fent to my imagination; and revolving in my mind this, and a number of scenes fimilar to it, with which this great city abounds, I exclaimed-Mighty Power, thou haft made all men equal, why suffer one part of the human fpecies to opprefs the other. Sleep inftantly clofed my eyes, and I found myself in a most delightful pleasure ground, the beauty of which far exceeded any thing my imagination had ever formed. Wherever I turned all was one universal scene of delight; the extent of which was bounded only by the horizon; all around was gay and gladfome; the ground was painted with all the variety of springs, and all the choir of nature was finging in the groves; the trees around were beautiful with verdure, and fragrant with bloffom; purling ftreams, and clear fountains, added to the beauty of this enchanting region. In the midst of this paradife stood a palace of exquifite workmanship, the whole of which was a fcene of magnificence, that beggard defcription. As I was wandering through this complex of art and nature, I saw a venerable being, with a firm and steady countenance, approach. ing to me. Follow me child, he said, I am the Genius of Retributation: this is the abode of the moft Mighty Sovereign of all the Eaft; the Monarch of an hundred and threefcore and ten provinces. Juft as he uttered thefe words, I heard the found of trumpēts, and it was proclaimed, that the Mighty Sultan had prepared a banquet to entertain the nobles of his court; and rich perfumes, gold, diamonds, and pearls, would be distributed amongst them from his treafure; and feven days the voice of mufic should chear their fouls. I followed the footsteps of my guide through groves of orange and myrtle, till coming near the entrance of the palace, he threw a belt around me—“Thou, art made invisible, my child," faid he, "obferve every thing around you, none can obferve you." We now entered where art and nature vied to form fcenes of delight and pleasure. We walked through numberlefs apartments, their roofs overlaid with gold, and ornamented with precious ftones. Under our feet One of feet was fpread carpets of the moft curious workmanship; and the whole was illuminated with three hundred filver lamps. After having paffed this labyrinth of fplendour, we came to an apartment, which far exceeded all we had feen before. I now beheld the Sultan, fitting beneath a canopy of purple and gold, adorned with diamonds and pearls of an inestimable value; tables were spread with the moft choice delicacies, collected from the four quarters of the globe. The voice of mirth was heard, and every thing contributed to breath delight. I was abforbed in the contemplation of the brilliant objects that furrounded me; when of a fadden, a murmuring noife was heard, and a number of people was making their way to the apartment of the Sultan. I could diftinctly hear fome of them fay, let us but fee his face all will be well; he will redrefs our grievances as foon as they are made known to him. The nobles endeavoured to ftop them, but it was in vain. the elders of the people appeared, and bowing himself to the earth, he cryed out-" Mighty Sovereign, hear the voice of thy faithful flaves; we are oppreffed, cruelly oppreffed-a deftructive war! At this the Sultan cafting a fierce look around him, faid, with a loud voice, Away with the flaves, away; let them be conveyed to dungeons, dark and horrible, that dare to interrupt the pleasures of the Mighty Sovereign of an hundred and threefcure and ten provinces. And a number of officers that attended, immediately forced the venerable old man from his prefence, and all was again calm. The voice of mufic was again refumed, and finging men, and finging women, appeared for the entertainment of the prince and nobles; and all again was mirth, harmony, and pleasure. But I could not help obferving the countenance of fome, perhaps more thinking than the reft; fear, I thought, was ftrongly marked, notwithstanding the apparent joy. I was remarking thefe men, and a train of reflection had fucceeded in my mind, on the inftability of subfunary greatnefs, and the flender thread on which it hung, when the mirthful fcene was again interrupted by numbers of all ages and all defcriptions, that had again made their way into 、 the the palace. An hoary-headed fage now appeared; but with more confidence and boldnefs than the other. He bowed refpectfully to the Sultan, and thus addreffed him :-"Oh, Mighty Sovereign, we afk not to taste of thy purple wine, nor to regale on the fat of thy does, gold and jewels are to us unneceffary, the boon we crave is far more precious; we beg of thee, our fathers, hufbands, fons, and brothers; already has the cruel hand of war, filled thy once happy plains, with widows, orphans, and childlefs fires. Was thou but one day to lay afide thy diadem, and, attired like a peafant, which none has an intereft to deceive, walk forth beyond the limits of thy court, turn where thou wilt, thou must behold the mifery of thy faithful fervants. I will tell thee, Oh, Mighty Sultan, what thou wilt behold-the venerable, the