memoirs of carwin the biloquist-第4节

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His　actions　being　thus　chiefly　regulated　by　gestures；　that　to　a　stranger　would　appear　indifferent　or　casual；　it　was　easy　to　produce　a　belief　that　the　animal's　knowledge　was　much　greater　than　in　truth；　it　was。

One　day；　in　a　mixed　company；　the　discourse　turned　upon　the　unrivaled　abilities　of　~~Damon~~。　　Damon　had；　indeed；　acquired　in　all　the　circles　which　I　frequented；　an　extraordinary　reputation。　Numerous　instances　of　his　sagacity　were　quoted　and　some　of　them　exhibited　on　the　spot。　　Much　surprise　was　excited　by　the　readiness　with　which　he　appeared　to　comprehend　sentences　of　considerable　abstraction　and　complexity；　though；　he　in　reality；　attended　to　nothing　but　the　movements　of　hand　or　fingers　with　which　I　accompanied　my　words。　　I　enhanced　the　astonishment　of　some　and　excited　the　ridicule　of　others；　by　observing　that　my　dog　not　only　understood　English　when　spoken　by　others；　but　actually　spoke　the　language　himself；　with　no　small　degree　of　precision。

This　assertion　could　not　be　admitted　without　proof；　proof；　therefore；　was　readily　produced。　　At　a　known　signal；　Damon　began　a　low　interrupted　noise；　in　which　the　astonished　hearers　clearly　distinguished　English　words。　　A　dialogue　began　between　the　animal　and　his　master；　which　was　maintained；　on　the　part　of　the　former；　with　great　vivacity　and　spirit。　　In　this　dialogue　the　dog　asserted　the　dignity　of　his　species　and　capacity　of　intellectual　improvement。　　The　company　separated　lost　in　wonder；　but　perfectly　convinced　by　the　evidence　that　had　been　produced。

On　a　subsequent　occasion　a　select　company　was　assembled　at　a　garden；　at　a　small　distance　from　the　city。　　Discourse　glided　through　a　variety　of　topics；　till　it　lighted　at　length　on　the　subject　of　invisible　beings。　　From　the　speculations　of　philosophers　we　proceeded　to　the　creations　of　the　poet。　　Some　maintained　the　justness　of　Shakspear's　delineations　of　aerial　beings；　while　others　denied　it。　　By　no　violent　transition；　Ariel　and　his　songs　were　introduced；　and　a　lady；　celebrated　for　her　musical　skill；　was　solicited　to　accompany　her　pedal　harp　with　the　song　of　〃Five　fathom　deep　thy　father　lies〃　。　。　。　　She　was　known　to　have　set；　for　her　favourite　instrument；　all　the　songs　of　Shakspeare。

My　youth　made　me　little　more　than　an　auditor　on　this　occasion。　I　sat　apart　from　the　rest　of　the　company；　and　carefully　noted　every　thing。　　The　track　which　the　conversation　had　taken；　suggested　a　scheme　which　was　not　thoroughly　digested　when　the　lady　began　her　enchanting　strain。

She　ended　and　the　audience　were　mute　with　rapture。　　The　pause　continued；　when　a　strain　was　wafted　to　our　ears　from　another　quarter。　　The　spot　where　we　sat　was　embowered　by　a　vine。　　The　verdant　arch　was　lofty　and　the　area　beneath　was　spacious。

The　sound　proceeded　from　above。　　At　first　it　was　faint　and　scarcely　audible；　presently　it　reached　a　louder　key；　and　every　eye　was　cast　up　in　expectation　of　beholding　a　face　among　the　pendant　clusters。　　The　strain　was　easily　recognized；　for　it　was　no　other　than　that　which　Ariel　is　made　to　sing　when　finally　absolved　from　the　service　of　the　wizard。


In　the　Cowslips　bell　I　lie；　On　the　Bat's　back　I　do　fly　。　。　。　After　summer　merrily；　&c。


Their　hearts　palpitated　as　they　listened：　　they　gazed　at　each　other　for　a　solution　of　the　mystery。　　At　length　the　strain　died　away　at　distance；　and　an　interval　of　silence　was　succeded　by　an　earnest　discussion　of　the　cause　of　this　prodigy。　　One　supposition　only　could　be　adopted；　which　was；　that　the　strain　was　uttered　by　human　organs。　　That　the　songster　was　stationed　on　the　roof　of　the　arbour；　and　having　finished　his　melody　had　risen　into　the　viewless　fields　of　air。

I　had　been　invited　to　spend　a　week　at　this　house：　　this　period　was　nearly　expired　when　I　received　information　that　my　aunt　was　suddenly　taken　sick；　and　that　her　life　was　in　imminent　danger。　　I　immediately　set　out　on　my　return　to　the　city；　but　before　my　arrival　she　was　dead。

This　lady　was　entitled　to　my　gratitude　and　esteem；　I　had　received　the　most　essential　benefits　at　her　hand。　　I　was　not　destitute　of　sensibility；　and　was　deeply　affected　by　this　event：　I　will　own；　however；　that　my　grief　was　lessened　by　reflecting　on　the　consequences　of　her　death；　with　regard　to　my　own　condition。　　I　had　been　ever　taught　to　consider　myself　as　her　heir；　and　her　death；　therefore；　would　free　me　from　certain　restraints。

My　aunt　had　a　female　servant；　who　had　lived　with　her　for　twenty　years：　　she　was　married；　but　her　husband；　who　was　an　artizan；　lived　apart　from　her：　　I　had　no　reason　to　suspect　the　woman's　sincerity　and　disinterestedness；　but　my　aunt　was　no　sooner　consigned　to　the　grave　than　a　will　was　produced；　in　which　Dorothy　was　named　her　sole　and　universal　heir。

