ip8 DireSiions for Kaifi7ig Chap. 7^ 



Thus to Noble and Ingenuous Natures, 

 a Piece of Ruin is more entertaining than the 

 moft beautiful Edifice 5 and the forrowful 

 Reflexions they (draw, are of the fofteft Tem- 

 parament imaginable. There may be read 

 the Inftability of all Sublunary Affairs, and 

 will remind us of the Frailty of thefe our 

 Earthly Tabernacles 5 for if thofe magnifi- 

 cent Piles, compos 'd of the hardelft and moft 

 durable Materials of Wood and Stone, are 

 fubjed to fuch Cafualties ^ how much eafier 

 is it for Providence to deftroy this tottering 

 Frame of Nature, composed only of Flefli and 

 Blood ! In thefe gloomy and beautiful x^bodes 

 'tis poffible for a judicious Contriver fo to or- 

 der his Defign, as that all the Pailions of the 

 Mind may be mov'd in a very wonderful 

 manner. How furprizing would it be to a 

 Stranger to fall accidentally on the Ruins of 

 Rome^ (tho' 'twas in Epitome) at the End of 

 a noble Walk ! How would a Man's Mind be 

 infenfibly carried to reflex on the Lives and 

 gallant Aftions of thofe ancient Romans that 

 were once the Inhabitants of thofe miferable 

 Defolations ! In truth, in all the beautiful 

 Scenes of a Country Seat, one paffes thro' the 

 feveral Gradations of Joy, Love, Fear, Con- 

 trition, and Repentance^ every melodious 

 Note of a Bird, and every gay Flower elevate 

 the Mind, and all fuch defolate Scenes would 

 create (dare I call it io) an agreeable Hor- 

 ror. ■ ■ ■ ' '-"'■■ 



Every 