hoary-headed fwains, driving their flocks to water, they had ceafed to toil, their fons supplied their places, but thy armies wanted them; they left their peaceful dwellings to fight-to bleed-for thee. It is war, Oh, Mighty Sultan-crucl and deftructive war-that has pulled the props from thefe tottering edifices. Mark their tender offsprings, expofed to the noontide fun, and beating rain: who fhail protect the lovely innocents--who fhall instruct their tender minds, or who fhall lead them to the paths of virtue. Once more (if thou canst ftill bear the fight), turn thy eyes and behold thofe ftill more wretched females-thefe were once happy wives-fweet content fat fmiling in their hearts; but now, Oh, fad reverse, they are left to feel the most exquisite of human woes, hourly fears for lives by far more precious than their own. When they behold the orient fun, they know not but before his fetting beams fhall guild the Weft, their much loved husbands blood may ftain the blufhing earth. Oh, dreadful thought!-the endearing paft-the melancholy prefentand the much-dreaded future; all confpire to tear the mangled bofom. Help, Oh, Mighty Sultan, ere it is too late." The Sultan's countenance now became terrible, and he cried, "away with the factious crew; dare they to talk of oppreffion; dare they to talk of grievances, through all my vast domain ! There There is no fuch a thing to be found; let the flaves behold the light of day no more ;"-and immediately they all difappeared, and the voice of gladness once more entered, and all feemed cager to enjoy the prefent. But I perceived thofe nobles, in whom I had before obferved a change, had now departed from the banquet; but it appeared not to have any affect on those that remained; and for three days all was mirth, and the highest festivity. But on the evening of the fourth, in the midft of the most heartfelt happiness, a dreadful noife was. heard, like the rushing of many waters. I looked out, and behold the atmosphere became illuminated; and great armies was pouring from all parts, like a torrent, on the palace. And I heard a dreadful voice cry out-the day, the great, the terrible day of retribution is at hand. All was now one universal fcene of diforder, tumult, and deftruction. Some threw themfelves from the windows, fome ran to hide themselves in the vaults of the palace, where they were foon discovered, and immolated to the vengeance of an injured people. The Sultan had fell from his feat of state, and exclaimed aloud-State your grievances, my people; all fhall be redreffed; I am now at leisure to attend ;-but it was too late-a long fucceffion of oppreffion had made the people desperate, and they were determined to redrefs themselves. There now stood over the prince a mighty man, and in his right hand he held a fword, and with a strong voice he cried-receive the reward of thy unjust government-and inftantly a moft magnificient object appeared, with a benign countenance, beautiful as the morning (it was the Genius of Benevolence), and with a loud, but fweet voice, he faid, remember mercy-in the midst of victory, remember mercy. I now turned to my guide, and was going to exprefs my aftonishment at what I had feen; but he had affumed an afpect, that terrified me exceedingly, and I awake. After having reflected for fome time on my very extraordinary dream, and every part being deeply impreft on my memory, I fat down to write it, and as the town has of late evinced a partiality for visions, perhaps mine may not be unacceptable. To To the EDITOR of the PHILANTHROPIST. CITIZEN EDITOR, By giving a place to the following Anecdote of CHURCHILL, in your valuable Mifcellany, the first opportunity, will much oblige, yours, &c. ANECDOTE OF CHURCHILL. M. J. A LADY, a relation of this celebrated poet and fatÿrist, who refided in a diftant country, came one fummer to vifit him in London. Churchill conducted her to Weftminster abbey, in order to fhew her the monuments in that venerable ftructure; and thence led her into the Houfe of Commons. "This," faid he," is Saint Stephens Chapel." "A Chapel!" anfwered the Lady;" it is by no means like a Chapel."-Not abfolutely like one," returned the poet, "but as much like one as the temple of Jerufalem was in the time of our Saviour." "Ah!" faid the, 66 was that temple built like this?"—" No, no," replied Churchill," the refemblance is not in the ftructure, but in the fervice performed here; for this chapel, like the temple of the Jews, is not fo much a house of prayer, as a market, a change, where people buy, fell, and discount.” "Ah!" refumed the lady, "what do they buy, what do they fell here ?" (6 They buy," faid Churchill, "places and penfions; and they fell their confcience and their country." EULOGY ON EARL STANHOPE. ARE there who steadfast to their trust, Stem ftrong Corruption's fwelling flood, Or dare be fingularly good? Yes, STANHOPE, fuch there are, and fuch thou art ! 1 O be it told in records wrote by Fame, with virtuous pride, He mock'd OPPRESSION'S SOUL-STUNG Rage, And in defence of FREEDOM Death defied. THE |