derstruck, or as if I had seen an apparition.1 I listened, I looked round me. I could hear nothing, nor see anything. I went up to a rising ground to look farther. I went up the shore and down the shore; but it was all one, I could see no other impression but that one. I went to it again to see if there were any more, and to observe if it might not be my fancy; but there was no room for that, for there was exactly the very print of a foot, toes, heel, and every part of a foot. How it came thither I knew not, nor could in the least imagine. 2. But after innumerable fluttering thoughts, like a man perfectly confused, and out of myself, I came home to my fortification. I did not feel, as we say, the ground I went on, but was terrified to the last degree, looking behind me at every two or three steps, mistaking every bush and tree, and fancying every stump at a distance to be a man. It is not possible to describe how many various shapes an affrighted2 imagination represented things to me in, how many wild ideas were formed every moment in my fancy, and what strange, unaccountable whimseys3 came into my thoughts by the way. 3. When I came to my castle, for so I think I called it ever after this, — I fled into it like one pursued: whether I went over by the ladder, as first contrived, or went in at the hole in the rock, which I called a door, I cannot remember; for never frighted hare fled to cover,4 or fox to earth, with more terror of mind than I to this retreat. 4. I had no sleep that night: the farther I was from the occasion of my fright, the greater my apprehensions were; which is something contrary to the nature of such things, and especially to the usual practice of all creatures in fear. But I was so embarrassed with my own frightful ideas of the thing, that I formed nothing but dismal imaginations to myself, even though I was now a great way from it. 5. In my terror, I thought it might be a device of Satan himself, but a few moments' reflection relieved me of that delusion. And I then came to the conclusion that it must have been the work of some of the savages of the main land over against me, who had wandered out to sea in their canoes, and, either driven by the currents or by contrary winds, had made the island, and had been on shore, but had gone away again to sea, being as loath, perhaps, to stay on this desolate island as I would have been to have had them. 6. While these reflections were rolling in upon my mind, I was very thankful not to have been thereabouts at that time, and that they did not see my boat, by which they would have concluded that some inhabitants had been in the place, and perhaps have searched farther for me. Then terrible thoughts racked my imagination, about their having found my boat, and thus learned that there were people here; and that, if so, they would certainly come again in greater numbers, and devour And if they did not find me, yet they would find my enclosure, destroy all my corn, carry away all my flock of tame goats, and I should perish at last for mere want. me. 7. How strange a checker-work 10 of Providence is the life of man! and by what secret differing springs are the affections hurried about, as differing circumstances present themselves! This was exemplified 11 in me at this time in the most lively manner imaginable; for I, whose only affliction was, that I seemed banished from human society, that I was alone, shut in by the boundless ocean, cut off from mankind, and condemned to what I call a silent life, should now tremble at the very thought of seeing a man, and be ready to sink into the ground at but the shadow, or silent appearance, of a man's having set his foot on the island. 1 AP-PA-RÏ"TION. A ghost; a spectre. 4 COVER. The retreat of a hare or a fox; 5 ĂP-PRE-HEN'SIONS. Fears; dread. 7 DE-LU'SION. A false belief; an illu sion. 8 LOATH (lōth). Unwilling. 9 RACKED. Tortured; tormented. 10 CHECK'ER-WORK (-würk). Work hav- XVII.A PARABLE1 1. ONE day in spring, Solomon, then a youth, sat under the palm trees in the garden of the king, his father, with his eyes fixed on the ground, and absorbed in thought. 2. Nathan, his preceptor, went up to him, and said, Why sittest thou thus, musing3 under the palm trees?" 3. The youth raised his head, and answered, “Nathan, I am very desirous to behold a miracle." 4. "A wish," said the prophet, with a smile, "that I had myself when I was young." 5. And was it prince. granted?" hastily asked the came to 6. "A man of God," answered Nathan, me, bringing in his hand a pomegranate seed. Ob 4 serve, said he, what this seed will turn to! He then made a hole in the earth, and put the seed into the hole, and covered it. Scarcely had he drawn back his hand, when the earth parted, and I saw two small leaves shoot forth. But no sooner did I perceive them than the leaves separated, and from between them rose a round stem, covered with bark; and the stem became every moment higher and thicker. 7. 66 The man of God then said to me, 'Take notice.' And while I was looking, seven shoots issued from the stem, like the seven branches on the candlestick of the altar. I was amazed,5 but the man of God bade me be silent, and attend. Behold,' said he, 'new creations will soon make their appearance.' 8. "He then brought water in the hollow of his hand, from the stream which flowed past, and lo! all the branches were covered with green leaves, so that a cooling shade was thrown around us, together with a delicious odor. Whence,' said I, 'is this perfume amid the refreshing shade?' 'Seest thou not,' said the man of God, the scarlet blossom, as, shooting forth from among the green leaves, it hangs down in clusters?' 9. I was about to answer, when a gentle breeze played in the leaves, and strewed the blossoms around us, as the autumnal blast scatters the withered foliage. No sooner had the blossoms fallen than the red pomegranates appeared suspended among the leaves, like almonds on the staff of Aaron.* The man of God then left me in profound amazement.” *This alludes to the miracle described in Numbers xvii. 8, by which the rod or staff of Aaron was made to bear the blossoms and fruit of the almond tree. 10. Nathan ceased speaking. "What is the name of the godlike man?" asked Solomon, hastily. "Doth he yet live? Where doth he dwell?" 11. "Son of David," replied Nathan; "I have related to thee a vision." 12. When Solomon heard these words, he was troubled in his heart, and said, "How canst thou deceive me thus?" 13. "I have not deceived thee, son of David," rejoined Nathan. "Behold, in thy father's garden thou mayst see all that I have told thee. Doth not the same thing take place with every pomegranate, and with other trees? 14. "Yes," said Solomon, "but by degrees, and in a long time." 15. Then Nathan answered, "Is it therefore the less a divine work, because it takes place slowly and silently? There are no miracles that do not proceed from God. When he reveals himself only in the ordinary course of nature, we do not fully realize that he is the sole source of all we witness. It is only when he reveals his power in manifestations not in the ordinary course of nature that we cry, 'A miracle!' If that which is now so familiar because it is so constant, were rare or occasional, we should then see in every manifestation of divine power an actual miracle." 1 PXR'A-BLE. A short tale or fable designed to illustrate and enforce moral or religious truth. : AB-SÖRBED' Engaged wholly. MÜŞ'ING. Thinking closely, or intensely. 4 POME-GRAN'ATE. A tree and its fruit. Deep. 7 BY DE-GREEŞ'. Little by little; step by step. |