When he had gained the last stages of the ascent, he was met by a restless being, of a dark and forbidding countenance: her name was Care. She pressed him into her company, and attempted to engross his attention. But her familiar approaches were forbidden by Hope; and she contented herself with flitting about in his view at a distance.

The summit of the mountain is an elevated plain, known by the name of Manhood. It commands an extensive prospect on every side; but these views are not all equally delightful. When you stand on the mountain and cast your eyes backward to the valley of Childhood, the mind is overpowered by conflicting emotions. You review with delight the wanderings of infancy in the valley of roses; but this enjoyment is mixed with an inexpressible sentiment of sorrow and regret: the thought of joys never to be repeated, and of pleasures forever gone!

The ascent of Youth is viewed still with less complacency. The aberrations, in this part of the journey, give to the prospect a bitterness and gloom that cloud the enjoyment. "Sweet humble vale!" said Armine, looking through the long vista of Youth, to the commencement of his journey, "Sweet humble vale! your delights are forever vanished! your pleasures can never return!"

Having thus said, he turned himself around to take a view of the elevated plain on which he stood. The face of the country was various: some parts were covered with thistles and thorns; and others were crowned with proud forests of oak, and groves of towering poplars, In some parts were to be seen "cloud-capt towers and gorgeous palaces;" and in others, the sordid and miserable "huts of cheerless poverty." Some of the inhabitants build houses of marble, as though their residence in the place were never to have an end; while multitudes are crowded in cottages of clay. Dark clouds hang continually over the mountain: some contemplate their appearance with calmness, but others view them with horror and dismay.

A philosopher, who sat, with the utmost composure,

on the point of a rock, and viewed the shifting of the clouds through a perspective, beckoned Armine to approach. He obeyed. "I perceive," said the philosopher, "by your countenance, that you have lately gained the summit of the mountain." Armine assented. "Well," continued the sage, "you will remain here awhile: I have, for my part, been many years a resident on this plain; and must speedily descend on the other side of the hill. I observed you, just now, looking back on the valley of Childhood: have you any objection to take a view of the opposite descent?" Armine was silent. The philosopher took him by the hand and led him to the brow of the hill. "The declivity," said he, " as you may perceive, is much greater on this side than on the other: it is called the Decline of Life. It has but a dreary appearance. The descent is rapid into the valley of Old Age: and in that valley, rolls the black, sluggish, and bottomless River of Death." Having thus spoken, he sighed, and immediately began to descend. Armine called after him with a loud voice, saying, "Is the river without a shore? Are there no green fields on the other side, where a weary traveller may find lasting repose?" The philosopher turned round, and looked upon Armine. There was an expression of sadness upon his countenance. "No traveller has returned," said he, "to give us any intelligence. There is, without doubt, a country on the other side of the water: I have had a glimpse of it myself; but those who are swallowed up by the River of Death, are, in all probability, carried by the rapidity of the current into the Dead Sea of eternal oblivion." Having thus said, he pursued his way down the mountain. Armine observed him, for some time, in his descent; and took notice that, having proceeded a little way, he found a green place on the side of the hill, where there was a spring of water. Having refreshed himself, he sat down to rest; and immediately began to examine the nature of the grass, which was the production of so sterile a soil. He continued this employment for some time, and then took out his pocket perspective, and observed the movement of the clouds, with as much composure as he had formerly done on the sum

mit of the mountain. "Wonderful elasticity of the human mind!" exclaimed Armine, as he turned round from the contemplation of the Decline of Life," Wonderful elasticity of the human mind, which causes it to yield to the pressure of circumstances!-which enables it to support with tranquillity the greatest possible misfortunes!"

Care now became the constant companion of Armine, though he was still accompanied by Hope. Hope had lost a great part of her magical power, but still was able to soften the influence of Care, and calm the occasional perturbations of his mind. He adopted various schemes for passing the time of his continuance on the mount; but the issue of every one was the samedisappointment. Sometimes he joined the votaries of pleasure; and sometimes, the lovers of wisdom. Pleasures ended in smoke; and knowledge was the parent of despair. Sometimes he employed himself in gathering together the glittering stones that may be found on the summit of the mountain: but the exertion, necessary in this contemptible pursuit, was painful in the extreme. He then endeavored to derive amusement from dispersing abroad what he had collected together: and the issue of the whole was vanity and vexation of spirit.'

