FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104  
105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   >>   >|  
tion, an event he witnessed for the first time. But I would not abuse my advantage; so I let you off cheaply with the sole fabrication of Nina, and the personal characteristics of Arnod Paole, of whom unfortunately nothing has come down to posterity, but that he was haunted by a vampyr at Cossova, fell from a hay-cart at Meduegna, and died, and lived a vampyr himself. I remain, dear Archy, Yours, &c. MAC DAVUS. LETTER III. SPIRITS, GOBLINS, GHOSTS. Dear Archy.--On what subject shall I next address you? Elves, goblins, ghosts, real and unreal; dreams, witchcraft, second-sight? Bless me! the field of marvels seems more thronged, as I approach it closer. The spirits I have evoked begin to scare me with their numbers. How on earth shall I ever get them fairly laid? But some, I see, can now only limp along--they are scotched already; I will begin with finishing these. Yet they deserve gentle treatment. They sprang from our nature, which seems expressly made to procreate and rear them. Thick, within and around us, lie the rich veins of illusive suggestion from which they spring. The thing nearest us is our mental constitution, the world of consciousness. It is of it we first learn, though it be the last we understand. It is that through which we perceive and apprehend all other things; and nothing becomes part of our knowledge but as it has been shaped and coloured by its magic reflexion. Nay, more, it is not only our mirror but our archetype for every thing. So we spiritualise the material universe, and afterwards, by an incongruous consistency, anthropomorphise spirit. Reason in vain reclaims against this misuse of analogy. Feeling, imagination, instinct are too many for her; and any mood, from fun to earnest, from nonsense to sublimity, may hear a responsive note when this chord is touched. Address to that ingenuous young American a remark upon the slightness of the legs of her work-table,--she blushes--her lively fancy has given them personality. Were she a wealthier miss, she would give them, besides, neat cambric trowsers with lace borders. With less refinement, and with inexcusable warmth, I take shame to myself for having bestowed a kick upon a similar mahogany limb, which had, however, begun the contest by breaking my shin. To the poet's eye, nature is instinct with life. Greece may be "living Greece no more"--in the soul of her people; but her immortal plains,
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104  
105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

vampyr

 

instinct

 
nature
 

Greece

 

reclaims

 

Reason

 

spirit

 

incongruous

 

consistency

 
anthropomorphise

living

 
plains
 
imagination
 
understand
 
misuse
 

analogy

 

Feeling

 

universe

 

material

 

knowledge


shaped

 

coloured

 

perceive

 

apprehend

 

things

 

people

 

immortal

 

spiritualise

 
reflexion
 

mirror


archetype

 

trowsers

 

cambric

 

wealthier

 
lively
 
blushes
 

personality

 
borders
 
similar
 

bestowed


mahogany
 
refinement
 

inexcusable

 

warmth

 

responsive

 

breaking

 

contest

 

earnest

 

nonsense

 

sublimity