124 ASTRONOMIOAL REVERIE. June 1, 



From the reverberation of rocks that were beyond, a 

 beautiful river that flowed through the meado-.v, echo 

 brought to my delighted ear the mellow wooings of 

 the flicpherd's pipe. 



Beyond the river, the horizon was bounded by a 

 mountain that feemed like the fabled mountain of Par- 

 naffus, but rofe with three conical eminencies, whofe 

 tops were intercepted from my view by the clouds. 



A gentle zephyr raifed a voluptuous fragrance all 

 around me ; and during the intervals of the fliepherd's 

 mufic, I heard the refponfive notes of the wood-lark, 

 the thrufli, and the nightingale. 



An inexprefTible fenfation of pleafure thrilled through 

 my nerves. Then there was an awful celvation of 

 found, and of motion, and a ftlllnefs that gave me the 

 prefage of an earthquake. Then the ruins feemed to 

 fhake below me, and a delightful found of vocal mu- 

 lic, at a diftance, immediately fiicceeded to the fiiock ; 

 and I heard, as it were, the founding of the pinions of 

 gigantic birds. Suddenly I beheld feated befide me, 

 upon the ruins, a young woman of enclianting beauty, 

 who, before I could recover from my aftoniHiment, 

 laid her hands upon my mouth, and upon my eyes, 

 and breathed upon me, when 1 perceived her to be 

 an inhabitant of the cdeftlal regions, yet I was not 

 afraid. 



She looked upon me with divine complacency. 

 Her features were overfpread with all the well- 

 known marks of human Intelligence, but lighted 

 up, and exalted to a degree, that tilled me with the 

 nioft pleahng awe and aftonifhment. 



" My fon, faid fhe, (with a tone,'^accent, and expref- 

 fion, that Is ftill upon my foul), I have been with thee 

 from the beginning of your exiilence, though unfeen ; 

 I hiive been the anxious fpeftator of your warfare 

 with the palllons and prejudices of this ftormy life ; 

 and I congratulate you on the profped: of a fweetly- 

 letting fun, after the fuccefsful bufinefs of the dny. 



