PART III.
Thisdream had one feature in common with ordinary dreams; parts of it were confused and fitful. But its unusual length and coherence were remarkable. It consisted of a series of vivid scenes and singular events in conformity with its general character and design. These were announced (a notable fact) in its outset, and sustained throughout (still more strange) in their appropriate relations.
The aerialvoyageurstook a general view of the Ganges and its deltas. They paused to observe a Hindoo maiden, of the bettercaste, launch upon its waters, in her amative superstition, one of those small lights, votive to love and imagination, which floating down the stream would by its course, accidents and fate, indicate what might be the chequered destiny of her affections, or the fortunes of an absent lover. And they noticed her as a specimen of the delicate symmetry of form and sentient beauty of face, characteristic of southern Asiaticfemales. The dreamy expression of soul on her countenance enthralled the American. For a time he was human.
Geographical details but seldom attracted their attention. Their general consciousness was that of travelling at night; yet there was ever light enough when and where it was desired. The American conceived the mortal wish to view a scene from the highest mountains in the world. They were near the Himmalayas, and flew to their most commanding peak. It appeared to be a bright day, and all the sensations of sublime awe and admiration which a man could feel under such circumstances were realized. This experience was entirely distinct from any impressions produced during their usual aerial observations. The landscape seemed to comprise every variety of object, from the grandest and most startling, to the softest and most serene, and a delicious mellowing sublimated the enchantment.
Now, anon, they are looking down upon the Euphrates and the Tigris, and the classic slip of land between them. And in another moment a twilight envelopes them, a contemplative mood ensues; and, then, steals upon their consciousness the knowledge, inducing a singular awe or uneasiness, that they are hoveringover the Plain of Shinar. The biblical Babel, the confusion of tongues and the scattering of the nations crowd upon their reflection, and again immortal thoughts arise.
The disembodied remarks, “It is written that a drama occurred below, which, it appears to me, is as mysterious in its meaning as it is wonderful in its happening. The Divine frustration of the building of the Tower of Babel, as a rebuke to the presumption of man, in the light of an allegory, finds analogies in every-day life. But, as a fact, it is classed among the miraculous. Which is it? The unity or variety of origin of the human race is a vexed question; and man’s distinctiveness from other animals, especially in the characteristics of reason and immortality, may be regarded another. It has occurred to me that attributing the ‘confusion of tongues’ to the miraculous, may have been but an ancient priestly, as well as theoretic, pretext in favor of the doctrine of the unity of the human race. The Babel statement is a strange story of God’s ways.”
Immortal.—“Even to immortals, God’s designs are not revealed, and in many respects His ways are inscrutable. The past may declare His nature, but never wholly His purposes.The Future is His own.But as Hislaws are unchangeable, inferences may be drawn by any being in proportion to his faculties and knowledge. Their gradations are as numerous as the stars. Nor is it permitted tometo declare toyouin your mortalstatus, all I know in my immortalstatus. But the unity or variety of human origin is of no present importance. The differences of the human races, in language, color and structure, give assurance against their amalgamation and homogeneity on earth.”
The dream assumes a new phase. In a grand hall, of shadowy sides, suspended in mid-air, the parties recline in voluptuous chairs.
It is as if fitted for exhibitions. A moving superb panorama passes before them, representing in their greatest glory, the following cities: Babylon, Nineveh, Thebes, Troy, Tyre, Jerusalem, Bagdad, Alexandria and Damascus. They alike saw them and seemed to be in them. It was a curious, instructive and wondrous display. A reverse movement of the picture then presented these cities or their sites as they are now. Their inhabitants at the different periods, in varied masses and actions, and male and female in every style and hue of Eastern costume and countenance, created a strange and absorbing interest. Thekaleidoscopic phases of human nature will ever challenge curiosity, excite observation and engender thoughts. The desire “to see and be seen” by our kind, has a more suggestive and philosophical source than mere vanity.
