to the real interest of Virtue, and the true glory of Religion, could we suffer any other order of men to surpass the Ministers of Christ in a meritorious zeal to honour this faithful servant of Heaven, whose life exhibits a lesson more instructive and sublime than all the eloquence of the Pulpit! a Christian, who has shewn us, in the most signal manner, how practicable it is to follow, in succouring the distrest, not only the precepts, but the example of our god.”

In the moment that this benevolent Divine concluded his address to his attentive brethren, my kind and vigilant Guides removed me from the temple.—­I was now led into a scene entirely different from those we left.  It was an open and verdant plain, with a few elevations in the ground, that afforded advantageous views of the whole extensive spot.  Here, instead of beholding the Ministers of Peace, I found myself encircled by the multitudinous votaries of War.  It appeared to me that all the military and all the naval servants of our country were collected together, and each different division of these well-appointed and well-looking men, that formed a pleasing spectacle alone, was attended by a crowd of miscellaneous spectators, more numerous than itself:  yet in all this immense multitude there was no sign of tumult or confusion.  They were ranged in such a manner as to form a wide circular area in the midst of them.  I was stationed on a little eminence within this area; and in the same vacant space I beheld a party of veteran Commanders, both Military and Naval, who seemed to have been conferring together, but separated by the direction of my aetherial Conductors, to address, in different parts of this extensive field, the different companies assigned to their care.  What they respectively said in their separate departments I was unable to discover, as I only heard distinctly one gallant Veteran, whose character was particularly dear to me.  This consummate officer has raised himself by merit alone from the humblest rank of military life to a station of the highest honour and trust.  His modesty is as singular as his fortune:  passing close to me, with a gracious salutation, he approached a very fine orderly corps of foot, who looked up to him with a sort of filial respect, while he spoke to them the few following words: 

“As bravery and compassion are the characteristics of good Soldiers, you cannot want, my friends, any long exhortation from me to honour the memory of Howard; the most resolute and the most compassionate man that has lived in our time.  Though he was not of our profession, as his life was devoted to mitigate the united horrors of captivity and sickness, those worst of enemies to the spirit of a soldier, you will undoubtedly feel that he has a peculiar claim to our most grateful and generous regard.”