Selections from the Writings of Joseph Addison

"the ground, and taking me by the hand, Mirzah, said he, I "have heard thee in thy soliloquies, follow me.

"He then led me to the highest pinnacle of the rock, and "placing me on the top of it, Cast thy eyes eastward, said he, "and tell me what thou seest. I see, said I, a huge valley and a prodigious tide of water rolling through it. The valley that "thou seest, said he, is the vale of misery, and the tide of water "that thou seest, is part of the great tide of Eternity. What "is the reason, said I, that the tide I see rises out of a thick "mist at one end, and again loses it self in a thick mist at the "other? What thou seest, said he, is that portion of Eternity "which is called Time, measured out by the Sun, and reach"ing from the beginning of the world to its consummation. "Examine now, said he, this sea that is thus bounded with darkness at both ends, and tell me what thou discoverest in it. I 15 "see a bridge, said I, standing in the midst of the tide. The "bridge thou seest, said he, is humane life; consider it atten"tively. Upon a more leisurely survey of it, I found that it "consisted of threescore and ten entire arches, with several "broken arches, which added to those that were entire, made "up the number about an hundred. As I was counting the "arches the Genius told me that this bridge consisted at first "of a thousand arches; but that a great flood swept away the "rest, and left the bridge in the ruinous condition I now beheld "it. But tell me further, said he, what thou discoverest on it. "I see multitudes of people passing over it, said I, and a black "cloud hanging on each end of it. As I looked more atten"tively, I saw several of the passengers dropping through the "bridge, into the great tide that flowed underneath it; and upon further examination, perceived there were innumerable "trap-doors that lay concealed in the bridge, which the passengers no sooner trod upon, but they fell through them into "the tide and immediately disappeared. These hidden pit"falls were set very thick at the entrance of the bridge, so that

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"throngs of people no sooner broke through the cloud, but "many of them fell into them. They grew thinner towards "the middle, but multiplied and lay closer together towards "the end of the arches that were entire.

"There were indeed some persons, but their number was “very small, that continued a kind of hobbling march on the broken arches, but fell through one after another, being quite "tired and spent with so long a walk.

I passed some time in the contemplation of this wonderful "structure, and the great variety of objects which it presented. “My heart was filled with a deep melancholy to see several dropping unexpectedly in the midst of mirth and jollity, and "catching at every thing that stood by them to save themselves. "Some were looking up towards the Heavens in a thoughtful “posture, and in the midst of a Speculation stumbled and fell "out of sight. Multitudes were very busy in the pursuit of "[bubbles]1 that glittered in their eyes and danced before "them, but often when they thought themselves within the "reach of them, their footing failed and down they sunk. "this confusion of objects, I observed some with Scymetars "in their hands, and others with Urinals, who ran to and fro "upon the bridge, thrusting several persons on trap-doors "which did not seem to lie in their way, and which they might "have escaped, had they not been thus forced upon them.

"The Genius seeing me indulge my self in this melancholy prospect, told me I had dwelt long enough upon it: Take "thine eyes off the bridge, said he, and tell me if thou seest "any thing thou dost not comprehend. Upon looking up, "What mean, said I, those great flights of birds that are

perpetually hovering about the bridge, and settling upon it "from time to time? I see vultures, harpyes, ravens, cormo“rants; and among many other feathered creatures several "little winged boys, that perch in great numbers upon the

1 So S and C; T has "bubles."

"middle arches. These, said the Genius, are envy, avarice, “superstition, despair, love, with the like cares and passions "that infest humane life.

