PART IV.
Thedream changes; thevoyageursare flying over Greece. This small but wondrous nation, so remarkable in the annals of mankind, and so full of historic and classic associations, was seen by them as in one view of its ancient and modern times, and of its geographic and art attractions under the illumination of genius and heroism, or in the twilight of mental and moral decadence.
The Immortal remarked, as it faded in the rear from their sight, “This favored land, emerging as it is, again, from the contact and influence of barbarism and moral depression, and with the native talents and sprightliness of its race, throwing off their frivolity and supineness, under the stimulating agencies of civilization now in contact with it, is once more destined to appropriate distinction.”
American.—“And yonder is Venice! Its romance has ever excited and interested my imagination.”
Immortal.—“Its history has been like a meteor; but in more ways than one: it has dashed into obscurity! It may be of continued interest as a locality and a city, but it can never, again, be a power.”
Italia! Oh, Italia! with what emotions, evolved from considerations of the present as of the past, they approach thee! In a southerly sweep they note the position of the ancient Brundusium, and gaze upon Vesuvius, Pompeii and Naples. They move up the course of the “yellow Tiber,” and at last, they hover over the “Eternal City.” They descend into Rome! traverse its streets, visit its famed places and sanctuaries, examine its ruins, think of its noted dead, observe its new features and present people, and, more than all, ponder upon the meaning of its history, its situation and its attitude. It is not within the compass of this narrative to present the volume of feeling and thoughts of the sleeper. In the Vatican and in the fane of St. Peter’s, as he did after in St. Paul’s and in London, he ruminated on the religion of civilization, and on the new speculations of infidel philosophy. In the Coliseum he reflected upon the impulses and ways of the populace. In the Forum he analyzed the systems of law and the subtleties of eloquence.In Senate halls he eliminated the science, the experiments, the élan of statesmanship, in both State and Church matters. Within the classic area of the Seven Hills, Man had exhibited every phase of his nature, inclination and power. Here Humanity had been borne upon every wave of destiny, and had travelled upon every highway and byway of fate, on earth. Rome is the epitome of the world’s Past. Its mission is ended.
Moving northward the aerialists glance upon Pisa, Florence, Milan and Mantua, the Po and the Adige. To gratify the curiosity of the American, they divert and descend to the point where the Rubicon was passed, and he thinks of Cesar, and of all the so-called Cesars, down to the last Czar and Kaiser. They visit, also, the plain of Marengo, which assured in power and prestige the true successor to Cesar, ashehad been to Alexander—the third that made a trio of the world’s mental and imperial masters.
Inasmuch as the travellers were threading the animate gallery of the world, they gave but a glance at the art galleries of Italy. What was a marble Venus or Apollo—what was a painting of the Transfiguration or of a Madonna—what was the tower of Pisa or thecathedral of Milan, in comparison with what they had seen!
Immortal.—“Italy is still nearer to national regeneration, power and influence than Greece. The full power of modern enlightenment will ere long be felt there.”
American.—“The names of Cavour and Mazzini are already enrolled on the true roll of fame. And, too, the biographies of Rienzi and Lorenzo the Magnificent are peculiarly attractive.”
This was said as they were observing the beauties of lakes Garda and Como. From thence they bent their pinions for Vienna. They circled it to view the fields made memorable by Sobieski and Napoleon. They enter it; and a cold and silvery twilight seemed to prevail as if its most consummate imperialism and refinement preferred the blinded and curtainedsalonsof governmental and social civilization. In such palatial halls were its Court; and there thefinesseof closet and boudoir intrigue had attained to its most exquisite development in this epoch. And the decorated white cloth coats of its costume delighted the eyes, but were significant of hypocrisy to the brain, of the American. Winged as he was, and probably because of it, hefound temptations addressed to both his head and heart. It was there thought that even angels could be corrupted “on earth as in heaven.”
They seek the purer air of Switzerland and the Alps. They “did” Mont Blanc and the Simplon, slid upon an avalanche, looked upon Geneva and its lake, and thought of Tell, the Cantons, and Calvin. They next seat themselves in human style on the deck of a steamer, and make the trip of the ever disputable and picturesque Rhine. They dash off on wing to Brussels, and imagining they hear the “sounds of revelry by night” and “the cannon’s opening roar,” they ponder on Waterloo.
American.—“Now for the dear old cliffs of Albion. Oh, Great Britain and Ireland, land of my fathers, let me see thee!” Stretching their wings in full sympathy and in joyous flight across the Channel, they scan with loving and careful eye England, Scotland and Ireland. They take in their all and every part and place; and terminate their British tour in London. Everything indicated genuine maturity and stability. Both the material and spiritual developments proclaim solid sense and judicious cultivation. It is the only countryin which the Past and Present seem to blend and harmonize.
There is a Royal levee at St. James palace, and there all appear royal. The British nobility and gentry! what a superb body of men and women! What glorious types of the mental and physical—what exemplars of education and refinement, character and tone! It is in Great Britain that industry, honesty and intellect have acquired gold; and gold has not debased but elevated humanity—has not disintegrated but cemented the social elements.
They were graciously received by Majesty; and they congratulated the Queen, not as sovereign, but as the royal representative of such a nation. Her peers, with calm satisfaction and cordial dignity, exclaimed, “That the just appreciation of the British people by native white Americans, involved the highest compliment to both.”
