of the Times they lived in. And one Thing Í might depend upon, that they would certainly tell me Truth, for Lying was a Talent of no Ufe in the lower World.

I made my humble Acknowledgments to his Highness for fo great a Favour. We were in a Chamber, from whence there was a fair Prospect into the Park. And, because my first Inclination was to be entertained with Scenes of Pomp and Magnificence, I defired to fee Alexander the Great, at the Head of his Army, just after the Battle of Arbela, which, upon a Motion of the Governor's Finger, immediately appeared in a large Field under the Window, where we stood. Alexander was called up into the Room: It was with great Difficulty that I understood his Greek, and had but little of my own. He affured me, upon his Honour, that he was not poisoned, but died of a Fever by exceffive Drinking.

Next I faw Hannibal paffing the Alps, who told me, he had not a Drop of Vinegar in his Camp.

I faw Cejar and Pompey, at the Head of their Troops, juft ready to engage. I faw the former in his last great Triumph. I defired that the Senate of Rome might appear before me in one large Chamber, and a modern Reprefentative in Counterview, in another. The first seemed to be an Affembly of Heroes and Demy-Gods, the other a Knot of Pedlars, Pick-pockets, Highway-men, and Bullies.

The Governor, at my Requeft, gave the Sign for Cæfar and Brutus to advance towards us. I was ftruck with a profound Veneration at the Sight of Brutus, and could eafily difcover the most confummate Virtue, the greatest Intrepidity, and Firm

nefs

nefs of Mind, the trueft Love of his Country, and general Benevolence for Mankind, in every Lineament of his Countenance. I obferved with much Pleasure, that these two Perfons were in good Intelligence with each other; and Cæfar freely confeffed to me, that the greatest Actions of his own Life were not equal, by many Degrees, to the Glory of taking it away. I had the Honour to have much Converfation with Brutus ; and was told, that his Ancestor Junius, Socrates, Epamimondas, Cato the younger, Sir Thomas More, and himself, were perpetually together: A Sextumvi rate, to which all the Ages of the World cannot add a feventh.

It would be tedious to trouble the Reader with relating what vaft Numbers of illuftrious Perfons were called up, to gratify that infatiable Defire I had to fee the World in every Period of Antiquity placed before me. I chiefly fed mine Eyes with beholding the Deftroyers of Tyrants and Ufurpers, and the Reftorers of Liberty to oppreffed and injured Nations. But it is impoffible to exprefs the Satisfaction I received in my own Mind, after fuch a Manner, as to make it a fuitable Entertainment to the Reader.

CHA P. VIII.

A further Account of Glubbdubdrib. Ancient and Modern Hiftory corrected.

Having a Defire to fee thofe Ancients, who

were most renowned for Wit and Learning, I fet apart one Day on Purpose. I propofed that Homer and Ariftotle might appear at the Head of all their Commentators; but thefe were fo nume

rous,

rous, that fome Hundreds were forced to attend in the Court and outward Rooms of the Palace. I knew and could diftinguish those two Heroes at first Sight, not only from the Croud, but from each other. Homer was the taller and comlier Person of the two, walked very erect for one of his Age; and his Eyes were the most quick and piercing I ever beheld: Ariftotle ftooped much, and made ufe of a Staff. His Vifage was meager, his Hair lank and thick, and his Voice hollow. I foon discovered that both of them were perfect Strangers to the reft of the Company, and had never feen or heard of them before. And I had a Whisper from a Ghoft, who fhall be nameless, that these Commentators always kept in the moft diftant Quarters from their Principals in the lower World, through a Consciousness of Shame and Guilt, because they had fo horribly mifreprefented the Meaning of those Authors to Pofterity. I introduced Didymus and Euftathius to Homer, and prevailed on him to treat them better than perhaps they deserved, for he foon found they wanted a Genius to enter into the Spirit of a Poet. But Ariftotle was out of all Patience with the Account I gave him of Scotus and Ramus, as I presented them to him, and he asked them whether the rest of the Tribe were as great Dunces as themselves.

I then defired the Governour to call up Def cartes and Gaffendi, with whom I prevailed to explain their Syftems to Ariftotle. This great Philofopher freely acknowledged his own Mistakes in Natural Philofophy, because he proceeded in many Things upon Conjecture, as all Men muft do; and he found, that Gaffendi, who had made the Doctrine of Epicurus as palatable as he could, and the Vortices of Defcartes were equally exploded.

ploded. He predicted the fame Fate to Attracti on, whereof the prefent Learned are fuch zealous Afferters. He faid, that new Syftems of Nature were but new Fashions, which would vary in every Age; and even thofe, who pretend to demonftrate them from mathematical Principles, would flourish but a fhort Period of Time, and be out of Vogue when that was determined.

I spent five Days in converfing with many others of the ancient Learned. I faw moft of the first Roman Emperors. I prevailed on the Governor to call up Eliogabulus's Cooks to dress us a Dinner, but they could not fhew us much of their Skill, for Want of Materials. A Helot of Agefilaus made us a Difh of Spartan Broth, but I was not able to get down a fecond Spoonful.

The two Gentlemen, who conducted me to the Ifland, were preffed by their private Affairs to return in three Days, which I employed in feeing fome of the modern Dead, who had made the greatest Figure for two or three hundred Years paft, in our own and other Countries of Europe; and having been always a great Admirer of old illuftrious Families, I defired the Governor would call up a Dozen or two of Kings, with their Ancestors, in Order, for eight or nine Generations. But my Difappointment was grievous and unexpected. For, inftead of a long Train with Royal Diadems, I faw in one Family two Fidlers, three fpruce Courtiers, and an Italian Prelate. In another, a Barber, an Abbot, and two Cardinals. I have too great a Veneration for crowned Heads, to dwell any longer on fo nice a Subject. But as to Counts, Marqueffes, Dukes, Earls, and the like, I was not fo fcrupulous. And, I confess, it was not without fome Pleasure, that I found

my

myfelf able to trace the particular Features, by which certain Families are diftinguished up to their Originals. I could plainly discover from whence one Family derives a long Chin, why a fecond hath abounded with Knaves for two Generations, and Fools for two more; why a third happened to be crack-brained, and a fourth to be Sharpers. Whence it came, what Polydore Virgil fays of a certain great Houfe, Nec Vir fortis, nec Famina cafta. How Cruelty, Falfhood, and Cowardice grew to be Characteristics, by which certain Families are diftinguifhed, as much as by their Coat of Arms. Who first brought the Pox into a noble Houfe, which hath lineally defcended in fcrophulous Tumours to their Pofterity. Neither could I wonder at all this, when I faw fuch an Interruption of Lineages by Pages, Lacqueys, Valets, Coachmen, Gamefters, Fidlers, Players, Captains, and Pick-pockets.

I was chiefly difgufted with modern Hiftory. For, having frictly examined all the Perfons of greatest Name in the Courts of Princes for an hundred Years paft, I found how the World had been mifled by prostitute Writers, to afcribe the greateft Exploits in War to Cowards, the wifest Counfel to Fools, Sincerity to Flatterers, Roman Virfue to Betrayers of their Country, Piety to Atheifts, Chastity to Sodomites, Truth to Informers. How many innocent and excellent Perfons had been condemned to Death or Banishment, by the practifing of great Minifters upon the Corruption of Judges, and the Malice of Factions. How many Villains had been exalted to the highest Places of Truft, Power, Dignity, and Profit: How great a Share in the Motions and Events of Courts, Councils, and Senates, might be challenged