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and sorrow. I find no good grounds for supposing that he ought to be either better or worse than he is. I have plunged into a sea of doubt in striving after that knowledge which will never be revealed. Is there nothing wondrous in this strange creature, the native of a globe of earth, which, clad in a thin vestment of air, rushes onwards for ever and ever through the cold lonely immensity? The sun seems to scorn him, the stars mock his poor attempt to fathom the Unfathomable. He would penetrate into the innermost core of being, and would consult the superhuman Intelligences, or the powers of darkness. But all this, you say, is wholly useless, since some chemists of your nation. have found out the component parts of air. That it is practically useless I am willing to admit; I was not arguing a case, but merely stating the condition of mankind; and you who suggested the whole conversation, by wondering how the poise of the earth was preserved, now tell me that the instinct of wonder should now exist no longer, in consequence of modern discoveries. The obese doctors of my day told me much the same; they said that the world was made for the growth of rice, and that I was made to dig it, and that if I worked very hard, some thirty or forty years of my life, and attended Divine Worship at the Temple

of Apis, regularly sacrificing my flocks for the better maintenance of the Divine authority, and the table of the High Priest, and in addition thereto a male ass-as typical of human natureevery alternate year-that if I did these things, which, said our learned doctors, was the very least we poor erring mortals could do-and that if, in addition to these outward observances, I checked all unlawful desires, partook with moderation and frugality the enjoyments of life, reckoning myself amongst the vilest of sinners, and bound the names of the Shepherd kings beneath my sandals, believing in the divinity of Osiris, and reverencing the Isaiac worship-that if I fulfilled all these conditions, I might pass a green old age in the blessed condition of the faithful, and transported with praise and gratitude for the infinite mercies showered down upon me, be gathered to my people in peace, and repose in glory for ever among the Eternal Houses.

"But the higher Instinct told me prouder things -told me while I stood on earth I stood upon an awful place told me that this unknown body, inhabited by wondrous spirits, called Mind, Consciousness, and Passion (and herein I perceived the plurality of my nature), was to run a career glorious or graceless, magnificent or mean, even

as those spirits which inspired it were high or low. The more I pondered this nature the more clearly I perceived that beneath, and within, and around, there existed an immensity and a desolation too terrible to contemplate, and therefore do men wisely forbear such frantic speculations. There was a grateful consolation mingled with these dreams, for I perceived that in knowing the limits of human knowledge I knew more than the orthodox blockheads who taught the people. Moreover, I was aware that I myself was a part of this mystery, and that my creation was among the latest acts of this strange drama. I refuse to accept life on servile conditions. I will judge for myself, useless or not, as it may be. But really I had no will to exercise-the instinct to question usurping all volition. I tried to look through the spiritual world: the air was lurid and gloomy, and through a mist impenetrable to mortal sight, I thought I saw a gorgeous tapestry, surrounding some shadowy and gigantic throne. I cried aloud, but there was no reply. By night-by dayin the glare of sunshine-in the semi-consciousness of sleep-I awaited a whisper, and a response-I had personified the great Cause. The racked and quenchless spirit within, turned back upon itself, baffled and impotent; there was no answer save

In vain,

the echo of its own melancholy voice. In vain,' said that voice. Aye, imagery is vain here-reasoning vain here-superstition, oracle, tradition, all vain here. And men said live merrily, and enjoy life, give thy kind heart scope, respite thyself awhile from these dark questionings, and conform to the common course of humanity. I would not conform, I chose rather to live thus. I enjoyed a stern superiority, and found these thoughts instinct with glory and exaltation.

"And now, if you can give me any solution of these things somewhat better than your last attempt, I shall be happy to hear them."

CHAPTER VII.

"See all our nobles begging to be slaves!
See all our fools aspiring to be knaves!
All, all look up with reverential awe,

At crimes that 'scape or triumph o'er the law;
Whilst truth-worth-wisdom, daily they decry—
NOTHING IS SACRED NOW BUT VILLAINY."

POPE.

THIS old Egyptian had much bewildered an understanding which I had taken the greatest care to perfect according to the true orthodox model, and which I had flattered myself was based upon principles so sound, as to defy all and every contingency. Although his speech by no means abounded in logical sequence, and although he had talked a considerable quantity of nonsense, I was nevertheless compelled to admit that he had, here and there, let fall new thoughts; but he had not used his materials—such as they were-to the best advantage. It is not quite fair to judge of a man only by the amount of nonsense he says, which may be great, but may contain also a few

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