"I here fetched a deep sigh; Alas, said I, man was made "in vain! How is he given away to misery and mortality! "tortured in life, and swallowed up in death! The Genius "being moved with compassion towards me, bid me quit so "uncomfortable a prospect. Look no more, said he, on man "in the first stage of his existence, in his setting out for Eternity; but cast thine eye on that thick mist into which "the tide bears the several generations of mortals that fall "into it. I directed my sight as I was ordered, and (whether "or no the good Genius strengthened it with any supernatural "force, or dissipated part of the mist that was before too thick "for the eye to penetrate) I saw the valley opening at the fur"ther end, and spreading forth into an immense ocean, that "had a huge rock of Adamant running through the midst of "it, and dividing it into two equal parts. The clouds still "rested on one half of it, insomuch that I could discover "nothing in it: but the other appeared to me a vast ocean 20 planted with innumerable islands, that were covered with "fruits and flowers, and interwoven with a thousand little shin'ing seas that ran among them. I could see persons dressed "in glorious habits with garlands upon their heads, passing 'among the trees, lying down by the sides of fountains, or "resting on beds of flowers; and could hear a confused har

mony of singing birds, falling waters, humane voices, and "musical instruments. Gladness grew in me upon the dis66 covery of so delightful a scene. I wished for the wings of "an eagle, that I might fly away to those happy seats; but 30 "the Genius told me there was no passage to them, except

through the gates of Death that I saw opening every moment upon the bridge. The islands, said he, that lie so fresh and green before thee, and with which the whole face of the

ocean appears spotted as far as thou canst see, are more in "number than the sands on the sea-shore; there are myriads "of islands behind those which thou here discoverest, reaching further than thine eye or even thine imagination can "extend it self. These are the mansions of good men after death, who according to the degree and kinds of virtue in "which they excelled, are distributed among these several "Islands, which abound with pleasures of different kinds and "degrees, suitable to the relishes and perfections of those "who are settled in them; every Island is a paradise accom❝modated to its respective inhabitants. Are not these, O "Mirza, habitations worth contending for? Does life appear "miserable, that gives thee opportunities of earning such a "reward? Is death to be feared, that will convey thee to so 'happy an existence? Think not man was made in vain, who "has such an Eternity reserved for him. I gazed with inex"pressible pleasure on these happy Islands. At length said "I, shew me now, I beseech thee, the secrets that lye hid "under those dark clouds which cover the ocean on the other "side of the rock of Adamant. The Genius making me no answer, I turned about to address my self to him a second "time, but I found that he had left me; I then turned again "to the vision which I had been so long contemplating, but "instead of the rolling tide, the arched bridge, and the happy 25 "Islands, I saw nothing but the long hollow valley of Bagdat, “with oxen, sheep, and camels, grazing upon the sides of it.

The end of the first vision of Mirzah.

253. Thursday, December 20. [1711.]

N° 253.

Indignor quicquam reprehendi, non quia crasse

Compositum, illepideve putetur, sed quia nuper. Hor.

There is nothing which more denotes a great mind, than the abhorrence of envy and detraction. This passion reigns more among bad Poets, than among any other set of men.

As there are none more ambitious of fame, than those who are conversant in Poetry, it is very natural for such as have not succeeded in it, to depreciate the works of those who have. For since they cannot raise themselves to the reputation of their fellow-writers, they must endeavour to sink it to their own pitch, if they would still keep themselves upon a level with them.

The greatest wits that ever were produced in one age, lived together in so good an understanding, and celebrated one another with so much generosity, that each of them receives an additional lustre from his contemporaries, and is more famous for having lived with men of so extraordinary a genius, 15 than if he had himself been the sole wonder of the age. I need not tell my Reader, that I here point at the reign of Augustus, and I believe he will be of my opinion, that neither Virgil nor Horace would have gained so great a reputation in the world, had they not been the friends and admirers of each other. Indeed all the great writers of that age, for whom singly we have so great an esteem, stand up together as vouchers for one another's reputation. But at the same time that Virgil was celebrated by Gallus, Propertius, Horace, Varius, Tucca and Ovid, we know that Bavius and Mævius were his declared foes and calumniators.

In our own country a man seldom sets up for a Poet, without attacking the reputation of all his brothers in the art. The ignorance of the moderns, the scriblers of the age, the

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