The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1826-06-29

had 1t Shonc with ITS usual lOStre, the seas,
land and forests, that l belived to exist i'll it
would have been all distincly VISIBLE. AS
it was, it had no longer the fair round shape
that had so often gazed on with wonder.
The few rays of light that it seemed thrown
from hollow and highland-from rocks and
from rugged declvities. 1t glared on me
like monstrous inhabitant of the air, and as
shuddered beneath its broken light, Il fancied
that it was descending nearer to the earth,
until it scanned to settle down and crush me
slowly andheavily to nothing.
turned from that terrible moon. and my
eyes rested on stars and on planets, studded
more thckly than imagination can conceive.
They too were larger and redder, and dark
er than they had been, and they shone more
steadily through the clear darkness of the
mysterious sky. They did not twinkle with
varying and silvery beams-tney were rath-
er like little balls of smouldering fire, strug
Cling with suffocating atmosphere for ex-
istence.
started up with loud cry of despair-E
felt as if had been dclrious-mad-Ithr threw
myself again on the fat rock and again closed
my eyes to shut out the dark fancies that OH
every side seemed to assail me-a thousand
wild ideas whred through my brain-l was
dying-I was dead-I had perished at the
mouth of that mossy cave-I was in the land
of spirits-mvself spirit, and awaiting fur
final doom in one of the worlds that ! had
seen sparkling around me. No, no-I had
not felt the pangs of dissolution, and my rea-
son seemed to recall unto me all that / had
suffered, and all that had endured-I re-
pcated the list Of my miseries-it was per-
fect-but death was not there.
I was delirious-in mad fcver-I felt
helpless and weak, and the thought flashed
across nv mind that there was left to die
alone, and to struggle and fight with death
in utter desolation cave was known to
none to save me, and as imagined in my
delirium-to one fair being whom had loved
and who had visited my cave as the messen-
ger off joy and gladness. Then all the un-
connected imaginations OF dream came
rushing into my mind, and overwhelming me
with thoughts of guilt and sorrow-intlistincs-
ly marked out and darkly understood, but
pressing into my soul with all the freshness
of recent fact-and shrieked in agony; tor
thought that had murdered her, my meek
and innocent love, and that now with my
madness was expiating the tou'ness OF my
crime.-No, no, no-these visions passed
away, and knew that had not been guilty
but thought-and shook with strong
thought that had sunk to sleep in her arms
and that the last sounds that heard were
the sweet murmurs of her voice. MercTful
heavens she too is dead-or she too has de-
serted me-ny shrieks, my convulsve agony
would else have aroused her. But no-l
shook off these fancies with strong effort,
and again hoped. Iprayed that l might
still be asleep, and still only suffering from
the pressure Of an agonizing dream. reused
myself called forth all my energies, and
again opened my eyes, and again saw he
moon and the stars, and the unnatural heav-
en- glaring on me through the darkness of the
night, and again overpowered with the strong
emotions that shook my reason. fell to the
ground in swoon.
When | recovered, the scene was new.
The moon and stars had set, and the sun had
arisen but still the same dark atmosphere,
and the same mysterious sky. AS yet, l
saw not the sun, for my face was not in the
direction of his rising. My courage was, how-
ever revived, and began to hope that alb
had been but one of the visions OF the night.
But when raised my head and looked a
round, | was --distracted-I had.
lain down in woody and romantic glen
look ed around for the copse and hazel that
had sheltered mel looked for the clear
wild stream that fell in many a cascade from
the rocks--I listened for the song of the
birds, and strained my ear to catch one sound
of life or animation no tree reared Its
green boughs to the morning sun-all was
Silent, and lone, and goomy-nothing was
there but grey rocks, that seemed fast has
tening to decay, and the old roots of all the
immense trees that seemed to have grown,
f1ourshed, and died there.
/ raised myself slowly and fearfnliy from
earth, and at length stood upright. There
| stood unscathed by time fresh and vgor-
GUS as when l last walked on the surface of
a green and beautiful world-my frame AS
firmly knit, and my every limb as active as
if a few brief hours, instead of many long
years, had witnessed me extended ON that
broad platform of rock.
At first a sudden CLEAN Of joy broke on my
soul, when thought that here stood, un-
harmed bv time-that at least had lost no.
thing of life by the wonderful visitation that
had befallen me.
felt as if could fly away from this scene
of devastation, and in other climes seek for
fresher skies and more verdant wales. A.
las! alas soon and easily gained the top Of
the rising bank, and fixed my eyes on the
wide landscape of a dcsolate and unpeoped
world. u Desc
lation! Desolaton l knew that it was to
be dreaded as fearful and terrible thing,
and l had felt the sorrows of lone and