ay, rather than stoop to give a _crown_ for
peace. _She_ keeps people so stiff-necked, with their sight so intent on
lofty things, that it is a pleasure to see them, by staring and reaching
into the air, falling plump into the abysses of Hell. As for you,
_Asmodeus_, we all remember your great services of yore; no one keeps his
prisoners more firmly under the lock, and no one meets with less rebuke
than yourself--the whole rebuke, indeed, consisting in a little laughing,
at what is called wanton tricks. Yes, Asmodeus, I admit that your power
is very great; though I cannot help reminding you," he added, with a
jocular though truly infernal grin, "that you were all but starved, above
there, during the last dear years. As for you, my son _Belphegor_, lousy
prince of Sloth, nobody has afforded us more pleasure than yourself, so
very great is your authority amongst gentle and simple, even down to the
beggar. Nevertheless, if it were not for the skill of my daughter
_Hypocrisy_, in coloring and disguising, who would ever swallow one of
your hooks? And after all, if it were not for the diligent firmness of
my brother _Beelzebub_, in keeping men in _inconsiderate bewilderment_, I
question whether all of you united would be worth a straw. Now," said
he, "let us review the whole.

"What would you be worth, Cerberus, with your excessive sucking, if it
were not for the assistance of Mammon? What merchant would ever fetch
your leaves from India, through so many perils, if it were not for the
sake of Mammon? And if it were not for _his_ sake, what king would
receive it, in Britain especially? And who, but for the sake of Mammon,
would carry it to every corner of the kingdom? But, notwithstanding
this, what wouldst thou be worth, Mammon, without Pride to squander thee
upon fine houses, magnificent garments, needless litigations, music,
horses and costly appurtenances, various dishes, beer and ale in a flood,
far above the _means_ and _rank_ of the possessor; for if money were used
within the limits of _necessity_ and _propriety_, of what advantage would
Mammon be to us? Thus you would be worth nothing without _Pride_; and
little would _Pride_ be worth without _Wantonness_, because bastards are
the most numerous and the fiercest subjects, which my daughter _Pride_
possesses in the world.

"You too, Asmodeus, prince of _Wantonness_, what would you be worth, if
it were not for _Sloth and Idleness_; where but for them would yo