The Temple of Fame stood on a rugged promontory of the mountain, which was suspended over the black and putrid waters of Infamy. The building was magnificent beyond description; its summit was hid in the clouds. The voice of the goddess was heard from the temple, inviting the approaches of all; but the attempt to obey the invitation was attended with danger. Every one was desirous to enter, in order to leave some memorial of having performed the journey of life; but few, very few, were found able to surmount the obstacles which impeded the entrance. The daring ad`venturer, whose heart beat high with the love of glory, pressed forward through dangers of every description. Frightful rocks and yawning caverns, giants of tremendous dimensions, and spectres of terrific forms, opposed his progress. Envy, Malice, Hatred, Anger, Slander, Revenge, and a thousand others, armed with "fire

brands, arrows, and death," stood in array against him. The hero who broke through their ranks and entered the temple covered with blood was received with shouts of joy and the sound of the trumpet.

Armine essayed to enter: but Poverty, a gaunt and hagard monster, effectually baffled every attempt, and drove him away from the precincts of the building. Here he was seized by Disease, who hurried him away to the descent of the mountain.

As he passed down the Decline of Life, every thing wore a gloom of despondence. Dark clouds hung over his head; and nothing was heard but the screaming of the raven from the "lightning-blasted oak," and the hooting of the owl from the moldering turret. He entered the valley of Old Age. The air became dark. The funereal cypress overshadowed his path.

Weary and dejected, he tottered along, until, ere he was aware, he stood on the banks of the River. A thick fog, an everlasting cloud, rested on the face of the waters. Nothing was to be seen. Nothing was to be heard. It was the reign of Darkness, Silence, Inanity, Death. While he yet lingered, he received a last visit from the companion of his youth. Hope appeared, arrayed in a robe of resplendent whiteness. She directed her hand toward the opposite side of the river. The clouds broke away for a moment. He had, or fancied he had, a glimpse of a brighter region. Time hurried him into the stream; and he was heard of no more.

Remonstrance of the letter H.

The letter h begs leave to represent to Piomingo that he labors under many heavy and intolerable grievances. He has suffered injustice both from the antients and moderns, the learned and unlearned.

Grammarians have long contended that he is no letter; that he is merely a "hard breathing before a word or syllable." They never explain themselves fully on this subject; and it is hard to find out what they mean by the assertion. One of their leaders has, indeed, observed that h requires no conformation of the organs of speech; and therefore cannot be a letter. This is involv

ing the matter in "clouds and thick darkness." What are the organs of speech? Is the windpipe included in the number? But, without entering into any niceties on the subject, it is simply demanded, Can they give this "hard breathing before a word or syllable," without making any use of the organs of speech? When the organs of speech are at rest, the mouth must be necessarily closed. Now, let them pronounce any word, in which his sounded, without opening the mouth until they have made this "hard breathing;" and the point will be conceded.

But h is not disposed to contend for a name. Let him be possessed of the substance, and he will never declare war for the shadow. Let him enjoy every right, power, and emolument, belonging to a letter; and they are welcome to call him a "hard breathing" as long as they please.

At present, he humbly solicits that he may be relieved, by the interposition of Piomingo, from the galling oppression and intolerable injustice he suffers from the "organs of speech" of the polished inhabitants of the city of Philadelphia. No people are more ready to complain, of any real or imaginary grievance, than the citizens above mentioned; yet they forget the golden rule, of doing to others, as they would that others should do unto them, when they deprive your remonstrant of his undoubted right and inheritance.

It has long been known to all the world, that, many years ago, w usurped the station of h, in such words as, when, where, what, &c. which ought to be written hwen, hwere, hwat, &c. H, at first, felt indignant at this treatment; but, as a long continued usurpation is said to confer a legitimate right, he was, at last, induced to yield the precedency in these words, as he was assured that he would lose none of the power by his acquiescence. It was represented to him, that the king of Great Britain had long used the title of king of France, without claiming the least right to interfere in the affairs of that kingdom; that the emperor of China was styled "sole governor of the earth," without other princes supposing that their sovereignty was affected by this arrogant assump