Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-05-18
MISCELLANEOUS.
The following from Dr. Holmes is ingenious
iy beautiful. The knickerbocker says:

The following from Dr.. Holmes is Ingenious
ay beautiful. The knckerbocker says:
ave cam OF confess to any very great conf
dence in photography as 'scence;' but we
ought certainly TO be grateful TO The friend who
pencied in 'phonetcs' the following admirable
passage from lecture by DR.. Oliver Wendell
Holmes. We doubt the proprie,y Of 'cribbing'
lecturers thoughts in this way but we have
got the extract-eyah! e'yah and the doctor
must help HIMSELF Our correspondent believes
il TO be as nearly as possible in the very words
of the lecturer:
Open that volume of enchantment, the Ara
bian Nights to the story Of Prince Ahmed and
tho fairy Pari Banou. The Sultan mas promised
the delicious Princess Nouronnihar-ihe Light
of the Dsy'-in marriage to the one among his
three sons who should bring him The most ex-
traordnary rarity. Houssain finds piece Of
carpet upon which one may be transported in
an instant wherever he desires 10 be, without be-
ing stopped BY any obstacle
Ali purchases tube, which renders visible
the most distant objects or persons, by looking
in at one end of ii. Ahmed obtains an artificial
apple, which cures all sick persons after the
easiest manner in the world, merely by tie pa
TENTS smelling to it.
"They NEE. 10 compare their treasures. Hous-
sain takes Ais tube, desiring 10 see the lovely
princess. She appears, but surrounded ny her
weeping women, AMI almost ready 10 breathe mel
last. The three brothers get instantly upon
Houssa:n's carpet, and are transported 10 her
chamber. Prince Ahmed, says the story, rose
from the tapestry, went 10 the bedside and put The
apple beneath her nostfiis 10 a lew moments
the princess rose and asked 10 be dressed with
the same freedom ana recclecuon, as ii she had
awaked oar OF sound sleep"
THIS is lhe cream Of oriental fancy. AS You
are smiling over Jig childish eylraya2auce a mes
senger suudenly Appeals aud pu's sip oil paper
10 your hand Alas! your own Nouronnihar-
the light OF your day-lar away beyond the fair
Hudson or the broad Susquehanna, IS even now
10 the extremity OF suffering and danger. a
magic as wonderful as ma OF Ais tube, brings
her image before you, and b:ealhes her sigh OF
Anguish upon yonr ear almost as il issues rom
her pale and trembling lips ION Tor the carpet
oil Houssain! IL il before you-a roof over IL,
walls round il, windows 10 them, through which
you see the panorama-ke landscape as you fly
along; rocks and hills, fields and trees flowing IN
broad torrents on each side Of you, IT the great
wave which they say passed over the continent,
were sweeping by you with us whole freight ol
drift and boulters.
You are there. Oh! for the apple of Ahmed 10
soothe The panes that are convulsng the delicate
frame before you. A !,tle flask is placed in your
hand; from It's month exhalcs sweet odor, as II
the richest fruits OF the orchard had yielded all
their perfume. Go 10 her bedside like Ahmed
and lei her inhale lis yi!tues Tor few moments.
The deep burrows of pam grow smooth vi on her
forehead. The knoued limbs relax, and iaIl pas
sive as in slumber. Her lips are noving-they
seem 10 say,
''What is this dssoIves quite,
Steals my senses, shuts my sight,
browns my spirit, draws my breath:
Tell me my soul, can this be deait?''
II may be tnal in this s'ato&y eclipse oi
thought an! sensa.ion In sau-.ed lamp of IA
lure shall be .ealeuisicd, AMI that when The SOU
returns 10 the temple il seems 10 have quilted, il
shall find all its chambers irradiated with the re-
kind ing glow OF lie.
How strange that civilization should call oul
as palpable realities OF our own everyday exist
ence, The creations which were the lille dream Of
story-ellers on the BANKS OF The Bospho,us and