The Virginia Gazette

To the PRINTER.

SIR,

BEING (not long since) in Company with two or three particular Friends, among other Subjects we fell upon that of the Immateriality of the Soul, and its Incapacity of being either compleatly happy or miserable while separated from the Body : Some argued, from the Opinion of the Ancients, that they either lay in a State of Indolence without Perception of Pain or Pleasure, or roved in the Extra Mundane Space without Employment; while the most Part agreed, they were immediately capable of Misery or Happiness, tho' not to Perfection 'til re-united to the Body.

As I am always delighted with any Argument that tends to Edification, and Advancement of Morality, it gave me infinite Satisfaction to be entertain'd in so innocent a Manner; and the Impression was so strong on my Mind, that upon going to Bed I fell into the following Dream :

I seem'd to be placed in an exceeding large Plain, the Expansé of which my Eyes were incapable to discover ; the first Object that commanded my Attention was a most resplendent Pillar in the Midst of the Plain, about the Top of which were such refulgent Rays of Light that it was not to be looked on : methought there issued from the Pedestal of the Pillar a Silver Fountain, which diffus'd it self throughout the whole Plain in small Rivulets, and added all imaginable Beauty to the Place: While I stood gazing, and astonish'd at this extraordinary Phenomenon, I was directed to employ the Time of my Stay there in what might be useful to my self:

At the Sound of the Voice I turned round, and beheld a Person of a most friendly and delightful Aspect, whose Assistance I earnestly sollicited to get Information concerning those happy Regions : He return'd no other Answer, than desiring me to look on every Side, and tell him what I could discover; I did so, and found innumerable Multitudes of People, sitting in Rows round about on every Side the Pillar, and the Silver Streams gliding along by each Row of People : After I had feasted my Imagination with this delightful Scene, my Guide carried me further back towards a Gate,

which I had not 'til then discover'd, where the Radiancy of the Pillar could not be so plainly discerned as before, and consequently did not appear so delightful : He told me, in that consisted the Degrees of Pleasure natural to that Place; those who were placed nighest the Pillar, having Liberty to move backwards, discover'd their own Seats to be most delightful, and all being incapable of going nigher the Pillar than where already placed; those in the most remote Stations found their Condition so eligible, that Content sat majestically on every Brow. My Guide ask'd me, if it did not redound much to my Satisfaction to see their innocent and undeigning Countenances, and above all, their constant Admiration of the Pillar, which in Truth seem'd to engross their whole Attention. While I was swallow'd up in Thought, and sincere Desire of being added to the Number of those happy Spirits, my Guide had left me, and I found my self insensibly arriv'd at the Gate, through which I was instantly convey'd, by a Person who seem'd to have the Charge of it ; and being desirous to have some Conference with him, catch'd at the Gate, as it was shutting against me; but, instead of taking hold of it, Struck my Hand against the Wall of my Bed-chamber, which awak'd me.

March 12, 1750-1.

G. L.