meaner sort, and hardly worth a beggar's stoop-
ing for.

Not far from the gateway, they came to a
bridge, which seemed to be built of iron. Pluto
stopped the chariot, and bade Proserpina look
at the stream which was gliding so lazily be-
neath it. Never in her life had she beheld so
torpid, so black, so muddy-looking a stream: its
waters reflected no images of any thing that was
on the banks, and it moved as sluggishly as if
it had quite forgotten which way it ought to
flow, and had rather stagnate than flow either
one way or the other.

"This is the River Lethe," observed King
Pluto. "Is it not a very pleasant stream?"

"I think it a very dismal one," said Proserpina.

"It suits my taste, however," answered Pluto,
who was apt to be sullen when any body dis-
agreed with him. "At all events, its water has
one very excellent quality; for a single draught
of it makes people forget every care and sorrow
that has hitherto tormented them. Only sip a
little of it, my dear Proserpina, and you will
instantly cease to grieve for your mother, and
will have nothing in your memory that can

[[228]]

p227 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p228w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p229

v?