moon.

rays, and four moons were visible, one at the full over head, another just emerging from behind the ring, and two others showing the cusp of a coming and of a waning These, and stars which hung down from the dark depths of the sky like burning lamps, forming glorious constellations, filled the souls of our travellers with adoring rapture.

They remained in the open air, walking along the shores of the lake, accompanied by deacon and Mrs. Colgate and the Egyptian girl, who held the hand of Peter, and described to him the cosmography of this system of worlds with which she was familiar from having personally visited every planet and every moon in sight; and this she did in the most pleasing manner conceivable.

The chimes of the cathedral reminded them of their hour of worship and rest. Returning skiffs freighted with shining ones were seen now hastening to land, and soon this Community of Love were assembled in the grand hall, as it was called by preeminence, when the choir

Of theologians; but with keen dispatch

Of real hunger.

Meanwhile at table Eve

Minister'd naked, and their flowing cups

With pleasant liquors crowned."-Line 445.

In Gen. xviii. we read of a visit made by the angel Jehovah and two attendant angels to Abraham. It is written-" Abraham ran unto the herd, and fecht a calf, tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. And he took butter and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it befor them; and they did eat."

with one consent began their song of praise. This ser vice ended, with graceful adieus, they separated. The deacon consigned Mrs. Jay to his wife, and Peter to his son, to be conducted to their several apartments.*

Peter was again surprised at the beauty of his chamber, and its furniture. The couch was of classic form and the filmy curtains were held up by cherubs wrought in gold, whose faces were beautiful beyond description. It was late, and Peter, a little weary with his long flight, laid himself down to sleep.

Now the state of repose to the redeemed is bliss unknown on earth; for then the soul in vision rises with a flood of light, into the sensible and immediate presence of the Saviour, and holds with him the most intimate communion; asking him every question love can inspire, and receiving his gracious answers, as did the disciple whom Jesus loved while leaning on his bosom. It was the belief of the saints of all ages, and this was sustained by those most learned in the science of the soul, that this state of exaltation was the highest life; when the soul found its repose in God, the ocean of the Infinite, where all is light and love; to each soul the perfection of being, defined by no line, bounded by no circle, but in which the soul was represented to itself as the centre and God the circumference. Such was the communion of the

*Satan, (Paradise Lost, book i, line 825) reproaches his fallen legions, lying entranced upon the burning lake:

"To slumber here, as in the vales of heaven !"

redeemed with God and Christ, alike to all capacities, the mightiest mind and the infant heir of glory who but breathed and was exhaled to heaven; and shared too by archangels, those who stood with Lucifer, son of the morning, when the almightiness of God was first manifested in the creation of suns and systems, innumerable.

Happy sleepers! whose beautiful activity is thus suspended to wake to visions of a more beatific existence.

CHAPTER II.

Morning Scenes-Deacon Colgate's account of this New World-Colloquy concerning this World in contrast with Earth-Breakfast Servitors describedPeter receives a Message from his Angel to hasten to the Metropolis to hear a new Oratorio by Handel, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven-The Messenger tells the Story of his Life.

OUR travellers arose with the song of earliest birds, and met each other on the terrace leading to the grounds bordering on the lake. The morning breeze was just waking the waves to life. If the sunset was glorious, the rising sun, whose coming was foretold by the reflected light from the vast zone circling this world, was magnificent, and filled their souls with emotions of sublimity which kept them silent.

They were brought down from heaven to earth by the song of birds, whose plumage was paradisiacal, while their notes, running through the sweetest inflections, won their admiring attention. And looking round they were delighted to see flowers of unknown fragrance, and new combinations of hues; and above and around were trees of great height and beauty of foliage whose

pendent boughs, far drooping, waved gracefully over them.*

"How beautiful!" was an exclamation ever rising to their lips.

While thus occupied, Deacon Colgate and wife joined them, and after morning salutations, Mrs. Jay asked the deacon to tell them something about this lovely world.

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"We are told, madam, that this is a very ancient world, and has been peopled many cycles of centuries. It is one of worlds of Beauty and Art, or, as my son has it, of the True and the Beautiful in Art. If you have circled it before alighting here, you have seen its many and vast cities, filled with glorious temples and edifices devoted to galleries of paintings and sculpture, and museums of natural history, so various and bewildering, that walking through them even, wearies the attention of new comers; and when you shall visit them, as I have done, you will come away as I did, with a feeling that ages would be exhausted in the attempt to know all that is to be known of this one world."

"How the glory and greatness of God widens ! When I was on earth, and thought of eternity, I some times speculated whether the time would not come when I should have exhausted all that was knowable."

"And so, Mrs. Jay, you thought you might become a