, had they continued in the world, they would have had little fhare in.

AFTER all that can be faid, we have reason enough to rejoice that the fuperftitions of former times are now fallen into disrepute. What might be a palliative at one time, foon became a crying. evil in itself. When the fuller day of fcience began to dawn, the monkish orders were willing to exclude its brightnefs, that the dim lamp might ftill glimmer in their cell. Their growing vices have

I 3

have rendered them justly odious to fociety, and they feem in a fair way of being for ever abolished. But may we not still hope that the world was better than it would have been without them and that he, who knows to bring good out of evil, has made them, in their day, fubfervient to some useful purposes. The corruptions of chriftianity, which have been accumulating for fo many ages, feem to be now gradually clearing away, and fome future period may perhaps exhibit our religion in all its native fimplicity.

So the pure limpid ftream, when foul with stains
Of rushing torrents, and defcending rains;
Works itself clear, and as it runs refines,

Till by degrees the floating mirror fhines;
Reflects each flower that on its borders grows,
And a new heaven in its fair bofom fhews.

ON

ON THE

PLEASURE

DERIVED FROM

OBJECTS OF TERROR;

WITH

SIR BERTRAN D,

A FRAGMENT.

THAT the exercife of our benevolent feelings, as called forth by the view of human afflictions, fhould be a fource of pleasure, cannot appear wonderful to one who confiders that relation between the moral and natural fyftem of man, I4 which

which has connected a degree of fatisfaction with every action or emotion productive of the general welfare. The painful fenfation immediately arifing from a scene of mifery, is fo much foftened and alleviated by the reflex sense of self-approbation attending virtuous fympathy, that we find, on the whole, a very exquifite and refined pleafure remaining, which makes us defirous of again being witneffes to fuch scenes, inftead of flying from them with difguft and horror. It is obvious how greatly fuch a provifion muft conduce to the ends of mutual fupport and afsistance. But the apparent delight with which we dwell upon objects of pure terror, where our moral feelings are not in the leaft concerned, and no paffion feems to be excited but the depreffing one of fear, is a paradox of the heart, much more difficult of folution,

THE reality of this fource of pleasure feems evident from daily observation. The greedinefs with which the tales of ghofts and goblins, of murders, earthquakes, fires, fhipwrecks, and all the moft terrible difafters attending human life, are devoured by every ear, must have been generally remarked. Tragedy, the most favourite work of fiction, has taken a full share of those scenes; "it has fupt full with horrors," and has, perhaps, been more indebted to them for public admiration than to its tender and pathetic part. The ghost of Hamlet, Macbeth defcending into the witches' cave, and the tent fcene in Richard, command as forcibly the attention of our fouls as the parting of Jaffier and Belvidera, the fall of Wolfey, or the death of Shore. The infpiration of terror was by the ancient critics affigned as the peculiar province of tragedy; and the Greek