To be short, I now plainly perceived, that the Inhabitants of this Globe were Trees, and that they were endued with Reason; and I was lost in Wonder at that Variety in which Nature wantons in the Formation of her Creatures. These Trees do by no Means equal ours in Height, scarce any of them exceeding the common and ordinary Stature of a Man; some indeed were less; these one would call Flowers or Shrubs; and such I conjectur’d were Youths and Infants. Words cannot express into what a Labyrinth of Thought these strange Appearances threw me, how many Sighs they extorted from me, and how passionately I longed after the dear Place of my Nativity. For altho’ these Trees seemed to me to be sociable Creatures, to enjoy the Benefit of Language, and to be endued with a certain Degree or Portion of Reason, insomuch that they had a Right to be inserted in the Class of rational Animals, yet I much doubted whether they could be compar’d to Men; I could not bring myself to think, that Justice, Mercy, and the other moral Virtues had any Residence among them. Rack’d with these Thoughts, my Bowels yearned, and Rivers of Tears flowed down my Cheeks. But while I was thus indulging my Grief, and pouring out my silent Complaints in such unmanly Sorrows, the Guards entered my Chamber, whom I looked upon as so many _Roman_ Lictors, considering the Axes they bore. These marching before me, I was led thro’ the City to a very lofty Dome in the Center of the _Forum_, or great Market-Place. I seemed to myself to be greater than a _Roman_ Consul, and to have obtained the Honour of a Dictator; for there were but twelve Axes attended the Consuls, whereas I was attended by eighteen. On the folding Doors of the Dome, to which I was led, a Figure of Justice was carved, holding a Pair of Scales with her Branches or Arms: This Image had a Virgin-Air, an earnest Look, a piercing Sight, with a certain venerable Dejection that made her appear not too proud, nor yet too humble. This Place I clearly perceived was the Senate-House. Being introduced into Court, the Floor of which shone with Marble of tessellated or _Mosaic_ Workmanship; I there beheld a Tree seated on a Golden Tribunal, with twelve Associates sitting on either Hand on so many Benches in the most exact and elegant Order. The President on the Tribunal was a Palm-Tree, of a middling Stature, but easily distinguish’d from the rest of the Assistants, by the great Variety of her Leaves, which were of various Dyes: The inferior Officers, to the Number of twenty-four, guarded each Side, all armed with six Axes apiece. A most tremendous Prospect! since from so much Armour it was natural to infer they were a People that delighted in Blood.