I
distinguished the troop of the Princess of Pride, not only because they
insisted upon the foremost position, but also because they stumbled now
and then from want of keeping their eyes upon the ground. She led
captive kings without number, princes, courtiers, noblemen and braggarts,
many Quakers, and women innumerable and of all grades. Next to these
came the Princess of Lucre with her sly and crafty followers--a great
many of the brood of Simon Skinflint, money lenders, lawyers, userers,
stewards, foresters, harlots, and some of the clergy. Then came the
gracious Princess of Pleasure and her daughter Folly, leading her
subjects--players of dice, cards and back-gammon, conjurers, bards,
minstrels, storytellers, drunkards, bawds, balladmongers and pedlars with
their trinkets in countless number, to be at length instruments of
punishment to the damned fools.
When these three had taken their captives into the court to receive
judgment, Hypocrisy, last of all, brings in a more numerous troop than
any of the others, of every nation and age, from town and country,
patrician and plebeian, men and women. In the rear of this double-faced
legion we came within sight of the court; passing through the midst of
many dragons and horned demons, and hell's giants, the dusky porters of
the devil-hunted fire; I, the while, carefully hiding within the veil, we
entered that direful edifice: wonderful, and of amazing roughness was
every part of it; the walls were cruel rocks of burning adamant; the
floor was one unendurable extent of sharp-cutting flint, the roof of
fiery steel, meeting in an arch of greenish and blood-red flames,
similar, except in its size and heat, to a tremendous circular oven.
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