The Lord Mayor took them in charge, visited with them the notable places and buildings of London, and à l’Anglaise, entertained them at a banquet. On the occasion the Premier, who was a guest, remarked in his speech: “Great Britain, at last, although a monarchy in name and form, is a republic in fact. Its government combines the more ofthe advantages and the less of the disadvantages of the one-man power and of the many-power, than that of any other nation does. Hence it is, that the rights of the citizen equal those of even America, and are more practically protected and left in undisturbed satisfaction, politically and socially, than in any country in the world. There is more nominal but less real personal liberty in the United States than in England. Yet in these regards it is the just and proud boast and boon of these two nations, that their peoples alone can be called free.”
American.—“Is it because popular opinion in America is a tyrant toward each individual, that Great Britain has the advantage in practical, if not theoretical liberty?”
Immortal.—“Yes. Settled law and not fluctuating opinion should govern and protect.”
The good-byes are genial. While crossing the Straits of Dover for the Continent, the Immortal said with emphasis:
“The Anglo-Saxons everywhere furnish the best wives and mothers of your globe.”
La Belle France! Inimitable Paris! what a medley of expectations attends upon visiting these centres of travel. They run the gamut of pleasure from the exhilarating boards of the“light fantastic toe,” to the arenas where learning and skill walk in solemn mental pomp, and genius essays its wings for loftier flights from the heights of knowledge. There the heart vibrates from all the phases of frivolity, through the glows of vanity, love and ambition, to the glamours of suicide.
They proceed to Versailles, and indulge in mocking criticisms upon its costly and useless structures and empirical history.
They surveyed with care, Paris and its environs. They thought of it as a communistic volcano or as the cradle of revolutions.
Immortal.—“Blessed is the person or nation, who has a Faith, however crude! But, in truth, the French have no faith of any stable or guiding kind. Nor do they permit themselves to be either calm enough to study or rational enough to understand the mission of Reason. They do not truly apply it to either religion or government. Their women are practically wiser than their men; in their domain of society the formerhaveinstituted a system of mere life. Both have some tangible notions on the art of living on earth. Neither think very coherently on the Beyond. Natural (not mental) Philosophy, in all its branches, is their most successful sphere. Their German rivalssurpass them in mental speculations and innocuous transcendentalisms.”
They enter the Tuileries. The Emperor of the French expressed his keen appreciation of the objects of their grand and adventurous tour. With respectful earnestness he asked many questions in regard to it; especially in relation to political developments. In reply to a question by the American in reference to the assumptions of his own dynasty, he asseverated that it was a Napoleonic conception, maxim and design, “that the virtues and rights of the people could and should be asserted under the one-manrepresentativepower—that Imperialism and Republicanism could be identicalized in and under governmental action. That no other kind of government either suited or would satisfy the French. And that he ever studied Great Britain and the United States as among the leading examples before him, in devising the measures of his action and the formulas of his policy.”
He, also, assigned this as a reason why he and his uncle had not been favored by the old imperial or royal régimes. His Empress, the lovely Eugenie, was marked in her gracious deference, and uttered some angelic sentiments in support of her husband’s theory.
At Court the ethereal party received the attentions of thesavansof the world’s scientific metropolis, and with them visited their meeting. Abstruse topics were discussed. In reply to an inquiry upon electricity, the Immortal intimated “that, although it was not his province to discuss the connection between mind and matter, or to expound what agency magnetism had in relation to it, yet as the brain and body of man were a series of electric batteries, and electricity a fluid that pervaded the earth, it would in time, by an effort of the will, and by an action of the human body under and in certain conditions, become a medium of thought and converse between any two persons at different spots on the earth.”
American.—“Will they hold conversations as if in a tête-à-tête?”
Immortal.—“Yes. Without using language, Americans will thus converse with Chinese.”
They visited in theInvalidesthe Tomb of Napoléon le Grand. Before it the American was irresistibly affected by the awe, wonder and curiosity, which may be felt for the majesty of mind.
The travellers now proceed to Bordeaux; where, seated in asalon, and the American being thirsty, the best brandy and claret are setbefore them. They taste them with relish, and discuss their merits.
Suddenly the Disembodied exclaims, “Day is approaching, I must return to my body. Let us fly.”
They once more essay the aerial passage of the Atlantic. At the instance of the Spirit of Morphine, who suggested that they had time for a swoop to south of the Equator, and for a view of the constellation of the Southern Cross, the American, who affected astronomy, readily assented. They whirl southward, see it, and repass “the Line.” They enter the United States at Savannah, and soon reach the abode of the sleeper in the upper part of South Carolina. His spirit enters his chamber through the window and glides into his body, when he experiences a sense of relief as to its safety, and of satisfaction in his wondrous trip. He nestles in comfort of thought and matter, and—AWAKES!
The day has dawned, and soon the rays of the rising sun greet his mortal eyes. During that day he spoke of the dream, and was pale and excited. This dream occurred in the early part of January, 1868, and lasted between nine and ten hours.
FOOTNOTES:
[A]This sea was then unknown to the dreamer. His dream revealed to him its existence. He thought it a delusion, until he heard of its discovery.
[A]This sea was then unknown to the dreamer. His dream revealed to him its existence. He thought it a delusion, until he heard of its discovery.
[B]This refers to the once famous palace, built of blocks of ice, in St. Petersburg.
[B]This refers to the once famous palace, built of blocks of ice, in St. Petersburg.