which the purple bloom of hether was conspicuous; he wore a long flowing robe of violet silk, and as he arose, he waved a silver wand. The anticipation of beholding the future destinies of mankind animated his countenance with the glow of enthusiastic delight. He elevated the wand high above his head, and the queen bee Elia alighting upon the end was followed by others, until the whole were collected in one glittering ball. The sound of cymbals was heard as if proceeding from the valley, and, distance softening the tones, produced a pleasing melody. As the bees entered within the sphere of the light they assumed a most brilliant appearance, and when united, resembled a globe of rubies and emeralds, or, as Virgil has described the queen bees, "resplendent with gold and purple." Poeticus was an exception to the rest: exhilarated with the splendour of the scene, he could scarcely rest an instant in one place, but was seen flitting about displaying his gay and brilliant colours. The cloud majestically rose, and bearing away this beautiful vision to the western country, rested on the summit of Ben Lomond.

The bees separated as soon as they had reached the mountain, and ranged themselves in circles round the spirit, who waved his wand; and the cloud gradually disappearing, he addressed them as follows.

"Perhaps there is not a more striking contrast between the old and new systems of society, than that which is exhibited in the disposition of their dwellings. Under the former, mankind were congregated in towns or large cities, some of which contained many hundred thousand persons; the houses were SO crowded together, that the inhabitants could scarcely move without annoyance, inhaling an unwholesome atmosphere, and deprived of the view of a single green leaf. It might have been imagined that the predicted and fatal period was arrived when the earth should be so completely occupied as to admit of no further increase of population; and yet within a few miles of these cities, the most beautiful parts of the country were found to be perfect solitudes.

"Under the new system, mankind have in the first instance selected the most favourable and agreeable situations, and the buildings are so arranged as to afford the advantages both of large cities and country residences, without the inconveniences of either; combining the pleasures of the various and intelligent society of the former, with the pure air and healthful exercises of the latter.

"The stupendous mountain upon which you are assembled, rises, as you will perceive at break of day, from the borders of an extensive lake in which there

are about thirty islands. On the other side and to the north, are mountains of less magnitude; on the south, the lake is terminated by a small river, the Leven, which runs into the Clyde. There are about twenty-five communities in the intermediate vicinity of the lake, each consisting of two thousand persons. The smaller islands belong to different communities, but the larger ones are the joint property of the whole. Upon the largest, there is a marble building of the Doric order, of considerable dimensions, in the form of the Parthenon at Athens, of which it is externally an exact representation, except in size being rather larger. In this, delegates from the different communities assemble to deliberate upon subjects of local interest, and upon such undertakings as may require the united efforts of many communities to achieve. It is also used for music-meetings, when held upon a larger scale than

usual.

"Upon some of the other islands are edifices erected in the different orders of Grecian architecture, affording an illustration of the science so conspicuously, as to be seen by most of the communities for the convenience of the students there is a museum for every four communities, so placed as to be equally distant from all, and of course very near to

each but in one of the Grecian structures on the islands is a museum, on a much larger scale, devoted to the most curious specimens of natural history, and such as every museum could not be supplied with; indeed all its specimens are exceedingly rare, and in many instances unique.

"In another island is a botanic garden containing some very fine exotics: there is also a flower garden of great interest and beauty :-to visit these is only an occasional pleasure, each community having smaller botanic and flower gardens of its own. One of the islands is the resort of foreign aquatic birds, of which there is a very large collection. Others are devoted to menageries, where the animals are kept as much in their native state as possible;-the bears have trees to climb, the elephants space to move about, and the ape to gambol. The assemblage forms the finest illustration of this branch of natural history ever collected, and is considerably larger than the celebrated Jardin des Plantes at Paris. Before a child is informed what a lion is, he is brought to view the animal itself, as a living illustration of its own history.

"At the foot of this mountain is a magnificent Gothic temple richly ornamented with minarets and friezes, and supported by clusters of slender pillars;

F

the lofty windows of stained glass are of the most brilliant colours. This edifice, surrounded by high trees, with the mountain rising majestically in the rear, forms from the opposite shore a truly picturesque object. In this temple are deposited the records of the communities of Loch Lomond. It contains an organ, which in magnitude and power and in the harmony and variety of its tones surpasses the celebrated one of Haarlem. In various parts of the building are paintings executed in a style inferior to none of the greatest masters, representing landscapes, animals, birds, flowers, and portraits. There are no paintings of battles or warriors; for these, with all other subjects peculiar to the barbarous ages are sinking fast into oblivion. In the centre of the temple and under a lofty dome, from which is suspended a very large and splendid chandelier,

If genius is innate, and the Arts are not indebted to a variety and extent of knowledge, why were not the productions of a Michael Angelo found among the paintings of Mexico? To what excellence could not the art of painting be brought in a community where all the individuals were highly intelligent, and had been trained to admire whatever was noble and beautiful in Nature!

"It is in vain," says Sir Joshua Reynolds, "for painters or poets to endeavour to invent, without materials on which the