express was very feebly executed,...... for I felt a trembling through every vein in my body as he spoke.....an awe mingled with astonishment, as he called me by my name.......Then the singularity of his words.......and his commanding manner......defeated all my efforts to appear cold and insensible before so penetrating a judge. "What!"......continued he, in the same impressive accents....." dost thou fancy chance hath thus introduced "us to each other?....Deceive not thy"self........Chance is a chimera......It << never had existence....Fate directed we should meet.....We have met !" I could not speak.....I again sat down, and leaned my head backwards against the rock....I should have fallen without this support. A piece of rock just opposite to me served the Stranger as a seat, and he took his place. i. "Thou avoidest mankind,"......he continued....." Thou courtest solitude thou seekest repose!.....Repose 66 from what?" "From thyself!" "Thou longest after light........ Yet wanderest in the shades of darkness. So young in years!....So old in experience!......A little month ago, thou wast a beauteous flower!...... Where are thy blooming sweets?... "Where the rich fragrance of fullblossomed youth?.....The pestilen"tial breath of harpies.....in an angel's form.....hath blighted thy decaying beauties. 66 The ambition of Ixion led him to R aspire to the embraces of the immortal Juno......She sent a Syren to "receive him........ "her arms ין He was burnt in "And, canst thou peruse in said I,.. thon peruse in my face,' "all thou hast uttered, .Wonderful man!...... I re > peated with terror and amazement..... "Wonderful man!... Who art thou ?" "Not what you suppose me...... more than I appear....Thou,...Peregrine.....hast long been the slave of "delusion.......It is time thy under " standing was unfolded, that thou mightest comprehend the language of truth.....I said I was thy good "Genius......Such would I be to thee 513 .though in reality a poor mortal "like thyself.....But, with the assistance of him I serve......I may be "instrumental to thy salvation." Conceive, dear Lucian, my situation all this time.....Nothing could exceed my astonishment......to find an entire stranger familiar with the history of my life, and that, at a period, when it was wrapt up in mystery from all the world... reading my very thoughts......... principles....................and 126 wishes, with perfect facility....All this you will confess to have been very extraordinary.......and could only be reconcileable from his being actually my Genius........Still I was not free from suspicion.....and his discourse..... though marvellous......failed in the impression he intended it should have made on me........He saw it. are "I do not wonder".....he added.... "that thou hast shaken off the fetters "of credulity.........Nothing in this "world is what it has the appearance " of being ....... though to such as enlightened all things appear what they really are......Self is an hieroglyphic which few study;........and "fewer still, learn to unsolve.....Man "understands all things better than "himself.....He resembleth the infant son of a king......who, exposed to perish, in his cradle, is miraculously "saved by a benevolent shepherd...... ແ "he pursues his humble lot, unconscious of his exalted origin....Doth the blind man behold the beauties' of the all-cheering sun?!... Doth "the beggar benefit by a knowledge "that the bowels of the earth are "laden, with riches?....Man considers lif his all.......But it is nothing. The moment passes, ere mortals "are aware that it is come..... .Time "follows on time, as the rolling 66 wave mingles with its comrade. ...But there is a futurity!. "Oh! that mankind would reflect on that!..... of heaven. ...Oh! that the trumpet the dead...Which is to awaken would proclaim to the ears of the living... that there is a futurity pregnant with all things. This exhortation from the Stranger was delivered with devout enthusiasm.....I was particularly attentive d but had not courage to ask what it |