which was spread out before them was lighted up with many lights. Now the City of Vanity is so contrived, as to present a very fair show towards the Hill of Regrets, where stood the arbour in which the young pilgrims were then sitting. And it has often happened, that young pilgrims, aye, and aged ones too, after having withstood all the allurements of the city, and advanced to this hill-it has often happened, I say, that by looking back from this arbour, they have been tempted to return unto Vanity, to the destruction both of soul and body.

I saw then, in my dream, that Inbred-Sin, having obtained some advantage over Humble Mind, thought he might advance a step further, and even venture to propose to the young pilgrims an immediate return to the City of Vanity: For," said he, "our life is short and tedious, and in the death of a man there is no remedy: neither was there any man known to have returned from the grave. For we are born at all adventure: and we shall be hereafter as though we had never been: for the breath in our nostrils is as smoke, and a little spark in the moving of our heart: which being extinguished, our body shall be turned into ashes, and our spirit shall vanish as the soft air, and our name shall be forgotten in time, and no man shall have our works in remembrance, and our life shall pass away as the trace of a cloud, and shall be dispersed as a mist, that is driven away with the beams of the sun, and overcome with the heat thereof." (Wisdom ii. 1-4.)

Much as I had known of this Inbred-Sin, I could not but here marvel at his assurance in thus addressing Humble Mind. I wondered, in the first place, at his presuming to make any such a proposal; and I marvelled still more at his addressing him as though he had been a downright unbeliever, and destitute of all religious feeling:

but my amazement was still greater, to find that Humble Mind, who had been enabled to contend so victoriously with him in the morning, should now sit quietly listening to his dangerous suggestions. Neither do I know what might have been the result of this weakness on the part of Humble Mind, had not the Prince of pilgrims very unexpectedly provided for his assistance.

CHAPTER XIX.

Now it had pleased the Lord to occupy the thoughts of Mr. Orthodox, as he was walking back to his own house, on the dangers which awaited the young pilgrims in the suburbs of Vanity: in consequence of which, on his arrival at home, he directed one of his most trusty servants to follow them on the way as far as to the hill before described. And behold, this worthy man came up to them just as Inbred-Sin was delivering his opinion in the manner above mentioned. Whereupon he addressed the young pilgrims by name, asking them what they did in that place.

I saw then that Humble Mind and Playful, at the sound of his voice, sprang up from the place whereon they sat; when Humble Mind replied, "We turned in hither for a single night's lodging, and hope that we have not sinned in so doing."

"Do you not see," said the servant of Mr. Orthodox, "that the back of this arbour is placed toward Mount Zion, and its face toward Vanity? And do you not remember Lot's wife, who was turned into a pillar of salt for looking back upon Sodom when commanded to flee from that city? My master and his servants are under orders to abide awhile in the City of Vanity; not indeed to partake of its pleasures, but to execute the work allotted them by the King of kings in that place. But for you it is ordained otherwise; you are

commanded to hasten forwards, and you will find it written in your book, Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way." (Psalm cxix. 37.)

The young pilgrims then thanked him for his rebuke, while they expressed their gratitude to Mr. Orthodox for his attention in sending after them so trusty a messenger. Upon which they arose and followed the man; who led them along the Way of Salvation till they came to a very deep valley into which they had not descended many paces, before they entirely lost sight of the town of Vanity, notwithstanding all the blazing lights with which it was illuminated.

Now I perceived that a sort of shuddering came over Humble Mind and his sister, as they entered this valley; for the air of it was sharp and cold, a solemn silence reigned through it, and the rocks on each side shot up, as it were, to the clouds. Many yews and cypress trees grew also thereabouts, through which the wind whistled in an exceedingly melancholy manner. Then said Humble Mind to the servant of Mr. Orthodox, "What is this valley? for I have not seen in all my pilgrimage a more dismal place, excepting the Valley of the Shadow of Death."

The

"This valley," replied the servant of Mr. Orthodox," is no more to be compared to the Valley of the Shadow of Death, than the vestibule of heaven is to be compared to the gates of hell. Valley of the Shadow of Death is a place in which the soul is bereaved of all divine consolation, where the Lord hideth his face, and causeth the believer to pass through a state of painful separation from himself. Yea in that valley are sometimes felt, in a degree, the very torments of hell itself, which consist, we believe, in an eternal separation from God. So that could a man in the Valley of the Shadow of Death be surrounded by earthly plea

sures of every description, he would still find it a hell; because God being the fountain of all true happiness, not even a single drop of real comfort can be tasted where he is absent. But the valley into which we are now entering, is called the Valley of Adversity; and it hath been sunk in this place by the express command of the King himself, that pilgrims, in travelling through it, may utterly lose sight of Vanity. This valley moreover," continued he, "though stripped of every earthly comfort, abounds in such pure and spiritual delights, that many experienced pilgrims, after passing through it in a right frame of mind, have been constrained to say, It is well for us that we have been in trouble. Notwithstanding which," added the messenger, "I never knew any one descend into the Valley of Adversity, without shuddering and trembling as you now do."

Indeed, Sir," said Playful, "I cannot wonder that any one should tremble in descending into this valley; for never, indeed, did I see so gloomy a place. Here too I find that all the afflictions of past days are brought to my recollection; and especially the loss of my little Peace, which is as present with me at this moment, as if it had happened but yesterday. Neither is there any thing at hand to divert my thoughts from these sad remembrances: but wherever I turn my eyes, they encounter only emblems of sorrow and mourning."

Then said the servant, "The evening is now far advanced, and you must needs be much fatigued; let us therefore sit down in this place, and endeavour to take some repose."

So sitting down by the way-side, they there produced some of the refreshments given them by Mrs. Bountiful. But when they sought water, they could find only an exceeding bitter stream, which flowed from a neighbouring rock.

I heard then that the messenger began to reason