essengerbeinggone,thephilosopherremarked:Whataworthymessenger!Whataworthymessenger!”Thepreacher,insteadofvexingtheearsofdrowsyfarmersontheirdayofrestattheendoftheweek,—forSundayisthefitconclusionofanill-spentweek,andnotthefreshandbravebeginningofanewone,—withthisoneotherdraggle-tailofasermon,shouldshoutwiththunderingvoice,“Pause!Avast!Whysoseemingfast,butdeadlyslow?”
Shamsanddelusionsareesteemedforsoundesttruths,whilerealityisfabulous.Ifmenwouldsteadilyobserverealitiesonly,andnotallowthemselvestobedeluded,life,tocompareitwithsuchthingsasweknow,wouldbelikeafairytaleandtheArabianNights’Entertainments.Ifwerespectedonlywhatisinevitableandhasarighttobe,musicandpoetrywouldresoundalongthestreets.Whenweareunhurriedandwise,weperceivethatonlygreatandworthythingshaveanypermanentandabsoluteexistence,—thatpettyfearsandpettypleasuresarebuttheshadowofthereality.Thisisalwaysexhilaratingandsublime.Byclosingtheeyesandslumbering,andconsentingtobedeceivedbyshows,menestablishandconfirmtheirdailylifeofroutineandhabiteverywhere,whichstillisbuiltonpurelyillusoryfoundations.Children,whoplaylife,discernitstruelawandrelationsmoreclearlythanmen,whofailtoliveitworthily,butwhothinkthattheyarewiserbyexperience,thatis,byfailure.IhavereadinaHindoobook,that“therewasaking’sson,who,beingexpelledininfancyfromhisnativecity,wasbroughtupbyaforester,and,growinguptomaturityinthatstate,imaginedhimselftobelongtothebarbarousracewithwhichhelived.Oneofhisfather’sministershavingdiscoveredhim,revealedtohimwhathewas,andthemisconceptionofhischaracterwasremoved,andheknewhimselftobeaprince.Sosoul,”continuestheHindoophilosopher,“fromthecircumstancesinwhichitisplaced,mistakesitsowncharacter,untilthetruthisrevealedtoitbysomeholyteacher,andthenitknowsitselftobeBrahme.”IperceivethatweinhabitantsofNewEnglandlivethismeanlifethatwedobecauseourvisiondoesnotpenetratethesurfaceofthings.Wethinkthatthatiswhichappearstobe.Ifamanshouldwalkthroughthistownandseeonlythereality,where,thinkyou,wouldthe“Mill-dam”goto?Ifheshouldgiveusanaccountoftherealitieshebeheldthere,weshouldnotrecognizetheplaceinhisdescription.Lookatameeting-house,oracourt-house,orajail,orashop,oradwelling-house,andsaywhatthatthingreallyisbeforeatruegaze,andtheywouldallgotopiecesinyouraccountofthem.Menesteemtruthremote,intheoutskirtsofthesystem,behindthefartheststar,beforeAdamandafterthelastman.Ineternitythereisindeedsomethingtrueandsublime.Butallthesetimesandplacesandoccasionsarenowandhere.Godhimselfculminatesinthepresentmoment,andwillneverbemoredivineinthelapseofalltheages.Andweareenabledtoapprehendatallwhatissublimeandnobleonlybytheperpetualinstillinganddrenchingoftherealitythatsurroundsus.Theun