ROMANCE AND RELIGION. 223 



guiltless disposition, but to balance its disadvantages, 

 he beholds himself as a god in that world. He sees 

 himself a conqueror over all those whom he hates or 

 fears, and an object of admiration to all those whom he 

 loves. Such are the dreams of romance, and him who 

 indulges in such we term romantic. The people of the 

 world, who in general do not abound in good nature, 

 make his folly the butt of their ridicule, and the realities 

 of life, which to a man of this cast are misfortunes, are 

 sure to make sport of it. But religion is the truth of 

 romance. It promises more than hope does, and it 

 performs all that it promises. We are given to know 

 with assurance that our eyes have never seen, neither 

 have our hearts conceived, a blessedness equal to that 

 which God has prepared for those that love him. The 

 glories of heaven are too bright for our conceptions, but 

 this we know, that in the future world we shall associate 

 with none except the good, and that we shall love them, 

 and be beloved by them. This is just a fulfilment of 

 the highest promise which hope gives the visionary. In 

 heaven we shall also hold close communion with God. 

 There is nothing like this in all the provinces of romance. 

 We know, too, that in heaven misfortune shall have no 

 place, and that we shall be there triumphant over all 

 that we now fear and all that is evil, over death, and 

 hell, and temptation. As for fame, we are assured that 

 there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repent eth. 

 " Well done, good and faithful servant," is the address 

 of the Omnipotent to the man who by his works has 

 glorified His name. I need not follow this subject 

 further ; I have said enough to show what I mean, by 

 saying that romance is the shadow of religion and 

 religion the truth of romance. 



' Religion, my dear friend, is a very different thing 



