hout _her_. For in _war_, _or danger_, _or
hunger_, _or sickness_, who would value _tobacco_, _or money_, or the
pomposity of Pride, or would entertain a thought of welcoming either
_Wantonness or Sloth_? Or who in such straits, would permit themselves
to be distracted either by _Hypocrisy or Inconsiderateness_? No, no!
they are too awake then, and not one of the infernal _flies of
Bewilderment_, which shows its beak, will buzz, during one of these
storms. But _Ease_, smooth Ease, is the nurse of you all: in her calm
shadow, and in her teeming bosom ye are all bred, and also every other
infernal worm of the conscience, which will come to gnaw its possessor
_here_ for ever, without intermission.

"As long as _Ease_ lasts, there is no talk but of some species of
diversion, of banquets, bargains, pedigrees, stories, news, and the like.
There is no mention of _God_, except in idle swearing and cursing;
whereas the _poor_ and the _sick_, who know nothing of ease, have God in
their mouths and their hearts every minute.

"But go ye also in the rear of her, and keep every body in his sleep and
his rest, in prosperity and comfort, abundance and carelessness; and then
you will see the poor honest man, as soon as he shall drink of the
alluring cup of Ease, become a perverse, proud, untractable churl--the
industrious labourer change into a careless, waggish rattler--and every
other person become just what you would desire him. Because pleasant
_Ease_ is what every one seeks and loves; she hears not counsel, fears
not punishment--if good, she will not recognise it--if bad, she will
foster it of her own accord. _She_ is the prime-temptation; the man who
is proof against _her_ tender charms, ye may fling your caps to--for we
must bid farewell for ever to his company. _Ease_, then, is my
terrestrial _deputy_, follow her to Britain, and be as obedient to her as
to our own royal majesty."

At this moment the huge bolt was shaken, and Lucifer and his chief
counsellors were struck to the vortex of _extremest Hell_; and oh, how
horrible it was to see the throat of Unknown opening to receive them!
"Well," said the angel "we will now return; but you have not yet seen any
thing in comparison with the _whole_, which is within the bounds of
_Destruction_, and if you had seen the whole, it is nothing to the
inexpressible misery which exists in _Unknown_, for it is not possible to
form an idea of the World in extremest Hell." And at that