ALPHONSO IN SEARCH OF LEARNING.
AN ALLEGORY.
Early one morning Alphonso set out in search of Learning. He travelled over barren heaths and over rocks, and was often obliged to ford rivers which seemed almost impassable; at last, completely exhausted, and at a loss what road to take, he sat down desponding by the side of a rapid river. Soon a passenger approached, with whom Alphonso entered into conversation, and at length asked him where he was going. "I am," replied the stranger, "seeking Fame; and already by her trump has my name been sounded in her courts, She has promised to immortalize my name; follow me, and you shall richly reap the reward of your labor." "I also," answered Alphonso, "have a road to pursue, which leads to Fame; but it is through Learning that I must reach her courts, and then shall I enjoy the fruits of my toil, in proportion to the hardships with which I have acquired it. Can you tell me where she can be found?"
"You see," replied the stranger, "yonder hills which rise one upon the other, as far as the eye extends; far, far beyond them, whose every precipice you have to climb, Learning resides. Her temple is pleasant, but few there are who gain it; many, indeed, have gone beyond these
