Miscellany: How It Strikes A Stranger

Iñ a remote period of antiquity, when the supernaíural and tho marvellous obtained a readier credene.e than now, it was fabled that a stranger of extraordinary appearance was'observed pacing the strects of one of the magnificent cities of the east, remarking with an eye of intelligent curiosity every surrounding object. Sevcral individuals gathered around him. questioning him concerning bis country, mid his business; but they prcsently pcrceived thathe was unacquainted with tboir language, and he discoveredhimself to be equally ignorant of the most common usages of society. At the same time, the dignky and in.telligence of hisair and dertteanor forbade the idea of his being either a barbarían or a lunatic. When at length he understoodby their signs, that they wishcd to be informed whence he carne, he pointed with great significance to the sky; upon which the crowd, concluding him to be one of their deities.were proceeding to payliim divine honors; but heno soonercomprehended their design, than he rejected it with horror; and bonding his knees and raising his hands towards heaven in the attitude of pra}-er. gave them to understand that he also was a worshipper of the powers abovc. - After a time, it issaid that the mysterious stranger accepted the hospitalitics of one of the nobles of the city; under whose roof hc applied himself with great diligence to the acquirement of the language, in which he made such surprising proficiency, that in a Cew öaye he was able to hold intelligent intercouse witl) those around him, The noble host now resolved to take nn carly opportunity ofsafisfying his curiosity respecting the country and quality of his guest: and upón his cxpressing this desire, the s'ranger assured him that he would answer his inquiries that evening after sunset. Accordingly, as night approached, he led him forth upon thebalconies of the palace,which overlooked the wcalthy and populous city. - Innumerable lights from its busy streets nnd splendid palaccs were now reflected znthe.dark bosomof ils noble river;whcre stately vessels laden with rich merchandise from all parts of, the know world, lay anchored in the port. This was a city in which the voicc of the harp and the viol, and the sound of the millstone wero continually heard; and craftsmen of all kinds of craft wcre there; and the light of a candle was scen in every dwelling; and the voice of the bridegroom andvtho vpice of the bride was heard there. The stranger mused awhile upon the glittering scène, and listened to the confused murmur of mingled sounds. Then suddenly raising his eyes to the starrynment, he nxed them with an exprcssive gaze on the beautiful evening star which was just sinking behind adark grove that surrounded one of the principal temples of the cit} "Marvel not," said hc to his host, "that I ara wont to gaze with fond afïection on yonder silvery star, That was my home; yes,I was lately an inhabitant of that tranquil planetjfrom whence a vain curiosity has tëmptèd mé' to wander. Often had I béhcld with wondering ndmiration, thisbrilliant world of yours, ' ever one of the brighest gems .of our firmament; and the ardent desire I had long feit to kaow something of its condition, was at.length, unexpectedly gratified. I receivedpermission and power from above to traverse tho mighty void, and to direct my cour$' to.-.this distant sphere. To that permission, however, one condition was annexed, to which my cagorness for the enterprise induced me hastily to consent; namely, that 1 must thenceforth remain.an inhabitant of this earth, and un.dergo all the vicissitudes to which its natives are subject. Teil me, therefore, I pray you, what is the lot of man: and.ext plain to me more fully than T y.et understand, all that I hear and seo around me." "Truly, sir," replied the asfonished noble,"although I am altogether unacquainted with the mannèrs and customs,products and privileges of your country, yet, methinks I cannot but congratulate you on your arriviil in our world: cspecially since it has been your good fortune to alight on a part of it afFording such varíons soLirces of cnjoyment as this our opulent and luxurious city. And be assured it will be my pride andpleasure to introduce you to all that is most worthy the attention of such a distinguished foreigner." Our adventurer, accordingly. waspresently initiatedin those arts of luxury and pleasure which were there well understoodv He was introduced by his obliging host-, to their public games and festivals; to their theatrical diversions and convivial assemblies; and in a short time he began to feel some relish for amusemenfs,the mean ing of which at first, he could scarcely compr.ehend. The next lesson which it became desirable to impart to him, was the necessity of acquiring wealth as the only meansof obtaining pleasure. A fact which was no sooner understood by the stranger, than he gratefully accepted the oifer of his friendly host to place him in a situation in which he might imass riches. To this object he began to apply himself with diligence; and wasbecoming in some measure reconciled to the manners and customs of our planet, strangely os they diiTered. from those of his own, wlien an incident occurred which gave an entirely ncw direction to his energies. It was but a íew weeks after his arrival on our earth, when, walking in the cool of the day with his friend in the outskirtsof the city, his attention was arrested by the appearance of a spacious ènclosure near which they passe'd; he inquiredthe use to which it was appropriatcd. "It is," replied the nobléman, "a place pf public in term ent." ':I do not understand you," said the stranger. "It is the place," repeated his friend "wher.e we bury the dead." "Excuse me, Sir. "replied his companion, with some embairrássment, "I must trouble you to explain yourself yet.further." The nobléman repeated the.information in still plainer terms."I am still at a loss to comprehendyou porfectly," said the stranger, turning deadly palo. "This must