prospect of futurity! If gold and silver could have redeemed her from DEATH, she would freely have given as much as would build a cathedral, parted with her attendants and finery, and lived in adversity the residue of her days; or if she might have been exempted from the dreadful encounter, she would have given up the beloved pleasures of plays, operas, and dancing assemblies. But, alas! no bribe, nor promises of future amendment, could turn aside the resistless arrow, or procure the once gay delinquent the shortest respite.

She implored the aid of her skilful physician, attended by the faithful apothecary; yea, a whole troop of the faculty were summoned to exercise all their wisdom, by any means to resist the rapacity of the inexorable Tyrant; but all in vain ! for sad experience proved, that no medicine, however skilfully prepared, is a sufficient antidote against the poison of DEATH's cankered sting; therefore the lady, however reluctant, was forced to submit to the Monarch of terrours.

Lest the length of my dream should render it tedious to my readers, if told at once, I shall divide it into several parts, and shall stop here for the first time.

PART II.

Having had a full view of all that passed between DEATH and the lady, I could not forbear reflecting on the folly of inconsiderate mortals, who are every hour, for aught they know, exposed to DEATH; and yet live altogether strangers to a certain and approaching eternity. It is awful, indeed, to banish the thoughts of futurity from the mind, and assiduously bury every serious reflection in the moat of sensuality; to rush from one profane delight to another, till unwelcome DEATH puts an end to our career, and serves us as he did the unhappy lady: O what profit is there, said I, in separating less or more time, every day, for intimate fellowship with DEATH! In all probability, when grace is given so to do, our conflict with that merciless Tyrant is far from being so terribly dreadful. It is true, I profess but a very small acquaintance with men and things, yet I cannot but conjecture, that one reason why this lady and her acquaintance so utterly detested discourses concerning DEATH, might be, because such discourses naturally tend to strip the pleasures of the flesh of all their imaginary charms. Then, said I again, O blessed, discriminately blessed of the Lord, are they, whose exalted pleasures can consist with the most intimate acquaintance and fellowship with DEATH! They, and only they, are fit to enter the lists with that formidable enemy, who can in life

maintain converse with him, without spoiling the pleasure of the day.

I thought in my dream, that DEATH, having finished his business with madam, transformed himself from the appearance of a dragon into the likeness of a grave and not uncomely personage, clothed in a long flowing white robe, which hid all his native deformities. Thus equipped, he directed his course towards me, which once again put me into a panick, lest I should be the destined prey, notwithstanding he was not now so terrible as before; but as the all-directing Power ordained it, he passed by me, his rout now lying to the right. My attention being wholly engrossed by the achievements of that terrible hero, I turned my eye after him, and at no great distance beheld a man of a middle age, and an upright mien, to whom he marched with all possible speed. No sooner was this good man apprised of his approach, than with a becoming serenity of countenance he went forth to meet him, and thus addressed him: "come in thou blessed of the Lord, for I long to be dissolved, that my better part may appear in the more immediate presence of thy Conqueror !" DEATH replied: "Thou guarded one, all I have to do with thee, is to sign thy dismission from this stage of action, and open thy passage to immortal felicity." He said, and instantly pierced his heart with an arrow dipped in the blood of Immanuel; and as soon as the venerable man felt the arrow rankling in his bosom, in holy triumph, he cried, O DEATH! where is thy sting? and where is thy victory, O desired grave? Thanks, eternak

thanks, be to God, who hath given me, even me, the victory through my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

Is this DEATH? said I: DEATH, who of late was so cruel, when he had to deal with a person of a different turn of mind. Call him no more the Monarch of terrours! Yes, I will still give him that name, for it is essential to his very nature. If at any time, to any one he be propitious and gentle, impute it not to any compassion in him, but to the blood, the precious, the atoning blood of the Redeemer: that blood, whose attractive virtue has drawn the poison, even from the King of Terrours; malignant to all, save those whose hearts and consciences by the divine Spirit are sprinkled therewith.

However, I could not help thinking, that there was something in the case of this good man, as remarkably to be desired, as that of the lady was dreadful; and I could then say, with Balaam, (I trust from a better spirit,) "Let me die the death of the righteous, and my latter end be like his."

DEATH, having released from the clayey tabernacle the waiting spirit of this sanctified disciple, changed himself a second time into the appearance of a dragon, whetted his sting, and put on all his formidable terrours; in which equipment he bent his course towards a magnificent palace, which stood at some distance on a delightful plain.--With timorous heart and careful steps, I followed as near as I might with safety, and attentively watched, to see what the next execution would be. At this time there happened to be a ball or

dancing assembly in the palace; an assembly of people, from whom every serious thought was banished, and who were wholly devoted to voluptuousness and dissipation. As these people of pleasure intently pursued with jovial glee, the musical mazes of the dance, invisible DEATH stole in among them, and grinned ghastly upon them; but inattentive to the enemy's approach, they persevered in jocularity, till he cruelly pierced the hearts of two of the company, in whom the injected venom rankled, so as to prevent their enjoying a future merry meeting. I trembled with fear lest the rest of the company should be taken; but afterwards understood that DEATH, rapacious as he is, always mindeth the contents of his commission, without which he never appears on our mundane coast; but carries it along with him, whereever he goes, and never seizeth any but those whose names and places of abode are specified therein: so that he is liable to no mistake, as he is falsely charged with in the case of the two Ireneuses.

I was not a little diverted at the conduct of some people, whom I heard crying out for DEATH, seemingly in good earnest, saying, where is propitious DEATH? O that I knew where I could find him! but as soon as the terrible skeleton presented himself, they fled for refuge to the doctor's embrace. Others really amazed me; for they hunted through the field in silent pursuit of DEATH, and as soon as they beheld him, plunged themselves into his devouring jaws.

Many such instances I saw, but must at present forbear relating them, lest the length of my dream