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This is the source of enthusiasm.... or rather enthusiasm itself.......it is the natural disposition of the soul......and ....properly restricted..... would ensure our happiness.

As I advanced in life......my imagination.....thus heated by my early pursuits.....became so elevated.....my ideas so abstracted......that all I saw fell infinitely short of those expectations which the rich luxuriance of my glowing fancy had created.

In this state.....one of the priests of Delphos...whose intentions I was then ignorant of..... undertook to initiate me in the occult mysteries of the Orphean philosophy.

This was the only system held in estimation by our priests.....it had reason for its support...and fixed the faith on a firmer basis than any sophistry which arises from traditionary legends.....or poetic fables.

I was transported with my new lessons.....The good priest......who was a scientific professor of the whole Egytian secret mythology.....led me into a region of spirits......He exposed to my delighted view a new world, inhabited by immortal beauties.

I had just attained that age when we shake off the shackles of childhood, and begin to move independently thro' life....This is the moment when we look around us with astonishment at all we behold......Our curiosity pants after a solution of the properties of our own nature.....a definition of the cause which has placed us on a particular spot.....and given us particular propensities.... without even

our own concurrence.

How infatuating then must that philosophy be, which could.....at the same moment.....solve our doubts, and indulge that romantic turn, which is

the peculiar attribute of youth.....a philosophy,......which answers all enquiries...unriddles every paradox....and solves the most intricate problems........ A philosophy......so peculiarly adapted to youth......that it sympathizes with the warm enthusiastic heart....detaches all dull inanimate objects from the surface of the globe..........peoples the earth with lovely visionary beings...... and fills up every vacancy in the mind with ideally-important circumstances.

Such a philosophy was in itself too excellent......too flattering to mortal pride.....too congenial with our leading propensities, too agreeable to our fondest wishes......too gratifying to our secret inclinations......not to impress the mind with a perfect persuasion of its truth;....and it must be confessed, that the noblest inspirations of the heart act in conformity with all that is wild and romantic in this particular species of Philosophy.

Even in these dreams of fancy.... which to men of more sedate and solid habits appear extravagant......... I can distinguish more reality....a more positive incentive to good........a more extended prospect of delight....a more productive source of absolute content and happiness,....than in all the gratifications we borrow from the indulgence of our senses.

But I digress.......instead of relating to you the disposition of my mind..... I am justifying its bias.......Let me merely add, that the tenets of the Orphean and Pythagorean philosophy regulated all my principles......influenced all my wishes.......and gave a cast to my future views in life, which engrossed every faculty of my soul, and elevated my thoughts to superior enjoyments.

The Priest, who was my tutor, appeared charmed with the uncommon

delight I took in this sublime study..... He eagerly sought to fan my glowing infatuation, and gradually mount it to such a pitch as would best fit me for his

purposes.

I was young......and attributed all he did to the noblest motives.......My faith insensibly became implicit........ and so well did he regulate his lessons .......that I began seriously to debate with myself, whether it was not possible to hold communication with superior spirits.

I privately fostered this idea for some time, till I found little difficulty to obtain what I so much wished, and history sanctioned my expectations.

Had not the Gods at different times revealed themselves to mortals? and do we not read of individuals being distinguished as their favorites?....... Ganymede.....Endymion.....and many others......are reported to have been

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