o
the appointed place, after having officiously assisted him in making up
his pack, and laying it upon his shoulders. My heart melted within me to
see my fellow-creatures groaning under their respective burdens, and to
consider that prodigious bulk of human calamities which lay before me.

There were, however, several persons who gave me great diversion upon this
occasion. I observed one bringing in a fardel, very carefully concealed
under an old embroidered cloak, which, upon his throwing it into the heap,
I discovered to be poverty. Another, after a great deal of puffing, threw
down his luggage, which, upon examining, I found to be his wife.

There were multitudes of lovers saddled with very whimsical burdens,
composed of darts and flames; but, what was very odd, though they sighed
as if their hearts would break under these bundles of calamities, they
could not persuade themselves to cast them into the heap, when they came
up to it; but, after a few faint efforts, shook their heads, and marched
away as heavy loaden as they came.

I saw multitudes of old women throw down their wrinkles, and several young
ones who stripped themselves of a tawny skin. There were very great heaps
of red noses, large lips, and rusty teeth. The truth of it is, I was
surprised to see the greatest part of the mountain made up of bodily
deformities. Observing one advancing toward the heap with a larger cargo
than ordinary upon his back, I found, upon his near approach, that it was
only a natural hump, which he disposed of with great joy of heart among
this collection of human miseries.

There were, likewise, distempers of all sorts, though I could not but
observe that there were many more imaginary than real. One little packet I
could not but take notice of, which was a complication of all the diseases
incident to human nature, and was in the hand of a great many fine people.
This was called the spleen. But what most of all surprised me was, that
there was not a single vice or folly thrown into the whole heap: at which
I was very much astonished, having concluded within myself that everyone
would take this opportunity of getting rid of his passions, prejudices,
and frailties.

I took notice in particular of a very profligate fellow, who, I did not
question, came loaden with his crimes, but upon searching into his bundle,
I found that instead of throwing his guilt from him, he had only laid down
his memory. He was followed by another worth