The winged adventurers of a night recross from Asia to Europe, traverse the famed Bosphorus, and reaching Constantinople, alight for a moment, each on a minaret of the mosque, (formerly church of St. Sophia,) the grandest temple to Mahomet and of the Turks. The view was grand, novel and crowded with objects and memorials. It was the most noted point on the line between the East and the West, and there were the remembrances and insignia of both. These philosophic observers had carefully noticed, of late, the influences and traces of men and events, systems and creeds, times and powers, from Alexander the Great, in his primary institution of commerce and in its mighty effects, down to the condition produced by the late struggle by Turkey, France and England on one side, against the aggressions of Russia and Northern hordes on the other.
With their usual facility they next visit the palace of the Sultan. Their presence surprised, but its character was deferred to and welcomed.Turkish hospitality and courtesy are genial, when once enlisted. The Grand Vizier himself directed their entertainment near the person of his Majesty of the Crescent. In a stoical manner, but with liberal temper, they discussed with the guests matters of religion, government, social customs, moral subtleties and modern developments and tendencies. The preconceived ideas and prejudices of the American were greatly modified. The former Turk and Mohammedan of haughty bigotry, fierceness and the sword, had subsided into tolerance for the Christian, amity with the European, and deference to the civilization, learning and powers of the Caucasian race. Once the chief guardian and lookout on the ramparts of the ignorance, despotism and superstitions of the East, he now would open its portals to the more active spirit and mightier enlightenment of the West. All this was elicited and defined in the harmonious discussions that interluded the ceremonial observances.
The suite of apartments allotted to females in the larger dwelling-houses of the East (called the Harem) is a portion sacred to them and the head of the family, and forbidden to other masculine intrusion. But, for the winged spirits, there was no objection to theiradmittance to even the imperial Seraglio. Upon the invitation of the Sultan, who led the way, they retired with him into the delicious abode of the Sultanas and lady favorites of that mysterious Court. Here for the first time gallantry so inspired the American that he bowed, kneeled—yes, salaam-ed! This choice collection of beautiful women, selected from beauties of different climes, and from races of the higher types, presented every species of female loveliness in form, feature and complexion. The Circassian prevailed in numbers and attractions.
A golden-haired blonde from the North, with seraphic blue eyes and lily skin, robust yet lithe and sprightly, was evidently the favorite of the Sultan. But in contrast with her style, yet equal in subtle fascination, reclined upon a divan in more haughty retiracy a tropical being, (a near relative of the Sultan,) in whose hair was the sheeny darkness of a thousand starry nights, on whose brunette cheek was the rose’s richest red, and whose flashing black eyes and queenly figure were now in dreamy repose. But they grew animated on the entrance and in the presence of the party; and during their stay and devoirs, her look often rested on the American, “and eyes looked” affinity “to eyesthat spoke again.” He became enthralled. His imagination conjectured in her the contrarient higher qualities of a Semiramis, a Cleopatra and a Zenobia. She filled it!
At an appropriate time, eunuchs from among the number in attendance, conducted the guests to private apartments. The American dreamed he slept and had a vision.
The warm radiance of Zulika’s black eyes still thrill his soul with a loving passion. Mahomet, too, was associated with her in his thoughts. He calls upon him to come and take him among the celestial Houris—“the beautiful eyed—the black eyed.” The apparition of Mahomet is suddenly seen; it somewhat startles, yet, also, composes his other excitement.
Mahomet.—“Brother disembodied! You are still human in your thoughts. Death alone can free you from them. Yet I know them; it is permitted tome now to learn what transpires in the universe. It is also vouchsafed to you, in your immaterialized state, to hold converse with the departed spirits, yes, even the Houris, as you request. Among other matters you wonder at the apparently inconsistent decrees I made in regard to wine and women, for my followers on earth. The inhibition of wine was forthe masses, who are largely composed of the inconsiderate and craving. Its use will induce the habit and disease of intoxication, which is fatal to mankind, especially in warm climates. Temperance should ever be a moral duty, and abstinence alone can secure it among the many. ‘The joys of wine’ are only for the prudent and thoughtful, and its healthful quality for the ill. It has its proper uses.”
