OF MOON-l.IGIIT MUSINGS. 211 



makes even these his abject slaves, and they wear away minu and body 

 in his service. Their fair and ingenuous brows lower and corrugate, 

 their hearts become as dry as ashes beneath the converged Sirius 

 rays of selfishness. They soon ascertain that friendship is a com- 

 modity, worth but little in the great bustling mart of traffic in which 

 they drudge. You may sometimes, (although I hope but rarely,) 

 meet such a College companion after a long absence, and how cold is 

 his greeting ■ how uninviting the glance of his calculating eye ; how 

 totally transformed does this Ralph Nickleby of the world appear from 

 the warm-hearted, generous, confiding youth, such as you had formerly 

 known him. It is this change which pierces the tender heart most pun- 

 gently ; to feel, to know that he, upon whom 300 had expended the 

 wealth of your affections, and who in return you were confident once 

 repaid it, has now suffered other idols to be set up in the room of your 

 displaced image ; that he, who vowed eternal love and remembrance, 

 who strained you to his throbbing bosom in an agony of grief, whose 

 bitter tears at parting commingled with yours, over whom though far 

 distant you have thought of by day and dreamed of by night, oh I 'tis a 

 horrid thought that lie has forgotten you ! But there are constant hearts, 

 which are only purified by the fiery ordeals through which they pass — 

 are only confirmed and strengthened by the temptations that assail them. 

 Thus musing alone, I strolled until one by one the lights were ex- 

 tinguished ; all except one, and that shed a hazy light around the very 

 room I had formerly occupied. The desire seized me of seeing in what 

 hands it had fallen. Accordingly ascending 1 proceed along the aisle, 

 when, to my surprise, 1 see a ghostly figure flit stealthily and noislessly 

 before me, casting back most suspicious glances at me. What can this 

 be ? At first a strange sort of a grave yard shudder began to creep chill- 

 ingly o'er me, inclining "each particular hair" to be independent of its 

 neighbors, as I heard far down that long, dark, viewless passage, a low 

 suppressed whisper, aye, and thought I could even see the saucer eyes 

 and malicious grin of uncouth goblin forms. But sage memory soon 

 repossessed me of my usual courage, causing me to consider that which 

 was alarming me rather as a compliment to my appearance — they had 

 only suspected I might be some one in authority. I approach the door 

 and knock; a strange voice comes forth from within — 1 enter, but there 

 is no warm and cordial reception from the inmates. With a cold and 

 distant bow, they invite me to be seated on a remnant of the same old 

 chair in which, years ago, I pursued my lucubrations. Every notch, 

 mark or stain, every letter, figure or hieroglyphic carved by my own 

 hand was as familiar to me as mv own dear yister's features'. And it has 



