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Article OPTIMISM, A DREAM. ← Page 2 of 2
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Optimism, A Dream.
beings , who requested it not of thee ! Was it only to see them born ; suffer and die ? Misery overruns this world of sorrow , like a tempestuous hurricane , whilst happiness , on the contrary , is as rare and light as the inconstant wing ofthe zephyr . I was indulging this plaintive strain-, when I felt myself raised into the air by an unknown face ; the earth trembled , the heavens flashed with lihtningand mine eye measuredwith dismaythe immense
g , , , space that discovered itself under my feet . I' recollected that I had sinned : I exclaimed , ' pardon O God , p . ; idon a weak creature who adores thee ; but whose heart has been too sensible of the ills of humanity ! ' All . of a sudden I felt my feet stayed upon an unknown soil , I found myself in a profound obscurity ; I remained plunged in this state for some timeand behold a ray of light more rapid and
, piercing than lightning came and dissipated the darkness in which I was enveloped . A genius clothed with six brilliant wings presented himself before me : by the celestial li g ht that shone upon his head , J > y the divine characters impressed upon his radiant countenance , I took him for an angel of heaven . ' Listen , ' said he to me in atone that inspired courage ; 'listen , and no longer , for want of consideration , censure
Providence ; follow me . ' I followed him to the foot of a mountain- , the summit of which pierced the sky . I ascended , or more properlyspeaking climbed up the steep . Represent to your imagination enormous rocks suspended one upon another , which every instant threaten to fall and crush the plains beneath . In the midst of these frightful points of sight , the eye in vain anxiously looked after a tree
or a plant that mig ht recall the remembrance of animated-nature ; but it discovered , however , nothing but a chain of rocks half pulverized by the claps of thunder . I followed my conductor with trembling steps ; and the bowlings of tigers and lions , rendered more frightful by the echo , terrified mine ear ; at every step that I took , I stood in need of this angelic being to support my steps . I saw . on each side of me
, O shocking spectacle I miserable companions , who , endeavouring to scale the rocks , held themselves as it were suspended from their grasp ; but who , soon wearied in theirefforts , staggered , called in vain for assistance , rolled , fell to the bottom , dashed in pieces , and became a prey ofthe tygers , who in vales beneath contended among themselves for the palp itating entrails .
I thought that a like fate awaited myself , when the angel said to me-. * It is thus that Providence punishes ihe rash presumption of mortals . Why will man penetrate into that which is inscrutable ? His first duty is to acknowledge his weakness . A . I 1 things move , invisibly , under the hand of'God ; this God is willing to pardon thee ; nay , he wishes to do more , ' he is desirous of enlightening thee . ' At these words , he touched handand I found myself upon the summit of the hill .
my , What an ' agreeable surprise I the opposite declivity , which we descended , presented to our view a garden at once agreeable and magnificent ; where the verdure , the warbling of birds , the odoriferous perfumes of flowers enchanted all the senses ; a superior chaym there possessed the most indifferent being . [ tO BE o 0 ST-NLED . ]
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Optimism, A Dream.
beings , who requested it not of thee ! Was it only to see them born ; suffer and die ? Misery overruns this world of sorrow , like a tempestuous hurricane , whilst happiness , on the contrary , is as rare and light as the inconstant wing ofthe zephyr . I was indulging this plaintive strain-, when I felt myself raised into the air by an unknown face ; the earth trembled , the heavens flashed with lihtningand mine eye measuredwith dismaythe immense
g , , , space that discovered itself under my feet . I' recollected that I had sinned : I exclaimed , ' pardon O God , p . ; idon a weak creature who adores thee ; but whose heart has been too sensible of the ills of humanity ! ' All . of a sudden I felt my feet stayed upon an unknown soil , I found myself in a profound obscurity ; I remained plunged in this state for some timeand behold a ray of light more rapid and
, piercing than lightning came and dissipated the darkness in which I was enveloped . A genius clothed with six brilliant wings presented himself before me : by the celestial li g ht that shone upon his head , J > y the divine characters impressed upon his radiant countenance , I took him for an angel of heaven . ' Listen , ' said he to me in atone that inspired courage ; 'listen , and no longer , for want of consideration , censure
Providence ; follow me . ' I followed him to the foot of a mountain- , the summit of which pierced the sky . I ascended , or more properlyspeaking climbed up the steep . Represent to your imagination enormous rocks suspended one upon another , which every instant threaten to fall and crush the plains beneath . In the midst of these frightful points of sight , the eye in vain anxiously looked after a tree
or a plant that mig ht recall the remembrance of animated-nature ; but it discovered , however , nothing but a chain of rocks half pulverized by the claps of thunder . I followed my conductor with trembling steps ; and the bowlings of tigers and lions , rendered more frightful by the echo , terrified mine ear ; at every step that I took , I stood in need of this angelic being to support my steps . I saw . on each side of me
, O shocking spectacle I miserable companions , who , endeavouring to scale the rocks , held themselves as it were suspended from their grasp ; but who , soon wearied in theirefforts , staggered , called in vain for assistance , rolled , fell to the bottom , dashed in pieces , and became a prey ofthe tygers , who in vales beneath contended among themselves for the palp itating entrails .
I thought that a like fate awaited myself , when the angel said to me-. * It is thus that Providence punishes ihe rash presumption of mortals . Why will man penetrate into that which is inscrutable ? His first duty is to acknowledge his weakness . A . I 1 things move , invisibly , under the hand of'God ; this God is willing to pardon thee ; nay , he wishes to do more , ' he is desirous of enlightening thee . ' At these words , he touched handand I found myself upon the summit of the hill .
my , What an ' agreeable surprise I the opposite declivity , which we descended , presented to our view a garden at once agreeable and magnificent ; where the verdure , the warbling of birds , the odoriferous perfumes of flowers enchanted all the senses ; a superior chaym there possessed the most indifferent being . [ tO BE o 0 ST-NLED . ]