It　was　in　vain　to　urge　my　expectations　and　my　claims　。　。　。　。　the　instrument　was　legibly　and　legally　drawn　up　。　。　。　。　　Dorothy　was　exasperated　by　my　opposition　and　surmises；　and　vigorously　enforced　her　title。　　In　a　week　after　the　decease　of　my　kinswoman；　I　was　obliged　to　seek　a　new　dwelling。　　As　all　my　property　consisted　in　my　cloths　and　my　papers；　this　was　easily　done。

My　condition　was　now　calamitous　and　forlorn。　　Confiding　in　the　acquisition　of　my　aunt's　patrimony；　I　had　made　no　other　provision　for　the　future；　I　hated　manual　labour；　or　any　task　of　which　the　object　was　gain。　　To　be　guided　in　my　choice　of　occupations　by　any　motive　but　the　pleasure　which　the　occupation　was　qualified　to　produce；　was　intolerable　to　my　proud；　indolent；　and　restive　temper。

This　resource　was　now　cut　off；　the　means　of　immediate　subsistence　were　denied　me：　　If　I　had　determined　to　acquire　the　knowledge　of　some　lucrative　art；　the　acquisition　would　demand　time；　and；　meanwhile；　I　was　absolutely　destitute　of　support。　　My　father's　house　was；　indeed；　open　to　me；　but　I　preferred　to　stifle　myself　with　the　filth　of　the　kennel；　rather　than　to　return　to　it。

Some　plan　it　was　immediately　necessary　to　adopt。　　The　exigence　of　my　affairs；　and　this　reverse　of　fortune；　continually　occupied　my　thoughts；　I　estranged　myself　from　society　and　from　books；　and　devoted　myself　to　lonely　walks　and　mournful　meditation。

One　morning　as　I　ranged　along　the　bank　of　Schuylkill；　I　encountered　a　person；　by　name　Ludloe；　of　whom　I　had　some　previous　knowledge。　　He　was　from　Ireland；　was　a　man　of　some　rank　and　apparently　rich：　　I　had　met　with　him　before；　but　in　mixed　companies；　where　little　direct　intercourse　had　taken　place　between　us。　　Our　last　meeting　was　in　the　arbour　where　Ariel　was　so　unexpectedly　introduced。

Our　acquaintance　merely　justified　a　transient　salutation；　but　he　did　not　content　himself　with　noticing　me　as　I　passed；　but　joined　me　in　my　walk　and　entered　into　conversation。　　It　was　easy　to　advert　to　the　occasion　on　which　we　had　last　met；　and　to　the　mysterious　incident　which　then　occurred。　　I　was　solicitous　to　dive　into　his　thoughts　upon　this　head　and　put　some　questions　which　tended　to　the　point　that　I　wished。

I　was　somewhat　startled　when　he　expressed　his　belief；　that　the　performer　of　this　mystic　strain　was　one　of　the　company　then　present；　who　exerted；　for　this　end；　a　faculty　not　commonly　possessed。　　Who　this　person　was　he　did　not　venture　to　guess；　and　could　not　discover；　by　the　tokens　which　he　suffered　to　appear；　that　his　suspicions　glanced　at　me。　　He　expatiated　with　great　profoundness　and　fertility　of　ideas；　on　the　uses　to　which　a　faculty　like　this　might　be　employed。　　No　more　powerful　engine；　he　said；　could　be　conceived；　by　which　the　ignorant　and　credulous　might　be　moulded　to　our　purposes；　managed　by　a　man　of　ordinary　talents；　it　would　open　for　him　the　straightest　and　surest　avenues　to　wealth　and　power。

His　remarks　excited　in　my　mind　a　new　strain　of　thoughts。　　I　had　not　hitherto　considered　the　subject　in　this　light；　though　vague　ideas　of　the　importance　of　this　art　could　not　fail　to　be　occasionally　suggested：　　I　ventured　to　inquire　into　his　ideas　of　the　mode；　in　which　an　art　like　this　could　be　employed；　so　as　to　effect　the　purposes　he　mentioned。

He　dealt　chiefly　in　general　representations。　　Men；　he　said；　believed　in　the　existence　and　energy　of　invisible　powers；　and　in　the　duty　of　discovering　and　conforming　to　their　will。　　This　will　was　supposed　to　be　sometimes　made　known　to　them　through　the　medium　of　their　senses。　　A　voice　coming　from　a　quarter　where　no　attendant　form　could　be　seen　would；　in　most　cases；　be　ascribed　to　supernal　agency；　and　a　command　imposed　on　them；　in　this　manner；　would　be　obeyed　with　religious　scrupulousness。　　Thus　men　might　be　imperiously　directed　in　the　disposal　of　their　industry；　their　property；　and　even　of　their　lives。　　Men；　actuated　by　a　mistaken　sense　of　duty；　might；　under　this　influence；　be　led　to　the　commission　of　the　most　flagitious；　as　well　as　the　most　heroic　acts：　If　it　were　his　desire　to　accumulate　wealth；　or　institute　a　new　sect；　he　should　need　no　other　instrument。

I　listened　to　this　kind　of　discourse　with　great　avidity；　and　regretted　when　he　thought　proper　to　introduce　new　topics。　　He　ended　by　requesting　me　to　visit　him；　which　I　eagerly　consented　to　do。　When　left　alone；　my　imagination　was　filled　with　the　images　suggested　by　this　conversation。　　The　hopelessness　of　better　fortune；　which　I　had　lately　harboured；　now　gave　place　to　cheering　confidence。　　Those　motives　of　rectitude　which　should　d