Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1827-10-03

them perish? must minds and hearts be- ann,biIatcd
wn"e tyraniIs endure: Death, death, even on these
everlasting aoie's-the only approach to immortality
'oat kings themselves could purchase -thou hast wri,
Ten our DOOM saying awfully and ineil,ihly There
IS Tor man, no eternal mansion hut the o;nb' NV
"eaFt sunk at the thought; and for the moment |
yielded to that desoste feeling which oyersoreads The
soul that hath no light from The fru:c. But acain
HE houyancy ofmy nature prevailed, and again the
wiling dupe OF vain Dreams dcuded myself into tho,
6ciiei OF all tha most wished with that happy facility
winch makes imagination stand in place of hanp,ness
now true. how natural, and how grand are the
sentiments emoaimed in this quoiaon,-it also finely
ueSe!'oe te character OF the hero and advances the
progress OF the story.
at Memphis lof which there is a noble picu,el The
ienian youth during festiv al OF sos of the Moon
sees IN an extraordinary si:ta ton and falls in ,r
P''es'ess al Isis The tale then procecds-,.Bc,il
dered with the confusion faces and lights as ,vcII &c
"h 'e crouds OF incense 'hat rolled around me- ill
.tVered and impatient, could endure il no longer
oTcfts my way out of the vesiibue tie cool air
hurried bac through :he alley Of sphinxes TO the
shore, and flung myself into my bua There is 20
tie north OF hlempis, solitary lake (which al this
season OF the year. miuglos nth the rest of the waters
Upon whose shores stands the Metropolis or CITY OF
the Dead--a place Of melancholy grandeur, covered
over with shrines and pyramids; where many king,
heal, proud even in DEATH las cor ages awaited he
resurrection Gifts giorIes Throrrh rance of scnrl
chral G'os underneath, The humber denzens of the
tomb are depositedlooliing ont on each successive
generation that visits them, with tile same face and
features they wore centuries ago Every plant and tree
that IS consecrated TO deat, tie asphoiel flower
TO the mystic rsntain lends lis sweetness or shador
10 th'' place OF t"moS; aud the only noise that ds;nrSs
as eterna calm IS the low humning SQUAD of the
priests At prayer, when ul.abitant is added IN
Tue silent CITY Ii was towards this place OF death
tat, IN moo! OF mind, usual half bright half s!co-
my, now, almost unConsciousy, directed my bark
e TORN OF lc young pricstcss continually before
nc That one bright lock Of hGis the very memory
Q" "''oh "as worth all the actual smiles OF Others never
'et my ihnd. Absorbed in such thoughts rowed on
scarce knowing whittier went, till startled by finding
myself within the shallow of the City of Tue Dead i
locked up and saw rising in succession before me-
PYRAMID beyond pyramid, each tOrcring more lofty
than the other--wh;e all wee stopped in grandeur
ny one, upon whose summit the moon seemed TO rest.
as OH pedestal. Drawing By the shore which
was sufficiently elevated, 10 raise this city omoEuncnts
above the level of the inundation lifted my oar and
let The boat rock idly the water while my thourhs
LETT equally without direction, ucua;ed as ilv How
various ana vague were the dreams that then pas5e.
;nr"' my mind-;lat bright vision of H. temple ming
ing Itself with ali, Sometimes she stood before me
Ike an a2r!a! spirit, pure if that element of mu
sic and light, into which had seen her vanish, was
her only dwelling. Sometimes, animated with pas
SON. and kndiing INTO OF earth she seemed
to lean towards me with looks of tenderness, which il
were worth worlds, bat for instant to Inspire and
AGAIN as the dark ances that ever haunted me- recur-
red saw her coIj, parchad, and biackennc anil
The gloom Of those eternal sepulchres before mep
~ this mogiont the lovely object Of his alteration
apnears, and soon after lost among the sepuchras
ana though he reasons admiralty his passion he
mast follow its impulse.
Ito become enanoured ;l.us Of creature Of oyvn
imagination, the because the most Iastipar
eff fo!i'es Reality alone gives chance of dsscyin@
such spells, and ta IDOL was nov creating for u,ysc
must forever remain ideal"
no matter whether this be called the philosophy Of
EpIcurus or OF Plato, it is the philosophy Of nature and
OF truth. Such ove poetry paints and as tho ina
gina: zion owns never be realized BY a human be
'ng for lis realization IS is deruciio lis life and
death occur at the same moment. The hearts that
seemed TO themselves cny 10 need union in order be
utterly blessed begin from that very point tend DIFF
ereDt ways: in the separation may be more wide
in others less; in there may be future approxn
tions but the t'7o lines ordained By inmutable
law to terminate at distance from each other. On
one side the passion may continue fixed, and growing
"ith ITS growth but this appens in the world
so sure docs incoosancy, the other side first dian
and then finally oversadog that fond elson which il
Illuminated the dawnng Of the dream But il is too bold
theme for criticism undertake. especially while
contemplating the traits Of such is now be
tore MS and whose spirit, in fact has betrayed
Fei.ecu2n5 hardly hrcoainG OCT grave Office, AWay!
! A'cphron PeneratcG INTO pyramid, where he dis
covers Aethe the obs OF lis ardent inquiry. She
IS IN chapel, bending over elcss figure entoInbed
~ crystal, whence she raises silver cross and bring
ing it close 10 her lips, size Kissed it Yyiti religious
ieTvor; Then, turning her eyes nournEu upwards held
them liked with inspired carncgtnc5s as if at that
moment, Ill direct communion with heaven they saw
neither root, nor any "tAe: earthly barrier between ei0
and the skies" gain SIG vanishes and the lover els
US, ":our after hour did wander through chat City Of
Siiencc-!iii, already, it noon, and, under the
suns meridian eye ihc mighty pyramid OF pyramids
stood, hike great spirit shaiowlCss.a After a pause
lie says Of himself, like sentinel Of The dead did
pace mp aud down among these tombs, contrasting, in
n'"2Y moHrnfu! reelection, the Burning fever within
my own VEINS with tie cold quiet OF these WHO slept
around"
We are reluctant: compelled 70 pass rapidly over
Acipfon's subsequent adventures Tc-entnriug the
pyramid, where lie fails into the tolls of the crafty
priesthood OF Egypt who Try by means SO magical as
almost 10 be incredible, 10 make the famous Greek PIN
io'opher PTosesie to their false religion. The de
scrlppns OF bis initiation through fire. water and air
and ftle mighty wonders exhibited for the purpose Of
overwhelming his reason, f! OF grandeur and ex
traoTdinary effect. let Of all this we can only quote
B DarTatiUu
~ was 10" preparing 70 rise, Wien the priest again
restrained me- and at the moment t,yo bows beau,
u a. jie Jonng Gem u tie stars entered ihe payil,
i'n. iHey were habcl IN !o1@ garments OF The III.
:c't white ana bore each small golden chaIicg in hi
h"hd advancing towards #ie, thcy stopped on oppo.
sue Sids OF lie couch and one Of item, presenting 10
me 'S cnaiice Of gold, said III tone between singing
and sped6iDg,-