relate to something of which I was not only totally ignorant in my own world, but of which í have, as yet, had no intirhation in yours. I pray you, thcrcforc, to satisfy my curiosity; for if I have any clue your meaning, this. surely, isa inattor of míghty concernment than any ío which you have hithei-to directcd me." "My good friend," replied the noblcman, you must be indeed a novice amongst ús, if you have yet to learn tliat we must all sooner or later, submit to take. our place in these dismal abqdes; nor will I deny that it is one of the least desirab Ie of the circumstanccs which appertain to Cl our condition; for which reason it is a matter rarely referred to in polished society, and this accounts for yonr boing hitherto uninformed on the subject. But truly, Sir, if the inhabitants óf the place whence you came are not liable to any similar misfortune,I ad vise you to betake yourself back again with all speed; for be assured Ihore is no escape her e; nor could I guarantee your safety for a single hour." ':Alas," rcplüdthe adventurer,!I must submit to tlïe conditions of my enterprise;. of whicb, till now, Í liitle understood the import. But explain tome, I bescech you, something more of the nature and consequences of this wondrous metamorphosis, and at what period it most commonly happens toman." "While lic thus spoke, lus voice faltcred, and his whole frame shook violently; his countenance was pale as doath, and a cold dew stood ia large drops upon his jferp]3ead. By this time his companion, fmding the discourse becoming more scrious than was agreeable, declared that he must.referhim to.-the priests for furtherjnformation; this subject being very rnuch out of hifesopïioviDice.' ''■■-- "How!" exclaimed the stranger, "then I cannot have understood you; - do the priests only die?- are not you to die aliiis tnend, evading these quesüons,hastily conducted his importúnate companion toone of their magnificent temples, where he gladly consigned him to the instructions of the priesthood. The emotion which the stranger hád betrayed when he received the first Idéa ofdeath, was yet slight in comparison with that which he experienccd as soon as he gathered from the discourses of the priests, some notion of immortality, and of tho alternativo of happjness or misery J3 M jin a future state. But this agony of mind was exchanged for transport when he learned, that, by the performance of certain conditions bcfore death, the state of happiness might be secured. His eagerncss to learn the nature of these terms,excitcd the surprise and even contemptof his sacred teachers. They adviscd him to remain satisfied for the present with thé instructions he had received, and to defer the remainder of the discussion till themorrow. "How," cxclaimed the novice, "say you not that death may come at any hour? - may it not then come this hour? - and what if itshould come before I have performed these conditions! Oh! withhokl not this excellent knowledge f rom me a eingle moment!" The priests, suppressing a smile at his simplicity,then proceeded toexplain their Thcology to their attentive auditor; but vho 'shall describo the ecstacy of his happiness when he was given to understand, that the requircd conditions were, generrally, of easy and pleasaht performance; and that the occasional difficulties or inconveniences which might attend them, vvould entircly cease with the short term of his carthly existence. "If then, I understand you rightly." said he to liis ingtructors, "This event .which you cali death, and which seems in itself strangely terrible, is most desirablo and blissful. - What a favor is this which is granted to me. in being sent to inhabit a planet in which I can die!" The priests again exchanged smiles with each other; but their ridicule was wholly lost upon the enraptured stranger. When the first transports of his emotion had subsided, he began to reilect wilh sore uiieasiness on the time he had already lostsince his arrival. "Alas, what have I been doing?" exclaimed he. "This gold which I have been collecting, teil me, reverend priests, will it avail me any thing when the thirty or forty years are expired which, you say, I may possibly sojourn in your planet!" "Nay," replied the priests, "but verily you will find it of excellent use so long as you remain in t." "A very littleofit shall suflice me," replied he; "for consider, how soon this period will bo past; what availsitwhat my condition may be for so short a season? I will betake myself,from this hour, to the grand concerns of .which yon have charitably informed me." . Accordingly, from that period, continúes the legend, the stranger devoted himselftothe performance of those conditions on which, he was told, his future welfare depended; but in sodoing, he had an opposition lo encounter wholly unexpected, and for wh.ich he was even at a loss to account. By thus devoting his chief attention to his chief interests, he excited the surprise, the contempt, and even the cnmity of most of the inhabitants of the city; and they rarely mentioned him but with a term of reproach, which has been variously rendered ia all the modern languages. Nothiug could equal the stranger's surprise at circumstance; as well as that of his, fellow citizens appearing, generally, so extremly indifferent as they did to their own interests. That they have so little prudence and forethought as to provide only for their necessities and pleasures for that short part of their existence in which they were to remain in this planet, he could consider only as the effect of disordered intellect; so that.be even returned their incivilities to himself, with afiectionate expostulation, accompanied by lively emotions of compassion and amazement. If ever he was temnted for a moment to viólate any of the .conditions of .future happiness,.hebewailed his own madness with agonizing emotions; and. to all the invitations he received from others todo any thing inconsistent with his real interests, he had but one answer,- 1:Oh," he would say, "I am to die - I am to