The Nemesis : A Tale Of The Days Of Trajan.

breathed into it the tiny breath of life , ancl set it here to bloom and beautify the spot ? Now seems it not strange to you , Caius , that man in turn should hew his Creator from out a stone or log ? I cannot understand it ?"

"It is not the image that man Avorships , he cannot put the breath of life into the stone or AVood , it is the Great Spirit that man adores . " " Out , out , my simple Caius , it is the stone aud Avoocl they worship , they have no consciousness of the spirit . Go into a temple , do the kneeling ci'OAvds believe the marble Jove to be but stone ?

Not so , that stone is the gocl they worship , not the divine essence that is impalpable , and cannot have a visible representation on earth . You mind the story of the ancient king who caused a temple to be built , and above the portico his name to be

engraved ; so that all the honour of the building might be his . HOAV did the architect obey this command . He cut in the stone his OAVU name , which he then covered with mortar , and upon the mortar wrote the king ' s . Ages rolled on , the

temple stood the admiration of the people , the architect ' s name had passed away , but above the portico still was engraved the king ' s . One day the mortar fell doAvn , and . then upon the solid stone , upon the place where the kings' name

had ^ stood , appeared the architect ' s , and so long as that temple stood , so long did his stand . " " I do not catch your meaning . " "' Tis simple . The name of JoA e and a false theology have been Avritten above the porticoes of

our temples , but the day will come , when the mortar shall fall , and the true builder of the world ' s name appear . Why , in common sense , Avho or Avhat is Jove ?"

" The hither of the go'ds and men . " "And this mighty father , man creates from a blasted pine . Yet what- surety have Ave that Jove or the spirit that is said to be Jove , made man ? None : who then made mau , becomes a

puzzlingquestion . Man carves him from the quarry , a convenient block of marble , which , with cunningeyes , and skilful idea , he cuts into an idol Avith a noble face ; he then prostrates himself before its base , and calls it * god , creative power . ' Ont upon

the mockery ! Is the work of man to be of greater moment , than the man AVIIO carves out the god ! These things have troubled , have perplexed me long . Last night I resolved them thus . I went into my dead father ' s chamber , where the Jupiter is . I bent the knee right reverently to

the god , and spoke to it' if thou art a god , speak to me , ' I cried ; but no speck of animation crossed the polished stone , and stone aud but stone it was . I mocked it , laughed at it , scoffed at it . Well , the patientgod bore it meekly , gently , nnmovingiy . It did not frown me clown . At len . o-th I struck

it . What think yon , my Caius , was its revenge ?" " You terrify me , Adrian . " " Why this great Jovo , this mighty vanquisher of Titans , did naught . No , neither spoke- nor

froAvnecl , nor gathering rage , dashed me to earth . It bore all meekly , very calm . ' What , shall I take this for a god , ' I cried , ' never ! ' and at that Avord I spurned the idol with my foot , and the mighty godship tottered to the ground , and smashed into a thousand fragments . "

" What Avould the priests say to thine act ? " The priests , these chill dotards , Avhining curs around the altar's shame , Avhat care I for them !" " Adrian , art thou mad ?" "Mad ! not I ; no madness in mine actions .

Philosophy , no simpering , puling wench , Caius , but a Gorgon stern and resolved—has taught me that much Avisdom , as to contemn these foolish fancies of the priests , and that a greater power than stocks ancl stones doth rule this Avorld of

ours . Pah ! lam sick of the dead stuff , and fain would drink of purer streams than those tainted Avaters of our popular faith . Life Avould be too poor a sacrifice for knowledge of other , and better things . Oh Caius , my cousin Caius , I desire to

know , I long more ardently for that knowledge than ever lover did for the lip of his lady ; the knoAvledge of that higher power at Avhose commands flash forth the sheeted lightnings , speed out across the earth the grim shadows of disease , and [ tremble the hearts of men at the ominous

light of fire blazing atliAvart the heaven . Yes , I Avould fain know the will of Him at Avhose nod the seas roar ; the floAYers bud , fade and die ; and mau falls like the sickened leaves fore Autumn ' s Avinds . These are the truths which can alone

make man sublime , and not the follies of an unknoAvn creed . " Where is this knoAvledge to be found ?" "Who knows , it may come upon us Avhen AVO least expect it . But come , I have tried thy

patience , and and tired thee Avith my fancies . If thou can ' st find me a tough spear amongst these heedless hunters , I care not if for once I try hoAV my heart beats at the tusks of a boar . "