my ear, the prospect vanished from before me, and I found myself again sitting at the porch of the temple. The sun was gone down, the multitude was retired to rest, and the solemn quiet of midnight concurred with the resolution of my doubts, to complete the tranquillity of my mind.

"Such,11 my son, was the vision which the prophet vouchsafed me, not for my 12 sake only, but for thine. Thou hast sought felicity in temporal things, and therefore thou art disappointed. Let not instruction be lost upon thee; but go thy way, let thy flock clothe the naked, and thy table feed the hungry; deliver the poor from oppression, and let thy conversation be above. Thus shalt thou 'rejoice in hope,' and look forward to the end of life as the consummation of thy felicity."

Almet, in whose breast devotion kindled as he spoke, returned into the temple, and the stranger departed in peace.

III.

The Vision of Mirza.

Exhibiting a Picture of Human Life.

On the fifth day of the moon, which, according to the custom of my forefathers, I always keep holy, after having washed myself, and offered1 up my

11 Dieß. See Gram. p. 85. 12 For my sake mir zu Liebe.

1 To offer up verrichten (to perform).

morning devotions,2 I ascended the high hills of Bagdad, in order to pass the rest of the day in meditation and prayer. As I was here airing 3 myself on the tops of the mountains, I fell into a profound contemplation on the vanity of human life; and, passing from one thought to another, "Surely," said I, "man is but a shadow, and life a dream." Whilst I was thus musing, I cast my eyes towards the summit of a rock that was not far from me, where I discovered one in the habit of a shepherd, with a little musical instrument in his hand. As I looked upon him, he applied it to his lips, and began to play upon it. The sound of it was exceedingly sweet, and wrought into a variety of tunes that were inexpressibly melodious, and altogether different from any thing I had ever heard: they put me in mind of those heavenly airs + that are played to the departed souls of good men their first arrival in paradise, to wear 5 out the impressions of the last agonies, and qualify them for the pleasures of that happy place. My heart melted away in secret raptures.

upon

I had been often told that the rock before me was the haunt of a genius, and that several had been entertained with that music who had passed by it; but never heard that the musician had before made himself visible. When he had raised my thoughts by those transporting airs which he played, to taste the pleasures of his conversation, as I looked upon him like one astonished, he beckoned to me, and, by the

waving of his hand directed me to approach the place where he sat. I drew near with that reverence which is due to a superior nature; and as my heart was entirely subdued by the captivating strains I had heard, I fell down at his feet and wept. The genius smiled upon me with a look of compassion and affability that familiarised him to my imagination, and at once dispelled all the fears and apprehensions with which I approached him. He lifted me from the ground, and taking me by the hand, "Mirza," said he, "I have heard thee in thy soliloquies: follow me."

He then led me to the highest pinnacle of the rock, and placing me on the top of it, "Cast thy eyes upward," said he, "and tell me what thou seest." " I see,” said I, “a huge valley, and a prodigious tide of water rolling through it." "The valley which thou seest," said he, "is the vale of misery; and the tide of water that thou seest, is part of the great tide of eternity." "What is the. reason," said I, "that the tide I see rises out of a thick mist at one end, and again loses itself in a thick mist at the other?" "What thou seest," said he, "is that portion of eternity which is called Time, measured out by the sun, and reaching from the beginning of the world to its consummation. Examine now," said he, "this sea that is bounded with darkness at both ends, and tell me what thou discoverest in it." "I see a bridge," said I, "standing in the midst of the tide." "The bridge thou seest," said he, "is human life; consider it at

tentively." Upon a more leisurely

survey of it, 1

found that it consisted of seventy entire arches, with several broken arches, which, added to those that were entire, made up the number to about a hundred. As I was counting the arches, the genius told me, that this bridge consisted at first of a thousand arches, but that a great flood had swept away the rest, and left the bridge in the ruinous condition I now beheld it. "But tell me further," said he, "what thou discoverest on it." "I see multitudes 8 of people passing over it," said I, "and a black cloud hanging on each end of it." As I looked more attentively, I saw several of the passengers dropping through the bridge into the great tide that flowed underneath it; and, upon further examination, perceived there were innumerable trap-doors that lay concealed in the bridge, which 9 the passengers no sooner trod upon, but they fell through them into the tide, and immediately disappeared. These hidden pit-falls were set very thick at the entrance of the bridge, so that throngs of people no sooner broke 10 through the cloud, but many of them fell into them. They grew thinner towards the middle, but multiplied 11 and lay closer together towards the end of the arches that were entire.

There were, indeed, some persons, but their number was very small, that continued a kind of hobbling march on the broken arches, but fell through one

8 Schaaren.

9

Upon which the passengers had scarcely (taum) trodden, when they, &c.

Treten to tread, is a neuter verb.

10 To break brechen, is here to be considered as a neuter verb.

11 Multiplied themselves.

after another, being quite tired and spent 12 with so long a walk.

I passed some time in the contemplation of this wonderful structure. My heart was filled with a deep melancholy, to see several dropping unexpectedly, in the midst of mirth and jollity, and catching at every thing that stood by them to save themselves. Some were looking up towards the heavens, in a thoughtful posture, and in the midst of a speculation, stumbled and fell out of sight. Multitudes were busy in the pursuit of baubles that glittered in their eyes, and danced before them; but often, when they thought themselves within the reach of them, their footing failed, and down they sank. In this confusion of objects, I observed some with scimitars in their hands, and others with dirty vessels, who ran to and fro upon the bridge, thrusting several persons on trap-doors which did not seem to lie in their way, and which they might have escaped had they not been thus forced upon them.

The genius seeing me indulge myself in this melancholy prospect, told me I had dwelt long enough upon it. "Take thy eyes off the bridge," said he, "and tell me if thou seest any thing thou dost not comprehend." Upon looking up, "What mean," said I, "those great flights of birds that are perpetually hovering about the bridge, and settling upon it from time to time? I see vultures, harpies, ravens, cormorants, and, among many other feathered creatures, several little winged boys that numbers upon the middle arches."

12 Erschöpft.

perch in great "These," said