The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-03-25
From Ia Belle Assemblee

/ . '""aiu i.eIu iieIbefi, III lhhfhufY. =
! distinguished warrior, statesman, aud nli-
losopher, who served his king, James /. of
England, with 50 much zeal In the field,
aud cabinet of France, gives tins extraor-
! d'nary account of supernatural intimation
with which he was favored while Ambas
sador at Paris.
Ny book, having been begun by me
m England, and formed there in all its
| principal parts, was finished IN France. -
Al my spare hours which could get from
my visits and negotiations being emnlo,ed
To perfect this work as soon rs II was
done, | communicated it IL Hugo Grotius,
the great scholar, who, having escaped his
prison in The Low Countries, came into
Franco aud was welcomed by me and
/ Monsieur flelpers also, aaother of the
most famous critics of Chris,endom. Al
ter these two had peruSrd il, and given il
more Communications than is fl for me In
repeat, they earnestly cxhorled me 10 print
and publish il howbeil, rs my whele book
was 50 different from any thing which had
been written heretofore ON the same NOR
al subjects, found must either renounce
what ! had now written concerning the
method ot finding out truth, or hazard my
sell 10 general ccnsure concerning the
whole argument of my book.
must confess it did not a little an
innate me, that the two persons above
mentioned made exceptions 10 this aniici-
pated general rcpugnance, and did so high
~ value ii; yet ms knew it would meet
with much opposition, did consider VINE
ther 1t were not better for me a while IN
suppress it. Being thus doubtful, and in
my chamber one FAR day in summer, my
easement being opened towards the south,
the sun shining clear, and no wind stirring
| took my book in my hand, and knceling
on my knees dcsonlly, said these words ,
% thou eternal God, author of the light
which now shines upon me, and givor Of
all inward llluminatops, | do heseech thee
thy infinite goodness 10 pardon greater
request than sinner ought Ia make
am not satisfied enough whether shall
publish this book. II it be for Thy glory,
| besrech thee give me some sign from
heaven If mol | shall suppress il!
81 had no sooner spoken these words.
than loud, though yet gentle noise, came
from the heavens, for ii was like nothing
on earthly which did SO comfort and cheer
me, that took my petition as granted,
and that had the sign demanded, where
upon resolved 10 print my book. This,
(how strange sueser IT may stem) pro-
test before the eternal God, is true , nci-
Their am any way supcrstltlously deceived
herein, since | did not only clearly hear
the noise, but in the serenrst sky HAT ever
| saw, being all without cloud and did,
"A think tb.. r,lapn al I
sound came.o
Whatever this extraordinary noise may
have been, whether Il supernatural sign,
given especially from the heavens, in an
swcr 10 his prayer or an ideal impression
on his senses, created by the ,isidncss of
imagination or natural but ncNplcahlc
sound, issuing from some in, sible contact
of the elements ii AT least proves the all
mirable principle Of EWard Lord Herbert,
that whatever he would give to The world
shoald he 10 the glary of the giscr OF all
genus, wisdom, aud abilities. Did this
spirit more influence our modern writers
Of every descriptions, we should not have
SO much false philosophy, so many almost
lIberIlne works OF fancy pouring hom the
press.
drew near his lasf mon1cnts IN the hltt,r-
ness of a conscious urryersion Of ms gen,-
u.s. he groaned aloud, and declared thai il
was thc mennrv az tho #l,aLt .,o,os in his
nL,ys which -; 60 ho,y2 an his uartiao
snT Tie wamIJ Give ,o,lIs h. yr;5 To- -
rno,,,;, 81 ,,,asa ,,',J,.l,,I ,lra
tn tho a,n,ns - ''''''o f''''''' >''''
r, could H., ,,.,Il ;r.,,.,, ,r,;,o. ~
rha. h;s ,,,.,, Va ,,na. -. ho,,
.o,Jd se.'a, ,ho J.. $500
80 ., | :, ','',ss n"a ~ - "',i, - w.
ast ST. hnns ~ his fra u; ~ n" ,.,,a'. 80 ,o
20 io,th ban no M VI '''o ''''0'P''''0'
a.d ii2.t.,., 80. - ~ ,...,.,.s
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