Disembodied.—“In this regard you were right, as an expounder.”
Mahomet.—“In permitting polygamy and even concubinage to some, I reflected that as marriage would not be suitable or convenient or possible to a number of men, I would be making a needful, wise and saving provision for surplus women. The deprivation of wine, too, rendered it more salutary; man will have one, and if he can, both. My system was, also, designed to diminish promiscuous prostitution.”
Disembodied.—“Clever excuse! But how will you defend the propagation of your creed by the sword?”
Mahomet.—“Mankind, so generally stolid or perverse in untoward ignorance or selfishness, will usually require more or less coercion in some shape, to be aroused into useful animationand effort, and to the pursuit of good and happiness. The sword, like necessity, stimulates; it is at times a great vivifier. It is even, occasionally, justice on a large and peculiar scale; it is for man and nations, what the rod is for the child.”
Disembodied.—“Clever pretext, again! But you seemnowto think that you were a better giver of law than of religion.”
Mahomet.—“I was not a Prophet. I was right in but one religious dogma: the declaration of the one God. And of Him, man is to himself the most direct and proximate revelation.Know thyself!It is both duty and instruction. Come! sister spirits would confer with thee.”
Disembodied American.—“But, oh, I would see more ofherwhom I met to-night.”
Mahomet.—“She is youraffinity; and when you are both freed from the earthly, you will abide together on some Olympus in the Illimitable. Let us to the Seventh Heaven!”
They sweep upward and onward, and on their passage see a vast and bright globe, (a star or sun,) many times larger than the Earth. There they see the souls of the most ignorant and obtuse of the dead, in their second stage of existence or ordeal of improvement. It isthe first Heaven. They proceed on by other worlds—all abodes of Spiritual Progression, and arrive at the seventh Heaven.
Mahomet.—“The more favored and self-elevating of Earth when they die, are at once transferred to the sphere most suited to them—some few even reaching the sixth Heaven, at the outset upon eternity. The seventh Heaven is thefirstabode of achieved Goodness and translucent Reason in the initial state of perfection. After and beyond that, these become identical with Knowledge, which I believe is eternally acquisitive and expansive. Here is my attainment through centuries. I began my after-death career in the third Heaven. Zoroaster his in the fourth. Confucius was permitted to pass the first, because of his great mind and good intent; but he was assigned to the second to learn there was a God and a Creator. Your travelling companion, who was never mortal, is beyond me, and I know not his origin. Here I will show you the most glorified women, who have come originally from earth.”
On the globe at which they had arrived, there was, as on Earth, all variety of its own kinds or peculiarities.
The disembodied American was soon throwninto social intercourse. The inhabitants appeared to have the human form glorified—called “the image of God.” Here there was ideal beauty, infinitely varied like the flowers of earth. The females were of heavenly and indescribable loveliness. Their countenances beamed with sublimated purity and affection. They thronged around him as “administering angels.” Their sweet voices accompanied the music of the spheres, and their swelling chorus joined the song of the morning stars, in the eternal anthem to the Most High.
Heavenly Houri.—“Mortal! Know that thy thought is vain, that the passions of the body—of the earth—are here in some riper and heaven-ized existence, and that their indulgence is but enhanced in pleasurable degree. Here there is attraction—affinity—but it is of the soul.”
Disembodied.—“Then there is no Love here! I mean the feeling peculiar to the sexes.”
Houri.—“Yes. But there is nomaterialdesire.The sexes are essentially complements of each other; but these complements may differ in their substance and proportions. When they are counterparts of each other, then affinity is perfect. This affinity isheavenly Loveand unalloyed happiness. Such a pair are theBride and Bridegroom of Eternity. Their children are the heavenlythoughtswhich spring from such affinity.”
The startled brain of the visionist caused him to awake into his dream, and he saw his Immortal companion bending over him with a smile.