Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1859 Excerpt:... An indistinct chaos of mysteries; Ourselves the central tabernacle where The mystery of mysteries is enshrined. 'Tis stillness all around--Nature's asleep, And on her lips a smile of sunshine plays, Showing the roseate texture of her dreams; The zephyrs speak in whispers, fearing lest Their voice disturb her rest--when lo! behold, An unseen agency awakes the winds, And goads them on to madness; forests bend In presence of the blast, and trees are torn Up from their roots and borne upon its wings; The sea, possessed as by a demon, foams And roars, and flings itself upon the land, And driven back spits in the face of Heaven. Wherefore this wild uproar, and whence? We know not. The earth, convulsed by some internal spasm, Writhes in the transports of her agony, And, torn asunder by the pang, gapes wide; And humble roofs and stately palaces, Homes of the high and lowly, all alike, Topple into the abyss which closes on them; A moment more and all again is calm, And the sun smiles as wont upon the ruin. What Spirit of destroy's abroad? We know not. Fulness and plenty reign throughout the land, And men are wanton in the flush of health, And bask them in the noontide sun, or play--Sweetening the air with music of their mirth.. Blind mortals! for even now among ye walks, Unseen, unheard, a ghastly visitant, Breathing on you the malice of his breath. And soon all cheeks wax pale, their pastimes cease, Wailing and tears succeed to revelry; For many a hearth is orphaned, many a home Reft of the household god that made it home, One spot of sunshine in a sunless world. What spirit of destroy's abroad? We know not. 'Tis vain we give to things we know not names; Vain we reply, Storm, Earthquake, Pestilence; These are but signs; what are the things they symbol? I'm wearied-...