Lis. From the bottom of mine, I congratulate you, Lysander, upon the resuming of your wonted spirits! I had imagined that the efforts of yesterday would have completely exhausted you. How rapturously do I look forward for the Symptoms of the Bibliomania to be told this morning in Lorenzo's Alcove! You have not forgotten your promise!
Lysand. No, indeed; but if I am able to do justice to the elucidation of so important a subject, it will be in consequence of having enjoyed a placid, though somewhat transient, slumber: notwithstanding the occurrence of a very uncommon dream!
Lis. "I dreamt a dream last night;" which has been already told—but what was yours?
Lysand. Nay, it is silly to entertain one another with stories of phantastic visions of the night. I have known the most placid-bosomed men grow downright angry at the very introduction of such a discourse.
Phil. That may be; but we have, luckily, no such placidly-moulded bosoms in the present society. I love this sort of gossipping during breakfast, of all things. If our host permit, do give us your dream, Lysander!
Lis. The dream!—The dream!—I entreat you.
Lysand. I fear you will fall asleep, and dream yourself, before the recital of it be concluded. But I will get through it as well as I can.
Methought I was gently lifted from the ground into the air by a being of very superior size, but of an inexpressible sweetness of countenance. Although astonished by the singularity of my situation, I was far from giving way entirely to fear; but, with a mixture of anxiety and resignation, awaited the issue of the event. My Guide or Protector (for so this being must now be called) looked upon me with an air of tenderness, mingled with reproof; intimating, as I conceived, that the same superior Power, which had thus transported me above my natural element, would of necessity keep me in safety. This quieted my apprehensions.
We had travelled together through an immensity of space, and could discover the world below as one small darkened spot, when my Guide interrupted the awful silence that had been preserved, by the following exclamation: "Approach, O man, the place of thy destination—compose thy perturbed spirits, and let all thy senses be awakened to a proper understanding of the scene which thou art about to behold." So saying, he moved along with an indescribable velocity; and while my eyes were dazzled by an unusual effulgence of light, I found myself at rest upon a solid seat—formed of crystal, of prodigious magnitude.
My guide then fixed himself at my right hand, and after a vehement ejaculation, accompanied by gestures, which had the effect of enchantment upon me, he extended a sceptre of massive gold, decorated with emeralds and sapphires. Immediately there rose up a Mirror of gigantic dimensions, around which was inscribed, in fifty languages, the word "Truth." I sat in mute astonishment. "Examine," said my Guide, with a voice the most encouraging imaginable, "examine the objects reflected upon the surface of this mirror." "There are none that are discernible to my eyes," I replied. "Thou shalt soon be gratified then," resumed this extraordinary being (with a severe smile upon his countenance), "but first let me purge thine eyes from those films of prejudice which, in the world you inhabit, are apt to intercept the light of Truth." He then took a handful of aromatic herbs, and, rubbing them gently upon my temples, gave me the power of contemplating, with perfect discernment, the objects before me.