remain alone in a contemplative reverie,
has signified that so devout an exercise is contrary to their written
law.

On one occasion only did this person seem to hold himself poised on the
very edge of a fuller enlightenment. This was when, in the venerable
company of several benevolent persons, he was being taken from place to
place to see the more important buildings, and to observe the societies
of artificers labouring at their crafts. The greater part of the day had
already been spent in visiting temples, open spaces reserved to children
and those whose speech, appearance, and general manner of behaving
make it desirable that they should be set apart from the contact of the
impressionable, halls containing relics and emblems of the past,
places of no particular size or attraction but described as being of
unparalleled historic interest, and the stalls of the more reputable
venders of merchandise.

Doubtless, with observing so many details of a conflicting nature,
this person's discriminating faculties had become obscured, but towards
evening he certainly understood that we sought the company of an
assembly of those who had been selected from all the Empire to pronounce
definitely upon matters of supreme import. The building before which our
chariot stopped had every appearance of being worthy of so exceptional a
gathering, and with a most affluent joy that I should at last be able to
glean a decisive pronouncement, I evaded those who had accompanied
me, and, mingling self-reliantly with the throng inside, I quickly
surrounded myself with many of the wisest-looking, and begged that they
would open their heads freely and express their innermost opinions upon
the subject of demons of all kinds.

Although I had admittedly hoped that these persons would not conceal
themselves behind the wings of epigram or intangible prevarication, I
was far from being prepared for the candour with which they greeted me,
and although by long usage I am reasonably unconcerned at the proximity
of any of our own recognised genii, it is not to be denied that my
organs of ferocity grew small and unstable at the revelations.

From their words it appeared that the spot on which we stood had
long been the recognised centre and meeting-place for every class of
abandoned and objectionable spirit of the universe. Not only this, but
several of the persons who had gathered around were confidently pointed
out as the earthly embodiment of various d