knee, he sunk down upon the pavement. After he had slumbered awhile,
he saw himself carried off by certain dread men, and passing through
places which he had never heretofore beheld. He stood in a mighty
plain, all a-bloom with fresh and fragrant flowers, where he descried
all manner of plants of divers colours, charged with strange and
marvellous fruits, pleasant to the eye and inviting to the touch. The
leaves of the trees rustled clearly in a gentle breeze, and, as they
shook, sent forth a gracious perfume that cloyed not the sense.
Thrones were set there, fashioned of the purest gold and costly stones,
throwing out never so bright a lustre, and radiant settles among
wondrous couches too beautiful to be described. And beside them there
were running waters exceeding clear, and delightful to the eye. When
these dread men had led him through this great and wondrous plain, they
brought him to a city that glistered with light unspeakable, whose
walls were of dazzling gold, with high uprear'd parapets, built of gems
such as man hath never seen. Ah! who could describe the beauty and
brightness of that city? Light, ever shooting from above, filled all
her streets with bright rays; and winged squadrons, each of them itself
a light, dwelt in this city, making such melody as mortal ear ne'er
heard. And Ioasaph heard a voice crying, "This is the rest of the
righteous: this the gladness of them that have pleased the Lord." When
these dread men had carried him out from thence, they spake of taking
him back to earth. But he, that had lost his heart to that scene of
joyaunce and heartsease, exclaimed, "Reave me not, reave me not, I pray
you, of this unspeakable joy, but grant me also to dwell in one corner
of this mighty city." But they said, "It is impossible for thee to be
there now; but, with much toil and sweat, thou shalt come hither, if
thou constrain thyself."

Thus spake they; and again they crossed that mighty plain, and bare him
to regions of darkness and utter woe, where sorrow matched the
brightness which he had seen above. There was darkness without a ray
of light, and utter gloom, and the whole place was full of tribulation
and trouble. There blazed a glowing furnace of fire, and there crept
the worm of torment. Revengeful powers were set over the furnace, and
there were some that were burning piteously in the fire, and a voice
was heard, saying, "This is the place of sinners; this the punishment
for them t