In this compartment are specimens of gold-bearing quartz, and here are nuggets of free gold and a receptacle filled with grains of gold; and here are samples of scale gold which are nearly pure.
Here, too, is an exhibit of Ento's various silver ores. Observe these peculiar formations which resemble skeins of silver threads, snarled inextricably. In these compartments is an effective arrangement of specimens of all minerals not accounted precious, as copper, iron, tin, zinc, lead, in short all minerals of our Planet are represented here.
To spirits sufficiently advanced, two facts are evident. One is the universal homogeneity of what you term matter. The other is the universality of a Law whose activities everywhere are the same, but I do not mean to say that everywhere the results are the same for, of course, environments and conditions modify results; but where, as on Ento and Earth, environments and conditions so nearly correspond, necessarily, results must at least bear a general resemblance.
We now will pass to the adjoining apartment where an aged custodian is poring over an ancient looking volume, which is one of many ancient volumes stored in this Galarēsa̤. What a quaint but pleasing figure he presents. His long white hair waving over his shoulders forms a fitting setting for his dark-hued, intellectual and refined face, and the blue gemmed silver fillet confining his hair harmonizes with his loose, graceful, dark blue robe falling quite to his feet. Despite his hoary locks and aged appearance, to my mind he is a very handsome man. The volume he so earnestly endeavors to read is quite unknown to me. Perhaps Zenesta̤ may be acquainted with it.
Zenesta Hao—Let me see. Ah, yes, this was the language of a race known as the Da̤hûlo, who occupied the Province of Da̤hûlo which, some thirty centuries ago, bordered on Indoloisa̤'s southern shore. They were highly civilized and, like the Quends of to-day, did not intermarry with other races. The province was not then infertile, and through their manufacturing industries, one of which was the production of rich silken stuffs, they became the most opulent race of Ento. Then gradually arrived the not infrequent sequence. The very rich grew arrogantly selfish, and the masses with unperceiving senses yielded their rights and fell into idleness and consequent poverty which bred discontent, and soon discontent merged into turbulence and almost suddenly they turned upon their despoilers and in an incredibly brief time such devastation occurred that cities, towns and villages and country places were little less than ruins. The Governor of the Province appears to have been a timorous, incapable man who, realizing that he could not control the frenzied people, appealed for aid to the Supreme Euler, Imraû Ilvoita̤s, who was a wise, just and thoroughgoing man, who quickly adjusted affairs by renaming the Province Zil-Ammon, and obliging those whose selfish greed had led to the riotous proceedings, to make reparation to the wronged people and also to remove elsewhere. These vigorous measures must have been an effective object lesson, for never since has a like event occurred.
The volume further relates that through the encouragement of Imraû Ilvoita̤s, people from other Provinces emigrated to Zil-Ammon and thus the exclusiveness of the Da̤hûlo race was broken up, but the Province never regained its former prosperity. At that time there was a lack of systematic irrigation and the central regions were steadily growing so infertile that long previous to the birth of Inidora̤ and Genessano the Province of Zil-Ammon was little less than a desert. Only within two Ento centuries has an attempt been made to reclaim this waste country.
This volume, which once I translated into the present Ento tongue, is a history of the extinct race of Da̤Hûlo; from its pages I have culled the fragment I have related. I should like to assist this gentleman in his effort to read the volume, but I fear he might be greatly alarmed could he even perceive me looking over his shoulder.
De L'Ester—Gentola̤, you now understand the process. Try to lightly touch his hands.
It is more than amusing to note the haste with which he deposits the volume on the table and turns his hands this way and that in an endeavor to learn what has occasioned the singular sensation. Touch him again, but only on his left hand. There, that will do. We do not desire to alarm him. He is quite startled and looks about questioningly, but as he perceives nothing out of the common he picks up the volume murmuring, "Ah me, age is burthened with infirmities and strange fancies, and I grow old, old, and the dread Silence draws very near." Again he lays the volume down and with a pathetic, troubled expression, paces back and forth. Too bad to have so disturbed him, and we beg his pardon.
Hugh Miller—Madame, will you now observe this department, which contains examples of all the precious stones of Ento.