heard them not; he was insensible to all external objects, until he had
imperceptibly wandered to the rock on the point of the beach, verging
the Sound, to which he had attended Melissa the first time he saw her at
her cousin's.[C] Had the whole artillery of Heaven burst, in sheeted
flame, from the skies--had raging winds mingled the roaring waves with
the mountains--had an instantaneous earthquake burst beneath his feet,
his frame would not have been so shocked, his soul so agitated!--Sudden
as the blaze darts from the electric cloud was he aroused to a lively
sense of blessings entombed! The memory of departed joys passed with
rapidity over his imagination; his first meeting with Melissa; the
evening he had attended her to that place; her frequent allusions to the
scenery there displayed, when they had traversed the fields, or reclined
in the bower on her favourite hill; in fine, all the vicissitudes
through which they had passed, were called to his mind. His fancy saw
her--felt her gently leaning on his arm, while he tremblingly pressed
her hand.--Again he saw smiling health crimsoning the lilies of her
cheek; again he saw the bright soul of sympathetic feelings sparkling in
her eye; the air of ease; the graces of attitude; her brown locks
circling the borders of her snowy robe. Again he was enraptured by the
melody of her voice.--Once more would he have been happy, had not fancy
changed the scene. But, alas! she shifted the curtain. He saw Melissa
stretched on the sable hearse, wrapped in the dreary vestments of the
grave; the roses withered; the lilies faded; motionless; the graces
fled; her eyes fixed, and sealed in the glaze of death! Spontaneously he
fell upon his knees, and thus poured forth the overcharged burden of his
anguished bosom.

[Footnote AB: Local names given to certain American insects, from
their sound. They are well known in various parts of the United
States; generally make their appearance about the latter end of
August, and continue until destroyed by the frost. The notes of
the first are hoarse, sprightly, and discordant; of the last,
solemn and mournfully pleasing.]

[Footnote C: See page 8. See also allusions to this scene in
several subsequent parts of the story.]

"Infinite Ruler of all events! Great Sovereign of this ever changing
world! Omnipotent Controller of vicissitudes! Omniscient dispenser of
destinies! The beginning, the progression, the end is th