240 the mountain and grottoes, a viston. Dec. 1g." 
For the Bee. 
THE MOUNTAIN AND GROTTOES, 
A VISION. 
Sunt hic etiam sua premia laudi. VirG. 
Bee ina contemplative mood the other day, I 
took a solitary walk towards the Pentland Hills ; 
and reflecting on the many vices and follies of man~ 
kind, and the consequent miseries attached to hu- 
man life, I could not help being equally struck 
with astonifhment and pity, that the condition of 
life, which, of all others, ought to be the most 
happy, was, in general, now a-days, the most 
wretched. . 
While I was sunk in a profound reverie on this 
subject, I reached the foot of the mountains ; and 
clambering to the top of a little emmence, I lay 
down to repose myself, and to enjoy the prospect 
around ; but, being somewhat fatigued, fell insensi- 
bly asleep. 
Methought I was then standing at the foot of a 
lofty mountain, the sides of which were diversified 
with numberlefs, precipices. and caverns; and so 
perplexed with thickets and brufhwood, that it’ 
‘seemed almost impofsible to ascend it. Neverthelefs 
as the objects around were various and magnificent, 
I felt a vast desire to enjoy them in their full splen- 
dor by ascending to the top. But before I had ad- 
vanced far, I found, that, in addition to the ob- 
structions already mentioned, there were an: infinite 
mumber of serpents that hifsed among the verdure ; 
