h&AftINO AND 6GEtK0, A VtStOM. 241 



" Then crowned again, their golden harps they took 

 Harps ever tuned, that glittered by their side ; 

 Like quivers hung, and with preamble sweet 

 Of charming symphony, they introduce 

 The sacred song, and waken raptures hieh, 

 No one exempt, no voice but well could join 

 Melodious part, such concord is in Heaven." 



And let it be recollected (though indeed it cannot be forgotten), that 

 but for the sense of hearing, this sublime pleasure would totally be lost ; 

 this refiner of joy, and sweet alleviator of son-ow, would be denuded of 

 its power to charm. But there is another pleasure, though not so 

 intense as that of music, yet not less conducive to our happiness — I mean 

 the pleasure of conversational intercourse. Oh ! the unspeakable delight 

 of pouring forth all our joys, and all our sorrows, upon the bosom of a 

 friend, listening to the soft and soothing accents of sympathy and 

 condolence, and finding all the warm feelings of our heart and soul 

 expand in the reciprocal flow of colloquial delight. And poetry, lovely 

 poetry, imagine the pleasure of listening to the inspired effusions of the 

 noble bard, as he draws forth from the rich store-house of his 

 imagination, those splendid treasures, whose beauty is so captivating to 

 all. Or, without descending to particulars, " look abroad through 

 nature," think of all her pleasant words, the morning carols of the 

 birds — the bleating of the sheep — the whistle of the shepherd — the 

 song — the laugh of the merry milkmaid — the noise, the stir, the hum of 

 life, when nature awakens from her slumber, and shows signs of 



returning animation. Or think of the great, the ineffable" Here 



Reason intimated that the allotted time was expired, and called upoii the 

 Sense of Seeing to proceed ; who immediately addressed her in these 

 words : — 



" Sweet, to be sure, are the carols of the birds, and the returning 

 sounds of life, and the hum of men, and the voice of nature ; but 

 sweeter far is the sight of nature's self, when, arousing from her in- 

 animate repose, and flinging aside the mantle of night, she starts again 

 into life, fresh, fair, and lovely, burnished with the golden tints of the 

 morning sun, and the dew-drops like so many pearls glittering upon her 

 bosom, and bearing one universal aspect of joy and loveliness, like a 

 bride upon her wedding-day. Oh ! the magnificence of this resurrection 

 of nature from the tomb of night ; there are the first faint streaks of 

 morning dappling the horison, — the gray-liveried precursors or out- 

 riders of her coming, the other and brighter streams of radiance rolling 

 across the sky, tell now the sun ' apparent all' — 



' Looks forth in boundless majesty abroad. 

 And sheds the shining day,tliat burnished, plays 

 On rocks and hills, and tower, and wandering streams, 

 High gleaming from afar .' 



" How much better to be able to range with me over the boundless 

 sweep of earth and heaven, one vast and dazzling panorama of brilliancy, 

 than to be listening to the sweetest sounds that ever charmed the ear, 

 while all around is wrapped in essential gloom. Sweet arc the soft 

 and soothing accents of friendship ; but sweeter far ia it to gaze upon 



