574 THE MOUNTAIN. 



in those days made as they are now, with three, four, or five 

 coats ?* and were they supplied with the same arrangement of 

 fountains of gastric solvents which they reveal to the patient 

 eye of the naturalist, in these profane days of scalpels and mi- 

 croscopes ? Was the bread of the primal fathers perpetually 

 sweet ; were their steaks constantly well cooked ; were they 

 habitual drinkers or cold water men; and had they books 

 written on " protracted indigestion?" Here are quarries to 

 dig in, and the devoted sage may gaze into the dim distance 

 long and ardently, before the anatomy and physiology of the 

 stomach and loins of that wonderful man Methuselah shall 

 be clearly made out,' and scientifically arranged with pic- 

 torial illustrations, for the edification of school-boys. Shall 

 a truer philosophy and a more profound science yet explain 

 the longevity of the patriarchs, and restore the purple light 

 of this early dawn of the world, whose story comes to us 

 embalmed in heavenly fragrance ? Does deep wisdom lie 

 concealed in the sacred myths of departed races ? Is the 

 letter of their legend absolute fact, or fable, flesh and blood 

 verity, or symbolical shadow ? The history of the immortal 

 youth of the primeval man, the story of his soundness and 

 strength, his happiness and purity, does not belong exclu- 

 sively to the wondrous race of prophets and poets. 



The constant presence of these traditions in the early life 

 of all nations is a most significant fact. For all the tribes 

 of men have had dreams and fables of golden ages de- 

 parted, of paradises they had somehow lost, of falls from 

 higher and better worlds. They have all inherited sad and 

 mournful legends of regions of purity and bliss from which 

 ruthless and tyrannical powers had driven them, days of in- 

 nocence and joy, whose light and glory had forever departed. 

 These stories of heaven, these visions and dreams of the 

 celestial, are shadowed forth in the dim dawn of the world 

 in all religions, in all poetries. They are the first spring 



* Malpighi divided the stomach into three coats, \Vinslow into 

 four, and Heister into five. 



